The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-08 00:00:00

THE HAMSTEA.D AURDER.

As yet nothing positive is known as to the day on
which the trial of the prisoner locker is to take place ;
but during the whole of yesterday applications were
being made to the Sheriffs for tickets of admission to the
court, by nobly and distinguished persons, who expressed
their desire to be present. The excitement upon the
subject appears to be as great, if indeed it is not greater,
as at the trial of Courvoisier for the murder of Lord W.
Russell, and in order to prevent confusion and inoonve-
nience the Sheriffs have determined that'no person shall
be admitted except by tickets,..and as they will be issued
for no more
.persons than can be conveniently ac-
commodated in the Court, all unnecessary confu-
sion will be avoided. The_ plOsecution will be con-
ducted by the Solicitor-General, Mr. Bodkin, and two
other counsel, on behalf of the Crown; and Mr. Clark-
son and Mr. Ballantine are retained to defend the pri-
soner. It was at first thought probable, on account of
the heavy business at the present session of the Central
Criminal Court, that the trial would not come on before
Saturday, but as it is expected to last more than one day,
and it would be exceedingly inconvenient to adjourn
over the Sunday, and keep the jury locked up all that
time, it is understood to be now arranged that the trial
shall take place on Thursday or Friday, but this will be
'finally settled when the judges come down on Wednes-
day morning. It appears that there are to be two in-
dictments preferred against the prisoner, one for the
murder, and another for the robbery; and the fol-
lowing 'is the form in which the prisoner
stands charged in the calendar : " Thomas
Henry Kocher; aged 22, teacher,' committed by J.
Rawlinson, Esq., and T. Wakley, Esq., Coroner, for the
wilful murder of James Delarue. Detained, also,
for a robbery on James Delarue, and stealing one
watch, one ring, and twelve sovereigns, his goods and
moneys, and immediately before the said robbery wound-
ing the said James Delarue." Should the prisoner,
therefore, escape conviction upon the charge of murder,
he will be tried for the robbery with violence, an offence
which, until a recent alteration of the statute, was also
capital, but which, at present, only subjects the party
convicted of it to transportation for fifteen years.

On Saturday the annual general meeting of the
members of the Society of Schoolmasters was held in the
apartments of the Literary Fund, Great Russell-street,
Bloomsbury ; the Rev. Dr. Russell in the chair. The
report was read by Octavius Blewitt, Esq. The Secre-
tary stated, that his Majesty the King of the French, who
had been for many years a member of the Society, had
presented this year an additional donation of 10/. The
Association was established in 1793, and during the first
thirteen years of its existence, had given to forty families
of distressed
schoolmasters the sum of 7,0001., and 5,0001.
in other charitable donations. The receipts since the
last anniversary amounted to 5241" and the expenses to
380/. The report was adopted,
in
forwardingLr_employeclN'sthleNalNt
IMPROVEMENTS I
are now busilylNN.—Workmen
are
are to take place in Lincoln's-Inn
unoc-
cupied plot of ground in New-square The whole of the ,
to its being broken up and nereids railed in preparatory
with grass ; the uu
square, sightly basin in the centre of the
which, from the
•
uncouthness of its structure, and the sta
water which
it contained, was generally felt to be a ni e'
demolished, and in its place is to be erectende,a is already
fine orna-
mental fountain. It is intended that the narrow
P the western side shall be blocked up, and we aunderstandss passage on
was also the intention of the authorities that the thorough-
fare on the opposite side, through Chichester-rents into
Chancery-lane, should be stopped, but in consequence of the
objection of the inhabitants that part of the project has been
given up. The middle of the square, which is intended to be
inclosed with iron railings, and round the outside of which
there is to be a carriage drive, will thus be rendered a great
ornament to the neighbourhood.
REPRIEVE.—Thornas Kennedy, against whom sen-
tence of death was recorded at Nenagh assizes for the mur-
der of Gleeson, of Lattera (but recommended to mercy by the
jury). has been reprieved. The Lord-Lieutaiiaat has com-
muted his senteueo to transportation for

IMPERIAL PAR T.IAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, April 7.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack shortly after Five o'clock.
Lord KENYON presented petitions from Bath, and
several other places, against the grant to the College of

Maynooth. -
The Earl of RADNOR begged to enter upon the
Journals of the House his protest against the proceed-
ings of Saturday, and that leave should be given to
Noble Lords to sign that protest before the rising of the

House.
The Bishop of WORCESTER presented petitions
from Stourpoint in favour of the observance of the
Lord's-day. The Right Rev. Prelate also presented
petitions praying for the establishment of uniformity in
Divine worship, and an alteration of the Rubric. The
Right Rev. Prelate trusted that the pastoral letter of the
Archbishop of Canterbury would be productive of the
best effects.

The Earl of POWIS presented several petitions from
different parts of the country against the union of the
sees of St. Asaph and Bangor.
SCOTCII BANKING.
Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from the pro-
vost, magistrates, and council of Aberdeen, against any
change in the system of Scotch Banking. He trusted
that the Noble Duke would give sufficient notice to the

parties most materially concerned, of the time at which
the subject would be brought forward, and what the in-

;enticins of her Majesty's Government were.
The Duke of WELLINGTON could not state the

time at which the subject would be brought forward, but
he would take care that the
..parties should have full op-
portunities of considering it.
The Bishop of DURHAM presented several petitions
praying that. Parliament would adopt some plan to pre-
vent the use of intoxicating liquors.
Lord BROUGHAM presented several petitions against
the grant to the College of Maynooth. The Noble Lord
could not agree to the prayer of those petitions.
R AILWAYS.

The NOBLE and LEARNED LORD then moved for the
following returns with respect to railways, on which he
said it was his intention to found a motion, provided the
information which he expected to receive should be given
him :

First—The number of railway Bills passed in the last
ten sessions, distinguishing those passed in each session.
Of course to this, oserved the Noble Lord, there will be
no objection.—(A laugh.)
Secondly—The number of railway Bills now pending
in Parliament. To this there could be no objection.
Thirdly—The number ofrailsvay Bills upon which the
Board of Trade had reported favourably. r o this there
could be no objection.—( A laugh.)
Fourthly—The amount paid by the su'Jscribers on
the shares of the railway Bills that had passed. To this
there could be no objection.—(A laugh.)
Fifthly and lastly—The amount of the sums divided
in shares authorised by Act of Parliament.
His reason for calling attention to these circumstances
was that he was one of those who regarded with
the greatest possible alarm, the present frenzy
into which the community, as well those with
capital and credit as those inspired with the
love of gambling in shares, had fallen. The effect
of this was likely to prove exceedingly alarm-
ing to the credit as well as the resources of this country,
and when he looked back to what happened in the
years 1825 and 1826, the only period in our history
in his opinion which could at all be compared with
the present, when the then Government, through the
Earl of Liverpool, feeling impr -ssed with some alarm
at what was then going forward, deemed it to be
their public duty, through the Noble Earl in his
place in Parliament, to warn the community and
their fellow-subjects again 4 the ceurs,- in which
they were then heedlessly entering upon. The warning
which the Noble Earl gave concluded with this notice,
which he bad no doubt whatever the present Govern
ment were equally prepared to give—" That come
what might, and happen what would in the
result of these speculations, the speculators were
to look to their own resources, and not to
look to any assistance, or any relief whatever, from
the existing Government, and of this they now gave
them a fair and timely warning." When the crash came,
which happened in March, 1826, the Noble Earl
referring to what he had said in the previous year, re-
minded the speculators of the warning—the rair and
timely warning—which he had given them; and the Noble
Earl at that time stated that there was no wonder that a
pecuniary crisis—that a mercantile convulsion had taken
place, when it was known that in consequence of these
joint-stock companies in the year before, namely in
1825, thee had been withdrawn no less a sum than

seventeen millions sterling from the ordinary sources o
sPe.eulation, and the ordinary sources of commercia
employment of the country. Now, he (Lord
Brougham) had lately seen a calculation from one of the
most eminent railway brokers at present in this country,
whose name he should decline to mention, though it would
give great credit to his calculation, but he declined to
mention it, because his calculation might be deemed in-
vidious by the speculators, and thus lay him open to
opprobrium. But his statement was, that if after the
240 Railway Bills which were now in Parliament were
agreed to, only in the course of three years' time instead of
seventeen millions sterling being withdrawn from the
ordinary sources of commercial employment, there
would be required for the purposes of these railways
no less a sum than 1:30 millions sterling. He need not
remind their Lordships that he was opposed to any undue
Parliamentary interference with the employment of the
capital, or the labour of the country ; but it was quite a
different thing in the case of these railways. It was
quite a different thing when Government held out encou-
ragements to this spirit of speculation by granting Acts of
Parliament to confer the most extraordinary powers upon
speculators, and without which powers none of these
speculations would probably be undertaken. When he
mentioned to their Lordships some occurrences which had
lately taken place in the country, he thought
their Lordships would agree with him that these
powers were really extraordinary. In the case of a gen-
tleman who occupied a very ancient mansion, a railway
Company wished to take five acres of his ground,
and when the gentleman asked the Company what
they intended to give him for the land, he was told
that he would learn after the Company had got their
Bill. The gentleman then replied that he should with-
hold his consent from the railway, but the promoters
told him that they did not want his consent, as the
railway had been favourably reported upon by the
Board of Trade, and it would be the worse for him. In
another case, where a gentleman, whose family had held
the same estate from the time of Elizabeth, remonstrated
with the promoters of a railway going within a certain
distance of his house, he was threatened that if he objected
to it the railway should pass through his kitchen garden.
Under .these circumstances he deemed it his duty to
bring the matter before the House. He deprecated any-
thing like disCussion, but still he thought from the
amount of • capital engaged, and the immensity of
the interests involved, that it should be brought under
the notice of their Lordships. He was not inclined to
find fault with the Board of Trade ; their business was
not to select schemes—they had only to decide on the
respective merits of one railway and another, and as-
certain which was likely most.. to conduce to the
public convenience. But he did think that this
gambling in railway • shares- ought to have
some cheek. The French; he knew, had Wien this
matter,'and out of a number of railways which had been
proposed for theit discussion, they selected the small
number of only eight or twelve for the *jurisdiction of
their Legislature. He did not wish to oppose railway
schemes, for his object was not only the commercial con-
venience of the country, but he had also a regard for its
peconiary interests. He, therefore, hoped their Lordships
would not oppose the returns for which he had moved.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE said that with respect to
the number of the schemes' which had been sub-
mitted to the Board of Tr:ade, and the number of
-reports which- the Board: had made- upon them,
he was quite ready, to satisfy his Noble and Learned
Friend ; but with regard to,the prices of shares and the
amount of dividends which had been paid on the several
lines, he was not quite so ready to throw light upon
the subject. These could doubtless be obtained,
and if their Lordships pressed for them, he should
feel it his duty to lay them before the House,
as perfectly as the circumstances would admit. With
respect to the amount of capital likely to be engaged in
these schemes, he thought the informant of his Noble
Friend had far outrun the amount. There had been
schemes submitted to their consideration for the sanction
of Parliament to the extent of 7,490 miles, requiring
capital to the amount of 140,000,0001. to 150,000,0001.
But it was not to be supposed that these would all be
carried into effect. He knew that much deception,
whether intentional or not was not for for him to say,
was carried on by the Provisional Committees ; and as
one rather singular instance, a gentleman with whom
he was acquainted had been requested to act on the
Provisional Committee of a Railway. The shares were
not quite at a premium, and he thought it better one
day to go to -the office to ascertain whether the
line had been surveyed. He learned that they
had surveyed one end of the line, and the other
end of the line, but the intermediate part had never
been looked at at all. But in the portion which had
been surveyed, he found that the line passed within
forty yards of a certain place, and upon a little inquiry
he learned that that house was his own.
He should remind his Noble Friend, that with
regard to compensation the landowners had the
option of having their ad!udication made either by a
jury or by arbitrators, so that if any one thought
that a member of the jury for voting the value of his
land was a railway proprietor, he could choose an arbi-
trator whom he knew had no interest in any such
concerns.
Lord ASHBURTON said that he thought it was ne-
cessary that this gambling in railway shares should be
put an end to. His Noble Friend the President of the
Board of Trade, had reminded them that if the
140,000,000/. or 150,000,000/. should be necessary to
make all those railways, it would not be called for
in less than three or four years. Yet, notwithstanding,
it would occasion such a call for iron as would increase
its value fully 3001. per cent., and materially affect
the general commercial requirements for that metal, if
not cause a very serious inconvenience to the country at
large.
The question was then put that the motion be agreed
to, which was carried.
INCOME-TAX.
The Marquis of NORMANDY stated it was
his l
nPoawy
intention,penons at • a future time, to move for leave
to bring in a Bill to give the right of voting
to al
paying
ge income
-tea-xtawx.oulldie
bdeirdotmhe is,
be-
lieving that
per-
petual. He should lay this Bill on the table of the
House in the course of the present session, and should
be guided by circumstances in taking further steps.
JUSTICES AND CORONERS.
The NOBLE MARQUIS gave notice of his intention, on
Thursday, to put a question to some of the Noble Lords
opposite 45 to the present state of practice with refer-

ence to prisoners comaitted for trial, relative to the pro-
ceedings to be taken b; the coroner when his inquisition
was depending at the tme the prisoner was committed
and as to whether or not the party charged should he
brought before him ; and he wished to know whetheL
the Government had my measure to propw.e, iu orilqr
to put an end to the;rcat scandal that existed on the
subject, in consequent of the differences that had taken
place latterly between he coroner and the magistrates on
this subject?
SANITARY CONDITION OF TOWNS.

In answer to a quesion from 'he NOBLE MARQUIS,
The Duke of ItICCLEUGII stated that the
subject : of the santary condition, of „towns had
been much considera by her Majesty's Govern-
ment, and he consilered that they would in a
short time be able- to by on the table of the a Bill
upon the subject. Wih reference to the petition the
Noble Lord had preseited from Limerick, praying that
the operations of the neasure might be extended to Ire-
land, he could assure the Noble Marquis that there
would be no objection in the part of the Government to
extend its operations ether to the sister kingdom or to
Scotland.—(Hear, heat.)
INIPRISONUENT FOR DEBT.

Lord CAMPBELL ?resented petitions from different
parts of Gloucestershire, complaining of the law pre-
venting imprisonment :or debt under 201., and praying
for its repeal. The Noble and Learned Lord readily
presented the petition, iut could not consent to its prayer.
Lord COTTENHAA presented a petition from the
debtors of Lancashire, praying for the repeal of the im-
prisonment for debt.
Lord DENMAN presented a petition from 400 per-
sons, praying,that sours course should be adopted for
putting an end to the necessity of taking certain oaths
in cases of bankruptcy, and other cases, in order to ob
tain their release ; and as an instance of the effect of the
present law, they stated that one individual, whom they
knew to be an honourable man, was entirely prevented
from obtaining his discharge, sad almost, reduced to
starvation, in consequence of his religious scruples to
take the oaths required. He trusted the subject would
receive the consideration of his Noble Friend on the
Woolsack.