The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-04 00:00:00

QUEEN'S BENCH-(THIS DAY.)
.THE 'VEEN V. WHITEHEAD.

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2,54
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A LUCKY ESCAPE.—In this case, which came before the Court
on error to the judgment and conviction, the prisoner had been
tried end convicted at York for stealing moneys in a dwelling-
house above 51., upon which he was sentenced to be transported
for seven years ; and, in pursuance of that sentence, he had been
sent to the Millbank Prison, and this morning appeared on the
floor of the Court, dressed in the convicts' dress, and handcuffed.
On the part of the prisoner, it was contended that the judgment
anti sentence was bad, inasmuch as the Act of the 6th and 7th Wm.
IV., and Ist Vic., cap. 96, sec. 1, under which he was convicted,
expressly stated the prisoner was liable to be transported for 15
years, and not less than 10 ; and that, therefore, the Court had no
power to pass a sentence of seven years, and that judgment being
on the record, it was bad, and that the record and judgment could
not he amended,

The Solicitor-General appeared for the prisoner, and Mr. Wad-
dington in support of the sentence and conviction.
The COURT was unanimously of opinion that the Act gave no
power to transport for less than ten years, and that a sentence of
seven years was bad. Judgment was then given in favour of the
prisoner, and he was ordered to be discharged.
The prisoner, who appeared highly delighted with his lucky
escape, was at once released from the handcuffs, and taken back to
change his dress, and will be immediately discharged.

GENERAL THEATRICAL FUND ASSOCIATION.—The
monthly meeting of the Directors of this Association took place in
the saloon of the English Opera house this day, Tuesday, June 3,
Mr. J. B. Buckstone in the chair. Present, Messrs. Worrell,
Lewis, Saker, E. F. Saville, Cowie, Morrelli, Attwood, Cullen.
ford, &c. Mr. Cullenford read the financial statement, from which
it appeared that the funds of the Association amounted to 2,8001
The secretary reported he had received donations from Dr. Marsden
and Mr. E. Cullenford, which donations were intended to be annual.
The secretary was authorised to pay to the widow of the late Mr.
Strickland one-half the amount of his subscription to the fund.
Alter the transaction of the routine business of the Association,
and the thanks of the meeting to the Chairman, the Directors
adjourned.

THE MYSTERIOUS DEATHS OF A MOTHER AND
INFANT AT HAMPSTEAD.—Yesterday Mr. Wakley resumed the
thrice-adjourned inquiry touching the deaths of Caroline Hillman
and her male infant. The medical evidence of Mr. Taylor and
others, which was given at considerable length, went clearly to
show that the deceased died in consequence of having swallowed a
quantity of savin, a drug calculated to procure abortion. Matthews,
the brother-in-law of deceased, said he had been down to Frome, So-
mersetshire,and ascertained that deceased had been living in that town
for three or four years in a family named Gains. He believed Mr.
Gains, her master, was a doctor. Mrs. Matthews, the wife of last
witness, and sister of deceased, said the latter told her that her
master, Mr. Gains, was the father of her child. She did not
complain of ill-usage. She had no conversation with ber on
the subject of procuring abortion, nor did she say that any one ad-
vised her to try and do so. Deceased came to my fa..use on the
2d of May from her father's, who resides at Road, near Frame.
By the Coroner—l have four or five pills in a box, which I have
left at home, and which I think deceased brought from the country.
I will take care of them, and produce them. A gentleman, the
agent of a country solicitor, here said that he had received a letter
that morning, stating that Mr. Gains, if his presence were required
at the inquest, would he very glad to attend. The Coroner—The
matter has become very serious, and it is absolutely necessary that
a person about whore so much has been said, should come before us.
lam very sorry for it, but we cannot go on as we are. The in.
quiry was then adjourned to the 25th instant.
THE MAILS. SOUTHAMPTON, JUNE 3. -- The
Oriental Company's steamer the Pasha, Captain Burney, arrived
here last night from Gibraltar, and landed mails of the following
dates, viz. :—Gibraltar, 26th of Hay; Cadiz, 27th; Lisbon, 29th;
Oporto and Vigo, 30th ; and. Corrunna, 31st. She brings 61 pas-
sengers, 33 packages of specie, and a cargo of oranges, leeches, and
silks. The mails were forwarded up by the 2A. m. train this day.
The royal West India mail the Thamas arrived at her mooring
at half past 11 to-day, and landed the South American and West
India mails, which were forwarded to London by the half.past
I express train. Her dates are—Tampico, April 21st ; Vera
Cruz, May Ist; Havannah, 10th; Honduras, 20th of April;
Jamaica, 9th May; Demerara, sth; Trinidad, 6th ; Barbadoes, 9th ;
Grenada, 1 lth ; St. Thoma a's 15th ; La Guayra, 4th; and
Bermuda, 20th. The Thames has 93 passengers; 352,206 dollars,
1,140/. British coin, 1,1290 z. gold dust, 14,7620 z. of silver,
9960 z. of platina, 179 serons of cochineal, 10 bales of jalap, and
five bales of gum. The Thames was not due until the 7th inst.
The Oriental Company's steamship the Tagus, Captain Brooks,
left the docks this day at three P.M. for Malta, en route for Con-
stantinople. She takes out the East India and China mails, which
will be forwarded to Alexandria by the Company's steamer Iberia.
She has 30 passengers, and a very full cargo of bale goods. The
Royal mail packet the Trent left yesterday for the West Indies and
South America with the malls, 28 passengerr, 8,0004, and 600
bottle" of quicksilver,

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY,
(THIS DAY.)

A Special General Meeting of the Proprietors of the Great
Western Railway Company was held at the office of the Company,
at Paddington, this day, at one o'clock, for the purpose of consi-
dering the Bill now before Parliament, under which powers were
proposed to be cenferred on the Company for purchasing,
leasing, and contributing towards the formation of a railway from
Cheltenham and the Great Western Union Railway to Fish-
guard and Pembroke Dock, with branches therefrom,

to be called the South Wales Railway ; the Chelten.
ham and Great Western Union Railway, to Monmouth
and Hereford, with branches to join the Forest of Dean Railway;
the Newbury and Hungerford Railway; the Oxford and Rugby
Railway ; the Oxford to 'Worcester and Wolverhampton ; the
Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway, the Cornwall Railway ;
and also the draft of a copy of a Bill, entitled " a Bill for enabling
the London and Birmingham Railway to take a Lease of the
West London Railway, and to extend it to the River Thames."
The chair was taken at one o'clock, by Charles Russell, Esq., M.P.
The advertisement calling the meeting having been read by Mr.
Sanders, the Secretary,
The CIIAIRMAN said, that after the several resolutions
that had been passed at previous meetings, sanction-
ing the several schemes that had been read from
the advertisement, the meeting of that day was matter
of mere form ; but that mr.tter of form was necessary in order to
comply with the standing order of the House of Lords. That

order was—" That in the case 01 Bills to empower any
Company- already constituted by Act of Parliament to execute
any work other than that for which it was originally
established, a draft of the proposed Bill must be submitted to a
meeting of the proprietors of such company, called by advertise-
ment, inserted for four consecutive weeks in the news-
papers of each county, wherein such new works were
proposed to be executed, and which meeting must be
held not earlier than seven days after the last insertion of such
advertisement ; and at such meeting the draft of the proposed Bill
must be approved of by at least three.fifths of the proprietors pre-
sent." Now, it was to camply with that standing order
that they had met, and the advertisement had stated the names of
the Bills and the purport of them, which the proprietors were
then called upon to sanction. There were two railways to which
the Company had given guarantees, namely, the Wilts, Somerset,
and Weymouth Railway ; to the South Wales Railway they
had advanced half a million, and to the Cornwall 50,0001. He
had no doubt but that they had observed the progress which
their Bills had made in the House of Commons. Every one of
their Bills had passed the Standing Orders Committee—a fact which
was exceedingly creditable to those to whose care the management
of those Bills bad been confided. All their Bills had also passed the
second reading; thus the principle of each of their Bills had been
recognised. Two of their Bills—the Berks and Hants, and the
Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth—had passed the House of Cote.
mons, and were now in the House of Lords, awaiting the approval
of the proprietors, in order that they might be proceeded with forth-
with. The South Wales and Hereford Bill would go into
Committee that day—at least the Committee to which
the Bill was referred met that morning. The Oxford
and Rugby lines were at present the subject of investiga-
tion before a Committee of the House cf Como:ions, and
they were every moment in expectation of hearing the result. A
Committee had been appointed to consider the West London
Railway Bill. The Bills were on the table, and would be read
by the Secretary if it should be thought desirable.
The SECRETARY then read the titles of the several Bine, and the
marginal notes of the sections.

The South Wales, the Monmoi.th and Hereford, and the Bucks
and Hants Bills, were agreed to without discussion.
On the question being put on the Oxford and Rugby Bill,
Mr. DOANE inquired whether this was a line in which the
Great Western Company alone was interested ?
The CHAIRMAN stated that it was.
Mr. DOANE—We have nothing to do with the Landon and Bir-
mingham in it.
The CHAIRMAN—Nothing whatever.
Mr. Dok;ra—Then, of course, the broad gauge will be adopted.

The CHAIRMAN—If we obtain the Bill the gauge will be our own.
Mr. Donis—There has been, then, no compromiseon the subject.
The CHAIRMAN—None whatever. It is our determination to
make it a broad gauge line.
The Bill was then unanimously agreed to.
On the question being put on the subject of the Oxford, Wor.
rester, and Wolverhampton Bill,

Mr. DOANE asked if there was any clause in the Bill regulating
the construction of the line, and what the gauge would be ?
The CHAIRMAN—From Oxford to Worcester the broad gauge ;
from Worcester to Wolverhampton both gauges.
The SECRETARY stated that there was no clause regulating the
construction in the Bill, but that such a clause would be intro-
duced in Committee.

A PROPRIETOR asked the Chairman if he could form any idea as
to what the decision of the Committee would be?

The CuelureAN said that the members of the Committee very pro-
perly kept their views so secret that there was not the slightest
ground on which to form a conjecture on the subject. All he
could say was, that the line aught to be theirs.

The Bill was then agreed to unanimously, as was the Wilts, So.
merset, and Weymouth Bill.

On the question being put as regards the Cornwall Railway,
A PROPRIETOR admitted that the Company were bound to sup.
port the Bill, but in case of any accident happening to it, he
hoped the Company would not enter into any further arrangements
which would prevent them from carrying a railway through the
centre of Devon and Cornwall with abroad gauge.
The CHAIRMAN said that the question whether the railway shou'd
pass through the centre of Devon and Cornwall had been maturely
considered by the Dii ectors ; and be could not hold out any expects.

tion that such a line would Le carried out.
The PROPRIETOR said he had merely suggested the subject for
consideration.

The CHAIRMAN clearly understood the object of the question,
and wished to prevent the circulation of any rumour that the
Company had hesitated at all as to the course which the railway
ought to take.

The Bill was then agreed to unanimously.
The West London Bill was agreed to unanimously.
A PROPRIETOR asked how it was proposed to raise the required
capital ?

The CHAIRMAN replied that that question had net yet been taken
into consideration by the Directors, for several reasons. First, it
was necessary to know what would be the actual amount
of capital required; secondly, they n.ust consider the state
of the money market ; thirdly, the matter was one of
extreme delicacy, and they must take care so 10 manage
it as to prevent jobbing. They were not determined as to
the course which they should pursue, but he could assure the
Hon. Proprietor that the Directors would give the subject their
most serious consideration, and that at the earliest time they would
give the Shareholders specific information on the subject,
A PROPRIETOR—What is the use to us of the West London
Railway 9

The CHAIRMAN—We get further into London ; it brings us
nearer the Thames; and it is necessary we should have it, to pre-
vent it from falling into other hands.

A PitoritiETon:-We have it with the London and Birmingham
Company.

The CHAIRMAN—A joint possession with the London and sir.
mingham Company.

The thanks of the Proprietors were then voted to the Chair-
man, who briefly acknowledged the compliment, and the meeting
separated.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN INSTITUTE.—On Satu rdily
the second annual meeting of the members of the Institute took
place at their rooms in George-street. The attendance was unusually
large. The Earl of Devon took the chair at half-past two, and was
supported by Lord James Stuart, DLP., Sir George Staunton,
Mr. George Wilbraham, Sir John Yarde Buller, M.P., Mr. Pen-
darves, M.P., Brigadier-General Sir Henry Pynn, Capt. Maconoelde,
R.N., Mr. Wynn Ellis, M.P., Colonel Leicester Stanhope, Lord
Brougham, and many others of the vice-presidents of the society. The
annual report and balance-sheet showed that the income of the year
had covered the actual expenditure, and left a balance or surplus of
41. 19s. 3d., while the assets included 5,0001. in property, and 3,0001. in
Government securities, against which the only liability was a loan of
2,0001. The res,lutions, which were passed unanimously, expressed
' the entire satisfaction of the members with the direction and manage-
ment, and with the judicious administration of the funds; and votes
of thanks were tendered to the Noble President, trustees, vice-presi-
dents, and committee, for their valuable co-operation and support, as
well as to the resident directors and the secretary, for their faithful
and courteous discharge of their duties. The only matter of regret
was that Mr. Buckingham's valuable services for the past year could not
be requited out of the only source set apart for that purpose—namely,
the surplus of income over expenditure, which in this case amounted
fo 41. 19s. 3d. only for the whole year. It was unanimously resolved,
therefore, to present him with a substantial testimonial from the body
of the members, as a mark of their respect and entire satisfaction with
his management. It had been thought by many, not acquainted with
the facts of the case, that his connexion with the institute was a
source of consider:o,lc pecuniary benefit ; but it transpired, in the
course of the meeting, that besides receiving nothing whatever in the
shape of salary, or other emolument, he had given for the use of the
members of the institute, in property and payments, with a view to
increase its attractions, upwards of a thousand pounds from his own
private means, so that his liberality and zeal were duly appreciated.
THE NATIONAL GALLERY.—A new Holbein, a

portrait, has lately been added to the gallery. It was formerly the
property of Mr. Itochard, and has been purchased by the trustees for
the sum of 8001. It is apparently the portrait of a professor of ana-
tomy, from the furred doctor's gown and the skull on which the hand
rests As there is a coat of arms in the left hand corner of the canvas
the identity of the portrait may be traced. _ _

PROPOSED PAINTED WINDOW IN ST. JAMES'S
CHURCH.—A meeting of noblemen and influential gentlemen of the
parish of St. James's, WestmiLster, was held yesterday in the
vestry of the church for the purpose of carrying into effect the plan
•f placing a richly-painted window at the end of the church over
the communion table. Thy cost is estimated at 1,5001. Among the
donations were the following :—The Duke of Cleveland, 501. ; the
Archbishop of Armagh, 501. ; Mr. G. Ilyng, 251. ; the Rev. J. G.
Ward, 251.

HAYMARKET THEATRE.—The Charitable Fund
Society, for the support of the widows and orphans of the deliverers
of letters by the general post, of the sub.sortere, &c., at the Post.
office, had a benefit let night at the Haymarket Theatre. The
house was completely crammed, so that it may be safely said the
funds of the Society were greatly augmented by the speculation, as
well as much amusement afforded to those who attended. There
was nothing new In the performances, which consisted of the
comedy, Time works Wonders, the popular farce, A Kiss in the
Dark, Mr. John Parry's vocal performances, and other good things.
They were all well acted. Mr. Tilbury, in the character originally
played by the late Mr. Sts ickland, caused, by the talent he displayed,
the loss of that gentleman to be the less regretted.

CITY POLICE.—The Court of Common Council
adopted yesterday the report of the City Police Committee, which
recommended " the raising of an additional number of constables,
not exceeding fifty, to be under the superintendence of the Com-
mission:ma, and to be employed exclusively in watching particular
spots and premises, on application duly made for their services,
from the owners of such premises, who were also to bear all ex.
pen ses."

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.—Yesterday much disap-
pointment took place to several respectable families at the non.
attendance of the various charity schools within the bills of mor.
tality at St. Paul's Cathedral for the purpose of their annual
rehearsal day. The first Tuesday in June has, during upwards
of a quarter of a century, been appointed for that purpose; but
it appeared that a notice had been forwarded to some parochial
authorities that the rehearsal and grand days will not take
place this year till next week, when, it has been intimated that
her Majesty, with severalof the Royal Family, and a numerous suite,
will honour that interesting meeting with their presence.

- -
GRECIAN SALOON.—We perceive, by the bills of
this establishment, that a sumptuous bill of fare has been provided
for Friday, the 6th of June, upon an occasion of the most inte-
resting nature—one which will no doubt call together a vast
number of the trade, and ensure the patronage of the public. The
evening is to be devoted to a benefit in aid of the funds of the
Licensed Victuallers' Asylum. To offer anything in praise of such
a cause would be superogatory. We will, however, observe that
the attractions of the night are such as to warrant the expectation
of a crowded house, which all who are admirers of the principles
of charity and benevolence will, with ourselves, anxiously desire
to see.

COURT or CONSERVANCY.—Yesterday morning,
pursuant to annual custom, the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, as
Conservator of the River Thames, held Courts of Conservancy for
the counties of Middlesex and Surrey. His Lordship was attended
by Sheriffs Hunter and Sidney, Aldermen Wilson, Hughes Hughes,
Johnson, the Recorder, City Solicitor, &c. The jury for the county
of Surrey appointed Monday, the 16th inst., in order to make their
first inspection of ,the state of the navigation of the river. The
jury for the county of Middlesex fixed Wednesday, the 18th June,
for a similar purpose, and on each of those days other periods wia
be named, so as to complete their arrangementsprevious to the next
meeting of the Court, on the 21st July next
The Queen Dowager has, during the last week,
been prevented from taking her customary carriage airings from
slight indisposition, arising from a cold.
A male child was found sitting on a black silk
shawl on the step of the door, 74, Lower Grosvenor-street, on
Mondry morning, about eleven o'clock, with a letter in its hand,
directed to Mr. Rous. After it had been there about half an hour,
the footman, who had been watching it, took it in, and the crowd
which bad assembled round the door dispersed