The Sun. — 1845-04-08 (London, England)

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 inoonvenience 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 accommodated in the Court, all unnecessary confusion will be avoided. The_ plOsecution will be conducted by the Solicitor-General, Mr. Bodkin, and two other counsel, on behalf of the Crown; and Mr. Clarkson and Mr. Ballantine are retained to defend the prisoner. 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 Wednesday morning. It appears that there are to be two indictments preferred against the prisoner, one for the murder, and another for the robbery; and the following '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 wounding 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 Secretary 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 unoccupied 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 ornamental 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 thoroughfare 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.