The Sun. — 1860-09-18 (London, England)

THAMES POLICE COURT.  As early as 10 o'clock this morning a vast number of persons of both sexes assembled near the court for the purpose of obtaining admission to hear the investigation of the charge of murder preferred against two men named Emms and Mullins. At 11 o'clock Arbour-street East, opposite the court, was thronged, but admittance was denied to everyone except those upon actual business, and the police engaged in the various night charges. Tho crowd was increasing when our reporter dispatched his messenger. The adjourned investigation will commence at two o'clock this afternoon, when Emms, who is out upon bail, and Mullins, will be arraigned on the charge of wilfully murdering Mary Elmsley, a widow, at No. 9, Grove-road, on or about the 13th of August laid. There is a general belief in the innocence of Emms, who is a very respectaile and inoffensive man, and has for many years maintained an irreproachable character. The antecedents of Mullins are very bad, and it is well-known that he was sentenced to six years' penal servitude for a serious robbery committed on the South-Eastern Railway, where he was appointed to a situation after he left the K division of police. Ever since the murder was committed in the Groveroad, he has been suspected of having perpetrated it, and several detectives of the II and K divisions were constantly Watching him. Ms clumsy attempt to implicate Emms by secreting the parcel containing a cheque received by the deceased the last day she was seen alive, and other articles, on the premises of Emms, is likely to recoil upon himself, and to insure his conviction for the foul deed. The inquiry is not likely to terminate at the police court this day. The inconvenience of having two inquiries—one before the coroner and one before the magistrate—on the same day must be manifest to every one. The same witnesses examined before the magistrates on Monday, the 10th inst., repeated their evidence the same day before the coroner and jury, and the witnesses to be examined this morning before the coroner will repeat their testimony before the magistrate this afternoon. There will be a third investigation before the grand jury in the event of one or both of the prisoners being committed for trial, and two sets of depositions will bo returned to the Central Criminal Court. This course of proceeding is not only productive of great trouble, inconvenience, and expense, but absolutely absurd and not likely to promote the ends of justice. As the coro. ner and jury first commenced the investigation and have examined a great number of witnesses, and as in the event of a committal the witnesses must go before the grand jury, all the inconvenience and expense would be avoided by the magistrate declining to enter upoa a second investigation, and allowing any prisoner against whom a verdict of wilful murder is returned to be arrested on the coroner's warrant, and forthwith committed to Newgate.  A great mass of additional evidence will be brought forward this day before the coroner and the magistrate, but there will be nothing in it to implicate Emms in the slightest degree, and there is no doubt Mullins Wended to make him the victim of a foul plot for the purpose of obtaining the reward of £3OO offered for the discovery of the person or persons who committed the murder. The vast crowds assembled near the court were, at 12 o'clock, discussing the probability of seeing Mullins enter the court, and giving vent to the strong feeling which prevails against him. In this they were happily disappointed, for he was brought into court by a piivate way, and shortly after two the examination was gone into. The same evidence as that given at the coroner's inquiry having been taken, Mullins was again remanded, and Emms liberated.  C.E.2171ML