The Express. — 1849-05-24 (London, England)

SDAT.—The discovery of the weapon by which Retail perpetrated the murders at S anfield 11011 has created considerable interest in the county. The locality in which it was found certainly tend' to show that the presumed search made by the county police wes at least carried out in the most slovenly manner. For several weeks they, with 60 or 70 hired labourers, under the personal direction of C.d. Oakes, the chief officer of the force, at a very great expense to the county, were engaged in almost the complete demolition of Potash, the turning up of land, and the emptying of the numerous pita of water which abound in the district. In fact, to such an extent was the search said to have been made, that, to use the words of one of the officials, had so small a thing as a pencil-case been secreted, it would have been turned up. It may be stated that the weapon had been so placed after the search br some person, for the purpose of obtaining a large reward, but a general opinion prevails that that portion of the farm where the discovery was meet, had not been examined at ell. Although the process of ejectment has been served on Mr. James Ruth, son of the deceased murderer, and the furniture disposed of by public auction, yet he continua to Add possession of the farm. It appears that in the course of last Saturday one or two of the labourers were engaged in clearing away ROMS muck which stood near a shed at the eastern extremity of the barn, scarcely 30 paces from the back door of Potash, when a double-barrelled abort gun or blunderbuss was turned up in the soil. The feet was instantly communicated to Mr. Rush, who took possession of the weapon. I. had evidently been concealed a considerable period—several months, as it was corroded. To more properly describe it, it is a small double-barrelled carbine, about three-quarters of a yard in length, something similar to the arms carried in former days by mail-coach guards. It has a spring dagger or bayonet rtsched to it, which seems to have been added since its oonstractinn. The maker's name, it is said, does not present itself. Being without a ramrod, the one found in the ball of Stanfield-hall on the night of the murders was fitted to the weapon, and was found to correspond in size and make in every particular. That it Deluged to the instrument was proved beyond a doubt. The finding of the ramrod in the hall favours the impression that he used it while there. Ilia reloading would account for the four shots fired. It i, somewhat surprising that the police did not, after hearing the selm'ssions of Rash that be had buried the clothes he had amen on the night of the murders near the pigsty of the farm, insti u•e some search in the locality mentioned by the murderer, if only_ to satisfy themselves as to the truth of the statement. Had they done so, the probability is, owing to the close proximity of the pigsty to the plus where the weapon was found, that it would have then come to light.  THE CAPTURED SIitiGGLERS.—OR Tuesday, at the Portsmouth petty mesions, before a full bench of magistrates, the captain, engineer, and stoker, captured on board the Royal Charter, steam tug, as related in the &press last week, were put on their trial for emupg'ing Mr. Beverley, from the Custom's, London, attended for the crown. The 'MOWS proved the facts formerly reported in thin journal, and left no doubt on the minds of the magistrates, and the three men were each convicted in the penalty of 1001. each, and, in default, son month"' imprisonment. Yesterday one of the men found in the boat towed into the harbour by the tug, was put on his trial, and convicted. The sentence on this last defendant was the same as in the other cases. The remaining prisoners, nine in number, were then charged with the offence, and severally convicted in a penalty of 1001., or six months' imprisonment. Five or six of these last are old offenders.