The Sun. — 1848-11-04 (London, England)

MYSTIRIOUS AFFAIR.— Yesterday a man and woman, named Thomas Cooke and Eliza Jones, were brought before the magistrates at Manchester on suspicion of murder. The prisoners reside in a court in Dole-field, in which, at the bottom of a flight of stone steps, a man was found during one night at the end of last week, with a fearful contused cut at the back of the head. He was carried in a state of insensibility to the infirmary, and died almost immediately. The evidence against the prisoners was that a woman living in the court heard a cry of ‘. Watch 1" on the night in question, which was subsequently repeated, or halfrepeated in 'part the word being suppresseduttered. little girls were the next wiwtneesnses,andsathat they o saw the male prisoner .drag a man who lay at the bottom of the steps into his house and bathe his head with water, and afterwards take him back to the steps and leave him there. The prisoners denied all knowledge of the affair. A surgeon from the infirmary, who had examined the head of deceased, said the wound might his have been caused by falling backwards down the steps, or by a blow from behind. The evidence against the prisoners, or rather against the male prisoner (for there was nothing against the woman), was considered insufficient, and the case after they had been put back in the dock several timeswd that fresh evidence might be obtained if possible, was dismissed. KING'S COLLEGE SPthITAL.—From the reports issued by the committee of the above hospital it appears that during the past year benefits of the charity were dis!ributed among 0 epatienta to the number of 17,901, of whom 6,782 wuerwiletureceived without letters of recommendation—their state of suffering and disease at once admitting them to the treatment of the medical staff. During the same period 1,359 in-door patients were received, 268 only provided. with recommendations. Owing to they eunasteedpoapuudlatthieoof the district in which the hospital is sit increasing prevalence of sickness and disease, the wards ofth present building have been found to be far inadequate to the; accommodation demanded, while in the out-patients' department the rooms appropriated to their reception have become much overcrowded, and most imperatively require enlargement. It appears that the committee have purchased an adjoining piece of ground, which is now being cleared of the buildings upon it, previous to the commencement of the proposed extension, and we trust they will receive efficient support and co operation in the progress of a work essential to the health of a crowded quarter of the metropolis. SHEERNESS, Nor. 2.—Much has been said relative to the state of Sheerness. We are now happy to say that a petition numerously signed by the inhabitants rated to the relief of the poor, in the parish of Minster, has been presented to the Honourable the Commissioners of the Board of Health, at Gwydyr House Whitehall, London, praying that their Honourable Board would, without delay, send one of their .min -try inquiries into superintendent inspec• . tors to this place to make the preliminary the sanitary state of the town. We have much to thank the press and our port officers for. They have really awakened the town commissioners to a partial sense of their duty at last, and during the present week more dung and filth of every description has been turned out of back premises, yards, piggeries, cow. sheds, slaughterhouses, &c., than has been seen for nearly twelve months past. We have also to thank the board of guardians, part of whom are gentlemen farmers, and can duly appreciate the value of strong manure well decomposed and ready for use. Sheerness may be made one of the cleanest towns on the coast of Kent; and for natural refreshing sea air and scenery it will bear comparison with any other similar port. THE IRisil