The Press. — 1854-03-04 (London, England)

Mr. Curteis, the retiring member, said :  The defendant has been concerned for our family as agent for fifty years. I proposed that the dinner should be given. I wrote the first form of invitation; I had a running account with defendant. Ido not know who set this matter in motion. I gave no written authority for the dinner. I meant to pay for it. I attended the dinner. The prosecutor in this case is some sneaking coward afraid to show his face. The Government don't prosecute.  The jury returned a verdict of Guilty. Sentence was reserved.  ccibtnts and (Ofents.  A FATAL AFFRAY occurred at Bristol on Saturday night, when a man named Cornelius Murphy was stabbed by Juan Antonio Castro, a Spanish sailor. At the inquest held on Tuesday a verdict of " Wilful murder" was returned. It was stated by one of the witnesses that the weapon was not like the knives usually carried by sailors, but was similar• to a butcher's knife. Another man was stabbed during the quarrel; and several Spaniards, comrades of the mur • derer, were taken into custody. Two SERIOUS FIRES broke out on Monday night in the neighbourhood of Blackfriars-bridge. The most formidable of these occurred at the well known glassworks of Mr. Apsley Pellatt, M.P., situate in Holland-street, Blacktriars-road. The fire commenced in the store-room at the rear of the building, and rapidly spread to the show-rooms, which were immediately contiguous. A good supply of water enabled the firemen to confine the conflagration to this part of the building, but it was not mastered until both show-rooms, as well as the store-room, were completely destroyed, together with the contents. The damage must amount to at least 20,0001., for the full sum of which Mr. Pellatt is fortunately insured. The second fire was discovered about midnight, at Mr. Pilkington's dining-rooms, No. 158, Fleet street, adjoining the Portugal Hotel. The conflagration commenced in the upper rooms of the building, but by the exertions of the firemen was confined to these premises, the whole interior of which, however, was entirely destroyed. Fortunately no personal injury was sustained. THREE WELL-DRESSED MEN were apprehended on Tuesday on the Manchester Exchange for picking the pocket of a merchant in open day. One of them was dressed in a large cloak, and the other two were "covering" him: he had succeeded in getting a pocket-book containing 301. from the person of Mr. Walmesley, of Marple, when the gang were seized, and conveyed to the police-office. THE DAUGHTER OF A LIVERPOOL SOLICITOR, a lady named Martha Gaudy, committed suicide on Sunday last. She was thirty-six years of age, and having met with disappointment in love had become low-spirited. Her sister heard the report of firearms, and, on going into a spare bedroom, found the deceased lying on the floor, quite dead, her head shockingly mutilated from a pistol shot. A letter to her father was found on the table. At an inquest held on Monday a verdict was returned of " Temporary insanity." ACTIONS will be brought at the ensuing Spring Assizes to be held at Exeter for the recovery of the damage sustained by some of the bakers during the late bread riots in that city. The total loss to the various sufferers in the county is estimated at from 1,0001. to 2,0001. At the same assizes about forty prisoners will be tried for having taken part in the bread riots in various parts of the county. HATTO, the groom, charged with the murder of the housekeeper at Burnham Abbey Farm, will be tried at the ensuing Lent Assizes for the county of Bucks, to be held at Aylesbury next week. ON Thursday a convict named Eglin, a notorious associate of burglars and smashers, succeeded in effecting his escape from the Middlesex House of Correction, Coldbath-square, where he was under sentence of twelve months' imprisonment, having been convicted at the last Central Criminal Court of uttering base coin. THE labourers employed at Holyhead New Harbour works struck for wages last week, and still continued to hold out, the contractorsbeing unwilling to accede to their demands. Their present wages are 2s. Bd. a day, and they ask for an increase of 4d., making it 3s. THE Staffordshire, a fine Liverpool and Boston packet ship, of nearly 2,000 tons burden, has been  MARCH 4, 1854.  totally lost, with a fearful sacrifice of life. She sailed from Liverpool in November, with a cargo valued at 20,0001., and 108 passengers, mostly emigrants, including several ladies. All went on smoothly until the 24th of December, when she encountered a tremendous gale of wind, which continued several days. On the 28th it carried away ber bowsprit, foretopmast rigging, &c., and her rudder was also carried away. Captain Richardson, on himself going aloft to exit mine the security of the foremast, was blown off, fell on the deck, and broke his ankle-joint. The chief mate took command, but on the following Thursday, night, when believed to be about forty miles south of Seal Islands, off the southern point of Nova Scotia the vessel struck on what are known as the Blonn Rocks. Two boats broke adrift, the remaining two could only hold a few persons, and those in charge of them could scarcely get clear of the ship, when she went down with 175 human beings, including the captain. The four mates and twenty-one seamen and twenty-five passengers were saved, including only one woman. They succeeded on the following day in reaching Seal Islands, but suffered severely from cold and want of provisions. The loss of the ship is attributed to the rapid current driving into the Bay of Fundy, which carried her on to the rocks. The ship was but partially insured. 

Article type: Incident