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Leader (1850-1860), 3rd December 1859, Edition 2 of 2, Page 7, GENERAL HOME HEWS.

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      Law, Police, And Casualties, I Dn. Thoma...

      liable to the prejudice resulting from the graver charge . On the other , there may be an equally partial sentiment that the prosecution savours of persecution , and that he has been already amply punished for the present offence b y the suffering he must have endured in the trial of that which is now admitted not to have been proved against him . There can be ho doubt that Smethurst ought to be tried : as if his name had never been known before , and as if the second wife had said in the ¦ w itnessbox , ' I am the person for whose protection the law of bigamy exists . No wrong lias been done to me . I married him knowing that he had a wife living . ' Bigamy is an offence that consists in the fraud the in

      practised upon woman cheating her of her virtue by the pretence of a legal marriage .. Where no such fraud has been committed , although there has been a moral offence , there has not been that which the law contemplated as the crime . Therefore it is that sometimes bigamy is punished by penal servitude , and sometimes by but a day ' s imprisoment . There is no doubt that Dr . Smethurst ' s case would have been accounted as of the slightest degree of the crime , had he been tried for the first time on this charge . " It would seem to be no less than justice demands , that the long incarceration which this man has undergone in Newgate , for a crime of which he is now officially declared innocent , should be , at least , deducted from the period of his

      present sentence . In the Divorce . Court , on Saturday , the case of " Uoyd v . Lloyd and Chichester , " partly heard the previous day , was concluded . It was a . suit for dissplutionof marriage , on the part of the husband , and the evidence was of a very extraordinary kind . His lordship , giving judgment , said the evidence of collusion was so gross and palpaTile that the Court felt bound to dismiss the petition . At the Court of Bankruptcy this week , assignees were chosen to the estate of Thomas Pratt , a farrier , in Dean-street ; Solio , and George-street , Portmansquare . This bankrupt was also lessee of the Soho Theatre , and in this capacity he was known as H . S . Mowbrayi , An interesting discussion took place respecting the debt of the petitioning creditor , who was ; the bankrupt ' s foreman , and the question of proof was adjourned for further investigation .

      The suit of " Rogers v . Rogers and Paul , " which came before the Divorce Court , presented some extraordinary features . The petitioner , a clergyman , prayed for the dissolution of his marriage by reason of Ms wife ' s adultery with the co-respondent , who put in . a counter charge of adultery on the part of the husband . The petitioner was educated at Trinity College , and took honours , but his father leaving him in straitened circumstances he enlisted in the 4 th Dragoons , and became regimental clerk , and with his wife went with the regiment to India . On his return to this country , having obtained his discharge , he was ordained , and obtained the situation that

      of Chaplain of Winchester gaol , and in capacity became acquainted with Paul , who was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for obtaining money under false pretences , lie interested himself to enable Paul to proceed to Australia , and on his discharge invited him to his house . Paul repaid the petitioner ' s kindness by eloping with his wife , and they were afterwards married at St . Pancras , Mrs . Rogers being married in the name of Rogers as a spinster , thus adding bigamy to her other offence . Tlieso facts were fully proved , and the counter charge against the petitioner disproved , and the court decreed a dissolution of the marriage . The sheriffs have received ft communication from the Homo Office , further respiting -the execution of the Portuguese seaman , Francisco Pietro Guimurieiw , alias Charles Anuois—who was convicted of murder at the last session of the Central Criminal Court , and who was to have suffered on Monday morningto the 2 Gth of December next . A most horrible murder was perpetrated on Monday morning in a house in Queon ' s-hoadcourt , Jfinsbury-market . The landlord going into tho

      The prisoners were apprehended in London , and part of the property found upon them . It was objected for the woman that she was the wife of Lewis Levi , and not his sister , as alleged . The two male prisoners were found guilty , and the female was acquitted . Jacob Levi and Rosa Levi were then tried on another indictment , when Jacob was convicted , and Rosa was acquitted . The judge said they were systematic plunderers , and condemned Jacob Levi to two years' hard labour on the first indictment , and one year on the second ; and Lewis was sentenced to two years' hard labour ;—An appli-. cation was made for the postponement of the trial of Hughesthe absconding solicitor , until next session .

      , It was not opposed , and was granted .- —The trial of Sarah Jane Wiggins , charged with the wilful murder of James White , was then proceeded with . The crime was committed under circumstances of peculiar atrocity , the prisoner having tied the child ( aged three and a-half years ) to a bedstead at night , with his hands bound behind his back and his head downwards , and there left him , so that he . died the next morning . Several witnesses were examined , and the j ury found the prisoner guilty . She was sentenced to ten years' penal servitude . —Henry Leach surrendered to take his trial on a charge of stealing a cheque for £ 30 , the property of his master . somewhat

      The circumstances of the case were peculiar , and a great deal of evidence was laid before the jury . The . learned Recorder summed up on the whole casev and the jury returned a verdict of guilty , but recommended the prisoner to mercy on account of his youth . The Recorder postponed passing sentence upon him for the present . —Thomas Brooks was charged .. with forging an order for the delivery of a cheque-book , and was also charged , in another indictment , with uttering a forged cheque for £ 5 8 s . He was found guilty on both charges . It was stated that twenty-three cheques had been taken froua the cheque-book , and made use of . The prisoner had been convicted before of obtaining a

      chequebook by forgery . The Recorder said it was necessary to pass a severe sentence , and condemned the prisoner to ten years ' penal servitude . —On Monday , a woman , named Helen Luney , living at St . Helen s , was committed for trial on a coroner ' s warrant , charged with the wilful murder of John Canary , a labourer , by striking him on the head with a spade . At the Central Criminal Court oa Thursday the Rev . II . J . Hatch , lately chaplain of the Wandsworth House of Correction , was indicted for indecent

      assaults on two little girls named Plummer , aged respectively 8 and 11 . The details were unfit for publication . A great number of gentlemen bore testimony to the high character of the prisoner for morality . He was , however , tound guilty , and sentenced to two years' hard labour on each charge , the second period of two years to commence at the expiration of the first . The prisoner " , with great excitement , declared that tne children had told abominable lies .

      On Tuesday the adjourned investigation into tho alleged poisoning by sausages , in reference to the death of William Eaton , was resumed at Kingsland . Some additional evidence was given by the manufacturer of the sausages , as to the source of the meat from which they were made . It appears that the skins of sausages are sometimes prepared and preserved for a considerable time before being used , and tho coroner stated that he understood arsenic was employed for this purpose , as it was found to be tho cheapest mode of doing it . In consequence , Dr Letheby received instructions to analyse some of tho skins . No confirmation of the stutomont , however , was given by the analysis . As there was still one more point on which further information was desired the inquiry was once more adjourned , till Tuesday .

      On Tuesday evening a frightful accident occurred at the Deddingham Gate crossing of tho LonUou and South-Wostern Railway , about two miles from Lowes . A four-wheeled waggon with two men was allo wod to go upon the lino , just as tho express train was approaching ; tho consequence was that both tho unfortunato men wore instantaneously killed , as well as tho horse , the waggon also being slavered to splinters . On Tuesday morning , while tho steamer Eagle was off the Arran shore , on her passage from Glasgow to Londonderry , she oamo into collision with tl » o waterlogged timber-laden ship Pladda . She was struck heavily abaft the funnel , and sunk m a quarter of an hour . About twenty passengers aud tho second mate aro bolievod to bo drowned . Thirtyfour noraons . including tho captain and crew , wore

      savod by tho Pladda . and a tug . Tho stoamor nua also 200 eUoop on board , which wore drowned . Tho oilioial inquiry into tho loss of tho Royal Charter i » now finished , and tho publio will await tho report . Thoro is no doubt that the etatomont that tho captain was intoxicated » s a pure slander .

      rqom of a lodger named Mooro , found the body of a woman ( Moore ' s wife ) laid on tho floor in a state of nudity , and without the hoad , tho head itself being placed upright in a washhand-basln . Calmly surveying this frightful spectaclo was a child soatod on a chair close by . Mooro is in custody on suspicion , and has been examined at Worehlp-Btroot . It Is believed ho is insano , having been lately under restraint as a lunatic . Tho coroner has opened an inquest on tho body , and after hearing some evidonco the inquest was adjourned for tho attendance of some

      material witnesses . At tho Central Criminal Court Jacob , Lewis , and Rosa Levi , were ohftrgod with robbing W . H . W oils , Of Oxford , of jewellery , valued at X 100 . X'heir conduct in Mr . Well ' s shop awakened his suspicions , and after they had left the shop ho diecovorcd that the jewellory mentioned had been taken away .

      Jsto. 506. Dec. 3, 1859-1 The I . Ead Ee...

      JSTo . 506 . Dec . 3 , 1859-1 THE I . EAD EE . 1315

      General Home Hews.

      GENERAL HOME HEWS .

      The Court.—Her Majesty And The Prince Co...

      The Court . —Her Majesty and the Prince Consort , accompanied by the Prince and Princess Frederick William of Prussia , and the Princess Alice , visited the camp at Aldershott on Saturday , and returned to Windsor in the afternoon . The second of the dramatic performances took place oa Wednesday before her Majesty and the Prince Consort , the royal visitors , and a large number of the nobility . The theatre was erected in St . George ' s Hall . The play selected for the occasion aud the charac

      was Shakespeare ' s Borneo and Juliet , - ters were sustained by Mr . Phelps and the excellent company from Sadler ' s Wells Theatre . The Prince and Princess Frederick William of Prussia take leave of the Queen this day , and leave Windsor for Prussia . The royal visitors will proceed byrailway to Brussels , for the purpose of paying a visit to his Majesty the King of the Belgians . The royal family will leave Windsor Castle on Monday for the Isle of Wight , where the Court will remain until the 24 th inst ., and then return to Windsor .

      Pkobooation of Parliament . — Tuesday ' s Gazette contains a proclamation by Her Majesty , proroguing Parliament from the 15 th of December to Tuesday the 24 th of January , on which day it will be holdeh for the despatch of " divers urgent and important affairs ^" The Brunei- ' Testimonial . — An- influential meeting of the friends and admirers of the late distinguished engineer , Mr . Brunei , was held on Saturday , the Earl of Shelburne presiding , when resolutions were passed , and a committee constituted to take steps for the erection of a public monument to commemorate the liigh sense universally entertained of his genius and professional attainments , as exemplified in his great national works and the worth of his private character . The Bev . Robert Magcike . —The church of bt .

      James ' s ^ Clerkenwell , was , on Sunday morning , unusually crowded , in consequence of the recent charge brought against the incumbent . The lessons having been read , the rev . gentleman ascended the pulpit ; his discourse occupied but a short time . In the course of it Mr . Maguire remarked upon the large number of strange faces present on that occasion , and referred to the charge which had recently been made against him , his innocence with regard to which he strongly protested . He denied that he had offered . £ 100 as compensation . He contended tnat he had been the victim of circumstances , and said that the only tiling complained of by his friends was that he did not give the individual who struck Dim into custody . ... ...

      ... ... _ The Norwich Scandal . — Something very like public indignation begins to show itself at Norwich , on account of the efforts made to stifle the inquiry into the political corruption that prevails in that city . No doubt appears to exist that the leaders 01 the two parties are doing their best to get the aflair hushed up , and those who look on are devising means to prevent such a calamity . A meeting has already been held to protest against a compromise . Something , however , should be done by the Government in order to protect the administration oi justice in Norwich . St . George-in-the-East . — On Sunday evening there were not less than 2 , 000 peoples present , nan and

      of whom , at least , were very young men women , having the appearance of shop-boys and domestic servants . Some thirty or forty of the local divisional police were again on duty , under tho direction ot Mr . Superintendent Howe , inside and o . ^ ° J ± church , but nothing occurred to call for ' the exercise of their authority . At the close of the rector a Litany service in the afternoon , the Rev Mi . Powder , one of tho grates , who had conducted it , J ™ 3 _ followed some distance , on leaving the church , by J mob of people , whose conduct was such as to router necessafytWinterferonce of the police , which had S ! o desired effect of dispersing the crowd . At the evening service most of ' tlio people congregated in the chanc"t appeared to bo partisans of thoclergy judging from tho lusty manner in winch they took part EVho chanting , aud hence tho service £ ~~ gj d only with such interruptions as emanated from those wio ins sted upon " saying " rather than singing it , " . .. ¦¦ * i ., ! ., nn , i tiion nvnpAfisfla their otnora «•¦«¦ i——

      and from wnu »«»» *«•«— v--- - . disapproval in a hiss , orin fits of coughing « " * «« - ing Yot , from tho marked attention they paJd to he sermon , irhloh was preached by tho Bev A . H . Mackonocl lo , one of tho curates-an attention , in-S which may bo said to have boon literally extorId from a . 7 unsympathising and . thoughtless audience by tho singular earnestness of the preacher and tl o fervour and pervasiveness of tho appeal he addressed to their hearts and ^^ f ^^ riuZthe ? reasonably bwlioved they returnod bettor than tuey cama The lessons wore road from tho old , fashioned reading desk-a concession to tho popular feeling whieh the congregation seemed to appreciate . At the close of tlto service , as Mr . Maokonooh e turned his face to the east , on tlra ascription of praise to tue

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 3, 1859, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_03121859/page/7/