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Leader (1850-1860), 26th May 1855, Edition 1 of 2, Page 491, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      on the subject , that these numerous disasters are owmg to a strong current which sets in to- the westward and north-westward . Seizure op a Brio bt Pirates . "—The Livel y Napier , from Hartlepool to Malta , with coals , was abandoned on the 2 nd of May , in lat . 36 N ,, long 3 W ., off Cape Tresforcas . A large boat , with a black flag hoisted , manned by some sixty to seventy Moors , and pulling fourteen oars on each side , had been seen within half of a mile of the vessel . For half , an hour , the pirate

      gave chase to the boat containing the crew ; but , not being able to come up with her , they pulled towards the brig , which they boarded , hoisted the black flag , and stood in for the shore . Ultimately , the crew were picked up by the Empress , Saulley , from London to Constantinople , and landed at Malta on the 9 th May . A French schooner was lost in the same manner , on the same day , and only about ten miles from the Lively . The owner of the latter vessel recommends all shipmasters bound up the Mediterranean to keep as far north as possible , and to give the coast a wide berth . \

      The Presentation of the Crimean Medals . — The exigencies of our paper prevented us last week from giving as full an account of this interesting ceremony as we could have wished . We therefore now add a few extra particulars from a daily contemporary . —Each officer and man was provided with a card , upon which were inscribed his name , regiment , and service , which , on his arrival at the foot of the dais , he handed to General Wetherall , who read it aloud to her Majesty , and Lord Panmure , the Minister for War , handed the medal . It is almost needless to add that the Queen ' s part was performed with perfect dignity , condescension , and , better than either , sympathy . For every soldier and sailor her Majesty had a gracious smile ; but for those who , in their halting gait or pallid countenances , bore evidence that their laurels had been purchased with severe wounds , the Queen had , in addition , words of

      kind inquiry and solicitude . Under the kindly innuenc e of her Majesty ' s manner , the soldiers forgot the stiffness of military etiquette , took off their hats with a reckless iervour that would have horrified Sir George Brown , and required a considerable amount of gentle pressure to induce them to " move on" out of the witchery of the Royal presence . The people beyond the barriers , although they could not hear what was going on , instinctively felt it , and cheered again and again . As for the sailors , they " bobbed" terrifically , and rolled and lurched away from the platform in the depth of their emotion , as their gallant vessels might be supposed to do when a " staggering breeze" fills the topsails . At the conclusion of the ceremonial , the whole of the decorated soldiers and sailors were marched off to the Ridinghouse at Pimlico , where , by her Majesty ' s orders , a plentiful dinner of roast beef , plum pudding , and stout , had

      been prepared for their entertainment . The Ship John . —Upwards of one hundred and eight of the bodies of those who perished in the John have been recovered at St . Keverne , and have been buried . The greater part of these were taken up by dredging . The whole of the passengers saved have now returned to their respective homes . An extraordinary and melancholy circumstance in connexion with this disaster is related . A respectable man of Southmolton , in the north of Devon , named Pincombe , with his wife and six children , were passengers in the John , and all of them perished . It appears that Mr . Pincombe would have gone out in another ship , but , while corresponding with the owner for the purpose of getting the passage-money reduced by 11 ., the berths were all taken , and he was obliged to wait for the John .

      Stranding op an Emigrant Vessel . —Last Saturday morning , between 12 and 1 o ' clock , one of the Black Ball line of packets , named the Fortune , on her passage from Liverpool to Australia , was driven into Dundrum Bay , with 290 passengers on board . The passengers , who are composed chiefly of mechanics , were , in bed at the time the vessel struck ; and such was the confusion , immediately after the alarm was given , that two of the emigrants lost their lives . The remainder of the passengers were safely landed . The Fortune , it appears , left Liverpool on Wednesday , on her way for Sydney , Australia . She is a fine-looking three-mnstcd vessel , and was driven in not far from the place where the Great Britain was stranded in 184 G . A messenger was despatched to Belfast , to Lloyd ' s agent there , who arrived in Dundrum about 4 o ' clock on Saturday evening . Tho night was murky , and it blew a stiff brcezo during the wholo of Friday night .

      Untitled Article

      OUR CIVILISATION . Suicide . —An inquest was held on Monday on the body of John Dewdncy , aged C !) , a whitesmith , 'lately in the employ of Mr . Puarao , of Tottenham Court-road , after Whoso death tho old man , who bad an excellent clmrnctci for sobriety and industry , whh roduood to so miserable a state of want , that ho was forced to noil IiIh clothcH . At longth ho applied for afwi . stanco to Mr . Birchmorc , tlu relieving officer , who accused him of being a la / . y follow , nnd told him to go and put his head undor a cart-wheel . This preyed vory much upon liin mind , and ho would Weep bitterly whenever he mentioned it . Ho jiIho told his landlady and others that " that job would do for him . " Shortly aftorwnrda , he hung himself . Ho had had

      a recommendation from one of the guardians ; but three loaves and two shiHiugff * were ; all- he had ever received . These facts were established by- several witnesses ; but Mr . Birchmore denied them , and said that all the witnesses had perjured themselves . The assistant-overseer , however , confirmed the statements ; and the coroner , in sttmnring-iip , spoke severely of the conduct of the relieving officer . The jury t&a . returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide by hanging while in a state of temporary insanity , adding thereto then- unanimous opinion that the uncalled-for harsh expressions made use of by Mr . Birchmore , and the inadequate relief given , combined with his unfortunate circumstances , caused John Dewdney to commit suicide .

      The Tragedy of the Needle-Woekbes . —At Worship-street , on Saturday , Elizabeth Gibbs , a careworn and emaciated young woman , was placed at the bar , charged with having unlawfully disposed of seven pairs of military trousers , the property of William Bull , an outfitter , in Collingwood-street , Bethnal-green . In answer to the charge , the prisoner , who was painfully affected , assured the magistrate that , notwithstanding the severe privations to which she had been sutrjected for a long time past , she had hitherto borne an irreproachable character , but that dire distress had induced her to pledge the trousers . The work on which she was employed was of such a laborious description , in

      consequence of the extreme coarseness of the material , that she was unable to complete more than three pairs of trousers per day , and the remuneration allowed her was only at the rate of 24 d . a pair , which would fully account for the destitution to which she had been reduced . Two pawnbrokers were in attendance , who produced the articles in question , which had been pledged in separate portions by the prisoner ; and both of them expressed their readiness to deliver up the property , and to forego any indemnification for the amount they had advanced upon it . The magistrate , therefore , ordered the woman to be discharged , expressing at the same time his commiseration of her wretched life . This decision was

      audibly approved of by all present ; and the prisoner , who gratefully acknowledged the leniency with wMch she had been treated , left the court in tears . —The murderous work and murderous pay of these poor creatures involuntarily recal to our memory the too true conceit in poor Hood ' s " Song of the Shirt "" Sowing at once with a double thread A shroud as well as a shirt . " A Lenient Ruffian . —Timothy Sullivan was on Monday charged at Worship-street with an assault . The complainant , a middle-aged woman named Stack , who held an infant in her arms , had her face swollen , and both her eyes bruised , declined , upon being placed in the witness-box , to give evidence , saying she had exasperated the prisoner , and declaring that he had only struck her once . The magistrate reminded her that both her eyes were black ; and , on asking her how that could

      have been done with one blow , she declared , with manifest untruth , that her own brother had so injured her , and protested that she had no wish whatever to punish the prisoner . A constable who captured the prisoner stated that on the road to the station he exclaimed that the injuries the woman received she richly deserved , and added that if he were troubled with her any longer , he would break her jaw . The complainant declared to him that the prisoner had come home intoxicated , and , without even uttering a word , had struck and kicked her brutally , but that the woman then . said nothing , as she now did , about her brother having assaulted her . When called irpon for his defence the prisoner , with the coolest indifference , said , — " She got drunk , and aggravated me ; but I only hit her once on the face , —that ' s all . " This considerate and forbearing gentleman , however , was sent to prison for four months , with hard labour . This alleged Inckndiary Firtc at Messrs . Scott Russule ' s . — Lay ton Edward Hopper was on Wednesday discharged , tho case not being sufficiently strong against him .

      Untitled Article

      THE EPSOM RACES . The grand equine festival of the Spring—the " May meeting" not for religious , but for sporting and pleasure-seeking , purposes—has again come and gone ; and thousands have been found , for a few days , to forgot their calamities in tho Crimea , to brush tho fate of Ministries and the struggles of parties out of mind during a brief space , and to enjoy ' the fun" it was enjoyed in the halcyon days of peace . Again tho railways have carried clown their little armies of betting-men nnd idlers ; again " the road" has presented its old features of struggling , flighting ,

      gallopping , French-horn blowing , with " gents" and gentlemen emulating one another in feats of charioteering ; again liavo individuals of the male species " taken tho veil" for the nonce—and for tho dust and glare ; again havo the horses ( lashed along tho course , lileo comets subjected to human mastery ; again lmvo thousands of pounds changed hands in tho twinkling of an eye and the running of four logs ; again might wo see tho losers mourning , tho gainers triumphing , tho indifferent and unconcerned laughing ; again have the thimblo-rigRera performed their feats of legerdemain ; and again has " the Derby" given place

      to the more sober , composed , and aristocratic glories of Goodwood and Ascot . Wednesday was a remarkable day ? so reia&rka » le that the Times has thought it necessary tO-c «* ttaiefittotfate in a leading- article the event Which fiiadifrifrebnspicaous . We read therein" The Derby day turned out a memorable one'ia-fhe Fasti of Epsom , We do not shrink from recordings the fact in columns usually dedicated to more important subjects , for one might be permitted to accept the event as an omen . A horse—Wild Dayrell is the « xetellent creature ' s name—the property of a gentleman not ttp&n the turf , trained by his own groom , not by a professional trainer , and ridden by a jockey not a professional joe&ey , has actually been declared Senior Wrangler in the great Horse Tripos . " Without entering into the moral application to statesmanship which the Thunderer goes on to make , we will append from another column of the same paper a more particular account of

      THE RACE . " After taking their preparatory canter along the straight , the horses returned to the paddock , and were in due time called to the post by Mr . Hibburd , the starter . The din of tongues in the betting enclosure was gradually hushed , and a feverish anxiety everywhere prevailed . " Flatterer jumped off with the lead , but had scarcely proceeded a hundred yards when Lord of the Isles went to the front , with Lord Alfred , Strood , Flatterer , Wild Dayrell , Kingstown , Cave Adullam , and Little Brownie , lstoneand

      clustering up ; Dirk Hatteraick , Ry , Courtenay lying off . At the milepost Kingstown obtained the lead , Wild Dayrell going on second , Lord of the Isles third , Lord Alfred fourth , and the Flatterer next . These positions were held to the distance , where Lord Alfred dropped back to the beaten horses , and in the next moment Wild Dayrell deprived Kingstown of the lead , and galloped home an easy winner by a length , the second beating the third by a head ; bad fourth . Coroebus and Courtenay were the next two . The others quite beaten off . " The attendance was large ; but not so large as on some previous occasions . The war , after all , had probably some effect . Until after the great race , the weather was cold and the sky cloudy ; but , towards evening , the sun broke out , and the country looked cheerful .

      THURSDAY . The Epsom Four-year-old Stakes of 50 sovs . each , h . ft . ; won by Marc Antony . The Two-year-old Stakes 10 sovs . each , with 50 added ; won by Sugarcane . The Grand Stand Plate of 100 sovs ., added to a Handicap Sweepstakes of 5 sovs . each ; won by Veteran . Her Majesty ' s Plate of 100 guineas , for mares ; won by Ellermire . The Selling Stakes of 5 sovs . each , with 30 added , for 2-yr-olds and upwards ; walked over by Allington . The Cobham Plate of 50 sovs . ( Handicap ) for all ages ; won by Duke of Lancaster . FRIDAY . The Oaks , won by the Marchioness . Members' Plate , won by Radulphus . Railway Plate , won by Rosaline . Foal Stakes , won by Escape . Foreign Visitors' Plate , won by Professor Airey . Derby and Oaks Stakes , won by Novice .

      Untitled Article

      MISCELLANEOUS . The Court . —Her Majesty and tiro Royal Family havo removed for a week or two to the Isle of Wight . Earthquake in New Zealand . —Accounts havo been received from New Zealand to the 22 nd of January , which state that tho shock of au earthquake had been experienced at New Plymouth . A Raitavay Accident of a serious character occurred at tho Dudley Railway Station on Monday . At tiro point in question , it appears that there is only one line of roils for tho up and down trains arriving from Worcester and Birmingham , and , in consequence of some failure in the signals , two trains corning in opiwsito directions ran into each other , and inflicted serious injury upon no fewer than twenty passengers . Noono , however , was killed , although ono passenger was danrouslinjured b

      y . „ , ^ , „ , SuTcidi ; o . 7 A REPonrKK-JoBop h O ' Leary aged about sixty , who , it appeared , Wns a police reporter for the Mornil , Chronicle and Mormn ,, Herald , ami 1 had formerly been employed afl a i > Hrl . ament » ry reportor , committed bi . iei . le on Monday evening in the nvorlM , near - ' Limehouse-eut . Ha had filled lm P ™ <* ^ stones to make 1 >> h weight tho greater . Ono of tho witnolcH Htutod that Ho had been a hard drinker for m AraSuA .-Tho trial of the diggers taken prisoners nl ¦ IJnllarnt commenced on tho 22 nd of February ; but , verdict * of acquittal having boon returned in two cases , tho AUorney-Ucnoral declared ho had no confidence in the jury , and rofiiHOd to proceed with tho trial of tho other prison *}™ that ' HCSHion . DitowNioi ) in a Ti'ij . — -An inquest has boon hold at Whitby , orr the body of Thomati Lund , a Journeyman

      Untitled Article

      Mat 26 , 1855 . ] T H OS LEADER . 491

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 26, 1855, page 491, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2092/page/11/