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Northern Star (1837-1852), 22nd March 1851, Edition 2 of 2, Page 7, A'HOMAN CATHOLIC DEATH-BED. The fashion ...

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      1 Debet. • 'L': -Jjjsiora Assault.—Georg...

      1 DEBET . ' ' -jjjsiora Assault . —George Damms , aged fifty-- * was indicted for feloniously abusing a little ^ l onder twelfe jears of age .. The" statement of C prisoner was that - what' he had done was ^ with the child's consent ; erroneously sup-J ^ Ln-, in all probability , that that - * as a defence rr ^ charge . The jury , however , returned a jrdict of Guilty , and he wis sentenced to two T ft » rs' imprisonment with hard labour . ? Dowd twe

      * Cbab <' oRape . —James , aged ntyseven , ^ a 3 indicted for a rape upon Maria Hough . < fte prosecutrix in this ease "was no less than sixtyg ve vears old , but her account of the matter was » -onswtent and credible one . Very recently after ^ - occurrence she had made complaint ofthe ^ jojjg which she had suffered , and the truth of . the charge , appeared free from any reasonable doubt . The j ury convicted the prisoner , and he was transorted for fifteen years ! . __ AB 50 S- —Joseph HicMsbn ; aged ten , -was charged « tb having on the 12 th of February last set fire to a bavstack , the property of Thomas Bingham . The prisoner ' s parents inhabited'a- cottage near the house of the prosecutor , and from tbat person ' s account it would seem tbat little or no care had been paid to him . He bad" been in the service of

      jjr ; Bingham , but bad been scolded by him for his © any petty delinquencies . On tbe evening in question the haystack was safe about aine at night , and was found to be" on fire at one . The lad did not deny he was present at'the fire , but stated an Irishman came to him and asked Mm which was jlr . Bingham ' s stack , and upon the boy pointing it out , he then askedthe lad to fire it . The hoy said be would not , whereupon the Irishman took some pieces of stick , rag , and some cracking matches and lighted tbe haystack in two places . He then went away , telling the prisoner that when he met him again he would give biro , something . There was no proof of any Irishman baring been npon or about the premises , and no doubt be was an imaginary personage . Tbe jury found the prisoner Guilty , and the learned jadge sentenced bun to be transported for ten years . '

      ChaBSE OP Siabbwg . —Charles lowej aged twenty-seven , was charged with baring- maliciously gtabbed one George Barker on the 26 th of November , 1 S 5 Q , at Alfreton . From the statement of- the prosecutor , it appeared that he had been at the Alfreton statutes on the day in question . At a Tery late hour he found himself at the Robin Hood pablic-bonse . Being ejected from there , a quarrel ^¦ ose between himself and several others , amongst tbem being tbe prisoner ; Tbe persons present betwo named

      side the prosecutor were- men- Cooper and Wildgoose , and a labourer named Smith , and bis son , a hoy . Cooper commenced by pulling Barker by the nose ( not a very pleasant operation to begin with , ) and the prisoner Lowe began striking hfra , and , according tohis positive oath , stabbed him with some sharp instrument in the left thigh . The wound was a -very severe one , cutting through some of the principal arteries , so as to place the life of Barker in considerable jeopardy . The jury returned a verdict of XotGaiUy . John

      Asotheh Chahoe ot Siabbjsg . — Baltye , aired thirty-four , was placed at tbe bar , charged jnth having , on tbe 5 th of November last , stabbed one Charles Taylor , at Ecbington , with intent to do him seme grievous bodily harm and damage . The prisoner had pleaded 3 fot Guilty generally , but he low withdrew tbat plea , and pleaded Guilty to the common assnult ; whereupon the learned Baron sentenced the prisoner to six months' imprisonment with hard labour . AssAcur asd- Robbbht . —Herbert Rippon , aged fcreut y-ibtrr , and George Harrison , aged twentytwo , were charged with having on the 19 th of February last , at Ecbington , feloniously assaulted one Samuel Brans and robbed him of one pair of shoes , a pocket-book , one neckerchief , and other articles ,

      the property of the said Samuel Evans . From the testimony" of tbe prosecutor , ( an old man , who eave his evidence with great difficulty , owing to the injuries he received on the night in question , ) it appeared that he lives at Hanley , in this county . On the 19 th of February he had gone over to a place called Gadles on some business , intending to sleep at a public-house kept by a man named Barker . In the course of tbe evening tbe two prisoners , along with a man named Chadbnrn ( not jet in custody , ) came into the room where Evans was sitting . Tho old man , knowing them very well , told tbem his business , and that it was not his intention to go borne tbat night ; but Harrison tel-15 n <» him he was going his way , Evans allowed

      himself to be persuaded to give up his original intention , and left the house in Ms company . Upon coming to a place called Carter-bold-Lane , which branches off from the main road , Bippon and Chadbum remained behind , Harrison proceeding down the lane with the old man on his way home . In a shorttimetwomen rushed from the hedge with stakes in their hands . One of the men , whom prosecutor recognised as Bippon , had got a handkerchief partly over his face ; he knocked Evans down on his back , hitting him upon the head and face , the prosecutor bleeding profusely from tbe wounds he received . Bippon had got his head between the legs of tbe prosecutor , an d in stooping Evans had an opportunity of recognising , and did recognise

      Eippon . Harrison held the old man s legs while Chadburn took off his shoes ; they took also a pocket-book , handkerchief , & c . It should be stated the men behaved with the greatest brutality , geltine their hands between prosecutor ' s throat and neckerchief , and twisting it apparentl y with a vie w to strangle him , and leaving him for dead . The prosecutor managed to crawl to the cottage of a nan named Andrews , who stated he waa alarmed ova scratching noise at his door about half-past four in tbe morning , and upon getting up he found tbe old man covered with blood , and almost dead , from the iniuries he had received , and cold and exhausted . The police having received information of tbeoutrage that had been perpetrated , proceeded

      to R ippon's house , when they found his wite in the act of concealinjapairof trowsers covered with blood about and below the knees . The jury found both prisoners guilty , and they were sentenced to betransportedforlife . The Gam * Laws . —John Chapman , William Sheppard , JohuSheppatd , William Warrill , Robert Grundy , "William Clark , James Wilde , William Dobb , John Evans , John Goodland , George Cutts , and Robert Cutts , were charged with having on the nbjht ofthe 23 rd of November , 1850 , entered a certain wood iu Scarclifi Park , for the purpose of destroying game , tho property of Earl BathursL—• Geor ° c Cuttspleaded guilty . —The prisoners were -seen on the dav of the 23 rd ofUovember , with the -exception of Worrill and a man named Rhodes ,

      « omgrn tbe direction of tbe park . Anodes was tried to be dissuaded from going by Ann Rhodes . He said he would go this onee , aud would then give it over . Several of the parties had guns , others bludgeons , and their feces blackened , and a piece of white ribbon tied round the arm of each of their party , to distinguish them from the watchers or keepers . They got to the park about one . Booth , the head keeper , and . Farmer , an under keeper , were in a cabin in the park , and there were fivetonters . Hearing a gun fired , tbey left the cabin and went to a ride near the wood , Farmer giving bis gun to Booth . They then divided , and Booth advanced with his gnu hanging down under his left arm . and having a stick in his right hand .

      A second gun was fired , and two men vrero seen to come out of the wood to tbe side . They cried " Hei » h-np . heigh-up , " when the whole body came oat ofthe wood towards Booth , who began a retreat , but they set upon and beat him , he endeavouring to ward off the blows with bis stick , begging tnem to be merciful as tbey were too strong forbim , and saving there would be no resistance , and tbat they might take tbe game ; but Chapman struck him on the head with a gword , catting clean through the bone , and separating two pieces of the skull , which were produced in court . They beat him while down , and all tbat Booth remembered after tbe sword blow , was hearing a gun go off , and seeiassomethinafall . ' This was Rhodes , who was

      beating Booth , when tbe gun ofthe latter went off aud shot Rhodes , and he was conveyed home by bis comrades , when be died . Captain Welfit , with Heald , a constable , and others , went to Bolsover in the morning , about four o ' clock , and met a surgeon with Newton , tbe person at whose house Rhodes lodged . They went there , and found Rhodes dvin * from a gun-shot woufld _ above the naval . He uied shortly afterwards . Tbey then * entto Chapman ' s house , who ^ as in bed but sor , n came down . He denied having been at tnetray , put his boots showed he had recently been out . He * as vm violent , and tried to blow tbe candle out . dowthe street who

      A man " was seen passing n , runaway . Chase was given , and be was tafcea . Sedng Captain Welfit , he said , "Oh . Captain Welfit , I will tell you all . " This was Catts , and from his information all the prisoners were taken iatocustodv . —The jury acquitted John bneppani , tte boy , bat found all tbe other prisoners guilty *? 0 u the third count . —The judge sentenced Lhapaanto be transported for life , William Shepherd for fifteen years , Grundy , Clarke , Dobb , and Cutts to ten vears , George Cutts to two years lroprisonaentaud hard labour , and Worrill , Evans , bootthuid , and Wilde to eig ht e en mont hs' imprisonment and hard labour .

      STAFFORD . The Wolverhampton Tis Plate Workers . --George Buffi eld , T h om s Woo dw orth , and John Gaunt , tin-plate workers at Wolverhampton , were indicted for a conspiracy , by divers subtle means and devices , and bv illegal acts and practices , and by molesting and rendering intoxicated the workmen iu the employment of one Edward Perry , and by inducing the slid workmen to depart from the Said emplovme . it ottbe ^ d Edward Perry , and to break their * contracts with the said Edward Perry , to force and compel the said Edward Perry to alter , aad thereby increase , the amount of wages which

      1 Debet. • 'L': -Jjjsiora Assault.—Georg...

      the . Mid Edward Perry waain the habit <* paying to the workmen . m his employment . T ^ ere was Mother indictment against Henry- fiowlanib ? . ' « e 2 SES & ° Tin-plate . 'Workers' Society ;^ nd St J " ?* mber 8 of ^ at : society , forasimilaV Sf ^ T £ 03 ecnt «> n of Messrs ' . Richard S r ^ , Ge 0 rge ne ° ryPerr y--Thereareno less ^ antwentrcount 8 , charging-the offence in different 7 ffl D f aCh lnd ! ctment .-Mr . Sergeant Allen , Mr ; Uuddlestorvand Mr . R . Kettle were counsel for ? nOT S ? . : Mr-bating , Q . C ., Mr . Vaugban , ana Mr . Powell were counsel for the prisonersinese cases , which have arisen out of disputes between the Messrs . Perry and their workmen , have i attracted great public interest both in this county and in other districts in which large bodies of mechanics

      and operatives reside ; and tbe case of the defendants appears to have been actively taken up by the National Association . - The result has , therefore , been anxiously waited for , but from the state ofthe criminal business at this place , and the necessity of delivering the gaol' before proceeding with bailable offences , it became apparent that neither of tbe cases could be tried at these assizes . The counsel on both sides accordingly consented to an enlargement of the recognizances , a n d to allo w the cases to stand over until the next assizes . —Mr . Keating , Q . C ., having stated thisarrangementtothe Court , and asked tbeconsentofhislordsbipto it , Mr . Justice Talfourd assented . —The cases stand over accordingly until tbe next assizes , unless in the interim they are removed by c er t iora r i in the Court of Queen ' s Bench .

      RoBBi . va a'Mail-cam * . —Job Davis , G e or g e Bond , Benjamin Berrington , aiid George Smith alias Thompson , were indicted for stealing the Bilstone Post-office letter bags , and their contents , comprising bank-notes and bills ' of exchange , the value of upwards of £ 5 , 000 . The prisoner Davis , who was undergoing imprisonment for another offence , on being arraigned , pleaded Guilty , saying , it was he who stole the bags . The prisoners were found Guilty . Mr . Justice Talfourd sentenced Bond , Davis , and Berrington , who had been convicted before , to transportation for their natural lives , and Smith to fifteen years .

      . FoncsJtr ; ox tub Bask of Esoxasd . —John Evans , aged 23 , a horse dealer , was indicted for uttering and putting off on the 24 th of January , a forged note for £ 5 , purporting to he a note of tbe Bank of England . —The jury returned a verdict of Guilty : Sentence deferred . Chahoe or Mtjbdeh . —Patrick M'Farling , William Morram , J . Morran , T . Yarley , and J . Murphy , were indicted for the wilful murder of John Welsh , on Sunday , the 9 th of February last , at the parish of Wednesbury . —Mr . Doweswell appeared for the prosecution , and Mr . Uuddleston for tbe defence . — The prisoners are all Irishmen . On the above Sunday evening , between nine and ten , they , with two " other men , not in custody , were coming from

      a public-house at Tipton , when they passed a man named King , who overheard M'Farling say , " We will kill the Welches as soon as we get hold of them . " The deceased came across the road very shortly afterwards from his bouse , when Morram said , "We have one of them here , and now let us be at tbem . " M'Farling , who had a broomstick in his hand , proceeded at once to strike Welsh over the head several times , but did not knock bim down , whereupon Morram picked up a brick or stone and struck him between the eyes . He fell at once . M'Farling , when he was clown , went on beating him , and Morram kicked him , Cosgrave , not in custody , jumped on his body with all his weight . Leaving bim for dead on the road they proceeded to the house of a man named Connor , close by , where they supposed a nephew ofthe

      deceased lived , and commenced to demolish his windows . Tbey soon discovered that it was at tbe next door he lived , in tbe house of a man named mark Sawyer . They tried to get in there . The people inside resisted , and the assailants not being able to force their way in proceeded to untile the pantry of tbe house so as to force their way . While they were doing tbis , M'Farline said to Welsh , the nephew , "We have got one of your brothers killed , and we will serve you the same . " . Thereport of these proceedings reached the relations of the Welshes , and they came out , and then a regular fight ensued . In the mean time the poor roan John Welsh got up , aud was helped to his home by a man named Rowland . On the Monday he was delirious , and on the Tuesday he died . On a post mortem examination it was found that the frontal bone had

      been fractured and tbe blood extravasated on tbe brain , and that tbis was tbe cause of death . The prisoner was found Guilty of Manslaughter . —SenT tence deferred . Sheep Stealing at Wolvehhamptos . —Edward Jones , George Green , and Joseph Garbctt were indicted for stealing an ewe , the property of Mr . Joseph Beach , at Wolverhampton . Mr . Wade prosecuted . The prisoners were undefended . —Tbe prosecutor who is a farmer , Jiving at the Hattons , near Wolverhampton , deposed that on tbe morning ofth e 25 th o f J a nu a ry h e w e nt to a fiel d on hi s fa r m in company with a policeman ; he there found the skin and entrails of a sheep which had been killed .

      He found a number of footmarks which be traced from the place where tbe sheep was killed along the canal side in tbe direction of Wolverhampton . Prosecutor went afterwards to Wolverhampton , and saw there portions of mutton , which be compared with the skin- and they exactly corresponded . He also compared the shoes of tbe prisoners with the footmarks , and several of them corresponded . The skin produced was identified by the prosecutor . — The prisoners were all found Guilty , as was also an old man named William Bentley , charged with receiving the mutton , knowing it to have been stolen . Tbe three first prisoners were , sentenced to seven years' transportation , and Bentley to six months ' imprisonment .

      Bdhglaey at Stokb . —Francis Edwards ( tbe third indictment against this prisoner ) , John Tabberner , and Abraham Butler , were charged with burglariously entering the premises of Mr . John Smith , of Longton . in tbe Potteries , on the _ 28 th of September , and stealing of waistcoats , jackets , trowsers , velveteen , and ether articles of wearing apparel . The premises were entered by taking down the -window shutters . Theartieles stolen' were all taken from the window where tbey had been placed by the prosecutor on the previous day . On the night the burglary was committed the prisoners were seen drinking together at a public bouse in Longton . They left this place at half-past seven o ' clock . A man named Perry , who was drinking with the prisoners the same night , swore that between two and three o ' clock on the following

      morning be saw the prisoners opposite the prosecutor ' s shop . Edwards went up to it and pulled the shutter down ; they took a quantity of clothing ont of the shop , which they ran off with in the direction of a place called Furnace-bant ; saw the prisoners again at six o ' clock , an d as ke d them bow they had come on ; they asked what be meant ; he replied , " You have been in this * erc shop ; " Edwards then said , "We have got some thing , and we'll give you a share not to say anything . " Witness was himself subsequently taken into custody , when he gave information which led to the apprehension of tbe three prisoners , and the recovery of the whole of the property , which was all identified by the procutor . —Guilty . —Tabberner and Edwards were sentenced to fifteen years' transportation , and Butler to twelve months .

      YORK . The LttLT Lane Boiler Explosion . —Samuel Firth , 53 , and Josh . Helliwell , 35 , were indicted for the manslaughter of Sarah Ann Riddell , at Halifax , on tbe 23 th September . —Mr .- Bliss stated the case for the prosecution . He said they imputed negligence to the prisoners in conducting the operations of a mill for spinning and weaving , at Halifax . The mill was several stories high , and stood over the engine and boilers , the latter being covered by an arched roof . Two of three boilers were muse at tbe same time . They wore of the waggon shape with flat ends , and it was the middle one which had exploded . There were three partners of whom the prisoner Firth was one , and he had the management and care of the works . The other prisoner was the

      engine driver . For some days previous to the 39 th there were indications that something was wrong . Helliwell was unwell and absent from the Saturday till tbe Thursday previous to Friday , the day of the explosion , and Firth had then the sole care of the en gine assisted by a man to feed the fire . On the Monday alterations were made , and they commenced working again on Tuesday . Still the workings of the engine was irregular , and on Thursday , when Helliweil was there , it went sometimes too fast , sometimes too slow , and at eleven o'clock stopped entirely . On Friday some alterations having been made . ' they began again , but it went badly , and the work-people became alarmed , and came aronnd the boiler-house to ascertain the cause , but

      were compelled to return into the mill by threats . After going to breakfast , however , they were told not to go to work till one o ' clock . At that time they were told it was all right , to go to work , and they did so . The engine went sometimes at the usual speed , sometimes still too fast , and at length the explosion took place , by which seventeen persons were wounded and twelve killed , among whom was Sarah Ann Riddell . A scientific man was called in to investigate the cause of this terrible d saster , and he was of opinion that too much steam was generated in the boiler , and so the weakest part the li of the

      save way , and neggence prisoners was in suffering too much steam to be generated . Tbe boiler ou » ht to be half or two-thirds full of water , if there was less , steam was generated too fast . There were contrivances to prevent that . One was a self-feeder , which , while it was in order , there ? ouM be no lack of water The second was a weight suspended over a pillar at the end of the rWrd'Sa stom pipe ' Uone ^ ut the prisoner conld te * whit was the state of the safety valve . In consequence of the irregular working of theen-KSi workconld not go on-the tbrwds

      1 Debet. • 'L': -Jjjsiora Assault.—Georg...

      were broken . That furnished : a motive for trying by . au means to' increase'the ' power . " Tbey drew water out of the boiler ; which expToded , ' atfd put it into the other and tbey stopped faction of the feeder . The steam gauge ; it appeared ; was out of o rder . They were aware there was too little water in the ; boiler , 'and they attempted to remedy'it , ' when * it was too late . —Evidence having been given to a similar effect , the jury Acquitted both the prisoners . The Charge of Manslaughter against A Magistrate . —Joshua Ingham , Esq ., chairman of the West Riding bench of magistrates , surrendered , charged , npon the coroner ' s inquisition , with the manslaughter of a child at Dewsbury . —The learned Judge stated that there was nb necessity for Mr .

      Ingham appearing in the / dock , whereupon'Mr . Blanshard said that it was Mr . Ingham ' s own wish to do so , so that there might be no distinction between him and any other person charged with a similar offencp .- —The jury having been sworn , Mr . Blanshard said that Mr . Ingham was the owner of some collieries in the neighbourhood of Dewsbory , from which there was ' a tramroad , on which the coal waggons are worked , by means of a rope ; This tramroad is crossed by a public road , and the cause of the accident was the deceased running across the tramroad whilst the-waggons were in motion . His lordship , in bis charge to the grand fury , had referred to the present case , and the grand jury having ignored the bill , he ( Mr . Blanshard ) felt it

      to be his dnty to say tbat he was not in possession of evidence which would in law bo sufficient to call upon Mr . Ingham to answer the charge , and therefore it would be tbe doty of the jury to acquit him . —The jury then returned a verdict of Not Guilty . EXTRAOHDINARI CASE OF FnAUn—HkIR-AT-Law Societies . —Hugh Williams and Edward Kay' were charged with obtaining money under false pretences . There were a variety of counts in the indictment . —Mr . Hall stated the case . * The prisoners at the bar stood charged with obtaining money under false pretences , and conspiracy to defraud various persons . The defence adopted by the two prisoners was'tbat pretence which is very tempting in this country , viz ., to obtain cheap law .

      They found the prisoners acting together as agents for a society , ' purporting to be " The Legal and Equitable Protection ' Office "—Williams acting in London on its behalf , and Kay at Leeds . ' This society was said to bounder the management of John Ross and others , who carried on business under , the firm of " John Martin and Co . " The pretensions of this society are " to assist such persons in reclaiming and recovering such property as in justice they are entitled to , making no charge until that object is effected , nnd then only a moderate charge for agency . upon it , " In order to connect Williams aud'Kay , he read a letter , dated " 19 th Feb ., 1850 , " addressed by Williams to Kay , wliich was headed "Re Cockcroft and Others , " and Williams undertook

      in this letter to conduct the case , which wasaclaim put forward by Cockcroft to tbe ownership of a hall near Leeds ; called Burley Wood Hall . The next document found upon Williams was headed " Dee ., 1849 . Legal Protection Office . " It gives a list of the managers , and number of cases taken by them into the Court of Chancery ; then followed a list of bills , and thirty-two cases in which bills were about to be filed in that court , among which was ¦" " «« Cockcroft and " Others . " The learned counsel went on to show that shortly afterwards Williams left" The Legal Pretention Society , " and began business for himself , still , however , retaining Kay at Leeds as his agent . In a letter dated March 6 th , 1850 , signed by Williams and addressed to Kay .

      he wrote in confidence to Kay , telling him that as the parties interested were strangers to bim ( Williams ) , be ( Kay ) should not let them see bis letters , uormake the matter known to Mr . Ross , as he did not wish to prejudice the latter , or to be on unfriendly terms with bim . The case of Cockcroft had been first in the hands of the Heir-at-law Society , and then in the hands of Martin and Co . * and in this case tbey bad received several small sums from Cockcroft , telling him that they bad taken the opinion of Mr . Watson in the case . The opinion of this gentleman was unfavourable to the suit of John Cockcroft . Then they represented that Williams had taken the opinion of Mr . Bowles , who

      appeared to favour the claim . Thus tbey induced the plaintiff in tbis case to advance small sums of money from time to time . The case was conducted almost entirely by letters , and several Sums of money bad been obtained from the plaintiff from time to time on a variety of false pretences . A number of letters were then read showing the grossest frauds . —A great number of witnesses in support ofthe case Tor the prosecution having been examined , and Mr . Matthews having addressed the jury for the defence , the prisoners were found Guilty . — Tbe prisoner Williams was then further charged with bigamy , in having married Elizabeth Dyer , on tbe 19 th of December , 184 . 6 , his former wife being then alive , —Guilty . Sentence deferred .

      BEDFORD . Attempted Murder . — Wm . Devereuxand Jno . Devereux were charged with shooting at a man named Worker—first ; with intent to murder ; second , with intent to do grievous bodily harm ; and third , with intent to prevent their lawful apprehension . —It appeared that on the night of the 28 th December , or rather on the morning of the 29 th , Worker and another roan of the name of Case , who were gamewatchers in the service of Earl de Grey , were out on duty in the Cainhol-park-wood , a very large preserve of his Lordship ' s . Between one and twe o ' clock some men came upon them as they sat beside a barley stack , and on being challenged , the men , three in number ,-two being armed with guns , ran away up a wide drive that led through the wood . The watchers in pursuit closed upon them , and the two armed men faced half-way round , and

      presenting their guns at the watchers , covered their own retreat and that of their companion until they came to a narrow path leading out of the wood . Here one of them fell on his side , turned round upon bis back , put his gun to his shoulder , and fired right in the face of Worker , who was within a yird of him at the time . The shot , which appeared to have gone together like a bullet , struck bis face at the corner of the mouth , passed through the cheek , and came out at the ear , The face and ear were burnt , and the whiskers singed by the powder . - The man who fired the shot called out to bis armed companion , as be sprang tohis feet , to do the same , but no other shot was fired , and the poachers made off . The two prisoners were identified by the watchers , and William was proved to have fired the shot . —The jury found both Guilty on the second and third counts . —William was sentenced to transportation for life , and John for ten years .

      Phtlltps's Fire Ashihiiatob—Some Experim...

      Phtlltps ' s Fire ashihiiatob—Some experiments with these fire annihilators were performed on Saturday at ' the London Gas Works , Vauxhall , before a numerous audience . As on other occasions , a roughly constructed house was set on fire , and the flames instantaneously extinguished by vapour . It was also shown that water had no effect on flame , by pouting it on c & rburetted hydrogen gas without any effect , whereas the vapour speedily put it out ; aud a large open vessel of coal tar being ignited , the same means immediately effected the desired result . Mr . Phillips , in bis introductory lecture , stated tbat tbe amount of property destroyed annually was to tbe value of £ a , 000 , 000 ; the amount insured £ 100 , 000 , 000 ; and the amount uninsured

      double this . It was to protect this immense capital that he brongbt forward this apparatus . A few days before at one of his exhibitions an alarm of fire iu the neighbourhood was given , and he was sent for to protect the adjoining premises , which was a distillery . The other buildings were entirely destroyed , although there were eighteen firo-engines i the ground , and they had a somman . l of 100 , 000 , 000 gallons of water , contained in a tank in the distillery . He cited this to show the inefficiency of the water system . For a long time this agent had been recognised as the only effectual known

      means of extinguishing fire , but it was now becoming a recognised fact that it was onl y u s eful in saturating incandesent embers , and was totally ineffective as a destroyer of flame , and as such bo bad shown it by the experiments . His machines were being adopted not only in England , but in America and on the continent , and he trusted tbe time would soon come when people , instead of allowing their property to be destroyed ( which was uow the case in nine instances out of ten of fire , ) would adopt the means which he offered for its prevention . Mr . Philli ps receive d much a pp lause from the spectators as each experiment succeeded .

      Silest Simpathy . —One day last week a regiment wliich had been unfavourably marked by the Government of Uesse-Cassel for its sympathy with the popular cause , was recalled from country quarters into Cassells , the capital of the Electorate . The greatest precautions were taken to check anything like a demonstration on the part either of the * soldiers or the citizens . The obnoxious regiment was guarded into the to w n between troops of hussars and gendarmes , who were ordered to enforce the strictest silence . Some of the townspeople complied with the letter but avoided the spirit of the order , by chalking in large letters tho word " Hurrah ! " on the backs of their coats ; and so walking in front of their military friends . Others wore cravats , on the front of which the same word was inscribed . These novel neckcloths are now known as the '• Hurrah cravats . "

      Sir John Fraskws . —Lad y Fr a nklin has d e c ide d upon rene w ing the se a rch o f Prince Re g ent 's Inlet and its vicinity , and the Prince Albert will again start for the North in about a month . Mr . Kennedy , who has command of this expedition , is n o w , we believe , in Orkney , engaging his crew , and looking out for a person to take charge of one of his boat parties . The Admiralty have resolved to send a powerful steamer into Barrow ' s Straits this summer , in order to communicate-with Captain Austin , and bring back intelligence ^ She operations of the searching squadron ..

      Phtlltps's Fire Ashihiiatob—Some Experim...

      ! FATHER GAVAZZl ON' « CHINCH PRJBCEPTS , '' - ¦ " ¦! Dealing leisfn broad and comprehensive theories , and descending into the practical' working of a ays- ' tern Which he reprobates ' , the speaker addressed himself to a host of minortdetails ,. whichthe ' stilri ^ "IT ! rtl tude ° r his kalian bearers .. palpably ' relisneri ,, bnt . which : were , perhaps / lessinteresting ? £ I 1 ? . . , ' b ' numerous British auditors ; With undiminished p 0 wer 8 0 f . illustrative elocution , unabated

      and energies , be entered into the minute bye-iaws qf an oppressive , onerous , " meddling , and frequently immoral , legislation resulting from the irresponsible sway of a priesthood ignorant of the wants , reckless of the rights , and hostile to the feelings , ot the Jaity . It was not merely nations in their corporate capacity that found a foe in the fox whose den was m a fiotnan hill , . . . $ a 8 "a VolPe che siedc in Vaticano , but families , homesteads , and individual wrongs bore testimony totbese sinister influences in ever active and evil operation .

      He traced to the utter extinction of tbe primitive popular element Christian assemblies this dissstrous change m the originally sound and beneficient c 0 \ ° i * w J Canon 8 ' The ambassadors of kings watched the doings of ' churchmen in general councits , ouj the people had neither organ nordelegate there . The Pope , by his rotten boroughs of bullcreated bishoprus , absorbs ihe whole represehtll tion of Christendom , and the proceedings at Trent were a gigantic ' sham . The present constitution , oi ecclesiastical boards at Rome , presuming to regulate the spiritual concerns of mankind was absolutely revolting . The red-tapists of a blind and unteachable

      native court were reinforced by the dregs of Don Miguel from Portugal , of Ferdinand the Embroiderer from Spain , of the old Sardinian Camarilla , aided by Neapolitan ignorance , tbe . strings of the whole puppet-show . being pulled by an Austrian or Russian ambassador in the name of the Holy Ghost . Such was tbe actual mechanism , of Catholicity—such the oecumenical character of its legislation . ' •••' ¦ ¦ . Marriage was an essential ingredient of civil society ; to monopolise its arrangements and to usurp its direction was a crying abuse on the part of the priesthood . At this moment Piedtnort is engaged in a death struggle with Rome for the riddance of its intermeddling with conjugal contracts , and the

      nuncio Monsignor Boveno at Berne IB seeking to invalidate mixed marriages in Switzerland . England's turn is approaching . The pretence for interference in wedded life , which in apostolic times never entered tbe scheme of gospel morality , even pagan alliances' being undisturbed by Paul , arose from sheer wantonness of ecclesiastical tyranny or the more inglorious greed of grain , The speaker traced the rise of traffic in dispensations , and showed what a powerful instrument of annoyance to kings , what a formidable weapon in tbe bands of the papacy , was tbe assumption of a control over wedlock and the claim to bless or ban the nuptial bed from the days of Robert of France down to the Reformation , when

      the fatal engine recoiled on tbe ponlificial engineer . Capricious figments of spiritual or constructive , affinity had bien superadded to the Hebrew catalogue of impediments , and . their removal made a branch of fiscal emolument . European maternity and ' the suckling of legitimate offspring were regulaied by the she-wolf , of Rome , and became the prerogative of ( hat lupanar . The hardships and immoral resuits of tbis traffic in its bearing on tbe poorer classes , and its attendant scandals in the higher tanks of society , were ably indicated , and the anomaly of the sacramental character overriding ant ? overthrowing the intrinsically social and domestic nature of the contract learnedly developed .

      The precept of fasts and distinctions of food was next anatomised , and its oppressive and unequal pressure on the various nations , climates , and' individual abstainers shrewdly illustrated . The absurdity of enforcing fish diet on districts utterly unpisefttorial , or a vegetarian regime on mountaineers whose only resource was the goat in their unbotanical ridges , the undignified decrees on " dripping , " and tbe puerility of pastorals about eggs , only equalled by the anti-climax of " in the name of the prophet , figs ! " the ludicrous result of orthodox Italy and Spain being made to promote the herring fisheries of the heretic Dutch , and work the cod-barik of northern protestantism , through their fictitiously .

      created necessity for baccala , were topics which lost nothing in the treatment of the orator whose versatility of style equals bis vehemence . Tbe famous bull of the cruzada in tbe Spanish peninsula , bearing on the operation of the precept , next afforded abundant materials for alternate scorn and critical scrutiny . Issued in the first instance as a stimulant to the war of expulsion against the Saracens ( who were a sort of mediasval Austrians , foreign intruders in Spain , but less brutal than Italy ' s modern Moors , far more refined and not half so objectionable as our Croats , ) the scheme of compounding iii bard cash for sterile and unproductive abstinence was found , when tbe crusade was over ,

      too profitable a speculation for abandonment . Tickets of exemption were accordingly , and are still , sold at lottery-offices in the public Street ? , and tbe management of this monstrous imposture presents in Spain a regular organisation . The bead contractor with the court of Rome for this gasironomic mining privilege—ibis California of credulity —was , not long ago , the Jew Emannele , to whose tberice-gathered wealth we owe the " Stabat Mater' ' of Rossini , composed and paid for by his order out of the proceeds of humbug . In point of fact , the sale of these cruzada tickets is carried on after a

      fashion of pious quackery , by sound of trumpet , and with boast of their efficacy , such as Dotlor dulcamara alone exhibits on the stage ; and though the commerce of indulgences was rudely checked long ago in northern Europe , brisk transactions still continue in tbe same commodity southwards . Gregory XllL , to quicken the demand , issued a brief , extending the convertibility of this currency , and establishing its acknowledgment by the exchequer of purgatory . The financial details in connection with this latter establishment the speaker dwelt on at some length , evidently to tbe bewilderment of the British portion of his auditory .

      Saint's festivals and the host of obligatory holidays , in their consequences on industry and wages , gave full scope to the denunciation of the father , whose protests in favour of the poor man's share in the . benefits of the gospel were delivered whb fearful energy , and the claim of churchmen to curtail his already straitened circumstances by the enforcement of compulsory idleness , for the mere purpose of clerical glorification , tcouted as intolerable . As to the manufacture of saints by the exclusive machinery of a Roman board , not , as oi

      old , by the spontaneous acclamation of the people , be delivered his opinion with full argumentative freedom , and , adverting to the unlimited expenditure which the modern process of canonisation en . tails , and tbe grasping demands of corrupt officials in tbe chancery- of Ro < s > e , he recorded the remark of Count Burromeo , when bis great-uncle , the Cardinal of Milan , was finally lodged in the Empyrcuih hy a papal decree , that another saint in tbe family would be absolute ruin and downright bankruptcy .

      The penal injunction by which the Fourth Council of Literan sought to render auricular confession obligatory at Easter , under menace of excommunication and loss of Christian burial , was an enactment only productive of hypocrisy and fraud , Billets de confession were the most preposterous of all certificates ; a hideous object of transfer on the part of degraded beings in Rome , where the sacraments oi Christ were made instruments of police , and the confessional , like the ear of Dionysius , became a receptacle through which tyranny gained treacherous cognisance of secrets not its own . He would reserve-his views on the origin and gradual extension . of this auricular system for fuller developeroent on another occasion : its foul agency was not confined to the betraval of patriot honour , but

      was equally disastrous to maiden innocence and conjugal purity . Finall y , the canons of ecclesiastical law on'the subject of money loans and usury were canvassed , and their telf-contradictory character demonstrated : whereupon the speaker took occasion to discuss tbe circumstances under which tbe present priestly ruler of Rome negotiated his late loan with the house of Rothschild , which gave him an opening for a vigorous onslaught on the papal restoration , its agents , " and abettors , tbe old abuses which had followed in its train , the horrible oppression under which the territory groaned , and tbe _ ever accumulating mass of hatred and execration which must inevitably overwhelm the wretched . papal court on the ' withdrawal of its Gallican janissaries .

      This portion of bis address was of course not less loudly applauded than His previous more argumentative disquisitions .

      Wreck.—The Ship Saxon Maid, Bound Outwar...

      Wreck . —The ship Saxon Maid , bound outwards to Valparaiso , from Sunderland , after leaving the port , struck upon the Whitby rock , and became a total wreck ,

      A'Homan Catholic Death-Bed. The Fashion ...

      A'HOMAN CATHOLIC DEATH-BED . The fashion of , monster panoramas will , in all probability , ^ succeeded by the fashion of monster trials in our ooarts of law arid equity . > Not a month lias elapsed since the Court of Exchequer disposed of a case ' which had ! occupied the attention ofthe Chief'Baron andan unfortunate jury for well nigh a fortnight . Now the' Court of Chancery is not behind it * rival tribunal of common ! law , for on Friday last an argument was brought to a close before Lord Crahworth which had'prooeeded . without intermission , during tbe hours that learned judge had sat for the despatch of business , from the 4 th to the 15 th of the present month . Even so we are scarcely justified in saying that the argument was

      concluded . In point of fact , the progress of tho case was checked by the indisposition ofthe lending counsel for the applicants . It was catarrh , and not conviction ,- which terminated the wordy strife . Despite of the length to which the argument had run , we regret its sudden interruption from tho interest which now especially attaches to the subject matter of the dispute . This was , substantially , whether or no a Roman Catholic priest had used undue influence in procuring the signature of a dying man to certain documents , and in sbsequontly removing them from his custody , contrary to his own expressed will . Even graver doubts were thrown out by the counsel for the applicants , in the course of his statement . He talked of imposition of a still more l a menta b le k in d , but we are in this perplexing situation , with regard to any comments we mishc

      bo disposed to offer on tins remarkable case , that ten or twelve days' argument has onl y resu l te d i n a postponement of any decision upon its substantial merits . Whatever may be the opinion of any man of ordinary judgment , upon a bare perusal of the affidavits produced on either side in the course of argument , tho case is still , as far as we are concerned , n lis pendens , on the merits of which it would be contrary to our custom to offer any authoritative decision . We are , therefore , precluded by the present posture of the proceedings from discussing the facts of , the case as , we could have desired , though it may not be superfluous to' inform those of our readers who have not been , at tbe pains' of following the reports of Lord Cranworth ' s court for the last fortnight , of tho exact nature of tho grievance complained of by the applicants in the monster trial of " Metairie v ' . Wiseman . "

      Among the emigrants who came over to this country from France , about tbat period of the last century , which is known in tho revolutionary annals of that country as the "Reignof Terror , " was a young m * n named Mathurin Carre . His family had long been settled in one of the central departments of France , but , in common with others ,. he was obl iged to fly before the revolutionary storm , and await the advent of better times . Like many others of his class , Mathurin Carre , finding himself in a strange country , and destitute of any- very evident means of support , determined , by an honourable industry , to gain at least independence , and possibly the means of recovering his lost position in his native land , should the aspect of politics ever admit of his

      return . He at once endeavoured to find employment as a teacher of the French language , and , as would appear by the result , must have met with tolerable success in the path he had selected . It does not appear why he did not avail himself of the partial permission given by the First Consul to the emigris to return to their own country ; or why , in 1814 , when Louis XVIII . was once more reinstated in the Tuileries , Mathurin Carr 6 still lingered , in the land of his adoption . It might have been that his inheritance had passed into other hands , and although content to acquiesce in his subordinate position in a foreign country , bis pride would not permit him to return to hisown until he had achieved the means of regaining his lost rank in society . Be this , however , as it may , for a period which must be reckoned as commencing somewhere between the . year 1790-1795 until tbe year 1847 , Carr 6 remained in

      this country m the humble capacity of teacher of the French language . Wo know little of him during this time , and what we do know amounts to thisthat for half a century ho was absorbed by two ideas—the one , the recovery of his family's lost inheritance ; the other , the accumulation of money . Ho became a confirmed miser , and , by intense saving and self-denial , managed to accumulate upwards of £ 10 , 000 , We should perhaps add , as rolevnnt to the facts wc are about to relate , that a third striking peculiarity of CarrG was his antipathy to women . In the year 181 % he had attained the advanced age of seventy-seven , and had been for some years previous a lodger in the house of a man named Matthew Hamilton , in Charlton-street , Somers Town . He occupied two miserable rooms , which could scarcely be said to be furnished with a few paltry articles of furniture .

      So matters Stood until the end of February , 1 S 47 , when Carr 6 fell so seriously ill that he was confined to his bed , but his greatest sufferings appeared to arise from the fact of his being unable to attend at the Bank to receive his dividends . Matthew Hamilton called in the assistance of a Mr . Gasquet , a lloman Catholic practitioner . When the medical man saw the exhausted condition of his patient he said to Hamilton that tho invalid stood more in want of wine and nutritious food than of any medicine he could prescribe , but he supposed that his poverty prevented him from obtaining the comforts necessary in his condition . Hamilton replied , that the case was very different , for in point of fact the old man , who appeared to he in so forlorn a

      condition , was the owner of £ 10 , 000 . j \ ow , in Somers Town there stands a chapel dedicated to St . Aloysius , a saint of the Roman Catholic calendar , and of this chapel a certain Jamea Holdstock is the officiating priest . The morning after his visit in Charltonstreet , M . Gasquet communicated to Holdstock , the priest , the fact of Carrd ' s position , and of the sum of money to which he stood entitled . The priest instantly hurried off to Charlton-street , and told Hamilton not only that he must be admitted into Cari' 6 ' s dying-room , but that he must see him alone . He did see him alone , and the result of tho interview was tbat tho old man , the miser , tbe womanhater , agreed to bestow more than two-thirds of his property for the benefit of the female schools in connexion with tlie lloman Catholic Chapel of St .

      Aloysius , of which Holdstock was the officiating priest ! Such a result was startling enough , but still more startling incidents are connected with it . The " instructions " which the priest admits he drew up on paper in the sick-room are not forthcoming . Again , in place of employing a regular solicitor to prepare the will , the priest invoked tbe assistance of John Athanasius Cooke—a convert to Romanism , and a counsel practising at the English bar . Over the mind and actions of this person the priest appears to have possessed unlimited control . Contrary to the usages of the profession , Cooke himself prepared the will from first to last , and on tbe 1 st of March attended the priest to the chamber of the

      dying man . Here it was arranged by Holdstock and Cooke that the dying miser should make over a sum of £ 7 , 000 by a deed of gift , instead of a will , as , thus the schools would be benefited at the cost of the revenue to the amount of £ 700 legacy duty . On the 4 th of March tbey again returned , bringing with them two instruments—a deed of gift and a will . The deed of gift conveyed tbe sum of £ 7 , 000 for the purpose above stated ; and on failure of that purpose , for the benefit of some other Roman Catholic female charity school , at the discretion of the trustees for the time being , while Cooko , an utter stranger to the testator , was made executor under

      the will , which divided tho sum of £ 3 , 000 Consols in four legacies between tbe testator ' s brothers and sisters in France . On tbis day Carr 6 had given orders that neither the priest nor the barrister should be admitted into bis presence , but the former was determined tbatthemattershould becarried through . He had come prepared with his deeds and his witnesses , and was not to be denied admittance . He is described as a man of imposing stature and appearance , and one well calculated to direct the spiritual terrors with which opinion bad armed him against far more formidable opponents than the feeble old man who lay stretched out for death in the miserable room in Somers Town . He forced

      hts . way past Hamilton to Carre s bed-side . There , standing over him , and shrouding him from the view of those present at this wretched scene , the priest conversed for some time with Carre in French . What he said mutt for ever remiiin a secret , except in so far as he himself is disposed to inform us of the persuasions he used , or the threats he held out . At last acquiescence was procured or extorted—was again refused , but , on the further interference of the priest , was procured or extorted a second time . The idea uppermost in the old man ' s mind appears to have been that , even if he did execute the instruments , at least he should retain them in his possession ; but , as the result showed , ho was much mistaken in tho temper and determination of the adversary with whom he was dcalinc . Cooke wished to bo allowed to leave the

      room , and not to complete tbe business ; but . tins the . priest sternly forbade . Finally , Carrd was raised , up in his bed , the . priest hung , over him , put the peiijnto his hands , the deed was executed , and at the same time a power of attorney which enabled Cooke to transfer the sum of £ 7 , 000 into the names ofthe trustees to the deed . No sooner were the deeds executed than the old man eagerly , demanded to have them handed over to him , but he was told that he could not have the rower of attorney . . On this he became most indignant , and as violent in the expression of his indignation as his

      condition would permit . But remonstrance or inoii-nation from him was , of little avail when his name bad been once affixed to : the instruments . Both the deed and the power of attorney wero taken away from him by Cooke . This was on the Thursday afternoon , and on tho Saturday Mathurin Carve died—but died even without , such spiritual comfort and absolution as the priest might have bestowed . From the moment the papers had been removed , the priest encumbered himself with the dying man no more . We have purposely avoided the introduction into

      A'Homan Catholic Death-Bed. The Fashion ...

      [ this narrative of the suggestions offered ag to the representations made to the dying man with regard to the purport of the power of attorney he was induced to sign . His thoughts wero running on receiving his dividends at the time . Such points as these arc best discussed when the circumstances shall be more minutely looked into . We have merely given the outline of the case for the next of km who seek to set aside the deed of gift . It appears that Cooke , wbo acted as executor » o tho wjJirnado no mention whatsoever to Muthurm Can-6 aTamtly of tho deed of gift , or of the sum of money which had been so recently , and so much thYOWgh tasown instrumentality , conveyed away from their hands . Upon his s ' hare in the transaction we are not , however , disposed to offer nnj comment for the present . The main interest of the story lies in this—that it offers yet another illustration of the awful power exercised by the Roman Catholic clergy over the dying members of their Church . —Times .

      Manchester S O Cial Reform Conference. A...

      MANCHESTER S O CIAL REFORM CONFERENCE . At a Conference of delegates held at Mancbesler , March 2 nd , from the surrounding districts , the following address was unanimously agreed to : — " TO THE SOCIAL REFORMERS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE . " Friknds Ann Fellow-Labourers , —The time has now arrived for you to talte yonr proper ( . lace with those who are seeking the improvement of society Your watchwords—Social llelorm—but a few short years ago were considered words of such terrible import that few men in public life were disposed to use them in their legitimate sense ; and yet such has been the progress of public opinion , that they have now become " part smd parcel" ofthe

      language of our native land ; they ar-i nevertheless used with such a variety of significations , that the duty of the Social Reformer is now to provide that these words should not , in the hands of others , bo made " a mockery , a delusion , or a snare . " Wttb some parties Social Reform means but a slight alteration in the principles of modern society ; with others , but a modification of their repulsive features ; originally , it was intended to include a complete change in the character and condition of mankind ; and by that meaning the Social Reformer must now abide . The Social Reformer must not content himself with mere denunciations of general wrongs , he must point out their definite causes iu language too plain to be misunderstood , and support them by facts and arguments too COgClit to bo easily overthrown .

      " TheSocial Reformer must declare , firstly : — That the monopoly of land and capital , in th e h an d s of tho few , kisbcen a prolific . « . -oiirco of the evils that have fallen to tbe lot of the human race , entailing upon society the extremes of wealth and poverty , despotism and slavery , with their natural results , a depressed , a desponding , and , under unusual pressure , a desperate population ; but whilst thus declaring against the present state of landed possessions and the monopoly of capital , he must make it clearly understood that he docs not . desire to possess himself of either the one or the other , by force , by spoliation , or by any other means than future accumulation or honourable principles of exchange . Tho Social Reformer must be aware

      that to open up the grent question of originnl right to past accumulations would be likel y to cause more toil and trouble , and to arouse more hostile feelings , than any other mode of effecting the change he desires to accomplish , and thus cause it to be retarded by tbe application of all those destructive agencies that selfishness , avarice , and injustice , usually employ to prevent improvements in human affairs . The success of the Social Reformer depends upon the creation and direction of thoughtful and peaceable dispositions , and therefore it is necessary that he should eschew all

      identification with proceedings that do not harmonise therewith ; his is a peaceable movement , and must be carried out by peaceable means . " The Social Reformer must declare , secondly : — That no known portion of human history presents on a rational scale any example of the harmonious production and equitable distribution of wealth ; and that in consequence the future will be a type ofthe past , if the same systems are maintained , and that any modifications that may be made in this or any future age will be tampering with effects , leaving the causes untouched , alike in their number and their force .

      " The Social "Reformer must declare , thirdly : — That erroneous principles in connexion with the production and distribution of wealth has rendered it impossible to properly educate and govern mankind , thus dooming many millions of human beings to the evils of ignorance and misgovernment , and then throwing the blame upon human nature instead of attributing it to the bad systems that men had , in their inexperience , produced and maintained , and that any system of general education , not providing for a more equitable distribution of the necessaries aud comforts of life , must bear many serious obsta « cles in its path .

      " The Social Reformer must declare , fourthly : — That tho governments of the world have either lacked the knowledge or the power to save society from tho perpetual clashings of interests that spring from the individualism of daily life , and that they have been equally deficient in knowledge or iu power to prevent those internal and external conflicts that have in all ages , under the name of war , destroyed the human race , and that in either case these governments stand condemned . In short , the Social Reformer must declare for co-o peration in ; the production of wealth , —a more equitable distribution of it when produced ,-and maintain that by these matters , properly attended to , it would be easy to educate and govern mankind : he must endeavour to acquire knowledge , that he may become powerful , and unite that he may be strong .

      " Social Reformers , are you prepared to avow your opinions , and abide by them through good and through evil report ? If so , we call upon you to help us , —to join us in the great work of human redemp . tion , feeling assured that your labours will not be in vain . Wo do not presume to dictate to you the course you should pursue , in reference to other matters not mentioned in the progr a mme o f princi ples herein enunciated ; nor do we affirm that in this address we have stated all that is necessary to be known ; we are content to leave to future conferences the making ont of a definite course for the r ea lisation o f your views , in full confidence that the object you have in view will , t e nd t o ke e p you iu the right path ; with true principles reformers cannot fail to make their way in the world ,

      notwithstanding tho errors of tho past . The course of proceeding under present circumstances is plain ; we must content ourselves with such aids as the Platform and the Press can give ; both should bo used for the attainment of our ends—both can and ought to be made available in the creation of public opinion , with a view to direct it in its proper channel at the proper time , and above all things , Social Reformers should know and remember , that " as man is the creature of circumstances , " it will be the wisest plan to propound principles and to propose changes , in the language of p ropriety a nd i n the spirit of peace . " Work on and win , Life without work is unenjoyed , The happiest are tbe best employed . " Jons Ciunk , Chairman . Wilkinson * Bukslam , Secretary .

      St. Katuabine Dock Conr-Asr.—The St. Kat...

      St . Katuabine Dock Conr-Asr . —The St . Katharine Dock Company have presented a petition to Parliament analogous to that of the London Docks . It states that after twenty years of cordiality between the government and the company , their premises were suddenly subjected to a search , " more like a search by police officers for stolen goods than a visit for examination by officers ofthe Customs ; " that considerable quantities of goo d s h a ve been s ei ze d , a large quantity of which are actually not liable to duty of any kind ; that fiftyt h ree sep a rate inform a t i on s h a ve b een file d , comprising a multiplicity of articles , sonic of which are of tho value of Id . each ; and that nearly a year was suffered to elapse before any attempt was made

      to obtain a decision , when , although notice of trial in ten of tho informations was given to the Company for the sittings last month , not one of them camo on . It is also affirmed that some overdrawings of mo l asse s , which had been marked amongst the seizures , having been inadvertently returned to the casks , the Customs preferred an indictment of felony against ton of the Company ' s servants , upon which lour of them were convoyed to Newgate , and that when notice of trial was at length given , the record was suddenly withdrawn . In conclusion , tho petition states that some of the Company ' s scrr . ints , discb .-ir . eed for misconduct , have been taken into the pay oftV . e Customs ; that there is just reason to suppose that others have been induced , by the offer of bribes , to give falso information , and that some ofthe goods se zed were purposely planted by these persons in the places where they m ro found . Looking at tho demoralisation and insubordination consequent upon these

      proceedings , together with the expense to the country and the Company , and the general injury to commere , the Company charge the Board of Customs with a flagrant abuse of their power , and pray tho Legislature to provide a remedy . A Tough Sui'PER . —Last week a tar ^ e serpent at the Bristol Zoological Gardens , who eeeras , by tho way , to possess a remarkably good digestion , had two live fowls put into his cage for supper . He immediately killed and gorged one ; after which , leaving the other bird intact , he satisfied the cravings of his appetite by bolting his bed , consisting of a piece of drugget twoyards and a half long and a yard wile . Legal Changes . —Sir John Romilly will , it is said , shortly bo appointed Master of the Roils : when Sir A . Cockburn will become Attoney-General ; and , it is believed , Mr . Fagc Wood , Sou * cUor-Genoral .

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), March 22, 1851, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_22031851/page/7/