Trials have been going on during the week at the
Old Bailey: The offences have not been very heavy, and the proceedings for the most part were uninteresting.
Captain Charles Knatchbull was put to the bar on Tuesday, charged with stealing some silver spoons and other valuables from the woman with whom he lodged ; but, as was to be expected, the prosecutrix did not appear to substantiate the charge, and he was acquitted. Mr. James King, a gentleman of fortune, was tried on Monday, for killing a hackney-coachman, in Vere Street, by driving a cabriolet over him. The circumstances were these— The prisoner, on hiring the cab, undertook to drive himself ; and as he was going along 'ere Street, Oxford Street, in endeavouring to pass an omnibus, be ran against the deceased, who was driving at a moderate pace. The concussion threw the deceased from the coach-box, and the injuries he received produced his death in less than three hours.
Mr. King is a good driver, and treated the family of the deceased very kindly ; defraying the expenses of his funeral, and giving the widow some money, &c. He was found guilty, but recommended to mercy ; and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment in Newgate.
The Recarder said, there were circumstances of palliation in his case, inas. much as he was not racing, and probably, being a good driver, thought he could pass the omnibus without danger. His subsequent humane behaviour was also a circiunstauce of mitigation. But the Court could not help marking its disapproval of persons in his rank hiring cabs and taking the place of the drivers ; and had it not been for the recommendation of the Jury, he would have been more severely punished.
On Tuesday, George Stuart, alias Stipler, was accused of returning
from transportation before the expiration of his sentence. Two per- sons, one a guard on board the Captivity hulk, in which it was said the prisoner sailed to New South Wales, swore to his identity, although he bad not seen him for seventeen years, and about eight thousand con- victs bail since passed through his bands. He told the Governor of Newgate, that he should know the prisoner again by a wen on his band. But Dr. Curpue, having examined the hands of the prisoner, swore that there never could have been a wen upon either of them, as it would have been impossible to remove it without leaving a mark. So the prisoner was acquitted. There is a reward given for the convic- tion of returned convicts.
The sentences were passed on Wednesday, in the New Court. The following were sentenced to death; but probably none will be executed.
James Ashley, robbery on the person ; William Joiner, the same; John Stoup, the same; Thomas Goodwin, stealing a letter from the Post-office; Bryan M,Sweeny, alias li‘Swahcy, for receiving a bank-note from the above letter ; John Ward, the same offence ; Timothy Macarthy, maliciously wounding. Eleven were sentenced to transportation for life ; five for fourteen years ; ninety-one for seven years ; and the remainder to various terms of imprisonment. Some extensive robberies of plate and other valuables from St. James's Palace have recently been discovered. William 11111, a servant employed about the premises, underwent an examination on Thursdaay. at the Queen Square Police-office, on suspicion of being concerned in the depredation's. But little evidence was then adduced against Ina, and be was remanded.
A Coroner's inquest was held on Wednesday, on the bodies of Nicholas Steinberg, a German, Ellen Lefevre, with whom he coha- bited, and their four infant children, three boys and a girl, the eldest about five years old. They all resided in Southampton Street, pen- tonville ; and it appeared from the evidence, that on Monday night Steinberg cut the throats of the woman and children, and then his own. A servant, who bad waited on the family during a visit to Germany, whence Steinberg had just returned, did not sleep in the house on the night of the murder ; though she returned to it the next morning, aiid finding it all shut up, gave the first alarm. When her mistress desired her to return in the morning, Steinberg smiled in a peculiar manner: he did not wish her to go away. A clerk of Steinberg, named Bruneish, was dismissed by his master on Sunday; but, fortunately, was afraid to go for his wages and clothes, which he had left in the house, on the Monday night, as Steinberg wished him to do, lest be should have been taken into custody for neglecting his duty during his master's absence in Germany. When the doors were opened in the morning, Steinberg was found lying on the kitchen floor, and the woman and children on the floor up stairs, all with their throats cut completely across. A butcher's knife,wbich Steinberg had purchased on Monday morning in St. Paul's Churchyard, was the instrument of death. There was some evidence to prove that Steinberg was insane. He as a ver passionate man ; and had ill-used his wile, who lives with her son (the legitimate son of Steinberg) in Leigh Street, Burton Crescent. He also was in the habit of beating his children violently. His circumstances had lately been indifferent, and he had lest a lawsuit in Germany. During his voyage home, his conduct was also very vio- lent. His son believed him to be at times insane : he once attempted to put a rope round his wife's neck to hung her. The Jury returned a verdict, that " Nicholas Steinberg did wilfully murder Ellen Lefevre and the four children, and that he was fel° de se." Steinberg was a whipmaker by trade, and about forty-eight years old: the woman was twenty-five, and a native of England.
Clara Underwood, a young woman who was mistress to Mr. Henry Moberly, a married man with a family, in the employ of the Birming- ham and Liverpool Railroad Company, poisoned herself yesterday week, be taking arsenic. She had been turned off by Mabenly with a preamt of only two pounds, and became very dejected. This man gave evidence at the inquest on the body, which was held on Tuesday, in a very unfeeling and disgraceful manner. A verdict of " Mental Derangement " was returned by the Jury.
An inquest was held on Monday, on the body of a child who was killed by the haling in of an old ruinous house in Glean Alley, Rother- hithe. The following evidence was given by Mr. Robert Howard who had purchased the materials of eight houses, by the fidl of one of which the child was killed.
For several days past, he had been superintending Isis workmen in pulling down the houses. About twenty minutes to six o'clock on Friday evening, he saw something suddenly fall against the opposite houses, followed by a great cloud of dust, and the screams and cries of wunten and children.. On rushing to the spot, he found that a stack of chimnies, belonging to three houses that had been pulled down, had fallen against the opposite buildings and done con- siderable damage. Ile was then informed that several children were buried ins the ruins ; and lie immediately sent for a gang of other workmen he had em- ployed close by, to assist in rescuing the sufferers. He assisted himself in getting them out, and succeeded in extricating three of them. After some time, the body of the deceased was found, and conveyed to a neighbour's house. He had considered the stack of chimnies quite safe; but had since ascertained, that a piece of timber, called the discharging piece, had been removed for plunder while the workmen went to dinner.
The Jury returned a verdict of " Accidental Death."
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