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The movement against the Malt-tax and Hop-tax continues in the agri- cultural districts, though with languor. Meetings held at Ely, North Wal- tham, Farringdon, and other places, have resolved to petition Parliament against the taxes.
A meeting of the inhabitants of Leeds, on Wednesday, attended by most of the leading citizens, with the Mayor in the chair, resolved to petition Parliament in favour of" a much larger reduction in the estimates of pub- lic expenditure than that proposed by her Majesty's Ministers."
A quarrel between the East Lancashire Railway Company and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company has lately given rise to occurrences full of in- convenience and risk to the public. It appears that the East Lancashire Railway Company use the railway of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company from Clifton to Manchester, and pay rent for it. Some disagreement has sprung up; 'and the landlord company has called on the renting company to stop its trains at Clifton, and allow an inspection of the cargoes and a collection of the tickets at that sta- tion. These points the East Lancashire Company have refused; Clifton being an inconvenient place to atop all their trains at: alleging, moreover, that abundant facilities already exist for checking the returns, and that the demand is only vexatiously and injuriously made on account of some lac extensions of their line, which brought them into competition with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Com- pany for the traffic between Manchester and Bradford. In the course of last week, a formal notice was served on the East Lancashire Company, demanding the stoppage of the trains on Sunday; and on that day Captain Laws, the manager of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company, proceeded to enforce a compliance with the demand by physical means. He proceeded from Manches- ter, accompanied by a gang of navigators armed with crow-bars, to the points where the two lines join at Clifton, and threw a huge balk of timber across their own line to Manchester in the way of the coming East Lancashire trains ; and to secure it against forcible removal, he drove iron rods into the earth in its rear and backed up against it an engine and six empty railway carriages. A great nuin- ber of persons crowded to the spot to witness the operations, and a strong body of police attended to prevent breach of the peace; for it was known that the East Lancashire intended to muster a numerous gang of servants and navigators with the object of gently overpowering the physical force arrayed against them, or of adopting retaliatory measures. The approaching trains were signalled before coming to the hinderance, and the first train which came in sight drew up and stopped at the Clifton station. Captain Laws's myrmidons flocked to the doors of the carriages to count the passengers and demand their tickets. The tickets having been already collected at a previous station, the Captain intimated to the passengers that their journey in the carriages of the East Lancashire Company was at an end, and that the train of empty carriages, which backed up the timber obstruction, war at their service to carry them on to Manchester. Some of the passenger availed themselves of this offer, and Captain Laws's train bore them off. At this juncture the East Lancashire force marched against the timber ob- struction, and succeeded in throwing it off the rails. But before the line was quite clear, Captain Laws ordered up carriages and additional engines in the place of the departed train; and, putting on his breaks and reversing his engine-gear, he resisted the advance of the East Lancashire. Inferior at this game, the East Lancashire suddenly brought up a stone train, and by rapid manipulation of the points, threw it forward on to their adversary's line abreast of their own blockaded train, and then by skilful measures so completely locked it there that both lines were effectually closed to all trains of either company coming to or from Man- chester. It is stated that the struggle was managed with "great forbearance and good temper" by the opposing forces; so that the police did not interfere. By about noon, no fewer than eight trains, extending side by side for more than half a mile, had accumulated on the up and down sides of the obstructed and ob stracting trains. The passengers, in alarm, got out and remonstrated with the commanders of the hostile armies ; but were vouchsafed no explanations or re- dress: some of them are said to have taken post vehicles and threatened to bring actions for expenses and damages. The matter having arrived at this point, Captain Laws retired to Manchester; ordering his lieutenant, Mr. Blackmer°, to maintain his ground to the last; but the latter relented, and before evening the lines were cleared, the trains resumed their course, and the East Lancashire apparently carried its point. On Monday, the contest was renewed on other ground, and was fought with such pertinacity and skill as to attract a large assembly of spectators; the police again attending to see "fair play," and at last interfering to preserve the peace. "The Lancashire and Yorkshire Company," says the Manchester Examiner and Times, "have an immense yard for goods in Irwell Street, Salford, on a level below the railway, where the goods are first pat into the railway waggons, and then hoisted, waggon and all, upon the railway. In this yard the East Lancashire, on payment of toll, have an accommodation for loading and hoisting their goods on to the line. It has been customary for the East Lancashire Company to weigh their goods before passing them forward towards the hold, and then passing with them a declaration of particulars. The Lancashire and Yorkshire then pass the goods over a weighing-machine to test the declaration, and proceed to hoist the goods. Latterly, however, the East Lancashire Company have refused to make the declaration until their goods were first hoisted on the line. On Monday, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company having given notice that they would not hoist the goods unless accom- panied with the declaration, the East Lancashire proceeded to enforce the hoisting vi et armis, by their own servants. They ran thew carriages up towards the hoist, and blocked up the approaches. For a time these measures suspended operations; but a little before six o'clock the men under the command of Captain Laws set to work to clear away the obstruction ; and were resisted by the East Lancashire Company's navvies. A scene of great excitement followed, each party using their crow-bars as levers to move or prevent the moving of the waggons. The East Lancashire brought a second engine and goods-train to their assistance; but Captain Laws brought up three powerful engines which grappled with the goods- engine, and despite its efforts dragged it and all the mass attached to it from the position of obstruction. One of the East Lancashire men, in the excitement of the moment, flourished his crow-bar round his head in such a way as to strike the Superintendent of Police; who thereupon ordered him and three companions equally demonstrative into arrest: this seems to have abated the ardour of the com- batants; and soon after the strife ceased. The four persons arrested were taken before the Magistrate, but were liberated on its appearing that the actual blow given to the Superintendent was accidentaL At Chelmsford Assizes, last week, Hannah Southgate was tried for the murder of Thomas Ham, her former husband, by administering arsenic. The man died at Wix, the locality of the Essex "white powderings." The prisoner was not on pod terms with her husband, and during his life she carried on an intercourse with her present husband, Thomas Southgate. Ham died under suspicious cir- cumstances; and arsenic was found in his body after the lapse of a long time. The woman had often threatened that she would rid get of Ham in order that she
might marry Southgate; and she married this DM directly after her husband's death. Arsenic was kept in the house to poison rats, and poisoned food was laid about in a careless way. The most important witness against the prisoner was a woman who had lived with her as servant; but cross-examination showed that she was of a very bad character. The general case, however, was strong. The counsel for the defence urged that the man might have taken the poison acci- dentally, and that the evidence was not sufficiently strong to warrant a conviction in so very serious a case. Verdict, " Not guilty."
Sarah Grout, the woman who murdered two of her children at West Thnrrock, by nearly cutting off their heads with a billhook, was put upon her trial on Satur- day. The evidence so clearly showed that she was not in her senses when she committed the murders, that the Jury did not require any defence, but at once gave a verdict of " Not guilty," on the ground of insanity.
At Maidstone Assizes, on Tuesday, Charles Ableton, a boy of twelve, was tried for setting fire to a stack of straw. The principal evidence against him was his own admission of guilt when before a Magistrate; but this was extracted by some one—not the Magistrate—directly asking him whether he had fired the stack. The counsel for the defence commented on this, and the Judge condemned it. Verdict, " Not guilty."
Humphrey and Ellis, youths of eighteen, were indicted for setting fire to a barn at Brenchley, which was consumed, with produce worth 500/. The farmer had ordered Humphrey off his grounds. The chief witness was a convicted felon, who stated that he heard the prisoners propose to make the fire: they wanted him to assist. Both were convicted, and sentenced to fifteen years' transportation.
On Wednesday, Thomas M'Gill, his wife, and James his son, were tried for the murder of Mary Abbott, the young woman who was found dead in a ditch at Strood. She seemed to have been suffocated by a piece of carpet held over her mouth. The circumstantial evidence connecting the accused with the crime showed that their conduct and declarations had been very suspicious; but the case was not deemed strong enough to warrant the Jury in convicting the prison- ers, and the verdict was "Not guilty."
At Salisbury Assizes, on Monday, John Smith, a blacksmith, was tried for the murder of Eleanor Lawrence, at Collingbourne Ducis, in August last. The cir- cumstances of the case were mentioned at the time. The woman was found dreadfully mangled on the road. Smith went to a clergyman's house, and asked for alms; and when he was refused, he assailed the gentleman with stones. On his arrest for this assault, he let words escape him showing that he had killed the young woman. The line of defence taken up by the prisoner's counsel was, that the man was insane: there was no motive whatever for the crime; it could only be accounted for by insane impulse. Cross-examination of surgical witnesses had not supported this defence. Lord Denman warned the Jury that they must not be led away by what doctors say about insane impulses: too easy credence in such theories would be dangerous to society; and in the present case, there was no evidence to prove insanity. The Jury quickly returned a verdict of "Guilty," and sentence ot death was passed.
At Worcester Assizes, last week, Robert Pulley, a middle-aged man, was tried for the murder of a young girl, Mary Ann Staight, near Pershore. The circum • stantial proofs were very clear, that Pulley was the assassin: he had been beard to threaten the girl; she was found dead in a ditch, from blows on the head; many circumstances showed that the accused had inflicted the wounds. His counsel endeavoured to make out by cross-examination that Pulley was insane at the time; and it did appear that he was very "strange" in his conduct. There IVIIB no defence to the facts. Verdict, "Guilty." Sentence of death was passed.
At Lincoln Assizes, on Monday, John Parker was tried for shooting his father. There was no doubt that he killed the father, but he declared that it was by accident while handling a gun; and as there was no assignable motive for a- murder, the Jury acquitted him.
At York Assize-s, on Saturday, James Holdsworth, aged sixty, was put on his trial for the murder of his wife Judith, a woman of half his years. The Marriage was unhappy; and the wife died from a sickness that exhibited all the symp- toms of poisoning. When dying, she made a declaration implicating her husbands and the counsel for the prosecution said the case would mainly turn upon the admissibility of this declaration as evidence. But when the declaration was put in to be identified by a witness, it was found that a copy and not the original had been sent to the court. As this could not be received, the Judge directed an ac- quittal. Holdsworth was also indicted on the Coroner's inquisition: his counsel now claimed that he should be allowed to withdraw his plea of "not guilty" with respect to that indictment, and plead "antrefois acquit." Mr. Justice Cole- ridge directed that the case should stand over till Monday, that he might con- sult Mr. Baron Alderson. On Monday, the matter was settled by no evidence being offered for the prosecution; and the man was set free. The Judge has refused to allow the costs of the prosecution in consequence of the negligenee exhibited in it.
George Howe was tried for the murder of his infant child, at Yarn, by admi- nistering oxalic acid. The man had recently become a ,widower; he courted a woman possessed of some money, and they were to be married; but he told her he had lost his wife two years before, and said nothing about the infant. To others he complained of the encumbrance of the child, and he ill-treated it. The evidence clearly showed that he put oxalic acid in its food, while its nurse had left the room for a few moments; and by that poison the child was killed. Howe was convicted, and sentenced to death.
An inquest has been held on the body of Miss Jefferies at Bribt-al. It has- been discovered that the murder was committed with a piece of stone weighing about four pounds, which used to be employed to keep open a back-door during the day. The stone was found on the hob in the bedroom; there were blood an grey hairs sticking to it, and it fitted to wounds in the forehead. The girl Sarah Thomas was proved to have been in the house on the Friday: Miss Jefferies had spoken of discharging her, as there was something about her she did not like. A dog was kept on the premises: it has been discovered, dead, in a place behind the house. Sarah Thomas, in a statement made to a policeman, declared that the murder was perpetrated by a female servant who formerly lived with Miss Jefferies, and who entered the house on the Saturday morning; then she and Thomas ransacked the place and divided the spoil. The mother of the prisoner Thomas stated that she came home, alone, on the afternoon of the Saturday, bringing a trunk and bonnet-box. She subsequently brought more boxes and bundles home. A porter living in Trenchard Street saw a man and a young woman come out of Miss Jeffenes's Imam on the Saturday. The man carried a a red box on his shoulders; the woman had some bundles. On Thursday, a ver- dict of" Wilful murder" was returned against Thomas.
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