22 SEPTEMBER 1849, Page 2

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At the half-yearly General Court of Bank of England Stock Proprietors a dividend was proposed of 31 per cent, without deduction for income-tax for the half-year ending 10th October next: this dividend would leave "the rest" at 3,057,973/. Mr. De Winton senior moved that the dividend be 4 per cent; and added to the arguments with which he has so often advocated increased dividends, one founded on the importations of Cali- fornia gold— From a letter which appeared in The Times, received through America, he found that, last year, the gold collected in California amounted in valets- to 50,000,000 dollars or 10,000,0001. sterling. What effeGt would that have upon the price of gold in London, which was the centre of the industrial world ? Why, he should not be surprised if, instead of 15,000,0001. of bullion, they should have next year 20,000,0001.; which of course would operate favourably to a re- duction of capital. The arbitrary price of gold here was 31. 17s. 101d, per ounce; but he was inclined to think the constant influx of specie into this country must hereafter reduce the value of that metal to 31. 10s., and there would then be a difference of 10 per cent. Mr. De Wiuton's motion was seconded and supported by Mr. De Winton junior. It was negatived; and the dividend of 31 per cent was confirmed.

At the Tuesday's sitting of the City Committee of Health, Mr. Barkly, tie Chairman, informed the Committee that he had himself been witness on the previous day to the overcrowded condition of one of the burying- grounds of the City: Alderman Finnis also, acting on personal observation while present at the funeral of the late Deputy Selson, had desired him to call the attention of the Lord Mayor to the subject, in order that some steps might immediately be taken to redress the evil. The Lord Mayor observed, he was quite certain that unless vigorous means were immediately taken to prevent intramural interments, the Government and the Legislature would, as soon as Parliament assembled, bring in some sweeping measure to effect an object which had now excited the greatest public interest: it was quite evident, now public feeling had been excited, that the practice would not be permitted to continue.

The City Solicitor had been desired to attend, and he addressed the Com- mittee on the general subject— There were two great difficulties in the way of suburban places of interment for the ninety-seven City parishes. One was the vested interests of the parochial clergy and the inhabitants; the other was the great cost to the poor which the re- moval of the dead to a distance would occasion to the parish, or to their families and friends. The first of these difficulties he saw his way through in 1832; but the last was a stturffilingblock which subsequent events had now removed. He had proposed that the Board of Health, at that time, should take advantage of the pre- valence of the epidemic to provide a place of general interment; and that the Cor- poration should obtain an act of Parliament to confer upon the inhabitants of the City parishes, and all the parochial functionaries, the same rights, privileges, and fees in respect of the interment of parishioners in the Corporation cemetery, as attached to them in their several parish grounds. He had many conferences with influential individuals, both clergy and laity, who approved the project; and, with the authority of the Committee, he at that time purchased twenty-two acres of land, for the purpose of a Corporation cemetery at Holloway. But the cholera happily departed; and when the excitement had subsided, the other objection [of cost] was held sufficient to prevail. The advantages of cheap and expeditious locomotion, which railroads had introduced, would now remove this objection to suburban interments: one or two hundred acres of ground might be purchased in a suitable situation, upon one of the Metropolitan railroads, say within ten or fifteen miles of the City, where a proper receiving-house could be erected, to which all bodies might be conveyed by the undertakers during the night; and at the hour fixed for the interment, the mourners, poor or rich, at a small expenditure of time Or money, might assemble to pay their last tribute of respect to their departed fiends.

Mr. Barnard stated, that the great cost of funerals was chiefly owing to

the duty on horses and carriages; these were the great charges whi—ch pressed on undertakers, and they should be remitted by the Government A report from Mr. Simon, the Officer of Health, was read. It stated that he had been able, through previous preparation, to complete in twenty- four hours the medical organization for a house-to-house visitation, author_ iced by the Committee last week. The organization of the Poor-law Unions was made the basis; and each Union officer had received assistance, by the appointment of professional juniors, to the extent required for Carly_ ing out the inspection. The visitation commenced on Saturday morning. Between eighty and ninety Guardians of the City of London Union ap. peered at the Maesionhouse Police Court on Wednesday, before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen Pine and Hooper, to answer summonses issued asmist them individually at the instance of the Board of Health, which clia'rged them with unlawfully and wilfully violating certain directions and regula. tions issued by the Board on the 5th of September, in pursuance of the statute in that case made and provided [the Nuisances Removal and Epi- demic Diseases Prevention Act] ; orders which in effect required that " nine additional legally-qualified medical officers," or advanced modkai students, should be appointed for house-to-house visitation; that hospital accommodation should be provided; that a house or houses of refuge be prepared; that depots of medicine be opened; and that handbills and no- tices be issued giving full directions in case of seizure by cholera. Mr. Bodkin' in support of the summons, recounted the steps taken by the Board of Health and the Guardians; the non-meeting of the latter till the 10th to consider the order, and their ultimate refusal to comply with it, on the ground that they had already fully met the necessities of the case,—no part of the city of London being properly an affected locality," and the only cases of cholera in it having been scattered, unconnected, and chiefly among the middle class of citi- zens. Mr. Bodkin extremely regretted to press an application against so respect- able a body; but they were setting their judgment against that of a qualifled body to whom the Legislature had given despotic powers in the matter. Obedi- ence was their duty, and it was a pressing necessity that obedience should be en- forced.

Mr. Clarkson, for the Guardians, contended that the matter was one of pure principle and law. The act was, he contended, completely inoperative, and the order invalid. Moreover, the Guardians felt they had anticipated all the im- portant regulations called for by the Board.

Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Clarkson argued a long time upon the construction of the act, which, it was admitted, was very inartificuilly drawn up; and the Bench ex- pressed a most earnest wish that the counsel on both sides would come to an ac. commodation.

• The Lord Mayor said, he had no doubt whatever that the city of London was in a wry good state of health. He regretted that blame was cast upon the Guardians of the city of London; and he had observed to his friend the Chairman that they did not deserve condemnation, for they were the first who had adopted the house-to-house visitation.

The Recorder again and again most strenuously recommended an accommoda- tion. He did not like anything resembling a collision between such parties- and he believed by adjourning the case some satisfactory understanding might be arrived at.

Mr. Clarkson said, the Lord Mayor might rely upon it that the moment a legal order was served upon the Guardians they would be ready to act in obedience

to Mitt'. Bodkin intimated, that if the Lord Mayor, with a view to the common good, wished to adjourn the case, he would by no means oppose an adjournment. Mr. Clarkson would not ask for an adjournment under any circumstances. The arguments were again renewed. At last, the Recorder advised the Lora Mayor to take a little time. to consider his judgment. He entertained no doubt that the Board of Health possessed, under the 10th clause, the very stroiigit powers, and, of course, could enforce the observance of their regulations. the Lord Mayor said he should take the advice of his assessor, and postpone his deci- sion • and he hoped, when he should give it, it would prove to be satisfactory to his fellow citizens, as he knew it would be to his own conscience and his sense of duty to the community. The case was then adjourned.

The Board of Guardians of St. Pancras parish, on Tuesday, took into consideration an order received from the Board of Health relative to the appointment of medical men for a house-to-house visitation. Mr. Liddle attended for the Board of Health, and supported their views by a statement of facts. The proposition to organize the inspection was treated with ridi- cule by several speakers; and when Mr. Dykes moved that it be acted on, no seconder appeared for some time: the Chairman was about to declare that the resolution fell to the ground, when Mr. Billett came into the room and seconded it, "amidst laughter." When the question was put, only one hand was held up for the resolution ; and an amendment to pass to the next order of the day was carried by a "large majority." Mr. Liddle ex- pressed his deep regret that the directors of the poor of that large parish should have come to a resolution so diametrically opposed to all that prac- tical experience had proved good and useful. After some further discus- sion, it was resolved that the clerk should acknowledge the receipt of the order of the Board of Health, and explain the reasons why the Board did not comply with their recommendations.

Meetings have been held in other parishes to consider similar commtuli- cations from the Board of Health.

A public Vestry meeting of the united parishes of St. Stephen's Wal- brook and St. Benet Sherehog was held on Wednesday, to consider comf munications made by the Bishop of London and the General Board Health relative to closing the churchyards and vaults of the parishes against future interments. Mr. Flight, senior Churchwarden of St. Ste- phen's, took the chair; and called attention to a resolution of the Vestry to suspend interments till the Bishop of London's sanction could be ob- tained for a permanent discontinuance. Mr. Whistler, senior Church- warden of St. Benet's, informed the meeting, that the Reverend Mr. Brand - ram reported the condition of the churchyard to be such that he could scarcely perform the burial-service. Mr. Whistler read the Bishop of Lon- don's letter: the Bishop was quite ready to sanction the discontinuance of burials in the churchyards of the parishes, upon being satisfied that prO- vision had been made for the interment of the poor inhabitants without in- crease of expense to their families; and he threw out the hint, that " arrangement has been made in the case of two or three London parishes where the burial-grounds have been closed." Mr. Churchwarden Rock re- sponded to the suggestion in behalf of the poor: "he was quite certain that there was not a man in either of the parishes who would not readily come forward and do his duty in that respect." He moved, and it was unani- mously voted, that the Churchwardens be empowered to make such ar- rangements with any cemetery company relative to the burials of the poor, and to all other burials, as they should deem fit. It was also resolved that

the cburchyards and the vaults—" 'faculty' or not "—should be closed; Mr. Churchwarden Whistler stating that he had lately been obliged to dis- continue his regular attendance at St. Anne's Church by the offensive odours emanating from the vaults under it.

At the meeting of the parishioners of the united parishes of St. Marga- ret's Lothbury, St. Christopher's-le-Stooks, and St. Bartholomew's Ex- change, held in the Vestry-room of St. Margaret's, Archdeacon Holling- worth presided, and declared he was ready to make any sacrifice in putting a stop to a nuisance supposed to be detrimental to public health. So far as regarded their burial-ground, however, he did not see that it could prove a nuisance; as the burials in it did not average three per annum. And as for those in the vaults, they did not average half-a-dozen in ten years. It was agreed to close the burial-ground for a period of twelve months. It was also resolved that a committee of five persons from the three parishes be chosen, to make arrangements for the purchase of a piece of ground in some of the Metropolitan cemeteries, to be exclusively devoted to the use of their united parishes.

The parishioners of St. George-the-Martyr, Southwark, were less com- pliant. Mr. Churchwarden Wilson presided, and read the letter from the General Board of Health: it stated that Dr. Gavin Milroy had reported the Lock burial-ground to be in a condition dangerous to the health of persons living in its neighbourhood, and had ordered the discontinuance of burials in it. The Chairman said, he questioned the power of the Board to enforce its order: but he really thought the ground ought to have been closed long ago, and therefore advised that they should obey the order. Mr. Palmer thought the order injudicious; but he would move its adoption. Mr. Ar- cher thought the General Board was acting partially on the exaggerated representations of the cemetery proprietors; but he seconded the motion. The Chairman stated the number of burials from September 1848 to last August: in September 1848, the burials were 12; in the three following months, 23, 28, and 25; in July last, they were 65, and in August 141; total for the whole period, 437—about half of them children. Mr. Boxer remarked, that one acre could properly receive 136 bodies annually; yet here one-third of an acre received 437. Several persons spoke against obeying the order; asking, where were the poor to take their dead? or what was the parish to do if called on to bury for them? The question of obeying the order was nevertheless carried in the affirmative.

In the Court of Bankruptcy, on Tuesday, the case of the insolvent Throsby, the Oxford Under-Graduate, was finally. adjudicated. The Chief Commissioner in- quired whether any communication had been received from Mr. Randall, the op- posing creditor. Mr. Cooke, who appeared for the insolvent, replied, there had not. The Commissioner was also informed that Mr. Throsby was still a prisoner, and that no creditor appeared against him. Mr. Cooke observed, that the young man had now been in prison for four months. He called the attention of the Court to the distinction to be drawn in these cases between fraud and improvi- dence—Mr. Throsby had been guilty only of the latter: he had been tempted to take goads, not fraudulently incurred debts.

The Chief Commissioner, in pronouncing judgment, expressed his regret that his wishes had not been complied with. He had laboured to benefit both parties. As far as the insolvent and his friends were concerned, the arrangement pro- posed was, he thought, a very reasonable one, and he had wished it had been ac- cepted. The counsel had made a very proper observation of the distinction be- tween improvidence and fraud. In this case there was no fraud practised, but still it would be a dangerous practice to hold that where there had been indiscre- tion—debts incurred without reasonable means of payment—a party was to go out of the court " graced " with an immediate discharge. However, the time he had intended to mark the case with had been anticipated by the creditors, by their in- discreet refusal of the offer made' and therefore, as it had been anticipated, he had only to declare the insolvent entitled to the benefit of the act, and to order him to be discharged forthwith.

At the Central Criminal Court, on Monday, Stephen Cummins alias Charles Deer, a painter, aged thirty-one, pleaded guilty to a charge of bigamy. On the 30th July last, he married Louisa Webber, a widow; to whom he had represented himself as a single man. She afterwards discovered that he was married, but had been separated from his wife for some time. On upbraiding him, Cummins alias Deer said, the second marriage was legal; and to prove it he produced a paper of the following tenour, wide's purported to be signed by his first wife and other persons— "This paper certifies that Stephen Deer sold his lawful wife for five shillings for the term of his natural lire; and all parties agrees to the following words—. To pay five shillings and one shilling to drink health.'" In his defence, Cummins said that he and his first wife had parted by mutual consent, fifteen months ago. Before they parted, his wife wrote to him to ask Iran to give her her liberty. The Recorder—" What do you mean by giving her her liberty ?" Defendant—" Why, that we might not live together. I gave her her liberty as she wished, and sire gave me mine: she told me she was going to be married, and I gave her leave to do so, and she said I might do the same. I then married this woman, as I considered myself a single man." The Recorder sentenced the bigamist to be imprisoned fora year, with hard labour.

On Tuesday, William Isaac Fitch pleaded guilty to embezzling money the pro- perty of his employers, Messrs. Morgan and Co., wholesale stationers in Farring- don Street. He had been in their employment for twenty years, and had hitherto held a high character. From the statement of his counsel, it would seem that be had been led into dishonesty by railway speculations. Ile was sentenced to be transported for seven years.

Zarbleoski, a young Polish Jew, was convicted of a felonious assault on a little girl. He was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, with hard labour. The defendant wished to know, through the interpreter who had been engaged in the cause, what he was to do with regard to his victuals while he was in gaol. The Recorder asked what he meant. The interpreter said, that being aJew, he wished to know whether he could comply with his religions restrictions with regard to his food while he was in prison. The Recorder said, he had no power to make any order upon the subject. The defendant should have thought of this before he at- tempted to debauch a child under twelve years of age. If his religion had kept him from such an act, he would not have been placed in his present position ; but as it had not, he must conform himself to the regulations of the prison in which he would be confined.

On Wednesday, Philip Freeman pleaded guilty to a charge of misdemeanour. The prosecution was at the instance of the Commissioners of Lunacy. It had been discovered that Mr. Freeman had at his house at Sutton, near Hounslow, two persons of unsound mind, though he held no licence for a lunatic asylum, and the two persons had been admitted without the certificate of a medical practi- tioner. The Commissioners have resolved to prosecute in all such eases of in- fraction of the law. The defendant was ordered to eater into his own recognizauces to appear again to receive judgment. Sarah Jackson, a woman who was charged with attempting to murder her two children, was to have been pot on her trWs but evidence was given that she was incompetent to plead, from insanity: the Jury returned a verdict to that effect, and she was ordered to be detained daring her Majesty's pleasure.

John Bloomer Weeks, a dissipated-looking young man, was put on his trial for attempting to shoot a policeman. A warrant had been issued against the prisoner at the instance of his brother-in-law, whom he had threatened. Policeman Ship- ton approaching Weeks in the street to capture him, Weeks presented a pistol, threatened to fire if the policeman came nearer, and did actually pull the trigger; though the pistol did not go off. It was charged with powder and a bullet. Weeks admitted that he presented the pistol, but denied that he pulled the trig- ger. The Jury at first found a verdict of "guilty," on the third count, which alleged the prisoner's intent to resist his lawful apprehension; but after Mr. Baron Platt had again pointed out the main features of the case, they convicted him on the count charging an intention to do grievous bodily harm.

James Scotehmoore, hairdresser, "an ugly, impudent-looking fellow," who grin- ned and jeered while the evideuce against him was given, was tried successively on two indictments for bigamy. It was proved that he had now three wives living; lie had maltreated them all, and squandered the money of the second and third. In his defence, Scotehmoore pretended that his wives were drunkards, had spent their mousy themselves, and had left him for other Dien. He was found guilty in both cases. The Common Sergeant, in passing sentence, remarked that lenient punishments for bigamy of late years seemed to have increased the number of offenders: in this case the sentence was transportation for seven years on each indictment.

On Thursday, Caroline Cock, the young woman charged with the murder of her husband, in his master's house at Enfield, was put on her trial. The circum- stances of the case, and the woman's jealousy, have been already noticed. There was no direct evidence that she stabbed her husband: he might have killed him- eelf. The couple had appeared on tolerably good terms just before. The woman exhibited little feeling subsequently. A minute before he expired, sonic one said to Cock, "John, here is your wife "; he faintly replied, "What does she want?" The counsel for the defence enlarged on this: if the woman had killed her hus- band, would he not have made some exclamation about it? The prisoner had been forbidden the house by the master of it, but went in defiance of this: might not the fear of losing his situation, and his knowledge of the excessive jealousy of his wife, have driven him to suicide ? The testimony left the whole matter very uncertain; and the Jury gave the prisoner tile benefit of the doubt : they con- salted for half an hour, and then returned a verdict of "Not guilty." The young woman was at once set at liberty.

The investigation of the charge against Manning and his wife continues. They were brought up on Saturday last, and again on Wednesday; and are remanded till next Wednesday.

At the examination on Saturday, Anna Trimer, whose evidence concerning her washing of Mrs. Manning's rooms in Minver Place on the 11th of August was mentioned last week, stated, that while she was washing Manning came into the house twice: once, in the front room up stairs, he "stamped his foot on the ground," and said to Mrs. Manning, "Give it to me directly"' ; she said, "Yea," and gave him something. Mr. William Conley, a dentist of Whitechapel, identi- fied the artificial teeth found in the mouth of O'Connor's body, ass set sold by him to O'Connor in June 1847. Mr. Lockwood the surgeon corrected his former evi- dence: he had not said it was blood on the shovel; he could not make out what it was—very probably rust: the single hair he observed was decidedly not that of the deceased. On Wednesday, the evidence was only formal—chiefly the Edinburgh evidence given against Mrs. Manning before her husband's arrest, now repeated against the husband. The reports say— "As soon as Mrs. Manning saw that Superintendent Moxey, of the Edinburgh Police force, was present, she expressed a wish to speak to lam ; but was told that it could not be permitted without the 3Iagistrate's order. When be stated that at drat she dented having scrip In her possession, she shook her head, as If in contradiction. Manning ap- peared greatly interested in this portion of the proceedings, and especially whim Superin- tendent Maxey wated that his wile had assigned as the reason why she had left him Into cruel treattnent of her. On hearing this evidence, his face betrayed strong traces of emotion."

They give some particulars of the altered demeanour of the prisoners-

'. Manning has all along betrayed signs of alarm, but on Wednesday these were MOTO than ever observable. His face was pale and bloodless when he entered, and filled with an expression of mental suffering which he strove In vain to conceal. The steady gaze of the crowd, as he entered the court, seemed to overpower him; and he hurried towards his scat in the dock with a quick and startled step, as If hoping to escape observation there. His wife, on the other hand, came forward more composedly, wearing her veil down no as to conceal her features ; yet she also begins to show upon her features the alarm which it is impossible for her not to feel. Even under her veil tile sickly hue of her countenance coon be detected ; her former air of confidence seemed In a great degree to have left her. At intervals she cleared her throat in a peculiar manner, as persons may often be observed to do who are struggling to overcome some strong emotion."

At the end of the proceedings, Mr. Binns applied on behalf of Manning for a further portion of the money found on Mrs. Maiming at the time of her arrest.

The money already received was altogether inadequate fur the purpose of his

client's defence: it was the prisoner's wish to employ the best counsel the bar of the country afforded ; and a gentleman had already been consulted, the amount of whose retaining fee he should be happy to mention. Mr. Seeker—" Oh no;

quite unnecessary." Mr. Binns—The whole money found on Mrs. Manning be- longed to Mr. Manning: he would be quite ready to divide shilling for shilling

with her, the sum granted by the Court. Mr. Solomon concurred in the demand, and was ready to divide equally. Mr. Seeker said he had already gene as far as he could in ordering the refunding of property the title to which was at least questionable. Application might still be made to higher authority.

While Sir Peter Laurie was sitting at Guildhall Police.office, on Saturday, Mr. Alderman Copeland introduced Mr. Herring, the painter, who asked for advice un- der these ciicumstances. Mr. Herring had ascertained that several copies had been made from his paintings and sold as originals. He had been informed that two of these spurious paintings had been sold for 100/. each; a gentleman con- sulted him as to the genuineness of another of these copies; and a Mr. Turner, living at Gloucester, had been duped in the same way. Paintings by Mr. Land- seer and Mr. Stanfield had also been copied and sold as originals. Mr. Herring wished to know if he had any remedy against these practices. The Chief Clerk said, that with respect to Mr. Turner, the party who sold the painting could be prosecuted for obtaining money by false pretences; but he was of opinion that a-charge of forgery could not be established, there being a decision that a signa- ture on linen to a deed was not binding. The Aldermen remarked, that this pub- lic exposure of the trickery would put purchasers on their guard. At Bow Street Police-office, on Saturday, Henry &Mick, conductor of a Fulham omnibus, was charged by Mrs. May with the following outrage. Mrs. May was in the Strand on the 5th instant ; as three omnibuses approached, she hailed the first; but the conductors of all three struggled to obtain the fare, fought use other over the lady, and in the fight she was absolutely knocked down twice o the pavement ! She was taken into Mr. Ackennann's shop fainting. In the cen- fusion, there was a difficulty in identifying all the ruffians; but &Hick was recog- nized by persons who witnessed the outrage. Mr. Jardine, after commenting on the atrocity of the case, sent the conductor to prison for six weeks, with hard la- bour, and suspended his licence for three months.

Another of the Chartist prisoners in Tothillfields gaol has died of cholera. Alexander Sharpe, who was tried with Williams arid Fussell for sedition, and sen- tenced with them to two years' imprisonment, refused, like Williams, to pick oakum, and was ordered into six days' solitary confinement, with a diet of bread and water. This punishment expired on the 31st August, and he was quite well till the 8th instant. On that day he was attacked with cholera in a very bad

form; but was treated promptly, and seemed likely to recover. On Thursday the 13th, he was so much better that he insisted on getting up, though the surgeon cautioned him against the extreme danger of doing so. He accused the surgeon of keeping him in bed as a punishment; he got up, and seated himself in a chair: in a few minutes he was seen staring wildly, and as if about to faint; he was replaced in bed, and carefully tended, but sank into insensibility, and died on Friday night. Mr. Levies, the prison-surgeon, deposed that Sharpe was the most healthy of the prisoners; and that" a post-mortem examination did not warrant the sup- position that any sudden reduction in the system had taken place in consequence of the change of diet. The muscles were florid and healthy, and all the viscera were sound." Mr. Pickens, a medical gentleman employed by Sharpe's friends, "agreed with Mr.Lavies's statements as to the generally healthy appearances pre- sented by the body. As a general rule, any reduction of diet during the preva- lence of cholera was injudicious; but he had heard the evidence in the present case, and it was impossible for him to trace the cause of death to the confinement and dietary restriction." The verdict, delivered without comment, was simply, "Died of Asiatic cholera."