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TILE ; TBdAL. AND DEFENCE…
TILE TBdAL. AND DEFENCE OF ,(1. W. GORDON. The following report of the trial and defence of the late Hon. G. W. Gordon is reported by the gentleman who acted as special correspondent at Morant Bay for the Jamaica eoloniaZ'Btanil,a,rdduring the late dis- turbances. The trial took place on Saturday, 21st October, at Morant Bay, before a drumhead court-mar- tial, consisting of Lieutenant and Commander Brand, -of tber gunboat Onyx president, 2nd Lieutenant Car- rington '-)f her Majesty's war steamer Wolverine; and Ensign Kelly, of the 4th West India Regiment—being one week after-thb disturbances had been quelled, and when, according to Governor Eyre's- statement, all danger of any further outbreak had ceased., Th& Trial. The President read the charges to the accused, wlaiche ,are as High treason and sedition. 2nd. Having complicity with eertain parties i the insur- rection at Morant Bay on the llfch October, 1865. To these charges the prisoner pleaded not guilty. The following witnesses were then called:— John Anderson (a rebel), sworn, states: The rebels told me if I did not join them they would shoot me. I saw Mr. Gordon at Stony Gut. I was forced to travel | away to'Leifch-haK Barracks, where Mr, Espent is. Old jj Bogle got up M'Laren to go up to the mountains to look man ei-nd cone to Morant Bay. I saw M'Laren going to the meeting with paper, and a piece of lead pencil in his ears. I heard George W. Gordon say to Bogle They are going to hold a meeting, and if we did not get the back lands they must all die." Cross-examined by the accused, through the Presi- dent of the court: I saw Mr. Gordea at StotJy Gat on a Sunday. I did not date the month. I think it was June or July, but it was this year. I did not date it down. There were plenty more persons there besides Bogle and himself. All who were there, heard it. It was in the morning after evening chapel.; the sun rose at about this time. Chapel was over throe p. m. I know Mr. Gordon quite well. The accused here asked the court for pencil and paper to take notes of the evidence, The court was ordered to be cleared to consider the application. The court opened and the application was granted. The accused was then furnished with pencil and paper. James Gordon (a rebel), sworn, states: In August last, M'Laren went up to the valley (Mount Lebanus), and says that George W. Gordon says that they must hold a meeting, because he wants to gather up men and that he (Gordon) sent a letter to the Queen, and if no answer came he would go himself to the Queen. (Here a deposition of the witness, made before the superintendent of prisons, and taken before Mr. M'Kenzie, a justice of the peace, was put in evidence, read and received, as follow -.—■" Mr. George W. Gordon, sent a letter to the valley, stating there would be a war, and they must be prepared for it, and that the people would get their lands free.") Witness continued: I still adhere to this deposition. He sent up afterwards to say that all the people must throw up money and send it to him, that he might pay for the letter to go home to the Queen; and if the letter won't go, he will go himself to see the Queen face to face. And when we tell him we won't able to do that, if it ia the Queen send we will do so. He said we must, try our endeavour; and i £ we get the money we must send it to any post-ofli';o, and direct to Mr. Gordon, and he will get it, and it must be signed G. W. Gordon at the back, and he will receive it anywhere at all- And from that I never heaard anything at all antil I 8a*r ft la?.-ge body q! thoia, Crossrexamined by the accused, through the Presi- dent of the Court: I know the letter came from Mr. Gordon. I don't know his signature, but, according to what the letter states, it comes frotn him. The Accused: I disclaim that letter I never wrote such a letter in my life. The Provost Marshal tendered to tliq court the dying confession of Thomas Williams (a tobel), and stated: That is my handwriting. -I wrote it in the presence of Lieutenant Jones, of the Royal Artillery. I waa sent for and told that the deponent was dying and wished to speak to me. I took other officers ^th me. I The deposition was then read, the salient points of which are a# follows :—"Mr. Gordon said, all the out- side land you will get for nothing. He had two meetings. He had tickets signed G. W. G. He said white man keep all the money and black people work for nothing, Mr. Gordon teach them. All is Gordon's friends at Stony Gut." The Accused: That is given on hearsay, and I deny it. The Provost Marshal, cross-examined by the Presi- dent of the Court: The dying man said all were Mr. Gordon's friends at Stony Gut, and Gordon teach them. The Provost Marshal tendered to the court a docu- ment signed 1, William Robertson Peart and James Fyfe Humber, of the parish of Vere," sworn to before Justice of the Peace Gibb, of the same parish. The document was read and received, and the following are the chief points William Robertson Peart and James Fyfe Humber were present at a meeting atYere, called to discuss the merits of Dr. Underbill's letter. We heard Mr. Gordon address the meeting. He said, We petitioned the Governor. He is a bad man, and not sound. The Governor sanctions everything done by the white man to the oppression of the black man. My people get 9-s, a week. What do you get ? (A voice, "28. 6d.") Look at your clothes. You are half naked and starved. They represent to the Queen that you are thieves. The Queen's advice is all trash; it is not her advice. Mr. Price and a few others are worthy peeple. You work on Sundays. Why are you putting fire to your own souls ? Sabbath-breaking is bringing down a curse upon you. I hear your over- i seer has said that if you attend to this meeting, he will tear down your houses. He can't do it. Do as they do in Hayti! The Accused I said that the labourers in England got that. As to Hayti, I never thought of it; and my heavenly Father knows it. The Provost Marshal tendered to the court a letter seized by him in the house of a rebel, called Chisholm, one of the ringleaders, which the Provost Marshal swore to as being in the handwriting of George W. Gordon. The letter was read and received, and the following are extracts: Dear Chisholm,-I have much to say to you, but can write. Please send and J tell M'Intosh, Clarke, and Bogle to inquire for letters. They are all starving in Vele. Pray to God for help I and deliverance." The Provost Marshal handed to the court a deposi- tion of Charles Chevames, sworn to before Mr. Bick- t I nell, police magistrate for Kingston. The deposition I was read and received; the following are the chief points of it:—"Shortly after the trial, Gordon v. the I Baron, Mr. Chevames expressed his regret to Mr. I Gordon as to the result. Mr. Gordon said, Never. mind, if I don't get revenge, my people will.' I The Provost Marshal handed to the court a. deFOei- | tion sworn to by George Thomas (a rebel), not able to I attend the court, being sick in the hospital, taken before Daniel Marshalleck, jastice of the peac?» The deposition was read and received, and is as fallows I, George Thomas, residing at York, id the parish of St. Thomas-in-the-East, do solemnly swear—that these three weeks they begin on it, Paul Bogle and Moses Bogle. They sent to call me and several others. When I went they swore me, and told me that on the appointed day I would see what waa done. The day appointed was Wednesday, the 11th of October, 1865. They told me that I was entitled to 4s. a day, and we never get ifc. Mr. Gordon never came at the meetings. Mr. Paul Bogle got Mr- Gordon's handwriting, and he (Mr. Gordon) was the, person who told Mr. Bogle to do all this, rebellion. They said if I did not swear they would kill me. Tuesday night, the lOfch October, 1865, was the last meeting we had. I heard them say they weiie not to trouble Mr. Genges, because he is a friead of Mr. Gordon. I repeat that Mr. Gordon is, the head of the rebellion. He (Mr. Gordon) put up the Bogles to do it. I heard Paul Bogle say on Wednes- -ina- the 11th October, 1865, 'Good God, we can t get no are. :J#u>k at the white men killing all the black people.' He eailed for the tire. I have heard Mr. Gordon advise the people not to; pay for their lands, and they must seek for the white people first. Monday, the 9 th October, 1865, I saw four policemen come to Bogle's yard; they were Faller, Lake, and two constables whom they pressed. Iknevr one of the constables, he is named Liston Davis, and one named Betty. I have seen James Dacres at one of the meetings. I have seen William Bogle and the other brother, who works Mr. Marshalleck's log-wood dray, at the meetings. M'Laren, of Church-corner, and a man named Grant, of Stanton-land, used to write at the meetings; and I have seen a small man from town (I hear he is a friend of George Clarke)1 at Paul Bogle's house, and he at all time write there. George Clarke and his father-in-law (Paul Bogle) got out, and he, Clarke has nothing to do with this raw. I never saw him at the meetings." His GEORGE X THOMAS. mark. Sworn to before me, this 18bh day of October, 1865. DANIEL MAIRSHALLEC-KI J-P-, iLn Parish of St. Thomas. in-the-Eaat. The Accused: That io-quite untrue. The Provost Marshal handed to the court 300 pla- cards found in Mr. George W. Gordon's portmanteau in Kingston. The placards were read and received, and the following is one:—"Public Meeting.—A. public meeting will be held at on the day of forthepurpoaeóf Chair to be taken at o'clock by The Provost Marshal handed to the court a pIa., card, supposed to be printed at the Watchman office headed State of the Island," which was written in June last, and has been reproduced in all the public prints of this country. Elisabeth Jane Gough sworn, states: I am post- mistress. There was a oorrespoadence between Ms. Gordon and certain parties, George M'Intosh, William Grant (the saddler), William Chisholm, James M'Laren. I have seen letters for Paul Ble, but very seldom. I saw two packets of papesrA come through the post-office. I can swear to the hand- writing of Mr. Gosdon. (Printed placard handed to witness and identified,) This was one of the two papers addressed to Paul Bogle and Chisholm. It had a wrapper in the handwriting of Mr. Gordon. I can and do swear to the handwiiting. I never saw one posted to a treeill front of M'lntosh's house. (Letter of Mr. Gordon to Chisholm handed to witness and identified.) It is Mr. Gordon's handwriting, and signed by him. Question by the President: Was it not customary for Mr. Gordon always to attend vestry meetings ?— A. He is always on th&Bay the day before the vestry. Question by the president: Was it not an excep- tional instance that he was missing ia attending the vestry on that very day ? A. It was. The slaughter commenced in. the He was not in the Court- house.. J Question by the Presideat: Have you seen or heard of any meetings in Morant Bay I have never heard of any. Question by the President: Were they kept secret ? i — A. I don't know. (Cross-examined by the accused through the presi- dent of the court.)-—Q. Are you net aware that I have been for some time corresponding with Bogle.—A. I ivir11 ri tell. Some time before my husband's illness Mr. Gordon had written to my husband to pay Bogle for snipping wax and sugar. I only remember that letter. Q. When was my last letter through the post-office to Bogle ?-»A. I can't remember. Q. Was it more than two or three weeks ago ?—A. It may be more or less. I can t remember the exact time. Q. Are you not aware that Chisholm has been an old servant of mine, and that I have been corresponding with him more or less P—A. I am not aware he was a servant of Mr. Gordon. Q. Was he a friend of mine ?—A. I don't recollect hig writing Chisholm; but when he comes in late on the Bay, I have heard hitu talk about getting grass from Chisholm. Q. Did not a title come through the book post lately for M'lntoah ?-A. There was a paper with a penny stami5 on it for whioh came through the post btely" Q. What induced you to take that placaid from tha wrapper?—A. It is always a habit of thepost-office here to take off the wrapper of the newspaptrs, and read them, and return them. Q. Was the seal broken off the wrapper F -A. I jqbt squeezed the book-post parcel and took it out. Q, Have you happened to hear that I have beet labouring lately under indisposition ?-A. I have never heard so. James M'Laren (a rebel, under sentence of death), sworn, states: I know Mr. Gordon as a member of the House of Assembly for this parish, and as a vestry- man. Question by the President of the Court: Do you know Mr. Gordon has something to do with the rebel- lion?—A. I know I am going to be hanged this night. I don't know if he has anything to do with it. Question by the President of the Court: Did yra ever hear of Mr. Gordon being connected with IUUI Bogle?—A. Paul Bogle is a freeholder, and a^ays give vote for him. Mr. Warren is Paul ogle's minister. (Cross-examined by the accused throughj1ae Presi- dehfc of the Cotirfc.) Q, Do you know a 'n yarned James Gordon ?—A. I know several jaxr-d Gordon. Q. Have I ever sent up to tell you get up a sub- scription and not to pay for the land anc* to get upa rebellion, or to advise them to any a?. No. I heard Mr. Gordon at th/' meeting OE the 12th August, advise me P&F ou* taThe Provost Marshal hai>-«d f^9Qc0?^ dated I2fch October, addres^o "Private," and signed G W. Gordon. Thslettewas received and read, and^ follows. far yours of the mh but the door to money letters are closed. 1 lame^deeP^ the death of Hire-to be attributed to the .ikferary po wer of the baron. People can't hope for justice. Tnia is the truo cause ot the discontent." The Accuse I admit that to be my writing; bufc there is no latent there. This ei-ied the case for the prosecution, r The Defence. Tie Accused applied to the court for permission to call a witness. The application being granted, Theodore Feetard was called, pIVorn, and examined by the accused through the President of the Court. Q. Did you not recently e^'i upon me in Kingston, and found me in ill state of health, about two weeks ago ?—A. I saw Mr. Gordon on the sofa, but I don't know if he waa sick. I went at Mr. Mesquitto's, and finding he was out, and heard he was at Mr, Gordon's, I went to Mr. Cordon's. I saw Mr. Gordon on the sofa. I saw him dressed. Mr. Mesquitto and myself The^Accused: May I be allowed to examine Dr.- Major as to tll" state of my health, which prevented my attendiu, the vestry, The Presi-i0at: Dr. Major is not in court, nor is he, OIrj^e Jjcused then made the following oral atate- Yoir honoura-I have to state that I was not taken Bp,.r but when I heard there were suspicious rumours avout me, and feeling I was innocent, I gave myself ap. I went to the general's house in company with Dr. Fiddes, and teld his excellency that if I were re- quired for anything concerning the disturbance here, I was at command. He told me he had no authority over me at all, and when about taking leave of him. his excellency the governor came in with Dr. Bowez- bank; and as I was about stating the same thing to his excellency (here the accused aaked for water, which was given to him), when his excellency said he had come fur me, and would take me on board the Wolve- rine and immediately Dr. Bowerbank escorted me to j my lodgings, took me to the Ordnance Wharf, and I was taken on board the Wolverine. I have been entirely brought up with Europeans from, my early days, and my best and confidential friends are of that class at this moment. I have never had any other but a feeling of love and affection for them. I have imported European labourers myself; know- ing they would be of benefit to the country, j able to instruct the negroes; and I have I desired to see the Earopeans introduced^ into tb0 j country, as a blessing to it. Instead of driving them out, my desire is their increased locality here. Then, the extensive possessions of land which I have, would, I think, be a sufficient guarantee for wishing th&safety of property; and, therefore, rebellion would be the last thing I. would wish to see, I have always recom- mended the people, who have frequently complained to me, to patience and perseverance; and, as a proof of that, I have always endeavoured to have their votes recorded, so as to obtain legitimate position. And r j solemnly, before my Maker and this court, declare that I never knew from Paul Bogle, or any person i» this pariah, of any intended insurrection. If I die 1 will die triumphantly. That I knew nothing o* will die triumphantly. That I knew nothing of it until I was informed by a policeman in Kingston- I then went to the police-station, and next to my friend, Mr. Airey, who is connected with this friend, Mr. Airey, who is connected with this parish, to know if he had heard anything about it. I never heard from any of the parties of their movements or intentions in the, least degree. I admit that the circumstantial evidence isver-y sns- pieious on me, but I can't help that. Paul Bogle, I admit, is my political friend, and it was his duty by his profession to have practised peace and goodwill, and I was astonished to hear he was at the head oi this disturbance. I can hardly believe it. I regret it, but cannot control it. M'Laren I have lately known, chiefly since the last meeting here. My reason for not attending the vestry w** solely \<>m ill-health. I got afflicted with a severe eough, which shook my whole frame. When Dr. Major called upon me iii September, he regretted I would not be able to attend the vestry, as I was so poorly. Then I was obligedto see Dr Fiddes, and 1 could not possibly come up. also mentioned to Mr. A ry, to whom I refer you, that my kHees were so weak I could hardly standand he said I had better be away. This will, I hope, satisfao- ( torily answer the suspicions about my not being at ( the vestry. late eastos and myself were old and familiar friends; and,, although we have (! had political differences, fought on their own merits, I should never have done or wished him any personal harta. I would have protected his per- eon at any time. In proof of this, at the last elec- tion there was a slight disturbance, and I went to the Baron, and said, I hope he would allow thing's to go on quietly, although we were not on speaking" terms, and I advised the people to be quiet tow^?s him, and generally. And as to the Rector, I told jam he ought to love me as his own son, and that I h&a no animosity against him. The President: That closes your defence? The Accused I beg, Mr. President, you will now that the evidence Of Gordon is not correct, being hearsay, and Anderson seems to be a volunteer wit- ness. It is not correct, I solemnly declare. I have only been at Stony Gut chapel once. I am sorry tO, keep you so late. I wish to clear my character, if 1 die or live. And then it was a Sabbath meeting, whe?' we could have nothing but religious. conversation; if I said anything, they must have misunderstood Øe, The statement of the man at York seems to be » general statement. I dôxft know him, aad I deny what he attributes to xne. In the deposition (Humber and Peart) the words attributed to HI0' especially is reference to Hayti, are incorrect; and 1 solemnly declare I never thought of Hayti when I Was at the meeting at Vere; and these words, supposing they were correct, were spoken in another parish hav- ing nothing to do with this. And I emphatically de- clare that I never made a disrespectful reference to the governor, nor did I say he was a bad man on that oo" oasion. I was in a most chastened spirit on that day I emphatically deny the statement of Mr. Chevames« Revenge is a feeling not in my breast. With reference to the parties Paul Bogle and Chisholm writing thei» letters, I have been in correspondence with them icr some time on general and political matters, and I have no letter from them which I would not wish this ootirt, or the world to see. I have, no secret correspondence from them. I hope it may be the pleasure of te court to take further information that no charge i& made against me for being concerned in any rebellion I had expected, if any crime or misdemeanour wer& charged against me, I should have been tried on wie merits in Kingston, as I was not taken up m a rebel- lious act, nor on rebel ground, neither within any mar- tial law district. As I said before, I freely gave my self up to his exoelloncy the governor so soon aa heard that suspicions were held against me. The delivery of the statement, and the time oceu. pied in writing, took over an baur. The court was then ordered to be cleared, After sitting in deliberation for nearly half an hour, the court was re-opened. On its re-opening, tVe^President .U11- court is dissolved." x
THE MURDER NEAR PARIS.
)el, aged five years, the daughter of laiding at Richmond, fell into a small .ocality tha other day, and before assist- ive was drowned. tian Government has just adopted age-stamps they came into use on tha e of tlis students assembled at Et" 3 20th inai;M after the Christmas holid;!?8, ing up of the school there were i* |J^0 jioas 8.18 students, being an increas*7011 t"8 ar of twentv-fiva. I r recent examination of Royal Preaepf-ors, Miss Smith, of Sv.aeriand, re- >Io^aa as a licentiate in jlouo,ra-a distinc- is seldom aspired to by lares, and still leas conferred. ful storm has feur^ over the town of e la Rayna in Spar" The hailstones were ¡f the weight of pd ounoe; a great number w oimomto a tluztez of a pound. Many 6 been binreJ. Id IfabIJV'.Y vowpany is being formed am for tuS- opening of a public gymnasium, vvill b" derived from the annual subscrip- the)" Paj-ients of those using the gylà. ••jyaeJaant of the law prohibiting the itu- oreign cattle has caused great dissatis- xe Canadian border., Amertcin drovers ed animak in Canada suddenly found 1 on the line, and suffered severe losses. and Oriental Ccmpany's steamer rived at Southampton. She brings neither 1}1, nor cargo, and comes home for ag disabled her starboard, paddle-wheel, lIJst. the DelSa exchanged night sigzuth 3z, supposed to he the Poonah. ntreal Gazette" of the 5th insi. states that city the river St. Laurence was etely over on the 4th, and some persons walk across. It was expected that, on the ould he a free safe bridge of ice to last till to the testimonial to Mr. J. W. m. secretary of the Central Relief Com- Junts to upwards of < £ 6,000. The subscrip- ■s closed on tb.e25th. A piece of plate will fed with part of the money and the inscrip- t will probably ba furnished by Lord Derby. Juest wai held, at Leeds, on the Ames Suaw, aged eight, who lived with his i the neighbourhood of Mr. Dobson's malt !-at. It appears the deceased incautiously ed a spout from which a quantity of barley, nine feet thick, was flowing into a cistern, Mg amongst the mass, he was suffocated in a minutes. A verdict cf "Accidental Death" feed by the jury. j&gatioti of Sin-al' ox.-A correspondent wlmes writes .—"I live near the Small-pox at -Highgate, and in gaing to town daily week passes hat what I see a small-pox oing to t.ke hospital m a public cab. Only a .va ago, for instance, in cab No. I saw a trapped up in.biankets, with a face one mass uon, goiBg to the hospital, the driver having 16 to inquire tna way. This cab would, in all My, take a return fare to London; perhaps, a .th some children, and the result may he id. Is there no lav to prevent this ?" -aordinaxy Suicide of a Boy.-On Satur- 3ning, a jr.ou'ib of thirteen years, named Thomas ige, was found hanged in his father's bedroom, vling. He had suspended himself by a handker- to a bed-pole, and was quite dead. The reason ie suicidal act is not known. It is said that he iceustamed to retire, to his bedroom to read, and sough t for on his being absent much longer than il and another atory is that, at the Bowling rks, where he had worked with his father, he had n "chaffed" on the ground of his being a "tall r for his age," baaier which he took to heart, furious Reverses of Fortune. The lineal ?c*radant ot Dwmot M'Morough, the last Irish king, now engaged working as a stonemason at some 0dings in Toxr.etk-park, Liverpool. He is known the name of Doyle. The undoubted representative the celebrated Ead of Ulster, who flourished in the 3ign of Elizabeth, and whogave that monarch a good I ioal of trouble in Ireland, is now a policeman in the I j i-tipecpool force. Tfea grandson of one of the most I aaument members of the Irish Parliament, who was not only distinguished as an orator and a beautiful 1 lyric poet, bat also for his patriotism and opposition j to the Union, is now a barmaa in a spirit vaults near | the Liverpool Exchange, < j Launch -of a Large Steamer.—On Saturday i trewas lausohed from the shipbuilding yard of i Mtassrs. Laird Brothers, Birkenhead, a splendid paddle steamer of 1,000 tens, samed the Guayra, for the coasting trace of tha Baazils. This vessel will be j fitted up with oscillating engines of 250-horse power,. ( constructed by the builders. She will have cabin ] ■'accommodation for seventy or eighty passengers. Her cabin, which ,is very spacious, is constructed 1 m»der a light spar deck, and will be fitted tip with i"ge ports aad, shades, and other necessaries requisite < for the comfort of passengers in a hot climate. ] BJSgraceful Seene-ia a Cathedral.—At the faaeral of the Earl of Limerick, when the coffin was take-a into the cathedral, a riotous mob followed it. < One portion got on to the seats, threw the Bibles and 5 Prayer-books about, trampling and stamping them ] undor- their feet; another set got into the ehoir stalls, 1 atid opening the cathedral's large service-books, spat < into tfaem, and committed oSher enormities. One of 1 them .began to cfbant the Eoffiish mass for the'dead, i :iiad several shouted. The cathedral would soon I bowngt* theiroman Oath oliosothers took up other sries. It was some time before the service could begin. Extre,dinary one of the men of Me. Henry King Daly was driving home a charge of jlasting powder in a rock on his farm at Castletown, c soear Dublin, the other day (after placing broken brick o«t "the powder), the powder in some unaccountable znmwer exploded, shattering the rock the man was ( sitting on m pieef,3- The hammer and tamping iron which he held la his hand were thrown, a considerable distance- strange to .sy, theman.-esca.ped with a, lit wound on one of Iii8 uan^i. Bamage to a Court Dress. &bout three 6eksago Lord Alfred Pa-geit was- on hia.way to cune w the Queen at Osborne, and, in conveying his luggage- from the steamer at Ryde Tier, one of the i noiifftB carelessly 1st fall into the water tne portman- teau containing the Couxt dresEI of his lordship. the lias now demanded a sum of X50 tor damage ustained by the accident, which the Pier Company 1 consented to pay without referring the matte? 5. tgil decision. Goid Wsatilerin Sew York.—The New York 1:¡;:per, say that ion the night of the 7th inst., the meiciHy ran down as far as ten degrees below zero. Mi over the North and West the cold snap prevailed, Tritons cities and towns reporting below zero." The ground aad every exposed patch of water, were jtemgad to iron; the rivers began to choko with a*«dte iee; the owners of skating ponds were standing on their heads with delight; and the poor were huddled together into heaps in horrkl hovels to econo- aiise the little warmth in their half-clad bodies. On Friday morning the very ancient custom _n f-li-i sailed the" ceremonylof the Pyx," which literally may be said to date from time immemorial, for none can trace with certainty the period when it was first 3stblisbed, was formally observed in the presence of the Lord Chancellor and other high functionaries of State, at the offioee of the Controller-General m Old Palace-yard. „ apco- dins to the latest statistics; Russia aoatains about a million and a half of Jews, Poland above 500,000, th=> aggregate amounting to abo>JU a. third or a fouiih of the Jewish population all over the wotld. Their distribution over the Russian empire is very unequal. In some districts they form 8 to 12 per cent. of the inhabitants, in others less than one. Ia the western towns, their numbers amount to 40 or 50 per cent. Fifty-six per cent. live in the country, 44 oities. There are a number of prosperous Jewish agricultural colonies near Cherson, and m other places, mors than 30,000 colonists. A J-anper's Petition.—The Dublin Warder reo ■nmchiees the f ollowing memorial addressed to the board k guardians of the North Dublin Union by one of the -nmates of the w&rkhoBseTo the Honourable and Hoiiouxabli-'Crsntlemeii Qvardiansof the orth Dublin .The me^rial of Richard T humbly showeth, that >e is a poor man Reduced to poverty by unforeseen circumstances, particularly the Cattle Plague ani! the death of wives, has compelled him to become d. burthen on the union this many years. Idemollalist dont wish to be a burden any longer, as ther" is a Small Estate now ready to fall on his hands iIl- she County Westmeath, a part of the demesne of <?aktown, and the town-lands of rahamine, if he had clothing fit to go to enjoy it. Memorialist had good clothing when he Came to workhouse, but were so long stored up where rats and moths got at, and Thieves broke in and stole, there is not a remnant of them fit to wear. Memorialist humbly hopes, Gentle Men, yous will take him in to your kind consideration, and order him Daniel Byrne's cast cloaths, and memorialist will ever prav." More Deaths by Drowning.—On Sattirday afternoon considerable excitement was created in Richmond in consequence of two persons being drowned in the River Thames. It appears that a lad named Richard Somers, aged about eleven years (who was staying on. a visit at his uncle's. Mr. Gascoyne, Hill-street, Richmond), was at the river side, at the end of Bath-terrace, near the railway bridge. A dog, the property of his uncle, was in the river, and thela.d attempted to reach the jog-arid fell into the water. A young man who was passing along at the time, see. ing what had occurred, threw off his coat and jumped into the river, evidently with the intention of saving the boy. The tide was running very strong at the time, and unfortunately both sank. Assistance was soon on the spot, and after some delay drags were procured, And the bodies got out of the water. That of tha boy was taken to his friends' house, and the man to the Swan beerhouse, in Bath-terrace. Medical assistance was speedily obtained, and every means used, to restore animation, but without avail. The bodies now await an inquest. We learn that the young man's name is J. Axton, a coachman, in the service of Mr. Glossop, of Twickenham, a county magistrate, 'Mopsment Extraordinary at the West End.—A London contemporary says :—On Thursday last an elopement took place in the neighbourhood of Belgravia between a footman and the daughter of his mistress. It appears, from what we hear, the young man, who has a smart appearance, entered the service about two years since, and daring that period has been well cared for. On Thursday last the young lady, as usual, went oat for a walk, the footman leaving about the same time. On the return of the footman about two o'cJsek the same day, after the ceremony had taken place, he was called to account for leaving the house without leave, and discharged at the moment's notice, when on receiving that notice the happy bride- groom informed his mistress that with his luggage he would take her daughter's (now hia wife) with him, which assertion so startled her that she has been very much indisposed ever since. We hear the marriage ceremony took place at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane. street, Chelsea. Nothing had been heard of the newly- wedded couple since their departure. Shocking Railway Accident.-C,n Friday night, between ten and eleven o'clock, a very melan- choly accident occurred at Normanton station, Mr. Shillito, farmer, Altofts, had arrived in the. course of the night by train, and having called at the refresh- ment; room, and had a few minutes' pleasant chat with the waiting maid, he left for home. His residence is on the left hand side of the railway going from Wake- field, and in order to save himself the trouble of walking round a short distance, he proceeded to cross the line. He had not taken many strides before a luggage train, ungerceived by him m the darkness of the rdght, and the throng in the fetation yard, came steaming up, and dashed over him. When extricated it was found that tha back of the skull had been terribly Shattered, and one arm completely taken, off,bu'Íi in spite of these dreadful injuries, Mr. ShilMW whowed signs of anima- tion for a few minutes, and even until a sposufal of bmndyhad ooenpoared down his throat, but before another dose ot the spirit cou-ld be administered, the unfortmiate man breathed his last. Mr. Shiliito, is a gentlemen we",I-known in the' agtrieuliural world. Shocking Death of a Woman from Intem- perance.—On Saturday, Mr. Humphreys, coroner for Middlesex, held an inquiry at the Three Colts ravern, Bethnal-green, relative to the death of a married woman, named Elizabeth Moore, aged forfcy- fchrea. Thomas Moore, 3, Newport-street, Bethnal- ?reen; said that he was a butobe.r, and the deceased was his wife. She used not only to drink all the pro- ceeds of his earnings, bat ueedto sell the feathers out of the bed to get more liquor. She always craved for gin and ale, and she ate little or no food. She had been in bad health for the imt fortnight, and died on rueaday. Mr. Shaw, surgeon, said that nearly all the I organs of the deceased's body were diseased, apparently from drink. There were no traces of food in the itomaoh. Tha immediate esuse of death was fatty legener&tiom zll the heart, so doubt brought on by her intemperate habits. The C-arener having samraed up, ¡he jury returned a verdict of Death from disease of ;he heart,,accelerated by the- excessive use- of ardent spirits." A Scene in a Workhouse Ward.—PLATING. kT CAE3S ALL NI&HT,—James Williams, aged iighteen, who described himself as a coal miner, having no home, was charged, at the Clerkenwell Police-court, with having stolen three books, three tobacco boxes, and other articles, the property of Henry James, an inmaite of Bt. Pmeras Workhouse. rhe prosecutor has for soma time been an inmate of the workhorse, and had the of the casual' wards, Lt night. The prisoner was admitted to the ward along with some other casuals, and when he went out ihe following. morning it was found that a cupboard, aad been broken open, and the above articles stolen. NTotiuEg mere was seen of the prisoner or his com- 3anions until the 12th instant, when he was taken into justody, and on him waa found a tobacco box, which ;he prosecutor said he believed to be his. One of the ,nin&taa of the workhouse said that he saw the pri- soner and his companions break open the cupboard and steal the articles in question, but he did not like to mention it, because they would have pummelled him for telling. Some of the prisoner's companions had been seen in, the workhouse playing at cards! with tha same cards 'they Lad when the prisoner was these. The Magistrate: Do you mean that the inmates of the casual ward were playing cards P Witness: Yes, sir, they were playjag-up to twelve o'oloek at night. Ths gas was night. Sentence, twenty-one lays* hard labour. A Bad Fata-ar. ~Henry SpiFmrd, a powsrful fel- low, was brought before Mr. 'Ellison, at Worship- street, on a warrant, charged with defecting Miargaret and Henry his lawful children., aged four and three years. proseent-gd.The prisoner was handcuffad^ a sosnawhat navel fact in relation to such a charge, but accounted for by the dread' of his vio- lence, he having suffered twelve months imprisonment for an assault on the p cilioe. --Mr. Fork, an officer in the service of the board of guardians of St. Leonard's, Shore ditch, said.: Prisoner ia a tailor, and so far back as last Ma-y left the children, in question. They were found by a constable of the G division, Shoreditch, and brought to the workhouse, where they have been ever since chargeable to the parish. ni whatever of the mother.—Smith, 808 Cityx took him this (Saturday) morning on a warrant.. and he coolly remarked, "Oh, it's only for leaving the kids."—Prisoner: Well, in March last, the mother deserted me, so I thought that I would go into the cocBtry and try to gat a little money. I left the YOUI]g,u! with a woman, and it appears that she didn't take care of _'&m.—Mr. Fork I have been in- fonnedyour worsnip, that far some time past he has been working at Moses's, in Aldgate, and earning 35s. a week,—Prisoner: And sometimes not more than 12s, a week.—Mr. Ellison;. And well knowing that you had left your children destitute, you could earn money and not even go to a workhouse and look after or in- quire about them.—Prisoner: Well, I hope yott will be lenient.^—Mr. Ellison: Go to prison for two months with hard labour.—Prisoner: Well, thank you. IT'atal Accident at Manchester.—On Monday afternoon, about two o'clock, a. portion of the roof of the London-read Railway station (now in course of construction) fell in, carrying with it a number of workmen engaged upon it. For some time past extensive alterations have been going on at this station —in point of fact, it has been remodelled and rebuilt entirely—and the roof under which the trains arrive and from which they depart was approaching com- pletion. The structure consists of a double span roof, each span being divided into eight bays ef about eighty or ninety feet each. The span of each roof from centra to centre is about ninety-four feet, making the total width of both spans 188 feet. One of the bays in each roof has fallen right across the station. At the time the roof fell many workmen were engaged thereupon, and most, if not all of them, were more or las* injured. The. number isgured. is stated to be _u_ I between twenty and thirty. Of these seventeen are lying at the Royal Infirmary, where they are receiving every attention. Four were reported as in a very dangerous state of collapse; several others are very seriously injured. One of the sufferers required to bave his arm immediately amputated. Two of the men expired shortly after admission. | Daring the week ending January 20, the visitors to the South Kensington Museum were as follows :— On Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, free days, open from ten a.m. to ten p.m., 11,480; on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, students' days (admission to the public, 6d.), open from ten a.m. to four p.m., 1,984, Total, 13,464. From the opening of the museum, 5,771,048. Goose Clubs and Members.—A man of the name of Valiant brought an action in the London Sheriff's Court, against a publican named Sacker, to recover damages for the non-delivery of, a leg of pork fit for human food. Plaintiff stated he had been a member in a certain goose club held at the defendant's house. The members paid so much per week, and on Christmas Eve had that for which they had subscribed. Although it was called a goose club the members did not all have geese, and witness, who had 10s. 6d. in the concern, chose a iottle of gin and a leg of pork. This was warranted to be sweet, but when plaintiff came to examine it oa Sunday morning he found it utterly unfit for food. He took it back to defendant, who refused to return his money. Defendant said he could produce a witness who would awear that the pork was very good, and he knew of his own know- ledge that better htd never need be eaten. Plaintiff: I showed it to Mrs Sacker, and she admitted that it was faint and had turned soft. The witness alluded to by the defendart hers stepped into the box, and stated that he suppiied the pork to the club. It was very good when delivered at defendant's publis-hoasa on the Thursday. ?laintiff: Yes, but it was hanging up in the bar from/Thursday till Saturday night, and the place is very snail. Butcher: It is beautiful and airy. His Honour had no d oubt that a quantity of meat being in a bar amidst the heat of the gas might turn bad. Defendant could assure the Court that it was perfectly good; he had. eaten some himself. His Honour: I can hairlly think that the plaintiff would Iro without his Christmas dinner unless there had been spmething wrong with the pork. Your contract was to supply him with a good leg of pork, and I think > his story a reable ORe. Yerdiot for the plaintiff with costs. Prise Fights and the Railway Companies. —The rector of Godstone has addressed the following letter to the direotors of the South Eastern Railway: —"Godstone, Jan. 17.—Gentlemen, as clergyman of the parish of Godstone, I tender to you my respectful but earnest remonstrance against the assistance rendered by yon in the matter of the prize fight which took place in this neighbourhood yesterday. I pro. test in the name of social order against a public body facilitating the commission of such a breach of the u law. I protest in the name of humanity against your debasing the iniluenoo which you possess for advancing civilisation into a means of retarding it, by lending your help to those brutal exhibitions which disgrace our country in the eyes of the civilised world. I pro- test in the name of my outraged parishioners, whese quiet hamlet was invaded by that crowd of ruffians whom you conveyed hither to gloat over the cruel ,spectacle which was yesterday, for the second time within the last few years, enacted among them. Gen- tlemen, I would respectfully submit to you whether you can hope collectively to escape tbe guilt which would attach to eatJh of you as individuals for pro- moting such a defiance of. all law human and divine as took place here yesterday with your sanction and as- silstance. If you knew the permanent damage done by such exhibitions totheclLuse of order and morality I must think that as men and Christians you would ,withholdtha,t aid without which in the present age such crimes would be impossible.—I am, gentlemen, your ortedient servant, G. T. HOABE, rector of G-od. stone" General 'Cameron.-We have reason to believe (says the Horui4w St") that some extraordinary revelations concerning the affairs of New Zealand will ba made early in the ensuing. Session of Parlia- ment. It seems to have been madness on the part of, our New Zealand authorities that, instead of endea- vouring by legislation to make friends of the natives, they, on the contrary, max-ahed into the centre of their country, the Waikato, thus making deadly foas of the finest tribes who might h. hean made our friends, and assisted in developing the resouiu^ „.f and in defending the noble islands of the South. Pacific. Having gone into the Waikato and foaght there according to his orders, General Ca.meron did not wish to go to Wanganui and have more bloodshed of white and brown warriors, te please the local ministers; but, being under orders, he was obliged again to obey them, and when the Wareroa pah was full of men, he was expected to attack it. He said, Let us invest ifc for a time; the natives will tire, as is their wont, and evacuate it." It was for this opinion that the ministers of Sir George Grey quar- relled with him. Eventually it was occupied by a very few Maories. The governor made a cle-vier de- monstration against it, backed by the 14th and other regiments, and it fell. This, we believe, is the- true history of the matter.