January 14.] 
THE FIELD 
41 
Diemen’s Land, and David C. Smith, Esq., to be a mem- 
ber. of the Legislative Council of the Turks and Caicos 
Islands. 
Chinese and Coolies.-— A Government return just 
issued describes the results, 60 far as they have yet been 
ascertained, of the recent experiment for introducing 
Chinese immigrants to compete with Coolies and Africans 
ns labourers in Guiana and Trinndnd. In both colonies the 
plan appears to have been attended with success. No 
proper care was originally ' taken in the selection of the 
men ; they were landed without any interpreters to make 
their wants known, or to enable them to receive instruction 
in the duties required of them in a strange country, and 
their entire number consisted of males; yet, in almost 
every case where it was not rendered impossible by the 
ill effects of the voyage, they went to work at once with 
cheerfulness, and subsequently displayed a tractability 
such as to show that under fair circumstances, they would 
prove the best labourers the colonies ever possessed. The 
first arrivals in Guiana took place in January 1853, and 
consisted of about 350 persons, followed by an additional 
300 in March. After three months’ experience numerous 
reports were received, and the general testimony, not- 
withstanding many doubts previously entertained, was 
unanimous ns to their being equal to the Coolies, while, 
in a majority of instances, they were greatly preferred. 
One proprietor writes— “ I am better pleased with them 
than any class of immigrants and my experience for the 
last five’ years has been varied.” Others state they would 
“rather have one Chinese than two Coolies, ns they con- 
sider their physical strength greater.” Their eagerness to 
earn money causes them to be disappointed even at not 
being allowed to work on Sundays, yet with this vigour 
of the acquisitive propensity they unite a taste for luxury 
in food and clothing which leads to a free consumption of 
imported articles. The Chinese in Trinndnd have also 
gained a similar good character. At Guiana it is hoped 
for the future to introduce 1,500 n-yenr, half the expense 
being paid by the colony and half by the planters. In 
Trinidad a resolution has been adopted for an additional 
supply of 300 in the current year of whom one-lialf arc to 
be women. 
THE METROPOLIS. 
Opening of the MahtLebP^b Free Lidrart.— On 
Monday morning the reading rooms of this institution, 
being the first of the Lind established in the metropolis, 
were opened for the gratuitous admission of the public, at 
27, Gloucester-place, New-road. The books are arranged 
round the rooms on the first floor of the house, tables being 
placed in the centre for the convenience of renders. The 
name of the institution is local, but persons of any locality 
are equally allowed free access to the books. The library 
already possesses about 5,000 volumes, comprising works 
in all branches of literature, and endeavours are mnking to 
increase the number. During the day a considerable 
number of persons availed themselves of the advantages 
of the institution. 
Coldbath Fields House. of Correction. — An in- 
quiry, which is looked upon as a very important one by all 
persons in the service of the three prisons of the county of 
Middlesex has been in progress some time, and is not yet 
completed, into the details of certain matters which were 
alleged to exist in the management of the Coldbath-fields 
Prison, not with reference to the discipline of the establish- 
ment in the treatment of prisoners, but to theadministration 
of its affairs. One result has been the absconding of the 
principal clerk in the finance department, and defalcations 
to a serious extent have been discovered in his books. His 
name is George Charles Hoare, and a description of him 
has been published in the Hue and Cry , and a warrant for 
his apprehension placed in the hands of the ipolice. The 
inquiry is being carried on by the visiting justices, and 
Captain Williams, the Government inspector of prisons, 
and a government short-hand writerhasbeenin attendance. 
A great mass of evidence has been taken and the results 
will be laid before the court for the consideration of the 
county business. 
Supply of Coal to the Metropolis — The following 
abstract of authentic documents shows the quantity of 
coal and coke brought by railway and canal within the 
London district, and entered at the London Coal-market 
during the half-year ending the 31st of December, 1853: — 
July— Per Great Northern Railway, 27,590 tons. 8 cwt. ; 
North Western, 10,132 tons 7 cwt. ; Eastern Counties, 
5.450 tons 10 cwt.; South-Eastern, 709 tons 9 cwt.; 
Great Western, 681 tons 13 cwt. ; total, 44,524 tons 7 cwt. 
August. — Great Northern, 24,592 tons 9 cwt.; North- 
Western, 16,305 tons 15 cwt.; Eastern Counties, 4,571 
tons 12 cwt.; Great Western, 1,353 tons 3 cwt. ; South- 
Eastern, 924 tons 1 cwt.; total 47,747 tons. September. 
— Great Northern, 26,718 tons 18 cwt.; North Western 
12,695 tons 3 cwt ; Eastern Counties, 2,858 tons 2 cwt. ; 
Great Western, 1,083 tons; South-Eastern, 815 tons 6 cwt.; 
total, 44,170 tons 9 cwt. October — Great Northern, 37,1 15 
tons 3 cwt.; North Western, 20,135 tons 1 5 cwt. ; Eastern 
Counties, 6,565 tons; Great Western, 1,680 tons 9 cwt. ; 
South-Eastern, 1,267 tons 15 cwt.; total, 66,764 tons 2 cwt. 
November — Great Northern, 30,027 tons 2 cwt. ; North- 
Western, 18,729 tons 4 cwt.; Eastern Counties, 8,035 tons 
18 cwt.; Great Western, 5,273 tons 10 cwt.; South- 
Eastern, 1,606 tons 3 cwt.; total 63,671 tons 17 cwt. 
December. — Great Northern. 31,579 tons 5 cwt. ; North- 
Western, 22,343 tons ; Eastern Counties, 10,402 tons 19 
cwt.; South Eastern, 1,005 tons 12 Cwt.; Great Western, 
502 tons ; total, 06432 tons 16 cwt. The total quantity of 
coal imported into London by rail from July 1 to December 
31, 1853 was 333,350 tons 11 cwt.; corresponding period 
last year, 128,621 tons 4 cwt.: increase in the present half- 
year, 134,829 tons 7 cwt. The total quantity imported by 
rail into London in 1853 was 039,712 tons 7 cwt. ; in 1852, 
377,907 tons 19 cwt. ; increase in the year 1853 by railways, 
251,804 tons 1 cwt. The entries by canal were ns follow : — 
July, 928 tons 10 cwt. ; August, 1,458 tons 3 cwt.; Sep- 
tember, 1,711 tons 5 cwt. ; October, 2,240 tons 10 cwt.; 
Novembev, 2,713 tons; December, 2,228 tons 12 cwt. 
Total quantity of conls by canal, from July 1, to December 
31, 11,280 tons; corresponding period in 1852,14,277 tons; 
decrease in the present half-vonr, 2,297 tons. Deducting 
the decrease by canal from tho increase by rail, the total 
additional quantity of coni brought into London during the 
past half-year, compared with the corresponding period 
last year, is 131,822 tons 7 cwt. Total quantity of coals 
by canal, from January 1st to December 31st, 1853, 
21,644 tons; total quantity for the year 1852, 33,913 tons. 
Decrease on the year, 12,269 tons. Decrease on the year, 
12,269 tons. Deducting the decrease by canal from the 
increase by rail in the year 1853, as compared with the 
year 1853, tho total additional quantity imported, was 
239,535 tons 8 cwt. 
Fire in Whitechapel.— On Wednesday morning, 4 
o'clock, a fire broke out on the premises of Mr. N. Brassat, 
a German lodginghouse proprietor, 1, Colchcster-strcet, 
Leman-street, which was nenrly attended with a fearful 
sacrifice of human life. The discovery was mnde by Po- 
lice-constable 78, of the II division, who sprang bis rattle, 
and, after repeatedly knocking, succeeded in arousing the 
proprietor of the house, and the various lodgers. They 
made an attempt to descend by the stairs, but the density 
of the smoke forced them to retreat, when two male 
lodgers made their appearance at the first floor window 
and jumped out. Fortunately, they were caught by the 
constable on duty, and received no injury. At that mo- 
ment Snnyiel Wood, the conductor of the Royal Society’s 
fire-escape, arrived with his machine from the Whitechapel 
station, when be beheld four children screaming at one of 
the front windows, with their parents, the father having 
been ill for some time. At the windows of the floor above 
were four male lodgers hanging by their bands from the 
window sills. The conductor lost no time in adjusting the 
apparatus in front of. the building, and succeeded in res- 
cuing the four men, and then went up ogaiu and brought 
down the four children, their father and mother, 
thus saving ten lives. By the time the residents were ex- 
tricated, the parish engine arrived, and was followed by 
two others of the London Establishment, from the Jeffrey 
and Wellclosc- square stations. An abundant supply of 
Water was then flowing from the mains of the East London 
Company. The firemen fortunately succeeded in confining 
the flames to the lower part of the premises. 
The Carlton Club.— The old Carlton Club house is 
being pulled down. Some two or three years ago a new 
house was begun by the club for increased accommodation 
to the members, and Buckingham- house has been taken 
by the members of the club, while the old premises are 
pulled down and rebuilt. The new building, we under- 
stand, will be uniform in its external appearance with the 
new house built next to it, and which is adorned in front 
with polished granite pillars. When finished, the Carlton 
will, in its extended and improved condition, be a great 
ornament to the architectural beauty of Pall Mall. 
PROVINCIAL. 
THE MURDER AT ACTON. 
Mr. Wakley, the coroner for the western division of 
Middlesex, resumed on Monday, at the Goldsmiths’ Arms, 
East Acton, the inquest touching tlie death of Richard 
Medhurst, a lad, aged fourteen years, whose body was 
found lying naked at the bottom of a deep ditch on the 
24th of December, in a lane leading from East Acton to 
Friar’s-place, under circumstances which leave little doubt 
that a murder of the foulest character has been committed. 
(Field, Dec. 31, page 640.) 
The interest attached to the case seems to increase, and 
since the last sitting of the jury government has offered a 
reward of 100Z. to any person giving such information as 
shall lead to the conviction of the perpetrators of the mur- 
der, and Mr. Inspector Thornton, with Sergeant Williams, 
of the detective police, Scotland-yard, in conjunction with 
Sergeant Earthy, of the T division, have been assiduously 
prosecuting the inquiry in their own peculiar way. Since 
the last day, Dr. Glover, of 21, Great Coram-street, had 
made an analysis of the stomach and intestines, and his 
evidence was the principal feature in the day’s proceedings. 
Dr. Robert Mortimer Glover, who is Lecturer on Chemistry 
at the Royal Free Hospital, Gray’s-inn-road, said that he 
examined the stomach first, and found it very much con- 
gested; it was empty, with the exception of a little bloody 
mucus. He also found abundant proof of the undoubted 
presence of inflammation, but could not find the slightest 
trace of cither arsenic or any other poisonous substance. 
There were found some spots of effusion between the 
cuticle or skin and the membrane below. Coroner— From 
the external and internal appearance of the body, are you 
of opinion that the lad died of cold and starvation or 
poison? Dr. Glover — The same appearances might have 
been produced by poison. I examined the stomach, the 
intestines and indeed all the organs, most particularly for 
poison, but I was unable to find any ; looking at the body, 
internally and externally, I am more inclined to think that 
the hoy died of disease produced by cold and starvation, 
which death was greatly accelerated by the external 
violence which was visible. The coroner asked if that 
was all the evidence, and having received an answer in 
the affirmative, the room was cleared of strangers, in order 
to give the jury an opportunity to consider their verdict. 
After some time spent in consultation, the door was opened. 
The Coroner said that the jury had come to the deter- 
mination to postpone the proceedings for some time, for 
the purpose of seeing whether the accused party should 
not be brought before them, and he would at once himself 
see Lord Palmerston upon that subject. (See Clerken- 
wf.li. Police.) 
The jury and witnesses were then formally bound over 
for further appearance, and the proceedings terminated. 
MURDER OF A WIFE IN CORNWALL. 
A man named Jnmes Holman, a labourer, living in the 
parish of Crowan, in Cornwall, has just been committed 
to take his trial for the murder of Pnillippa, his wife, on 
the 26th of December. On the day named, Holman went 
to a neighbour's house about thirty yards from bis own 
residence, and implored him to accompany him to his 
cottage, saying that lie believed his wife was dead. On 
going thither the unfortunate woman was discovered lying 
under the grate, with her face partially buried in the ashes. 
Williams, the neighbour’s son-in-law, lifted her up, and 
removed her into the kitchen. On washing her face it 
was discovered that she had received some frightful wounds 
about the temple and over the nose ; there were also scalds 
on the back of both of her hands, but not any on the palms, 
nor were her clothes burnt. Blood was also noticed in 
the sleeve of Holman’s coat, and some on his trowsers, 
just under the knee, as well as several spots of blood about 
the room. In the chimney corner, ns they lifted the bodv, 
a lighted candle was found stuck in the ashes. A constable 
was called in, and his attention was directed to a stain of 
blood on Holman’s shirt. On being asked how it came there, 
lie said it was with lifting his wife. On tho following day a 
post mortem examination of the body was made. At the siyne 
time Holman wns asked if he kept a hatchet on tho premises, 
to which he replied in the negative. Two days afterwards, a 
well belonging to his bouse was examined, in consequence 
of some suspicions that bad been excited, and at the bottom 
a hatchet was found. Ilolmnn strongly denied any know- 
ledge of it, but it was identified by one of his neighbours 
as having belonged to bin). Ho wns then apprehended, 
and whilst in custody conducted himself very strangely. 
On the following Mondny he expressed a wish to see two 
of the jurors who had sat on the coroner’s inquest held on 
the body, to whom he said, “I left home on Monday 
morning, and returned in the evening. As I came in, I 
called out ‘ Phillippa, where are yon?’ and she replied 
‘What is that to you?’ I then said, “You are drunk 
again I see,” upon which she threw the firehook at me. I 
thereupon gave her a push, and she fell into the fireplace. 
I left her there, and went out to feed the cattle ; but 
finding her in the same position when I returned, I lifted 
her up, and found her dead, with a cut overhead. Seeing 
the hatchet on the floor covered with blood, and fearing I 
might be suspected of murder, I took it away to throw it 
into the well." At the inquest the medical gentlemen, Mr. 
Gurney and Mr. Hutchinson, stated it as their opinion 
that the unfortunate deceased came to her death by 
violence, and that the fractures apparent on the left temple 
and depression of the brain were occasioned by severe and 
repented blows inflicted with some blunt instrument, such 
ns a hatchet. The prisoner Holman wns then committed 
for trial at the assizes for wilful murder. 
Derby — Suicide of a Prisoner at the County Gaol. 
— On Sunday night last, a prisoner named George Whit- 
worth, aged 59, destroyed himself, by hanging, in his cell. 
The man was charged at tho county sessions Inst week, 
along with his son, John Whitworth, and his son-in-law, 
Francis Goodwin, with sheep stealing. The deceased and 
his son-in-law were sentenced to one month’s imprison- 
ment, and eight years’ penal servitude. The son wns 
acquitted. It was a most determined 6nicide, and hnd 
evidently been premeditated with much care. The window 
of the cell works on an axle, and thus opens at the top and 
bottom at the same time; and the deceased hnd tied his 
two braces and his pocket-handkerchief together; one end 
of which he formed into a small running noose, and nt the 
other end ho had tied a knot. This knotted end he put 
out of the window, and then pulled the window close to. 
He had placed the bed on the floor nnder the window, and 
knelt on it while he was destroying himself. The distance 
between the bed and the noose could not be more than 
three feet. He was not discovered until the Monday 
morning, when he wns found quite dead and cold. An 
inquest was held at the County Gaol on Monday evening 
last, before Mr. Coroner Whiston, and a jury (Mr. Stenson, 
of Litehurch, foreman), when, among others examined, 
Francis Goodwin, the son-in-law and fellow-prisoner of the 
deceased, was called, and on being asked by the coroner if 
he were aware of tho cause of his being brought thither, he 
said he was not. The circumstances were then announced 
to him, which much affected him ; he cried bitterly during 
his examination. In answer to questions put by the 
coroner, he stated that he had seen the deceased the day 
before, and he asked him (Goodwin) if be were going to 
write home; if so, he was to say (if the governor allowed 
him) to his friends that he was poorly, and wished some of 
his triends to come over and see him; he (the deceased) 
had been unwell for a fortnight previous to his being taken 
into custody by the constables ; lie had nothing, that he 
(witness) wns aware of to depress his spirits, only his being 
convicted of what he was innocent of (the witness repeated 
this statement) ; he (Goodwin) hnd part of the letter written, 
and intended to ask the governor to allow him to state 
what the deceased had desired; he (Goodwin) hnd no 
complaints to make. The jury, without any deliberation, 
after the address by the coroner, returned a verdict, “That 
the deceased had destroyed himself while labouring under 
temporary derangement.” 
Exeter Bread Riot.— (Mondny Night.) — Great excite- 
ment prevailed this morning among the poor of this city in 
consequence of the bakers having raised the price of the 
4lb. loaf to 9d. This was occasioned by- the advance of 
wheat to Us. per bushel in the Exeter market on the pro- 
ceeding Friday. This afternoon, as early as 3 o’clock, 
groups, chiefly the wives of labouring men, were observed 
in the lower part of the city, known as Westgate, discuss- 
ing the high price of provisions, and declaring it was 
impossible for them to exist on their present insufficient 
wages. Shortly afterwards a movement was made towards 
the bakers’ shops in that locality, the windows broken, and 
a large quantity of bread taken away. The mob soon 
increased, and the Police force, headed by Mr. Steel, 
the superintendent, were concentrated in the West 
quarter. In spite of all the efforts of the authorities, how- 
ever, the mob— chiefly women nnd children, with here and 
there a few dissolute fellows inciting them to plunder- 
proceeded through the back streets to a baker’s shop in 
the Cathedral yard, which they attacked, nnd before the 
arrival of the police they succeeded in ransacking another 
shop in the same neighbourhood, breaking in the 
windows with sticks nnd stones. The shopkeepers imme- 
diately closed their shops, and business was almost entirely 
suspended. At this juncture the Mayor of Exeter (Mr. 
John Daw), finding the aspect of affairs so serious, and 
having a very insufficient torco for such an emergency, at 
once proceeded to the barracks, now occupied by tho 3rd 
Light Dragoons, and applied to Colonel W bite tor the 
assistance of the soldiers. Soon afterwards about 100 of 
the military Vode through the streets and were booted by 
several of the bystanders. On arriving at the W cst quarter 
they were dispersed in various parts, even' avenue beiug 
guarded. It was then ascertained that tho rioters hnd 
proceeded to St. Thomas’s, separated trom the city only by 
a bridge. Here at one baker’s shop the bread was taken 
away and tho fixtures destroyed. In one or two instances 
the bakers threw out their bread to tho inob, who were 
tints appeased, and proceeded on to other shops. The 
Dragoons were unablo to check tho riot for ft time in this 
locality, in consequence of not having received authority 
from a county magistrate, — St. Thomas beiug- without the 
bounds of tho city. Mr. M. B. Bcre, county magistrate, 
however, was quickly on tho spot, and a troop of the 
soldiers accompanied him in pursuit of tho rioters, who, it 
was said, hnd gone to the residence of a wealthy farmer in 
tho neighbourhood. In eousequenco of the prompt and 
vigorous measures taken by the mayor and magistrates, 
the peace of tho city was soon restored. 
Thursday. — Twenty-eight of the rioters have been 
committed for trial nt the next assizes, as also were two 
more, subsequently apprehended. 
