broken leg, since February last, was brought to the Court in a cabriolet, and was supported into the presence of the Bench by the officers, with the aid of a pair of crutches, and his foot in a sling suspended from his shoulders. The circumstances attending the prisoner's escape and apprehension were singular. over the railings. Witness asked him, What was the matter?" and helped him over. He said that a man had thrown his hat over the railings, and on clambering over to get it again he fell, and had broken his leg. Witness said, "I had better ring the workhouse bell, and obtain assistance." He objected to that, and begged of witness not to do so. He said he had no business at that end of the town; he had been drinking with some friends, and wished to avoid exposure, and would thank witness if he would put him into a cab. With great difficulty he did so, and he was driven away. On the night of the 8th of February, the strong-room in the workhouse, where the property had been deposited, was broken into, and 20 sovereigns and 1557. in silver were stolen. On the following morning the robbery was discovered, some housebreaking implements were found in the washhouse, and on a spot near the workhouse wall were found some skeleton keys, a large pair of list shoes, such as are used by housebreakers, and a dark lan--A frightful instance of this hortern, &c. The circumstances were so mysterious that some of the parish officials were suspected of being the perpetrators. While the prisoner was in the hospital suspicion fell upon him, from discoveries made during the examination of a woman charged with attempting to steal a banker's parcel from the Cross Keys, Bishopsgate Street. It now appeared that the prisoner was actually the perpetrator of the robbery, and that he had made his escape under the following singular circumstances. Mr. Joseph Lye, compositor, of the Metropolitan Buildings, St. Pancras Road, deposed that, at about 12 o'clock on the night of the 8th of February last, he was passing near St. Pancras Workhouse, when he heard cries for help, and discovered the prisoner within some iron railings leaning with his back against the wall. He begged of witness to help him The prisoner was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to ten years' transportation. POISONINGS NEAR HASTINGS. rible crime has been detected at Guestling, near Hastings, where a woman has been arrested on suspicion of poisoning her husband and three grown-up sons. Not The husband died suddenly, on the 13th September; the widow received burial-money from the man's club. On the 27th December, George, one of the sons, died. On the 6th March, James Geering died he had belonged to the same club as the father. A few weeks since, a third son was seized with violent retching, but was saved by surgical assistance. long after, the young man. was again attacked in the same way; and this time a surgeon detected arsenic in what was rejected by the stomach. The woman was arrested; the bodies of the husband and the two sons were exhumed, and the viscera were taken out in the presence of a coroner's jury, who then adjourned, that a chemical examination might be made. At the resumed inquiry, it was proved that all three of the Geerings belonged to the Guestling Benefit Society on the death of a member, every other member subscribes a shilling for the funeral; there are more than a hundred members, so that Geering's widow received upwards of 51. on each death: the society makes a weekly allowance to sick members. Mr. Taylor, the Professor of Chemistry at Guy's Hospital, announced to the magistrates at the Town Hall that he had detected arsenic in the matters rejected from the stomach of Benjamin Geering, the lad whose life was saved by surgical aid. Professor Taylor afterwards laid before the coroner's jury an elaborate statement of the results of his examination of the viscera of the deceased persons. In the body of Richard Geering he found arsenic in all the organs he had tested-not less than seven grains in all; while doubtless every other portion of the corpse contained some of the poison. He was of opinion that the man died from the arsenic. In the stomach and liver of George Geering, one of the sons, he detected mercury; he could not tell in what form it had been administered-it might have been taken as a medicine; but a medicine; but from the appearance of the organs, he believed that the young man died from an irritant poison, not from natural disease. The poison might have been arsenic or a mercurial preparation: the absence of arsenic in the body was not a proof that none had been swallowed. Chemical analysis discovered arsenic in the body of James Geering, the second son; and the poison had been the cause of death. It was also proved by Mr. Stubbs, a chemist, that the woman had VOL. XCI. frequently purchased arsenic of him. The juries returned a verdict of "Wilful Murder" in each of the three cases. MAY. 1. APPALLING MURDERS AND SUICIDE.-A double murder and suicide, attended with circumstances of horror greater even than those necessarily surrounding these fearful crimes, were committed in the county of Cardigan. Thomas Davies, a small farmer, residing in the parish of Llanewog, while in bed with his wife and child (the latter nine months old), attacked them with a razor, and, having first nearly severed the infant's head from its body, he attempted the destruction of his wife. He first cut her across the wrist, severing completely all the arteries, and next gashed her throat and face in the most frightful manner. Not content with this, he cut her across the abdomen, ripping it completely open, and causing the intestines to protrude. Leaving the house, he rushed into the Tivy, for the purpose, it is imagined, of drowning himself, but, finding the water too shallow for his purpose, he returned to the house, and attempted to cut his own throat. Failing, however, to sever the jugular vein, he ripped open his own abdomen with the razor, and his bowels protruded through the wound. A police-sergeant hearing of the occurrence, immediately repaired to the spot, and found the little girl in bed, with its throat frightfully lacerated, quite dead and cold. The wife, Mary Davies, E had escaped from the house, and having proceeded about a field's breadth on the south side, fell down. When found, she was still alive, but lying exhausted on her right side, in a ditch, with her intestines visibly protruding, and her throat, wrist, and face cut in a most fearful manner. On a further search being made, the husband was found at the bottom of a field, lying on his left side, in his shirt sleeves, having his throat lacerated, and his abdomen cut open from side to side, about an inch below the navel, with his intestines also protruding. He was still alive, and acknowledged to the police constable that he had killed the child, and that he had cut his own and his wife's throat with his razor. Davies died the same night, and his wife on the following morning. 2. FIRE AND LOSS OF LIVES.About a quarter to ten o'clock at night, a fire of a very calamitous character broke out in the lofty range of premises termed the Royal Hat Depôt, situate at No. 57, King William Street, London Bridge, in the joint occupation of Mr. Devereaux, a hat manufacturer, and Mr. Dewey, a tailor. The fire was discovered by a policesergeant, who immediately tried to alarm the inmates. Speedily two women (Mrs. Devereaux and one of her daughters) made their appearance at the third-floor front, bewailing, in a half-frantic tone, their impending fate. The sergeant told them to remain for a minute or two, for the fire-escape was arriving, and would be on the spot directly. Mrs. Devereaux, however, threw herself from the window, and falling upon her head on the flag-stones in front of the house, was so dreadfully injured that she shortly afterwards expired. Her daughter immediately followed, and striking in her descent the leaden gutter over the door, she broke her thigh, and was otherwise so fearfully injured that she died a few days afterwards in the hospital. The fire now raged furiously, and notwithstanding the exertions of the fire-brigade, the premises were totally destroyed. While the conflagration was at its height, another of Mrs. Devereaux's children appeared at a lower window, and was fortunately rescued, though with many injuries. When the ruins were sufficiently cooled, the firemen and escapemen entered for the purpose of looking for the other persons missing. Upon entering the third-floor front, a fearful picture presented itself. Near the window the blackened remains of a young woman, apparently about sixteen years of age, were perceived, and near her was the body of a child of about nine or ten years old, also much burnt. These were two other children of this unfortunate family. EXHIBITION OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY.-The display of pictures this year is remarkable for the continued progress of a change which has been noted during the last few years-a general disappearance of the most ambitious class of pictures, and a general elevation of the lower classes towards the mean level. The strength of the present exhibition lies among the younger men and the class of character pictures. The principal if not the only historical picture in the exhibition, is Mr. Patten's "Destruction of Idolatry in England;" for several others, which the artists probably Mr. Herbert has two highly interesting works, "The Outcast of Mankind;" our Saviour in the desert, a noble figure, seated in simple and profound repose. The other is a painting of a very different class, but equally excellent of its kind: "Lear disinheriting Cordelia." "A See-Saw" is among Webster's happiest hits of boyish character: a heavy lad bumps one end of a plank upon the ground, to the terror of a light and timid companion at the other end; while a jolly fellow, sitting on the treetrunk that serves as a fulcrum, is enjoying the expression of alarm in the countenance of the rising young gentleman. "A Slide," by Webster, is the perfect picture of the collection. Two files of sliding boys have untimely crossed in converging tracks, and blend in a mass of entangled limbs most are laughing; one unhappy fellow uplifts a countenance convulsed with an excruciating paroxysm of crying; benumbed spectators stand upon the banks of the frozen pond: it is all full of life and character, bright as the frozen sun that tints the ruddy boys. the House of Lords-Griselda's First Trial," by Mr. Cope, is a most animated and expressive design. "The Sirens,' by Mr. Frost, is a group of certain ladies peculiar to the Royal Academy. Mulready exhibits an academical study of the nude, under the title of "Ladies Bathing." Creswick has, among other exquisite bits, "A Glade in the Forest." Mr. Eastlake's solitary work is an abstract idea of Helena, in All's Well that Ends Well-a beautiful woman, with a tender expression, and an outline so softened that she seems to be melting into mist. Lugano," is a capital piece of Italian marine scene-painting by Stanfield. 66 Leslie has two pictures: a scene from Henry the Eighth, "The King unmasking to Wolsey," and a scene from Don Quixote, "The Chaplain leaving the Duke's Table in a Rage, after failing to convict the Knight of absurdity." "The Breakfast," by Witherington, a rustic group; "Life's Illusions," by Mr. Watts; "Coming of Age," an old English scene of festivity, by Frith; and “ 'The Solitary Pool," by Redgrave; are among the more interesting pic tures. Benjamin West's first effort in art," by E. M. Ward-the boy sketching an infant niece, full of force and character; "A CattlePiece," by Sidney Cooper; "Daniel Defoe and the Manuscript of Robinson Crusoe," by E. M. Ward -the immortal author repulsed by a fashionable bookseller's clerk, while a lady of fashion enjoys the full favour of the trader in his own reception-room. Landseer has five pictures, of various kinds: "The Desert," a barren rocky scene, in which reposes a lion sleeping or dead; The Forester's Family," a woman surrounded by does and fawns, with her little son. The Free Church," three people at their devotions, with dogs (the purpose of the title not being quite clear); "Colley Dogs;" and "An Evening Scene in the Highlands." The principal work in the Sculpture Room is a group of the Graces, by Baily. The treatment of this well-worn subject is especially noticeable for its novelty, the figures being seated; the principal Grace sits on a raised fragment of rock, the other two are seated on the ground, one arm of each embraces her, while one of them offers some flowers to her gaze: it is a very beautiful group. 5. PURSUIT OF THE SIKHSINDIA. The mail from Bombay of the 4th of April brought crowning news from the Punjaub. Our last account left General Gilbert in full pursuit of the remainder of the Sikh army under Chutter Singh towards Attock. He crossed the Jhelum, with a force consisting of some 15,000 men and 40 guns, on the 5th of March, and discovered that the Sikhs were one day's march in advance of him, more numerous than had been thought-16,000 men, with 40 guns, but in a state of disorganization. The pursuit was maintained; Rhotas was not occupied by the enemy, and his flight was continued to the passes in the hills beyond; the messengers coming in with hourly offers to treat. On the 8th, Shere Singh himself came into camp, and endeavoured to secure an advantageous capitulation; but was sent back with a notification that nothing but an unconditional surrender could be accepted. There was division in the Sikh camp, the majority of chiefs being for one final struggle. General Gilbert pressed forward, however, and approached so near as to be in a condition to force an engagement. On the 14th, the Sikhs lost hope: thirteen chiefs came into the British camp and submitted; and immediately after the whole Sikh force halted and laid down its arms. The artillery was immediately secured, and the disarmed men were disbanded: each soldier was allowed to take away his horse, and was given a small sum for subsistence on his way to his own home. The moment the Sikhs were disposed of, the march was resumed, in order to intercept, if possible, the Affghan force which had occupied Attock, but was retiring in consequence of the Sikh defeats. The Indus was approached by forced marches-one of 46 miles with such rapidity that the neighbourhood of Attock was reached in the forenoon of the 17th. General Gilbert and Major Mackeson hurried forward at a gallop, with a small escort, to an eminence near the bridge of boats, and discovered a body of the Affghans in the act of destroying that means of pursuit. sight of the British officers, supposed to be two days' march dis "The |