MELBOURNE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 469, 2 May 1857, Page 5

MELBOURNE.

REJECTION OF THE NEW MtNISTEES. P"ublic attention was engrossed by the elections consequent on the change of ministry. So far as the elections had gone they were unfavourable to the new government. Both the two law officers had been beaten by decisive majorities. At St. Kilda, Mi- Fellows, who came for re-election on being appointed Attorney-General in the t>lace of Mr. Sfcawell, was opposed by Mr. Chapman, his successor in' office. , The contest between the chief law officers of the two ministries resulted in favour of that of the foimer by a .majority, of 635 over 490. At Brighton, the new Solicitor-general, Mr. Wood, experienced a still greater defeat, being third of the four candidates. The result, however, was considered .rather to indicate general personal respect for Mr. Ebden, then the unpopularity of iVTr. Wood. At the "Melbourne city election Mr. Service, a decided anti-ministerialist, was elected. Mr. Fosterwas returned without opposition ibr"Williamstown," and Mr. O'Shanassy appeared certain of retaking his seat for Kilmore. At Castleinaine the election between Messrs. Ireland, Pendergrast^ and Sitwell (the new Solicitor-General under Mr. Tlaines), was to come off on the 19th ; ,fehe rumour that Mr. Ireland had taken office under Mr. O'STianassy was thought likely to injure his chance. Mr Heales, one of, the rejected candidates for Melbourne at the general election, —also Mr. M'Dermott, Mr. John Orr, axiA Mr. Brock were to oppose ,Dr. Greeves at East Bourke. There appeared to be no opposition to the return of Mr. Duffy or Mr. Home. The Argus considers the elections as a clear indication of public opinion adverse to the Ministry, The new Ministry sustained another defeat in the rejection of Dr, Greeves, for East Bourke. The polling took place on the 25tli, and the gross total was as follows: —Mr. Heales, 358; Dr. Greeves, 306 ; Mr. Brock, 97 ; Mr. Orr, 9 ; Majority for Mr. Heales over Dr. Greeves, 52. Enthusiastic cheers are said to have been given at Peritridge on the announcement of the result. The following is the Argus comment on the event: —'The defeat of Mr. Greeves in East "Bourke is the climax to Mr. O'Shanassy's misfortunes. It is the fifth contested election that ,has gone against the Government; and the most pregnant with significance of them all. It leaves tbe Premier with his bare legal quota of Ministers having seats, to come within the technical requirements of the Constitution Act; and it leaves him also in possession of this pleasant consciousness to meet Parliament with — that in eveiy solitary instance where the broad general issue of confidence or no confidence has been raised, the judgment of the country has been an adverse one.' The Age thus explains the cause of the defeat—' Bigotry seems to have been actively engaged in behalf of the ' AntiIMinisterial Candidate;' and the result proves that the Catholics are feeble as compared with the Protestants, —a, result which ought to .satisfy both aides that they can safely tolerate 'each other. Being a religious rather than a political contest, no decided political inference can be drawn from it. As it happens, the successful candidate is the more democratic of the two ; but we doubt if his politics formed the ■ground on which he was elected. The result of 'this election will not prevent, the Ministiy from meeting the house, nor will it alter their obligation to do so. Mr. O'Shanassy has but one course to pursue, and that is to carry out the "Constitution. By the operation of that Constitution, a majority of the-* Assembly overthrew the old Ministry and left it to him to form a new one. Upon those twenty-nine rests the responsibility of the future. We have not the least doubt that* the voice of the Assembly will T)e in favour of giving the Ministry that fair trial which was accorded to their predecessors." Mr. G. S. "W. Home, who holds the office of Commissioner of Crown Lands under the new Government, was re-elected for Warrnambool on the 18th instant, without opposition The ' Age' records the distressing fact that cholera and leprosy had broken out amongst the Chinese at the diggings. "Intelligence of a most horrifying character has just reached us from Castlemaine. Asiatic cholera and leprosy have appeared among the Chinese ! Yes, indeed. The positive existence of these terrible maladies has been certified by the Health-Officer of the v District, arid the Town Council held a special;

meeting upon the subject on Wednesday last. It was^ at little Bendigo that the leprosy first fnade its appearance; and, with characteristic selfishness and cunning the Chinese might be seen flying away in hundreds, leaving their hapless doomed comrades to their fate. Of course the authorities will at once take precaution against these fearful plagues. The black, livid cholera is horrible enough ; but one almost forgets its terrors in thinking of the appalling nature of the leprosy, which might spread through the community like wildfire, if not encountered in time." A message by the electric telegraph informs us (' Argus') that a petition is in course of signature by some of the electors of Castlemaine against the return of Mr. Sitwell, on the ground of alleged bribery and treating. A subscription is being raised to meet the expenses of the petition. " A rumour was current in Melbourne that Captain Clarke had been, appointed-Governor of the new colony at Moreton Bay, but was contradiced in the ' Argus ' on the authority of that gentleman. On the same day that the contradiction appeared,' the ' Age,' ignorant of the past, published the following : —" A contemporary announced on Saturday that Captain Clarke is to be the Governor of Moreton Bay. We announced some weeks ago that he was to be. The announcement seemed at the time impossible ; but we had it from a reliable source, and were the more confident, therefore, in making tha statement. This and another arrangement contingent upon' it were diplomatised when Captain Clarke was at Sydnej' a few months ago. Sir W. Denison and the Macarthurs undertook the negotiation with the British Government, and their influence was quite sufficient to obtain that small favour, more especially as his Excellency of Moreton Bay will be a 'sort of suffragan' to Sir W. Denison. The appointment has come very opportunely; for, popular as the young gentleman may be in "some quarters, his character did not stand well in the Assembly; and of all the members of 'the old ministry, he was the least likely ever again to hold office in this 'colony. While courtesy would suggest the usual congratulations in such a case, it may seem ungracious to substitute criticism for compliment; but our duty to the'public compels us to remain inexorable to the last." From the following paragraph from the ' Argus ' it appears that the practice of " sticking up " is being revived in the suburbs of Melbourne." " Prahran is becoming a rendezvous for some of that class of ruffians, which, when it gets into trouble, appears to commend itself specially to the sj'mpathies of the citizens' committee. Several of the houses in that neighbourhood have recently been either broken into or attempted ; and on Tuesday night still more daring outrage was perpetrated. Two men, in the employ of Mr. Foster and Captain Pasley, were returning'home along Gardiner's Creek-road about eleven o'clock, when tliey 'were accosted just by the little bridge which cro'ssess the Tea Tree, by two scoundrels, who asked the road to the Punt. Before an answer could be given, they were both struck with heavy weapons. Captain Pasley *s man was stunned by a ferocious blow on the jaw, which felled him to the jyround, and Mr. Foster's man received such a blow on the arm, which broke, we understand, one of the smaller bones. "Neither of the men had any property worth stealing, and the robbers made off into the adjacent tea tree. It is time for the Prahran police to be on the alert, and if the good people of that neighbourhood looked up their revolvers it would not be amiss."" We have been shown, says the ' Argus.' a sample of colonial raisins, prepared from this year's grapes, by Mr. Prior, of Maclarcn Vale. The grapes selected are the Muscat, of Alexandria, and the clusters of raisins made from them are really of a very superior description. Their only faults consisted in their not buing sufficiently dried and. pressed. Mr. Prior, however, professes himself able to fulfil these two desiderata; mid should he succeed, ho will certainly have the merit of producing a most excellent and marketable article.

THE dONVICT OUTBItE Alt AT WILLIAMSTOWN, i ..The 'Melbourne Argus' of the 27th ultimo gives the : following particulars of .this diaboli-; cal onti'ajie :— '■.'., ';'■.-. "•:.'-.., m , ;Yesterday afternoon, about three .o'clock, one of the 'most daring attemps' to "obtain" their lib-'

erfcy was made by the convicts' of the penal hulk Success. For some time the greatest" insubordination has existed among the men known as the ' long sentence' men,' and the patience'of the wardens had been sorely tried. ' When insubordinate, the felons have dared their custodians to punish them, and have been in the hahit of' throwing out the taunt that the eyes of the' Citizens' Committee were upon them. ' ' Owing to some complaints on the score of provisions, Mr. Price, the inspector of Penal establishments, visited the hulks yesterday, and inspected the prisoners on the neck of land on whish they are employed during the day While discussing their grievances with this Success men, who were working heavily ironed, in a gang by themselves, he was suddenly set upon and knocked down by a blow from a shove! (some of the wardens say by a stone in the first instance), and was immediately surrounded and attacked on every side, the convicts jumping upon him and pelting him with stones. A' 3 roiing man named Wilson, who' rushed to Iris assistance, was similarly treated, and' their cowardly assailants then commenced knocking1 off their irons with a view to escape, and rushed towards the town of WilliamstowiC leaving Mr. Price and Wilson apparently dead'on the spot.' The ease with which some of the irons were knocked off indicated the possession by the con-, victs of tools adapted to the work. The whole of the irons were cleared in an incredibly short space of time, and about thirty of _ the most daring ruffians made several rushes with a view to break the guard which surrounded them. The prisoners belonging to the other hulks were drafted off by their warders in separate groups, and the insubordinate kept well separated from the main body. In the meantime Mr. Price had been removed on a shutter in a state of perfect insensibility. Wilson was able to walk with assistance, to a spot out of the reach of his assailants, and he was subsequently conveyed home. Mr. Price is dangerously wounded but the number of contnsions about his head and body prevented the extent of his wounds being accurately arrived at by his medical advisers. rThe warders and keepers acted with th<* greatest forbearance throughout, and although urged by the inhabitants to attack the desperadoes they preservedan excellent discipline. The convicts evinced the greatest determination to escape, and in the face of their guards they deliberately took off their clothes, turned them inside out* put them on again, and stood in a compact mass prepared for a rush: Fortunately no boats were within reach. For about an hour and a half the ruffians and "their guards stood face to face, neither party appearing willing to commence operations ; but as the warders, the'police, and the sailors from the Victoria steam sloop, who acted admirably under the command of their officer, began to disclose their lull strength, the prisoners retreted towards some heaps of shingle and ballast near the point, and the warders were enablkl to parley with them. They ultimately, but with frequent stoppages, during which violent £?«>«- 'tioulations occurred among them.were conduct', d U!i-ironed down the stone pier towards the hulks. , . .... The greatest excitement prevailed at William - stown, the entire body of the inhabitants' turning out to assist the authorities! For somo i time past the insubordination has been increas.-------1 ing (m board the hulk, and a great many papeis ! r-ontaining the report of the. Citizens' Commit- [ tee hdve been found on' "the convicts. How ! these men obtained possession of the pamphlets in such large numbers is not known. It i» 1 evident that the morbid sympathy which h.-.s been shown by some towards these _ unhapp\ criminals has had the effect of rendering fluMp rebellious in the extreme, and the duties of tho 'warders not only irksome but dangerous. ; Mr. Price was conveyed to the residence'of i Dr. John Wilkins, the medical offi -sr to fly hulks, where every attention was shown ; but it was of little avail. He rallieJ slightly after -being put to bed, but sank again and died tl.o next day, about ten minutes past four o'clock p.m. A coroner's inquest sat on the body on Monday, 30th March, and was adjourned to Wednesday, the Ist April. The whole of tho evidence is published in the 'Argus ' of the>:n<^ instant, and fully proves' the perpi?trt>frrs of thi* dreadful murder to be convicts of the worsL description. Dr. Wilkins, in his evidence,sintes: I made a more careful examination of hhn there,' having removed the hair. He did hot

rally at all at first. I found the following wounds over his head. One an inch-ahd-half long over the right ear, another two inches and half just above that, one also on the left side about two inches long,, one half-an-inch long a, little above that again; there was another on the back of the head an inch long. The whole of them extended to the bone. There was a small cut on the right ear. They all seemed to have been inflicted with stones, as they were much jagged. The wounds over the right ear ( seemed to have been done with a shovel, as their edges were not, jagged at all. r There .was a tumour also on the back of the neck as if it were done by a stone. There was a contusion and abrasion on the left cheek and discolouration of the eye. There was a punctured wound on the joint of the left elbow which allowed the' sinovia to escape. This had been done by the narrow end of a stone, or the point of an hoop, iron. There were contusions and lacerations on the forearm on the same. There were several contusions and lacerations on the left shoulder, abrasions and contusions on the left knee and' leg, and small contusions on the right thigh. His right middle finger was crushed. I attended him but'he gradually sank. I made a post mortem examination, and found an extensive clot of blood, on the base of the skull on,the right side. On the left side was a smaller clot. Underneath these clots ran an extendve fracture, pa-sihg through the petrous portion of the temperal bone, through the body of the spheroid into the petrous portion of the right temporal bone. The whole base'of the skull was fractured right across from one ear to another. The arch of the malar bone was extensively fractured. It was uncommonly shattered, the brain was considerably lacerated. I have seen some stones with blood on them. They would be likely to produce such wounds. - TheVracture of the cheek would be effected "by a large flat stone or the back "of a y "shovel. /The cause of death was the fracture of the base of the skull, and effusion on the brain." Williamstown, April 1, 1857. The jury, having been locked up for one hour and Ibrfcy-five minutes, at 7.22 returned a verdict of Wilful Mubder against the following convicts : —Thomas Malony, No. 8,882 ; Henry Smith, ],794; Thomas Williams, ,No. 538"; Eichard Jones, No.-2^25; Francis Brana°-an, No. 2,326: John Young, No. 2359; John Williams, No, 1,041 ; Henry Smith. A To. 1,222; Eichard Bryan, No. 582 ; "William Jones,' No. 2,333 ; William Brown, No. 764; James Anderson, No. 2,244.; John Chisley, No. 296: James Kelly, No. 1,491.; Daniel Donavan, No. 2,169 ; and reserved for the opinion of the opinion of the Attorney-General, John Edwards,' No. 259. and James Burns, to-which the subjoined lider was added:—Af.er carefully reviewing the evidence brought before them,"-the jury cannot but express their' opinion that one cause at least of the unfortunate occurrence has been the misplace 1 sympathy exhibited by a portion of the publ c, which has by some means become known to tlie prisoners ; and they conclude that the guard had not been sufficiently strong at the time to cheeky the rising spirit of insubordination shown to exist amongst the prisoners shr-e the trial of William Melville, in November last. _ They also beg to express their approbation of the conduct of the officers and warders of the different hulks, and also of the alacrity displayed by the military and naval forces in rendering assistance and protection to the inhabiUnts of this district when the unfortunate affair took place. And the above is the opinion of the jurors, with the exception of Messrs. .Perry and Clave, who consider it uncalled for. The Utest accounts state that the excitement connected with tb^e .fatal tragedy at Williamstown still continued. Active precautions were being taken to prevent a rush on the part of the prisoners, who wore in a state of thorough i n _ subordination. ' ° The • Argus ' of Tuesday states—" Williamstown has been all day in a state of continual excitement. The convicts have not been allowed to hnd since the occurrence, and, under the impression that they are sympathised with oniside, are,in a condition of complete inBubordination. On board' the President and the Success, the officers dare not go between dc-"!;s, and rwo have sent in their resignation?,. Four hundred pounds of ball-cartridge were served out to ihe volunteers, and the shore guard and police were kept under arms. The prisoners lriva threatened to make a general rush, and the consequences of their attempt

may .be easily , foreseen. The police ship has her guns turned on the Success, and the Victory is ready to act at an instant's warning. The conduct of the prisoners on board the President all the day has been most alarming, and about two o'clock, although a double guard was on board, the signal was made for more assistance. A party of volunteers and police hastened to the spot, but up to the time we left no disturbance occurred. It is impossible to overrate the danger if, a general rush be made, when the only alternative would be to fire into one or more of the hulks, and sink them at their moorings. . Just before five o'clock, in consequence of instructions received, the steam sloop Victoria laid herself alongside the President with her steam up. A detachment of the 40th came down, under the command of Lieutenant Bolton. They were accompanied by Colonel Neill, and Captain Boyd, Assistant Military Secretary. Very considerable apprehension was entertained of a serious affray. , Monday night, 11, 40. p.m. The Victoria is anchored alongside the President hulk. Her guns are shotted, and all preparations made. No later insubordination has appeared than that already reported. We quote from the same journal of Wednesday:— ' The very stringent measures which- it was evident the Government was prepared to adopt to prevent, at any sacrifice, the escape of the convicts, or the murder of their warders, has had some good effect—not a lasting one, we i fear, as the conduct of those on the President still renders it evident that on" the removal of the force by which they are overawed they will be as bad as ever. 'So much are these men under the strong idea that there is a strong tide of public sympathy running in their favour, that they actually cheered as they saw through the. port holes the arrival qf the military on Tuesday evening. The necessity for the prompt conduct and determined attitude assumed by the authorities may be judged of when we state the fact that at eleven a.m. on Tuesday the men on the President had, by united, force, so far loosened their doors that the warders were hastily ordered on deck and the hatches secured, as it seemed impossible otherwise to prevent their escape. The arrival of the Victoria alongside the President, and the evident preparations made, had a little effect; and perhaps that and the physical inability to sustain longer the yells, efforts, and curses they had made during the day, procured the warders and military a quieter night than was expected. Yesterday morning the tumult recommenced, and efforts were made to break clown the doors, but not in the united and preconcerted manner formerly adopted. It is now known that " six bells,"or eleven a.m., on Tuesday, was the hour fixed for the rush, and with a proper precaution " six bells" was never struck by the deck sentry. - The state of insubordination in which the meri'are may be imagined from the following circumstance, which occurred at noon yesterday, the dinner-time of .the prisoners. The lowerdeck warder was giving to each man in his cell his allowance, unlocking their doors of course only one at a tim*. One of the prisoners took his allowance of soup—a pint'—and when his cell was re-locked said " Open the door for a moment, serjeant." The warder complied, and instantly received the scalding liquid in his face. This was perhaps too much for the man's patience, and, using the constable's truncheon he carried, he felled his assailant, who received so severe a scalp wound that medical assistance had to be sent for. We understand that the injured man is in no danger. It may seem strange to those not acquainted with the mode of life of these men, that any one of them should wantonly sacrifice a part of his, rations to effect a purposeless injury. These convicts, however, receive the same allowance of rations as the troops. Their daily allowance of meat is 1 lb, bread 1 \h, potatoes I ft, besides soup, gruel, &c This is probably more meat than they can dispose of, for we find that the convicts save it, and use it for breakfast and supper—an arrangement never interfered with by tiie warders. The hulk President, it may be well to state, never sends a gang, ashore ; the men are confined m separate cells, and are put to no employment whatever. 'Ihey are allowed the use of books. Those sent on board this hulk are generally considered beyond reasonable hope of reclamation—long sentenced men—old convicts

with minds far more callous than the hands "with which their iniquities 'have been perpetrated. They are allowed daily exercise on the deck— chained in twos—but never quit the vessel unless for, removal elsewhere. , „, The hulk Success is appropriated to shortersentenced men, or long-sentenced men from the President. who , have shown reliable signs of reformation and contrition. In such cases it is not deemed advisable to enforce the extreme discipline,and the men are consequently removed to the Success. Melville was, in consequence of his apparent contrition, removed to the Success; the bad result in his case, however, should by no means cause the experiment to be discontinued. It is to be hoped that all are not Melvilles, although there,are many of the genus in the President. The hulks Sacramento, Leander, and Deborah are for far less culpable offenders. These are short sentenced men ; and hence their refusal to join the Success crew of murderers. The Deborah has at this moment only a ship-keeper on board. A communication has been effected between the prisoners by means of transfers from one hulk to another, arid it is greatly to be feared that the recent outbreak was planned in thig way. However this may be'—and there is little question of the truth of it—we have to announce the startling fact, that the murder of Mr 'Price was premeditated and planned. This is now beyond all question, as the statement of one of the prisoners reveals even the intended' mode of death. Mr. Price was to be hanged ! ' At the upper end of the tramway, and far' removed from the Point,is a tent'secured by lashing to heavy ship's spars. This is the place where the convicts take shelter from the weather. In front of this are two cross poles, and above a small flagstaff, with common signal halyards. The use of the flag is to signal to the Success when the gang need water. This flag, which was flying when Mr. Price landed, was lowered when he came. This circumstance, not remarked at the time in the midst of more exciting affairs, is now explained by one of the prisoners, as we are informed, by a warder. The cross spars were to have furnished a gibbet, and the rope intended for use was indicated, and is now in possession' of the police. Had we'any reason to doubt this dreadful story, it should not find a place in these particulars. We believe that the inquest this morning will show the truth of it. 1". In front of the tent remain the irons of the prisoners as they removed them. Some'of them have been ' ovalled,' i.e. knocked by a heavy hammer from a circular to an oval form, so as to enable them to slip over the heel. A large piece ofbluestone and a long sledge-hammer were the implements employed. Some of 'the heavier irons, namely, with three quarter-inch iron bar, are broken. A close examination shows no marks of what is termed the * cold chisel' (an instrument use for cutting iron). The fracture is perfect and unmistakeable, and how such a solid ring could be broken without causing the fracture of the limb it encircled, is a problem not yet explained, and iu:ompreheiii sible to all who have seen them. In consequence of the quantity of missing clothing, a watjr-hoie about 11 ft. deep h jar the spot where the murder was committed, was yesterday searched. Mr. Watts, the chief officer of the works himself used the diving dress and went down, No clothing was discovered, but there were found at the bottom several heavy hammers, picks, wedges, and boring rods —all implements in use at the time of the murder. None of them appear to have been used for any violent purpose, but seem to have been thrown into the water in mere wantonness. A very singular circumstance which was yesterday brought to our notice seems, worthy of being mentioned here. The Willianistown cemetery is within a few yards tof the tramway, and in it, facing the tramway, and distinctly visible from it, is a tall flat gravestone, very neatly cut, and bearing the following inscription '• — '■ In memory of Owen Owens, aged twentythree years, who was killed by the prisoners when in the performance of his duty as boatman warder in the penal department, on the 22nd Oct,, 1856." • This stone and the inscription were cut by the prisoners themselves, as a memorial of the deceased man, and a part of the gang actually concerned in the affair worked on it. The two men, King and Farrcll, both longsentenced men, who were found in the cave,

were it seems placed there to facilitate their escape, and thus to enable the rest to load them with the blame of the murder. This is stated by a prisoner. If this be true, as no doubt it is —for the men , could only have been concealed by the rest of the'gang—the premeditation of the murder is beyond a doubt. The Victoria still lies alongside the President and the police hulk is close to her : the latter vessel mounts very heavy artillery. The guns are, we are informed* to be at once placed in in position in the new, battery, en barbette to the rear of the large one, which could easily command the whole tram way. Thebattery willbeseparated from the tramway by a complete and insuperable division. An uneasy feeling still exists in the public minds at Williamstown, but we hope the convicts, convinced of the hopeless nature of their attempt; will soon cease their present excited conduct..; The remainder of the thirty-three prisoners who rushed on Mr. Price, twenty-two in number, were .ordered ,to be ' transferred to the President hulk yesterday. Dr. Greeves, Mr. Duffy, Mr. Home, and Mr. Poster visited the spot during the day, and carefully examined every trace of the murder. Many others, attracted by curiosity, also viewed the spot;-'';1---;-'' s: ■--■■''■' ■!'<■-■ v? :-".'v-/■ -■ r'^ ■'■ ■—■'•■