The Week.

adopted , and a deputation appointed to present it to the Premier . At the Central Criminal Court James Murphy was tried on a charge of attempting to murder Mary Ann Jennings in Covent Garden . The prisoner was found guilty , and sentenced to penal servitude for twenty years . An inquest was held on the body of the man Flanagan , who was alleged to have been murdered on the 23 rd ult . in Lisson Grove . The medical

evidence showed that death had been caused by congestion of the brain consequent upon a wound , which must have been produced by some sharp instrument . The man Jones , who is suspected of having caused Flanagan's death , has absconded . There was an affray with poachers near Norwood Hill last week . Humphrey . Haylor , gamekeeper to Mr . Randle , came

upon some men who were in search of game and seized one of them . Another fellow threatened to shoot the gamekeeper if lie did not release his prisoner , and , as he refused to do so , shot hira dead . —•—The proceedings connected with the sale of an English girl of fourteen to the Chief of Bhatwa , in India , are of a very gross and shameful character . The girl ' s parents

received the sum of £ 300 , and the girl herself , it is said , was induced to abjure her own faith and turn Mahommedan . The conduct of the British agent is called in question by the Delhi Gazette , and certainly , if he lent any countenance to the transfiction , the Bombay Government would do well to address him sharply on the subject . The Fenians have done the boldest

thing yet recorded in the history of their movements . Stephens , "the Head Centre , " whose original capture occasioned an infinite amount of trouble , has escaped from Richmond Bridewell , Dublin . When his prison cell was opened , it was found to be empty . The bird had flown . How he escaped we are not yet informed . Probably he had the assistance of confederates within the prison . On Sunday r . ight two ships

of war put to sea from Queenstown in pursuit , as is alleged , of the fugitive Head Centre . Byrne , the warder , wdio is said to have aided in Stephens's escape , underwent a preliminary examination on Saturday evening last , but tbe evidence against him was of a very superficial character . The trial of Dr . Hunter took place at the Central Criminal Court on Friday

Nov . 2-1-th . Mrs . Merrick , the prosecutrix , detailed the particulars of the assault which she alleged the prisoner had committed upon her while she was under the influence of some narcotic . She was subjected to a severe cross-examination by Serjeant Ballantine . Her mother and brothe r were also examined for the prosecution . For the defence no witnesses

were called , and the jury returned a verdict of not guilty—a verdict which was received with loud applause in court . A very disgraceful wise was heard in the Divorce Court last week . A Mr . Broadwood was the plaintiff , and Mrs . Broadwood and the Duke of St . Albans the respondent and co-respondent . The adultery was clearly proved , but it was also shown that Mr .

Broadwood was now living in adultery with some woman , and that he had had the shamelessness to bring her with him to the court . The judge commented on the fact , and refused to pronounce the decree nisi , but dismissed the case with costs against the respondent , making no order whatever as to the Duke of St . Albans . Mr . Payne

held an inquest on Thursday night , Nov . 23 rd , on the body of a poor labouring man named Nbrmanby , who was killed during the late storm by the fall of a plank from the railway station in Cannon-street . The jury returned a verdict of accidental death . Five men are in custody charged with the murder of Humphrey Haylor , the gamekeeper , in Surrey . One of them , named Flint , has confessed that he was present when the murder was committed , and that it was a man named Sheet who shot the deceased , without any provocation whatever . Tho

men have been remanded for further examination . —¦—A frightful railway accident happened at AVigan on Saturday evening last . A Lancashire and Yorkshire train from Manchester was entering Wigan when it came in collision with a waggon which was being shunted . The carriages of the passenger train were thrown off the line and smashed . One gentleman was killed , and several others were seriously hurt . The intended

betrothal of the Princess Helena to Prince Christian of Augustenburg , a brother of the unfortunate duke whose claims to the Duchies of Sehleswig-Hol-te . n have made his name so prominent of late years , is announced . It is understood that the marriage will be one of affection , and that , as the Prince had neither country nor subjects to claim bis attention , tbe royal couple

will permanently reside in England . The Queen is naturally anxious to have some of her children always near her ; and this new alliance will not be less acceptable to the English people , because Prince Christian is a prince without a principality . On Monday a fire destroyed the premises of Messrs . Price and Gosnell , manufacturing perfumers , in

Lombardstreet . At one time it was feared that some of the banking houses in the neighbourhood would be involved in the conflagration . Happily , however , that was prevented . Damage to the extent of several thousand pounds was done . Tbe Fenian trials do not progress very rapidly . On Tuesday morninga long time was occupied in getting ajury

sworn . Then Mr . But sought in vain to have the trials postponed . At half-past twelve the Attorney-General began to open his case for the Crown ancl occupied the rest of the day . As yet nothing has been heard of Stephens . In tbe Second Court of Queen ' s Bench on Tuesday an action was tried which gives us some insight into the last election for Bodmin . It will be remembered that Lord Ranelagh and Mr . Heritage issued

addresses offering themselves as candidates for the borough . They also put £ 600 at tbe disposal of Mr . Tucker , the secretary ofthe London and South Staffordshire Bank , who sent a Mr . Snell down to Bodmin to canvas for Lord Ranelagh and Mr . Heritage . Snell had £ 350 paid over to him by Mr . Tucker , and he brought an action to recover the balance of the £ 500 which he said hacl

been deposited with Mr . Tucker for his advantage . The Judge held , however , that the persons , if any , who ought to have been sued were Lord Ranelagh and Mr . Heritage . The plaintiff was therefore nonsuited . The Queen will open Parliament in person . There will be , however , a slight modification of the old ceremonial . The five men charged with the murder of a

gamekeeper in Ricket AA ood , Surrey , on the 21 st inst ., were placed at the bar of the Town-hall , Reigate , on AVednesday last . A statement made by one of the prisoners , George Flint , was read , in which he declares that the gamekeeper was shot by another of the prisoners named Skeet . At the conclusion of the evidence , Skeet stated that the keeper bad rushed out upon

him , seized tbe gun , which was cocked and loaded , and , in the act of snatching it from him , had discharged it . The five prisoners were severally committed for trial on a charge of wilful murder , At an adjourned inquiry held on the 30 th ult . into the death of John Flanagan , who is supposed to have been murdered in Lissou-grove , mi additional witness was Ellen

Jones , wife of the man who is suspected of having murdered Flanagan . She deposed to an altercation having taken place on the night in question between Jones and Flanagan . Jones , who has absconded , has not yet been apprehended . FoKEiG-r IjfiEirLiGEXCE . —It is said that negotiations for a treaty of commerce between Spain aud Italy will be commenced immediately at Madrid . Spain seems altogether to have enough on her hands just now . The French merchants are memorialisins their Government to take steps to put a stop