The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-01-13 00:00:00

THE WAY OF DEATH.

FRIGHTFUL DRAI/L—On Wednesday Mr. Payne,
coroner, held an inquiry at Bt. Bartholomew'. Hospital
respecting the death of Ataxy Scannell, aged 16. Mrs.
Tweeland, 20, Bartholomew-close, said that last
Thursday deceased was engaged in removing the
Christmas decorations from over the umutlepiese. A
branch of holly fell Inside tbe fender and blazed up,
setting fire to her crinoline, which was extended by
means of steel hoops. The hoops prevented her gather.
ing her clothes together, and her efforts to eztinguish
the flames only caused them to burn more fiercely. In
her terror she ran downstairs into the yard, where
several persona, attracted by her shriek*, came to lair
assistance. Mr. Humphreys, house surgeon, said that
the deceased was brought to the hospital on a shutter,
still burning. Her injuries were fearful, her body
being completely charred, except where the stays
afforded a slight protection. The corotter basing
summed up, the jury returned • verdict "That de.
oeued teas burnt to death by misfortune."
MURDRR AT TENISCRT.—The year 1863 is only • few
days old, but there has been a murder or attempt to
murder recorded for every day since the year came in.
Some of these mimes are of • particularly atrocious
(diameter, arid most of them have arisen not from prt.
vete malice or a thirst for revenge, but from • desire
for plunder, or from motive, which are still wone.
There is the case of Mrs. Robinson, who residee at the
Whitehouse, Cainham. near Tenbury. On Friday
Mr. Robinson heppened to be from home, and during
his absence • stranger preeented himself at the door,
soliciting alms. Mrs. Robinson relined to give him
so mueh a* be desired, and the ruffian. having Ras.
fevered that only herself and children were in the
house, drew • knife, and, the lady offering resistance,
he nearly levered her right arm from her body, The
aconndrel then robbed the bottle. _ .

CHILD MORDILII SCAR BODNIN.-011 Saturday Cathe-
rine Tregonning was examined in the gaol at Mods
min, before Mr. W. Pascoe, county magistrate, on •
charge arising oat of the following clreismstences.
prisoner had been • servant with Mr. Retsllack, of
Woodley Sarin, for about fire months, and on Monday,
the 15th of I/bomber, she complained of being unwell,
but did her work as usual, and went to bed about ten
o'clock. She did not get up again until ThursdAy.
merning,, aedi op Pfra Rettallack examining her bed
room, she found the dead body of • male infant in
prisoner's boo. A felloweervani, who slept in the
same room, was not disturbed during the night, but in
the morning of Thursday prisoner asked her to take
down • blanket and put it in water. When told by
her master, in the presence of hia wife, what had taken
place, prisoner began to cry, end begged her muter not
to say anything about it. On examining the body it
it was found that a stay lace had been drawn
tightly round the neck, and tied. The body was handed
by the police to Mr. Couch, surgeon, *he, having
examined the body, was of opinion that the infakt
had breathed, although het would not undertake to
say it had had an independent existence, and he was of
opinion that the string around the neck was sufficient to
produce death. The magistrates committed the prisoner
for trial.

.......
MURDER AT NEITCASii.t.—r&Ely in the morning of
New Year's Day • Mrs. Dooherty, wife of a tailor re-
siding at Neweastle, was seized in the public atrect,
aud dragged by the hair of the head and one arm be-
hind the old Town Wall, where she was shockingly
abused, and the ruffian who ill-treated her afterwards
knocked out her front teeth and left her • corpse on
the spot whert .he had been im brutally used. Mrs.
Docherty had been drinking f?eelyci the old year was
puslog away, and it would appear from the repor• of
the inquest that kho was in a state of intoxication when
she was attacked ; this, however, does not make the
crime of the ruffian less horrible. There had been no
quarrel, and up to the moment when the attack was
wilds Litt victim end the assailant were unacquainted.
It is thia sort of rfririniartt -high Jim moat difficult to
guard againiit--the ruffianism which attacks soddenly,
and girl.. its victi,n no posiible chance of prepeiraMon
for defence.

MURDER NEAR WIG AN. —A bartarous murder ha* been
perpetrated in the neighbourhood of Wigan. On Friday
evening a men named Barton CATO upon the night
shift, as morsel, lila duty being to attend to three fires,
and keep the client at work at a small colliery called
the Arley Mine. The min was left by his eon and
fellow workmen in good health and spirits. About
three o'clock on Seterday mornind pony driver in the
pit came to his wink as usual, an foand the area nearly
out, and the engine stopped. looked eeetywhere
for the fireman, but withnut result. The son of the
missing man was sent for, and the search prosecuted in
all directions, but hp mix not found. The poixds in the
rieinsee of the colliery were dragged, but they con-
teined him not, end eventually the pollee were sent for,
and an official search instituted, which Insetted in the
discovery of • quantity of blood beneath one of the
furnaces. On the door platts of the furnace, and in
the boiler bocce, there were traces of blood, and these
liorribie signs suggested the thought that the man had
been murdered and Ida body thrown lob the furnace.
Farther search s 6 oared that the thought mu • correct one.
tin the ashes of the (grease being raked out and pat
through a sieve,they yielded th 6 manias of beret hurnan
bones, a few buttons, a buckle, two double teeth, and a
fele "sparrablea:' The latter were found at the further
end of the furnace. and the teeth near the door, indicat-
ing that the body bad been pushed into the fire feet
foremost. A crowbar, with blood upon It, was found
in the cabin in which Barton sat, and this, no donbt,
was the instrument with which the crime was com-
mitted. We have not beard that the murderess have
Ildcapturerl, although the police were on the alert.
Intents' contereporsre, in referring to the crime. t
1
says i—" There appears to be some desib. whether the
coroner canthold an inquest, as no one can say that the
banes found in the furnace are those of Barton ; and
there hi no body of which the jury can ' have the view.'
Barton was known to wear. seed round his neck, and
had frequently been seen to take thi. off when he
entered the cabin We have referred to. The scarf appears
to have been thrown on the fire in the cabin, as • small
piece ft-con one end has been found on the floor, burned
at elle ride. Horrible as is the atoty we have hurriedly
written, we bake Yet si more hotrible oonfecture to add.
The direct way from the cabin to the furnace is tlitough
• email doorway, half • dozen yards away, and across
• plank unto the boilers, the descent to the are hole
being then by a light of steps. It is probable
that the murderers threw Barton down into
tie Ire hole from the Sufi fdAt mentioned, and, unless
they fell after him. It is certainly poesible that he was
then alive and was living when put into the ferule%
as finger marks have been noticed on the begrimed wall
of the boiler house near this spot and other indications
that a living penes) bad fallen from this platform.
Moan's tie Ariontega.—At the secluded village of
Pencarnisiom nine miles from Holyhead, a lamentable
murder has just followed number of the same nature
Which resulted in the execution of the murderer—it
appears that a inen named Howland Owen, • member
of the Anglesea County Militia. was seen by • pollee
constable crossing a field with e grin andet his arm.
His straw gait and suspicious appearance tsresed the
police officer to walk up to hiru to make artstin in.
unities. luitead of the usual courteousneas, however,
Rowland Ogren pat himself into an attitude, and
pointed the bore of his Zeal,' weapon at the police
officer, remarking at the same time thsa. jf the latter
tenrosched hi,, within ten yards ho would shoot him.
The officer withdrew, but atill kept his eye on Rowland
Owen. Strange as thia appears, the same evening
(Saturday) at ten o'clock he went into • tailor's house,
and, without any apology, walked upstairs, pushing
himself through • small hole to • confined attic, where
he remained "alone with his glory" until 'midnight.
The family felt t little anxious about their unexpected
and uninvited guest, and culling a friend of theirs and
of their lodger, desired him (Hugh Jones) to assist them
in getting Rowland Owen out of their bowie, it being
so late. He declined to move. Haigh Jones then,
contrary to the wishes of the family, went up to
Rowland Owen, and direetly the report of a gun wale
hefted. Hugh. Jones came down and immediately fell
dead on thei floor, having been shot through the heart
by Rowland Owen. At the inquest held on Monday,
it was proved that Rowland Owen and Hugh Jona.
were particular friends, and the prisoner stated that he
had no ill.feeling towards the unfortunate deceased
person, and that the trigger was but accidentally pulled
by him.—The jury, however, returned • verdict of
Wilful murder, and Rowland Owen was removed to
Flesionsaria Owl, to await the spring aseizes.—Moreiep
&or.
SHOCKING MURDER IS LDIRBURGH.—A horrible
case of murder occurred in Frederick-street, Edinburgh,
on Tuesday afternoon, and, aa frequently happen.,
the only witness of the commission of the earful crime
was the perpetator.—James Patterson. • working
Jeweller, residing in No. 5, St. James's-square, called
at the shop of Mr. Alexander Milne, jeweller and
manufacturer of hair ornaments. No. 31, Frederick
-
street, on Tuesday fotenoon, for the purpose of handing
over to Mr. Milne a piece of work which he had been
employed by him to execute. When Paterson entered
the ahop lie found Milne alone, It in suppesed that
some ootitroversy had arisen regarding the price to be
paid for the work, in the course of which Milne had
lost a metrol of himself, seised a two-edged dirk
which was lying neat him, and stabbed Paterson. The
thrust must have been given with great violence, as
the blade penetrated his heart. The unfortunate mom
instantly fled from hi. assailant, and bursting into the
adjoining shop, which is occupied by Mr. Forrester,
baker, threw himself on • seat opposite the counter.
The wounded man was carried to the back room of Mr.
Forrester's shop, where he was placed on • sofa. The
result of the wound here became painfully apparent,
for the flow of blood reduced the unfortunate man so
rapidly that in ten minutes after hie entrance into the
shoo he expired. The police surgeon shortly after
arrived, but of course the case was beyond remedy by
medical skill. Dr. Littlejohn, however, sensed the
body to be wrapped up and removed to the police
office on a stretcher, and at the seine time the polioe
entered Milne's shop and charged him with the 50..-
Manion of the crime, which he at onee admitted. A
osb was then called, and Milne was removed to the
police office. Although the immediate cause of the
dispute which resulted in the death of the young man
cannot be definitely explained, it is necessary, though
painful to state, that his assailant, besides being
generally addicted to driok, has been in • continual
state of intoxication since about Christmas, and his ez.
citable and irrational conduct since that period has
been the subject of conversation among the neighbour.
during the past week. One circumstance which renders
the ease still more saddening is the fact that the
deoeased and hiu exultant were intimate friends and
companions, and no later than last week they spent an
evening together in vritneesing one of the pantomimes.
Milne, the accused, who is an Irishman. by birth, is
warned, and has three children; his victim was 28
years of age, and unmarried.

A remarkable proof of the popularity of Mr. and Mrs.
Kean is Dublin, says • hater from that city, was
afforded on Monday night in the crowded attendanoe in
the round room of the Rotund., which is sitinistsd to
contain about 3,000 persons, to witness their last per.
forwent* in Ireland for two years. The entertainmenta
consisted of the reading of Shakspeare's " King John,"
end soma detached pieces by Macaulay and other poets.
Mr. and Mrs. Kean were listened to with breatbbes
attention. While either was speaking a pin could have
been beard to drop, and at the clone of the entertain-
ment they were enthusiastically applauded.
A abort time since • man at &whitey was admitted
to bail by the Stafford magistrates for murdering One
of his children. He has now nude a murderous attack
am mother, whkh died.. Tuesday. The ntegielretekl
I did pot admit him to bell the eetwod thus