The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-08-19 00:00:00

ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

EXTRAORDTNARY CLIARGIL—For sofas time past a
reward of £2llO lies been offered by Major Grieg, the
head constable of Liverpool, to any person or persons
who shall give such information as will lead to the con-
viction of persons supposed to bare been guilty of
causing the wilful loss or casting away of shine, offering
also a pardon from Her Majesty for any one who should
make such disclosure. On Wednesday, at the police.
court in that town, Thomas Jamieson, late a ship
captain, was charged before Mr. Raffles with having en-
deavoured to extort money from Mr. George Ruxton.
under the terms of that advertisement. It appeared
that a letter had been sent to Mr. Ruston by the pri-
soner, enclosing a copy of the advertisement above re-
ferred to, and stating that the writer must either have a
settlement, or lie would expose the "joint villany" of
himself and the party addressed. In consequence of
this letter, and another of similar tenons- delivered per-
sonally, the prisoner was given into custody for at-
tempting to extort money by threats. For the defence
it was stated by Mr. Pemberton that ten years ago the
prisoner and Mr. Ruxton purchased a ship named the
Roscoe, which was east away and lost in the Mediter-
ranean by direction or at the suggestion of Mr.
Ruston. Mr. Pemberton said that from the im-
portance of the inquiry, and its great importance to
his client, he must anply for a remand. He also said
be should be prepared to prove that Mr. Ruston did
give instructions for the casting away of the ship ; that
he bad previously directed Insurance to be made on it:
that he had caused invoices to be made of goods which
'were not on board of the ship, and that Mr. Ruston
"sacked" the money, giving none to the prisoner. Mr.
Henry Forshaw, who appeared for the prosecution, said
that even if the alleoations contained in the letter and
in the statement of Mr. Pemberton were true, it would
not be any answer to the present charge, which was
one of attempting to obtain money under a threat.
Jamieson was remanded, and an application to have him
admitted to hail was refused, the magistrato agreeing,
however, to his being detained in custody at the Bride-
well, in order that his aolicitox might have ready access
to him.

A Melancholy death befel an old Thames waterman
on Tuesday. Thomas White, who was 79 years of
age, and had been on the river from his boyhood, was
crushed to death between a barge and a schooner that
was coming up the river opposite Wapping. The old
man was conveying a passenger across the river, when
the schooner caught his boat. The passenger jumped
upon a barge and saved himself, but the poor old man
was net capable of the same exertion, and was crushed
between the two. The coroner's inquest sat on Wed-
nesday. 'and returned a verdict of "Accidental
death."

ESCAPE FROM PRISON AT HUDDERSFIELD. On
Tuesday morning, a very awkward escape from custody
occurred at the gudderefield look-ups. A man named
Sanutel Whitehead had been tried before the magistrates,
on Saturday, on a triple charge of tendering bad money,
and was remanded till the dechion of the Mint
authorities could be obtained in reference to his case.
He was put into a sell by himself to await the result,
but early on Tuesday morning two vagrant prisoners
were put beside him to await the sitting of the magis-
trates at eleven o'clock. When the hour arrived to
take the two latter to court, an officer, named Lee,
went to the cell and brought them out, bet not being
aware that a third prisoner ocoupied the cell, he
omitted to close the door. The result may be antici-
pated. Thp prisoner availed himself of the tempting
chance of escape, and quickly disappeared. No one
noticed his departure, and his absence was not dis-
covered until the officer Lee returned from court with
his two prisoners. On putting them into the cell they
Inquired where their mate was. This led to inquiry
on the part of the officer, who then ascertained the
provoking fact mentioned. Instructions had been
received the game morning front the Mint to prosecute
the prisoner. The police are now on a diligent out-
leek. Police-constable John Hutton was on duty in
the office at the time, but, perceiving the keys of the
cell hung up in their motel place, he never supposed
but that the cell VMS locked, and the prisoner safe,
and consequently kept no special watch upon the batik
yard.
THE ROTDON HALL MURDER.—The six men in
custody, viz, Joßeph Obey, Thomas Stevens, George
A llohin John (lawn (alias" Happy Jack, of Sussex,")John liawkes and Stephen Bargees, were brought up
on Wednesday for final examination before J. Savage,
Fart., at the magistrates' office, Team galling, charged
with night poaching, and the wilful murder of James
Gray, head-gamekeeper' in the service of Major Cooke,
of Boyden Hall, East Peckhain. Mr. Goodwin. of
Maidstone, attended to watch the case on behalf of
Alfred Burr Luck, a prisoner already committed on
the principal charge, but whose trial was postponed
from the last assizes, in order that he might stand his
trial in conjunction with the present prisoners. There
are still two parties concerned in the affray at large,
but there is little doubt of their speedy appapprehension.
The evidence of the accomplice Hawkes, given at the
last examination,. and reported in our columns was reed
over, and the prisoner made the following additional
statement: "1 was Mending next to the prisoner,
Alfred Luck, when he fired at the keeper. Luck wore
billycock hat and a shooting jacket. When Gray
(the deceased) came up tons he said he would kneels
our brains out before we should get away. One of the
men with me said, "Stand back, you or I'll
shoot you." Gray said, 'For God's sake, my good
fellows, don't shoot ; think of the One that's above us.
I don't believe there's a man among you will shoot.'
One of our men said, 'You eint ageing to hit any of
us with that flail, are you?' Gray walked round us,
and the same man said : 'Stand back, you a'int ageing
to handle e'er a one of no I' " 'fhe witness then identi-
fied the lining of a hat, which was found upon the spot
after the affray, as having been worn as a disguise by
the prisoner Stevens. Superintendent Heise said: On
the evening of Sunday, the 27th July, I apprehended
the prisons'', George Allohin. I told him the charge,
enclihe volunteered a statement. Alter being duly
cautioned, he said: "On the evening of the 21st July, I
was at the Magpie beerhoume, in the parish of Past
Mailing, when Alfred Burr Luck, the person now
awaiting his trial, came to ice and asked me to go
with him to East Peckliant. I went out with him, and
at the top of East Melling-street we were joined by
several other men. We all then went to East Peckham
to the preserves of Major Cooke, where we shot four
pheasants. We left the wood and went into the
meadow leading to another wood. We were crossing
the meadow when Gray and some other keepers came
up to us. Gray said, If you men don't stop, I'll
smash some of your brains out.' Gray struck at seine
of us with a flail, and shortly afterwards a gun wasfired, and Gray fell. I don't know who fired the gun."
I subsequently apprehended the other prisoners, and
they were separately confronted with Allchin. They
all admitted having been present at the affray, bat
denied having fired the gun. The prisoners were fully
committed on the charge of night poaching and the
manslaughter of James Gray.
DREADFUL DEATH OF A CHILD THROUGH DEINEINO
HOT WATER.—Mr. Bedford, the coroner for West-
minster, held an inquest on the body of John Cole' aged
three years, at King's. College Hospital on Tuesday,
night, From the evidence it appeared that the deceased
bad • very extraordinary habit of drinking soapy
water, or anything almoet,to allay his thirst, which was
very frequent. At the time of the occurrence which
caused his death, it would seem he went deliberately to
the kettle of Wiling water and drank • quantity from
the spent. He shortly afterwards became so ill that
medical assistance was called in, and eventually he
seemed to be straggling for breath, when he was re-
moved to the hospital. An operation was then per-
formed on the throat, and everything whieb the skill of
the medical officer of the institution could suggest was
done, but the unfortcnate deceased gradually sink and
expired (rein the dreadful internal injuries he hail te-
emed through the scalding hot water. A verdiut of
"Accidental Death" was returned.

A Thsanr:ton TO 1111 CLOTH.—An Inquest was held
on Friday night at Newcastle on the body of the Rev.

William Anderson, who was found drowned in the
Tyne on Thnrsday morning.- From the evidence it
appeared that the deceased bad been staying at the
Charles XII. Inn, Tyne-bridge, whore he arrived on
Friday week. Jl5 had given the name of "Mr. Burns"
to the landlord, who was highly pleased with the
engaging manners and gentlemanly conversation of his
guest. Mr. Borne appeared to have a good stock of
cash, but it would nem that he was rather partial to
the bottle, and was of somewhat irregular habits. On
the Saturday night, while out in Newcastle, he fell
among loose company, and while in twine house in the
neighbourhood, it was thought, of Pudding Chars, he
was robbed if all his money, his watch, end even his
coat and vest. On reaching his inn, he expressed him-
self satisfied that his plunderers had not taken his over-
coat as well, and turned him into the street, hut he
strongly declined to lodge any information with the
police authorities respecting the robbery. The worthy
landlord, to whom Mr. Burns had not yet paid his
reckoning, lent him 15& ; but on the Monday morning
Mr. thorns again appeared at the inn penniless. He re-
presented th 4 lie was respectably connected in Olangow,
and lie read to the hostess a letter which he had indite('
1 to a person in that town, applying for a remittance. In
the course of the Monday morning lie left the inn,
saying he was going to see Mr. Potter. a minister of the
Scotch Church, in Newcastle' with whom he was ac-
quainted. He never came to the inn again. It ap-
peared that a man answering to the description of the
deceased was making inquiries on Tuesday at the river
police-station for a vessel bound for Dieppe, and a note
' was received from him on Wednesday stating that he
had obtained the information wanted. Nothing further
was heard of the writer of this note until about hair-
cut six on the morning of Thursday, when persons on
board the ateaincr Newcastle, coming up the deer, and
when opposite the Mushroom, observed • man ern-
gling in the water and calling for help. A small boat
near lint towfirds him' and as it approached the drown-
ing man called out "fin sharp." At the same time a
lifebuoy was thrown from the steamboat, but, on its
being soon that the sufferer WAS unable to reach it, a
man on the Newcastle jumped overboard with another
buoy, and swain towards the drowning man, whom he
reached at the same time as the people in the small
boat already alluded to. The man was taken into the
beat and put on board the steamer, where means were
used to restore him, but without elect, and by the time
he was conveyed to Mr. Cerra*, Ship Inn, on the Quay,
he was quite dead. It is conjectured that, after •night
of dissipation in the neighbourhood where he was found
in the Tyne, the cleansed had gone down an alley to
the edge of the river to bathe his face, and had falters
in. Since his death it has been ascertained that the
real name of the unfortunate man was William Ander-
son, nod that he was connected with a mercantile firm
in Glasgow. He was educated as a minister of the
Scotch Church, and became acquainted with Mr. Potter
at college; but his irregular habits unfitted him for the
sacred duties of the ministry, and have at last brought
him to a melmoholy death. The jury returned as their
verdict that "Deceased died from the effects of an
immersion in the river Tyne, but under what circum-
stances he came there there was no evidence to show."
TDB MURDER AT COLXI.—At the Lancaster Assizes
on Wednesday, William Moore, • tailor, charged with
the murder of Betty Moore, his wife, by cutting her
throat, at Colne, on Saturday, the sth of April last, was
found guilty, and sentenced to death. The prisoner
received the sentence with great levity.
Ta ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE SEAM DON-
CABTER.—The inquest on William Smith Savage, who
ootninitted suicide at• Cocktail Farm, near Doncaster,
WAN held on Tuesday—the jury returning a verdict of
" Felo-de-se." The young woman, Charlotte Tyne,
whom Savage attempted to murder, remains in a very
dangerous oondition.

The mysteriousimurder near Durham has been partially
investigated, and circumstantial proof of a strong,
although not conclusive, character has been found as to
the guilt of the parties apprehended on suspicion.
Blood was found on some of the clothes worn by (lox.
The inquest was adjourned, and Cox and his wife, as a
matter of COWIN; remained in custody.
SERIOUS POACHING AFFRAY NEAR NOYTINGHAIL
About ten o'clock on Wednesday morning a serious
affray with poachers occurred on the preserves of Lord
Afiddloton, at Wellston, near Nottingham. At the
time above mentioned one of his lordship's keepers was
on duty, and came up with three poachers, armed with
guns, beating for game. The keeper obtained the as-
sistance of another man, and then attempted to capture
the gang. A desperate resistance, however, was offered,
and one of the poachers struck the keeper's assistant a
violent blow on the head with the butt of his gun, and
knocked him down. The assistant and the keeper were
then attacked, and after severely beating them the
poachers got clear away. The men have uot yet been
apprehended, but the police are actively engaged in
pursuit of them._

ATTEMPTED—itf CEDER AND SUICIDE TN NEWCASTLE..
—Early on Monday a woman named Bridget
M'Laughton, the wife of Samuel M'Laughton, a
furniture broker, residing in the Dog Bank, Newcastle-
on-Tyne, cut her husband's throat with a razor, and
then cut her own with the same weapon. The bullhead
has been twice 'carried, the unhappy woman being his
/mooed wife, and she is much younger than her husband.
They had no family. The woman, Dl'Laughten, has
been for a lengthened period of time addicted to intem-
perste habits, and the neighbours also affirm that she
was no worse in that respect than her husband. It
appears that on Sunday night, about nine o'clock,
M'Laughton's wife was standing at the door of her own
house. He asked her to go to bed, when site made some
sort of evasive reply. He was then in bet himself.
She did notgo to bed till about half-past twelve o'clock.
at which time her husband was lying awake. He was
lying on the outside of the bed, and his wife next the
wall—or rather, we should say, his wife was at the side
of the bed, but was not in a recumbent position, She
was on her knees, unnovered by the bed clothes. Her
husband tried to persuade her to lie down and fall
asleep, but she persisted in keeping that strange
position. Ho confessed to • feeling of surprise at her
actions, hut took no steps to compel her to take bee
place by his side. Whatever his cogitations may have
been upon the subject of her strange conduct they do
not appear to have kept him awake, for lie fell
asleep; but a little after 4 o'clock be was aroused
by his wife asking him to got up and get
her a drink of water. He complied, and gave her •
drink, at the same time taking one himself. He then
lay down again, and appears to have immediately fallen
into a slumber, in which he remained till about half-
past 4 o'clock. About that time he was suddenly awoke
by • keen sensation of pain. His horrors may be
imagined on finding his wife bending over him in the
act of cutting his throat with a razor. The razor WM
an old one, which ho was in the habit of using as a
knife in operations connected with his business. To
make it more effective he had taken it out of its proper
handle and stuck it in • piece of wood, fastening it
securely in with twine. It was thus • much more
formidable weapon than it could have been if in its
original state. It generally lay about the house, and
on the Sunday night had been left on the window sill,
near the bed, and within reach of the unfortunate
woman. It is surmised that she must have determined
upon the commission of the crime before retiring to
rest, and for that purpose had taken the razor to bed
with her, to be used upon the first opportunity, or she
had, whilst her husband was asleep, reached over him
to the window, and obtained possession of the murder-
ous weapon. He found his wife on awaking, as already
stated, in the very act of tutting his throat. With the
Instinct of self-preservation lie jumped an, shouting
" Bridget, you are cutting my throat," defending
himself as hest as he could against her frenzied
assault. Before, however, he could offer any
opposition to her, she had succeeded in
cutting his throat abnost from ear to ear, close
under the chin. The blood welled out in torrents,
and saturated his night dress. In the struggle between
them he received a very severe cut upon the right arm,
and another wound of a trifling character upon his left
hand. At last he managed to escape from her, and,
rushing to the door, unfastened it, and ran rapidily up the
street, calling loudly, "Murder I"" Police I" Porta.-
nately it was found that none of the principal arteries
were severed. In the meantime a policeman went to
li'Laughton's house. In the bedroom he discovered Mrs.
M'langhton in the act of cutting her own thrast,
sawing away at it most determinedly. She presented a
horrible appearance, the blood pouring from the deep
wounds she had succeeded in inflicting upon herself.
The officer at once seized her hand, and prevented her
doing any further injury to herself. He only obtained
possession of the razor after • severe struggle, the
unhappy women holding by it in the most determined
manner, but he at last succeeded in wresting it from
her after a considerable exertion of strength. She was
conveyed to the police station, and medical assistance
was procured. Her injuries appeared to have been
much more severe than those she Lad inflicted upon
her husband, but she was conveyed to the Infirmary,
and hopes are entertained that she may recover.