The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-10-14 00:00:00

THE WAY OF DEATH.

THE CONVICT CATHERINE WILSON.—The Sheriffs
have fixed Monday, the 20th inst., for the execution
of Catherine Wilson, sentenced to death for the murder
of Maria Soames. The execution will take place at the
Old Bailey. _ _

THE LATE FATAL FIGHT IN CARLISLE. —On Monday
afternoon an adjourned inquest was held at Carlisle on
the body of Cleotge Sinclair, Who died on the previous
Monday night, after a fight with another young man
named James Callum, The fight lasted an hour and
twenty minutes, at the end of which time Sinclair was
picked up insensible, carried to the Dispensary, and
died shortly afterwards. A post martens examination
was made by Dr. Jones and Mr. Teinperley, who found
several bruises about the head) neck, and face, and who
attributed death to a lodgment of extravasated blood
between the outer and inner membranes of the brain.
The jury returned a verdict of 'Manslaughter" against
Callum, and also against John Cockey and Nioholas
Brown, his seconds. The three prisoners were then
committed for trial, but liberated on bail.

....
DROWNED IN WINE.—On Thursday morning the
body of George Elliott, late carman in the employment
of Messrs. Bannister and Co., Britith wine distillers,
Finsbury, was found by his fellow-workmen floating in
the wine contained in one of the steep vats on the pre.
mises: Froth the elevettid positiciA of the vat, it is
supposed that the deceased could not have fallen in by
accident.

ESCAPE FROM A LUNATIC ASTIATit AND SUICIDE
OF Ties LUNATIC.—On Wednesday, Mr. H. Raffles
Walthew, deputy-coroner for East Middlesex, held an
inquest at the Grove Hall Asylum, Bow, respecting
the d.eatli of Mr, Benjamin Ward, aged 40, a lunatic
gentleman, who having mode his escape from that
asylum and been recaptured, committed suicide. Ac-
cording to the evidence of John Hill, an attendant,
ayheceased had been All inmate of the gentleman's ward
e time. He spoke quite rationally. On Thurs-
d ev ning he made hie escape from the drawing-room
sating himself through a narrow ventilating
aperture in the window. He dropped down into the
garden, and then went over the lofty wall which sur-
rounded the building. He got clear off, though he was
at once missed and an alarm raised. Next morning he
was observed by a barber who was employed in the
asylum passing along the Mile End Road and the
barber, knowing him spoke tit him; apparenily dircont
doting him A gdod deal, and then entered into conver-
sation with him, and brought him back to the asylum.
He was given into the charge of witness, who amused
him the best way he could, and for that purpose took
bun into the garden. He there said that after he had
escaped over the wall he determined to throw his ir-
suers out of reckoning by walking to Woodford, w itch
was abotit seven miles itt an opposite direction to Lon-
don, and thus avoid the road they would be almost sure
to suppose he had taken. When he got to Woodford
lie took lodgings, where he spent the night. The next
morning, howeVer, he Considered that if he could get
into London he should be more likely to escape notice,
and he accordingly set out early to enter it unobserved,
and he ahould have succeeded perfectly only for the
accident of Gilbert, the barber, spying him from his
shop as he was passing one mm-ning. He said that he
had set his heart on accomplishing his escape. Shortly
after this conversation witness turned his back for a
moment, and directly afterwards missed the deceased.
Supposing he had again tried to escape witness had the
grounds searched, but without avail. rpm the house
being searched; however; lie ivail found hanging to the
cornice of his bedetead by a hew rope, which he must
hate bought while in Woodford. The body was warm,
but life was quite extinct, and all remedies proved
without avail. Dr. Alonzo Stocker, medical superin-
tendent of the asylum, said that deceased had been led
to make his escape by a vision that told him that his
wife was deed. The coroner remarked that it ought to
be rendered impossible for any lunatic to commit silicide
in an asylum. Dr. Stocker said that if pretaittions of
An extreme 'rind were carried out, the place would par-
take of such a prison-like aspect that the curative
treatment of the patients would become impossible.
There were one or two hundred patients in the estab-
lishinent who had been admitted as suicidal, but the
cheerful. unrestraining system had such an influence on
them that the prosent was only the setond instance of
suicide that had been accomplished. The jury returned
a verdict of "Suicide while of unsound mind."

•
ArrinfrrED MORDER.—Abont ten o'clock on Satur-
day night a most diabolical and deliberate attempt at
murder was made by a man named Wilkinson, an ex-
member of the Hull police force, hie intended victim
being a young
.married woman named Emma Barber.

.....
It appears that for some months past the unfortunate
woman, *hose hitsband is at. atia„and *hoot return is
shortly eipected, had been cohabiting with Wilitinaoh.
A week or two ago, however, a quarrel having arisen
between them, she determined to leave him. On
Saturday evening be found out her whereabouts, and
went to the house with a view of inducing her to live
with him. She me:A positively refused, wheg, he drew
forth a large clasp knife and threatened to "do 7 for her.
A lodger, however; interfered, and lie put the knife in
his pocket. Doting thie altercation the woman made
her escape. The villain, however, met her about half-
an-hour afterwards, and renewed his request for her
again to live with him. Fearing that be meant to do
her an injury she consented to do so, when he placed
one of his arms round her as if in reconciliation, and
with the other inflicted a severe wound In the back.
Such Wan the for of the blow that the point of the
knife was broken by corning in contact with the back:
bone; He then relied his hind to deal a senond blow,
when the unfortunate *mail pit tip her hand to ward
it of!. The knife, however, penetrated the left side
just above the heart, inflicting a wound of about two
inches. Surgical aid was at once procured, and the
poor woman conveyed home. The prisoner was appre-
hended in a few minutes, brought up at the Hull
police court on Monday, and formally remanded for
eight days, as the proseentria was in a very precarious
condition.

A sportsman, in the neighbourhood of the wood of
Clairmaras (Somme,) shot a few days ago an unusually
large raven, having round one of its legs a small iron
ring, on which were engraved the words, "Born at
Courtrai, in 1772." This fact is a confirmation of the
opinion of certain naturalists, that ravens live for •
century and ne.warphe
" YxB4eniiitl Ilxitfiotk's Ofigai which has
taken such a time to complete, was at last finished and
at work. As a sample of English clockwork on a large
scale, the works of this are probably the finest
finished that have ever been aesti in thie country. No
chrononieter could be fitted With more perfect or care-
fully adjusted Mechanism. The must curlew fast con-
fleeted with this clock is that in addition to the four
dials over the case, it also moves the great dial over
the entrance to the Cromwell Road, which is 300 feet
distant, and 00 feet above the works themselves.
Altogether this is the most important specimen of
English clockwork in the building."—Times, 11th June,
1862, article on the International Exhibition. In the
manufacture of the above clock new steam machinery
was brought into action, and the very great accuracy
and truth with which every part is made is in great
measure attributable to this fact. The same machinery
is employed by J. M. Benson in the manufacture
of his turret and house clocks, and thus the
expense of manufacture is considerably reduced,
so that he is enabled to supply these article
at much lower prices than usually charged.
Another advantage is the greater truth and
precision which aro attained by this means than when
the pieces are cast or cut by hand. He produces not
only the large and elaborately finished church or
cathedral cloak at 2,000 guineas, but also the simpler
but almost equally accurate timepiece for the village
church or school at 15 guineas. A reference to his
catalogue will supply the reader with mush interesting
information regarding the rise and progress of the art
of clock-making,and of the various descriptions of time
keepers now made. It Als o contains a full list of prices
of clocks suitable for drawing and dining rooms, the
library, the hall, staircase, office, or counting-housez
' with the more elaborate and expensive musical atlfi
chime clocks, and the highly finished timepieces tor
railways, postrofficep, &c., Lie, It on be had gratis on
' application, at it will be sent poatfree by enolosing 2
stamps to J. W. Benson, 33 and, 34, Ludgate Hill,
dop , Eatabilahad IN%

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

PHBASANT SHOOTING (Continued.)—No. 9.

Some of the best sporisnien, we know, never shoot
pheasants but with spaniels ; they hold that any other
dog used in this sport is bad taste, or out of place.
However this may be, some spaniels certainly seem as
if they were particularly introduced into the world to
perfect the smut of pheasant shooting. Remember
what we say about this matter, eoncerning the dog to
be used. Spaniels are not all spaniels, because they are
liver and white, with curly or crisp hair, end long ears.
The true dog for pheasant, or oock shooting, (we-will
have such a chatter with you, reader, about the latter
before long) cannot be too strong, too short upon the
leg, or have too much courage. The thickness, the
denseness of the coverts will oppose, and sometimes
almost overpower, even this combination of form and
spirit. It is not absolutely required that spaniels should
literally answer the terms of an advertisement seen the
othet day,the insertet of which insists,as a sine qua non
qualiflcatiori, that these unfortunate animals" must
know their namee, and be able to bear confinement."
We wonder if the advertiser knew his real name, and
if he could philosophically "bear" confinement, par-
ticularly "if a brace." To know his name is decidedly
necessary in a dog, and in naming him the consonants
should be looked after in order to give the tongue
power of tone. Never [name aught but a lap dog
"Drown." Who could give" Drown" emphasis? and
yet it
"Dash,"
B
" may be whispered with stinging troth ; but
Bang," " Shot," Nic., are words that can be
heard a mile a-head, for the Vowels are
choked out of the aspirate. A dog ought
always to be made to return to " heel"
when called by name. Nothing without discipline in
the field. Should th4coverts be very extensive, when
epaulets are steady from hares, you cannot well have
too many of them ; but if given to hunt hares they dis-
turb the pheasants. Ilse them for 'driving," and when
you are satisned yeti have gut your birds pretty well
together in that certain corner of the covert they are
prone to ruti to, theriltake up the dogs, and let a steady
couple of beatersi do the rest of the ground work.
About spaniels—iiporl no account accept or keep a
spaniel which has any taint of the hound in Ids pedi-
gree, although for generations back. They will be sure
to hunt wool in preference to feathers, and the stock
may be crossed everlastingly, may attain beauty,
, strength, and symmetry, yet this latent spark of the
' harrier will never be extinguished. We have known
men shoot pheasants to terriers, and we have seen
, them point them as steadily as pointers could. There
is an advantnge in this, for the wiry-coated Sort of
, terrier can penetrate the thickest covert with alacrity,
which is; as *e know, in many instanoes, a very great
acquisition In a dog. 'We are satisfied /theta this that
the pluck and natural vaninirdity diameter of the
terrier admirably adapts him for this sport. The
keenness, too, of his scenting powers, points to him as
an "adjunct" if your object is to kill, but then "the
look" of the thing. ' Neighbours' eyed" are in our
way. Keen-nosed, plucky little dog, we cannot avail
ourselves of thee. We well recollect one afternoon
quail shooting on the coast of Africa some ten years
ago. A friend, with ourselves, passed over a heavy
I range tit Motintains to enjoy this sport, and it is most
charming shooting, we assure you: The quail in its
native haunts is a "dear" little bird, naturally crino-
lined in flesh and fat. A couple of them for dinnetand
you can't go much further (unless you are one of those
pleasant fellows who think a goose a foolish bird, too
large for one man, and not enough for two.) However,
we had splendid sport, but what we wish to tell you
about it is this. We had a brace of steady old pointers
with us. A beagle had accompanied us, English bred,
tan and black, a keen-nosed little urchin for rabbits as
you ever saw. At first we abided him to heel as well
as We could, then we soon found he was of great use in
hunting out a wounded bird. Presently- lie got embol-
dened. We saw him ranging alongside the pointers,
then adiend of them, then they would take up his line.
He would stand, leg bent, head over his shoulders, and
the old dogs would back him ; he would be between
them, his stem feathered, playing. This was the
"warning." Then there would be a spring, a second,
and if the bird did not take wing he was sure to retrieve
them alive, or at least one of them. The whole affair
was so impudent, it wail AO great a novelty,
(for this was all self-learnt on the , beagle's
part). We were so far from "neighbours' eyes" that we
encouraged the little hero, and very often used him to
our advantage when the pointers were worth nothing.
Thus may the small insignificances of this "mundane"
earth confound the wisdom and pride of the strong and
the vain. Some men when they go alone for pheasant
shooting usually shoot with a steady old pointer, having
a bell to his collar. We know a certain pot shot
that shoots with thp old pointer without the
bell, and "pooketil" a cock bitd occasionally.
Of course we all know such geniuses, but few can guess
the tale we could tell about the old pointer and the cock
pheasant. We use littleness in shooting more than in
any other pastime or sport. We own to a love for the
spaniel in pheasant shooting—the springing spaniel
too, although pheasants are full apt to run before him.
It is, however, so enlivening a cry rung in our ears, and
particularly so when the Resembled guns are numerous
enough to take different stations in a large cover, that,
with the stirring effect of expectation,the thrilling round
of a "Whim" rind the joyous exclamation of
We should pity the phlegia of him who could not give
the chance of a bird, more or less, to be thus excited.
We can perfectly understand why the ardent sports-
man daily seeks for excitement both for body and
mind, but we have got to learn how the destruction of
twenty, thirty, or forty members of so beautiful
portion of the feathered creation, can constitute the
happiness of any one, however extensive are his pre-
serves, and hoWever Well stocked they may be with
birds. Mail chacun d sou gone. In wet Weather
pheasants take to thick hedgerows, furze, plantations,
and young woods, and where the setter or minter might
stand unseen, until his own and his master's patience
were exhausted. Beaters are best at such times or good
rabbit dogs, spaniels, or beagles. We need not hint to
the well practiced pheasant shooter, that the situa-
tions we have just noted are the most likely plaoes to
find pheasants sifter a wet night or two, as they aapear
to be annoyed, or out of joint, With the droppings- from
the leaVes of trees over their heads, where each drop
falls almost with the emphasis of a atone. In pheasant
shooting a party should assemble early, and they should
first scour the stubbles of wheat, barley, and bean fields,
for the birds that escaped from thence would take to
the neighbouring coverts; whereas those in the'coverts,
when driven from thence, might not be polite enough
to wait in the open field for their enemy's visit. A foggy
day is not unfavourable to pheasant shooting. The
birds then stray abroad and rise to considerable
distances. Nevertheless we have always observed that
on suoh days pheasants are doubly alert with their
tats, tionsemiently it fequireS great care to eircumyent
them. A pointer at such a time, withttit the bell, is
the best aid. Still if you value the strict discipline of
your pointers, never enter a wood without a good
retriever at "heel." A bird being killed or wounded
your pointers come to "heel" instantly; your retriever
is "bled out" and finds your bird ; he returns, and
places it in your band. Everyone enacting their parts in
the dtama in this methodical way, you feel the pleasure
Which thrills through the breast of eyery one Whe haft
done his "work" in a "workmanlike" manner.