The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-09-24 00:00:00

TfIE PRESTON TRAGEDY.

On Wednesday Patrick M'Caffery. • private in
the 32nd Regiment, was brought before Dr.
Broughton, at the House of Correction. Preston, for
ecamination relative to the charge preferred
against him of murdering Colonel Crofton and Captain
Benham, of Fulwood Barracks. The evidence given at
the inquest on the previous dgy was repeated. Tha
klovring additional evidence was also adduced
Dr. Donald. of the 11th Depot Battalion said.—
Saturday morning, a little after eleven o'clock, whilst
returning from the hospital to the barracks, I noticed
stir iii thestuare. I went round to theoMcer's quartets,
when I hoard that both Colonel Crofton mai Captain
Benham had been shot. I saw Captain Benham.
He was wounded by a bullet. The bell bad
passed through the fleshy part elf his left arm, then
struck the covering of the chest, fracturing one of the
ribs, next descended backwards, and finally ascended
and lodged in the spine, near the sixth dorsal bone.
Having made the egatuination. I, along with Dr. Clarke.
extracted the bullet. The ball had to be literally ex-
cavated from the bone. From widit I then saw I con-
sidered Captain Benham in a dangerana state. He
died on Monday forenoon front the °Beate date wound
—from the shock the nervous system had sustained.
After extracting the ball from Captain Benham, I pro-
ceectied to Colonel Crofton. H. was wounded through
the right long. The ball had entered obliquely about
the centre of the breast bone ; it then passed in • direct
course through the right lung and emerged just below
and external to the right nipple. He died on Sunday
night front the effects of the wound he had received.
Seth Ellis, • private in the 32nd R. alumni, deposed—
On Saturday morning, about half.put eleven o'clock, I
was in toy room, No. 3. K passage. at the barracks. I
heard the report of a rifle, and ran down stain, and
saw the prisouer in the intamige. Some ODIP had taken
his rifle front him. Sergeant Stoedley ran down stain
after rite; and, in allusion to the report of the ride, said
" Who's done their The prisoner replied "I did it."
On going across the square of the barracks with the
prisoner to the guard-room, be turned his head to me
and said, " I could not do it with the first cap, and I
put • seeond on." When in the guard-room, sons* one
said he had shut the colonel. The prisoner then said,
"It doe. not matter so much ; I did nut intend to shoo,
the colonel, but the captain."
This concluded the evidence, and the prisoner was
fully committed for trial on the charge of wilfully
murdering Colonel Crofton and Captain Haalum.
The body of Colonel Crofton was conveyed on Tues-
day afternoon to the railway station re eerie to Lea-
mington, where Sir Morgan Cnlton, father of the de-
ceased reside., and where the interment will take place.
The mournful cavalcade left Fulwood Barracks shortly
before 5 o'clock, but long before that hour %Lomas& of
persons lined the way front the barracke to the railway
station. The whole of the shops in Church-street and
Fiaheregate, through which the processioa had to pass,
weie closed out of revert to the deceased and sympathy
with bus friend. OD their sad bereavement. Every
ome4r bolveiron crowded with ~...istors,
and the demeanour of the vast crowd wag remarkably
orderly. The funeral prooessiou left the barracks in
the following order :—Detachusents of the fostL, 41st,
10th, 20th, and 32nd Regiin• iit , with 'rine reversed.
Then came the band 1 the 3rd Royal Lancashire
Militia, with drums 1111 l Med. playiug the ' Dead March
in Haul.' Immediately following was the corpse, en-
closed in three coffins, borne on • gun carriage drawn
by tee black horses fonder., the homes being att. nded
on each side by three Dragoons facetted. The ouMn
was shrouded in the reginn:ntal colours, and upon it
were placed the sword, belt, sash, and shako of the de-
ceased. The pall bearers were Col. Wilson Patten,
M.P., Aide-de-Camp ; Camel') Clarke, 29th Regiment
'•
Captain Barlow, 10th Regiment; Captain Meet,
Major Cresith, Captain Kneebone, 29th Regiment ;
Captain Smythe, and Mr. T. B. Addison. Immediately
after the carpet came the Culonere charger, fully coin.
parisoned, led by his groom. Across the saddle bow
were slung the boots, spurs, and pistols of the deceased
the boat being reversed. Then followed the other
officers of the Depot Battalion sod of the 13th Light
Dragoons, in the order of seniority, junior. Bret, each
wearitig • crape band on the arm and • crape sada over
the breast; also Dr. Hammond, Dr. Clarke, Dr.
I Domed, Captain Wilkins, barraekmaster • Adjutant
, Lake, 3rd Royal Lancashire Militia ; ;tee. R. C.
Stanley, chaplain to the barracks ; Major Goodair and
theoflicersef the
.11th Lancashire Rine Volunteen •

Major Sirchall and the officers of the 21s1 Lancashire
Artillery Volunteers; the etaff of the 3rd Royal
Lancashire Militia, • fatigue party of eoldiers of the
Depid, and the 11th Light Dragoons on foot. The fol-
lowing inscription was on the outer coffin, which was of
oak—'• Colonel Hugh Denis Crofton, eldest son of Sir
Moman George Crofton, Bert. Died Sept. UM, 1861,
aged 47." Just as the be of of the cavalcade reached
the House of Correction, above which floated • Jack
half-mast high, the jury returned into the inquest
room, and the foreman was in the act of delivering
their verdict. when the strains of the band ,playing
"the Dead March in Saul" were borne in by the wind
through the open windows of the court. Most of the
spectators present were greatly affected, but the
soner displayed no emotion, simply turn
d,ing with •
m half
smile upon the warder who had him dy. Further
to show the callous nature of the man. we may state
that, near the close of the inquest on Meade'', when
the prisoner had been standing three hours, he was
asked by the warder if he would .it down. He sullenly
anterend "11l cand," and declined to accept any
accommodation. Nearly two hours were occupied in
the march from the barracks to the elation, a little
more than • mile. On reaching the station the proem-
!don passed through the west entrance, and the corpse
was placed in the guard's van. Al the station several
of the officers expressed Vieir gratification at the
' marks of respect which had been paid by the inhabi-
tants of Preston to the memory of the deceased.
Captain Bluett, on behalf of the officers of the depot,
thanked liajon,,Coodair and Mitchell for the attend-
ance of the Rifle and Artillery Volunteers. The preces-
sion returned to the &weeks after depositing the
corpse in the van, marching in quick time. The corpse
left Preston by the 10 45 p.ni. train on Tuesday night,
and was interred on Wednesday at LealuirirOon. Until
the departure of the train • guard of honour remained
in charge of the van. The remains of Captain Bankuun
were escorted to the station in the afternoon, and for-
warded for interment in the family vault at Wituberne.
Donotabire. Cohmail Crofton was the eland sun sad
heir of Sir Morgan George Crofton, Bart., of Mobill-
house in the county of Leitrim, • branch of the house
of Crofton. Baron Crofton in the Irish Peeress. Be
married in 1849 teorgi sna Lucy, daughter of the Hen.
Peter de Blaquiere, by whom he leaves • family of
three children. the eldest of whom is in the eighth year
of hie age. The deceased had served in the army for
upwarde of 26 yeses, in active service. Mrs. Crofton is
iiow in Preston, hut confined to her bed in consequence
of the shock the awful tragedy has occasioned her.

But few Incident/ bare ever transpired that will tend
more to cheapeti both Silk and Tea than the opening el
the new port of Hankou in the haul of China, for it
affords, without any trantoshipment, a direct commu-
nication Motu the hest as producing districts, to tho
Docks in London, entirely obviating the old difficulty
aml cost of long portersges, and miens' transit over
500 miles inland to Shanghie. Iforriassas .k Co. have
not been slow in taking advantage of this privilege, as
their Tea inspectors now not only select the parcels
which have undergone we sophistication, but also gee
the tea on ship board close to the place of production.
Horniumn's Pure Tees are of the itheieest growths,
and the mane description as the Black and Omen sorts
u‘nally wild, but without the usual toluiah or intensely
'lack facing. Their Green is of • 'tetanal olive 6re, Doi
bluish. Sold in. Packets, and by Authorised Assets
only, as advertised in this paper.
Hedi iglu STEM. A romantic occurrence has
furnished • fund of conversation to the gossips of Can-
terbury durimr the peat few days. It appears that •
young Greek. studying at Lb. MissionarY College of
St. Augustisie, veal smitten with the charms of • yams
lady residing at a village near the eastern boundary et
Canterbury. Obedient to the laws of f.Xpid and
Hymen, and in defiance of rule monastic. the &deem.
titrous !Libationary privately married the object of his
affections. The awful secret of mune soon transpired,
au4 the culprit was banished from the celibetanian
establishment. Cussideratiorui of prudence had nut
been consulted by the enamoured pair, and something
very like pecuniary destitution at once fell epos diem,
'so that they have been compelled to the humble and
ill-said employment of Imp-picking, and they Mai b.
sun daily plying with great and laudable industry Mess
new vomtion in the grounds of • neighbouring Pisster•
Love, it seems, rules the college aa well as the smut and
' tamp, and we can only hope that in due time its course
will run smooth with the young Greek anti tit WI
"0" Mr a Ws *dew vvigstint Ow"