The Express.
London, England, 1863-04-07 00:00:00

THE GREAT INUNDATIONS IN THE FENS.

A trial commenoed at the Norwich &wizen on
Wednesday last, and terminated yesterday, which involves
the question of responsibility as to the above inundations.
It was an action brought by Mr. Cox, against Mr. Wise,
clerk to the Mid-Level Drainage Commission, for negligeoce
in not making and maintaining the outlet sluice of the Mid.
level, by reason of which the tidal waters broke through
and ran over the sluice, &c., and submerged the plaintiff's
lands. _

---
Yr. Keane, Mr. D. &owe*, and Mr. Phew were for the
plaintiff ; Sir Fitzroy Kelly, Q. 0., Mr. O'Malley, Q. 0.,
Mr. Metcalfe, and Yr. Newton appeared for the defendant.

Yesterday Chief Justice Erie put it to the jury, first,
was damage caused to the plaintiff by the absence of des
can and skill on the part of the defendant in making tie
alnico; secondly, in maintaining the sluice; thirdly, to
providing remedies against mischief after the sluice was
destroyed ; and, fourthly, by reason that so paddle clay
wall was made along each aide of the basks of the aut.
_ _ .

A verdict was ;attuned for the defendant on the first
issue, and for the plaintiff or the bat three bones ; vir-
tually a verdict for the plaintiff.

BANK OP ENGLAND.-(THIS DAY)

This morning a general court of the governor and
directors of the Bank of England was held in the beak
parlour, Threadeeeille-street, for the purpose of electing •
governor and deputy governor for the ensuing year ; Mr.
Alfred Latham, theoveroor, presiding.
Oaly one or two votes were formally recorded in favour
of Mr. Kirkman Daniel Hodgson. M.P. for the borough of
Bridpert, so governor, and for Mr. Henry Lancelot /folioed
as deputy governor. By the regulations of the bank, the
balloting box must be kept open until 4 o'clock, at which
hour those gentlemen will be declared governor and deputy
governor respectively for the ensuing year. The new
governor is • nemehaat in London, sad 00Millko04111,
the Public Works Lose Ofllee.

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDES IN A FAMILY AT
An inquiry was held by Mr. John Humphreys,
Middlesex oorooer, at the Lord Truro Tavern, Debbie, last
night, respecting the death of Mr. Thomas Shirley,n=
ayears, a wealthy tradesman, who committed suicide
nriirtraordinary eircumitmem
Sarah Shirley said that deceased had for a number
of years carried ea business as grocer, at Kingsland-greie.
He was latterly much depressed because the edema= lime
of the North London Railway was to be carried through his
premises, and the amount of compensation which the oom-
pany were to allow him for turning him out of his house be
considered altogether insufficient. Theoompany offered oaly
aw, compensation, and he found it useless to resist, and
assented ; bat the agreement had not been signed. Be-
tween 10 and U o'clock last Thursday be spoke to whose,
and passed through the shop upstaus. He was very de-
@poodles that morning. Directly afterwards from what her
moo-in-law told her she went upstairs, and found deceased
lying in a pool of blood on the landing. His throat was ant,
and he held a Joffe in his hand. He was conveyed forthwith
to the German Hospital, where he died in about an hour.
He had bees is no peonatary difficulties.
By the Cormier—Witness win deceased's third wife. He
bad children by his two former wives. Two of the children
by the second wife had committed =icicle, and inquests bad
been held upon them. One of them, the sou, had de-
stroyed himself and the young person to whom he was
engaged to be married. The daughter threw herself into
the river Lea and wee drowsed. There was no particular
reason for her doing so. There were two children living
with deemed at the time of his suicide. They were about
34 and 35 years old.
Mr. Frederick Shirley said that his father was much
afflicted when he found he was about to be turned out of
doors by the railway company after be had been so many
years is the place. He expected much larger compensation
than the company would give. It was hopeless to go to law
with the company, asd he would have had to take anything
they offered rather than risk the expense of law proceedings.
The loss of his see and daughter depressed him at the time
very seriously. Neither of them had speed with the pre-
sent Mrs. Shirley. On Thursday last 'WHIMS heard the
blood trickling down upon the landing, and upon undies
upstairs deceased was found with his throat cut. The
spring always named to have operated in a peculiar manlier
on desired, and made him more nervous._

be. J. fl'itche, home Burgeon to the German Hospital,
mid that deceased was brought in with • very deep wound
in the throat, from the effects of which he died almost
immediately.
The Coroner said that the case was in some respects a
very remarkable one. The deceased's son bad stated that
the spring appeared to have a peculiar influence on datiseeed,
and it was certainly curious that last spring he (the *ironer)
had to hold invests upon some of kw children, who
had also committed suicide. The son that desiroyed
himself was going to be married, bat the match was
disapproved of at home, especially by Mn. Shirley, and
upon his going to his father's house with the young
woman upon one occasim, the reception he got was ma
that he took his intended to a coffee-Amp in the City-road,
and poisoned her aad himself with cyanide of potassium.
Wbeu be (the coroner) viewed the bodias they were still
looked in one another's arms. The daughter filled bar
pockets with stones and leapt into the river Lea, apparently
from domestic unhappiness. The deceased and his two un-
fortunate children appeared to have been subject to an ea-
tniordinary liability to depremion, resulting in 'MAW
mania. _ _

The jury returned • verdict of "Suicide while of unsound

FATAL PUGILISTIC ENCOUNTI2I. Yesterday a
man about 20 years old, 5 feet 9 kitbag high, was
to Me London Hospital, at 10 o'clock in the morning,
marks of violence on hie head, fees and body, and in a dying
state. He expired half an hour afterwards. Two eerie
named William Sergeant, of No. 8, Wallace-road, White.'
Hacimey Wick, and George, of Green-street,
thansa;:greee, who brought the deceased to the hospital,
said they did not bow hie name or address, but that he bad
been fighting that morning with another man in a field in''
Bow. The deceased was insensible on the termination of
the fight, and his antagonist absconded. The deceased was
dressed in a soad-coloured coat, black cloth trowsen, white
shirt, and white stockinp.
FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT ON THR GREAT EASTIRN
RAILWAT.—By a passing train on flaturday morning it wee
discovered that a most horrible accident bad taken place
at the Stanated statioe, near Bishop Stretford, as the re-
mains of a human body were perceived to be mattered about
the line in all directions, and to collect which it became
absolutely necessary to use a broom. IJpon inquiries being
instituted, the unfortunate creature was discovered to be
the night signalman at the Stansted station, named George
Clark, who was about 40 years of age, and who is sup-
posed to have met with his untimely death by the op-mail
train, although there is not the slightest elm as to how it
did occur. The poor fellow was a particularly well-behaved
and steady man, and a native of Bieber, 'ftorttord, and,
we regret to add that be leaves a wife sad a large family
of young children. The coroner for Eras will hold an in-
quest on the body today.
Tim ACCIDENT To AN EIPREAS TRAIN.—A large
number of workmen were employed during the whole of
Sunday in removing the wreck oaaisteeed by the accident
at Little Bythaea, 00 the Great Northern Railway. The
two wounded passenger% Mr. sad Mrs. Fletcher, were pro-
gressing favourably. It has been ascertained that the ea.
Foe-driver, Charles Clarke, had two of his ribs fractured.
The speed of the train at the time of the accident is alleged
to have been nearly 60 miles an hour, so that it appears
perfectly skissonlees bow the passengers should have
escaped. This frightful occurrence was sot without its
ludicrous incident. Owe of the paseeugers was extricated
from a shattered carriage without haviog•enstained the
slightest personal injury ; but, although he had just escaped
from the very jaws of death, he could not be pacified be-
cause the railway dictate could not And his pipe among the
rains.

GREAT Flat ox THI YOILSIIII3 Worn'.—At
noon, on Sunday, the town of Mahon was alined by the
tolling of the are bells. The fire brigade was some to-
gether, and mime and foot horns ware despatched t• •
Lmvaning. 041 the Weida, nine miles distant, where
Antalya fire waa raging on the farmstead el Mrs. M. Simp-
son. The an was caused by a spark from • flak whwit wr
blown by the high wind—almost a gale—into the ad-
joining building, and fanned Into • tattoos lame. Buildings,
corn, and other propene Were totally beret, bat a serer-
anoi: erne made enter torn the bee" end the vied was
fortuasesly right lee lapwing the ire away tree the Mack&
The play is on a weld sernmit, whbeist Waif • tharefere
the ire was very Mama to waladne, and the damage is
heavy, but covered by Maumee in thcOonety Odhae.