The Express.
London, England, 1863-09-07 00:00:00

DEATH UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES
IN MANCHESTER.

The body of a man named Thomas Alloock was
found about mid-day, yesterday, under very singular and
enegadons circumstances. The deceased was 67 years of
age, of vary quiet and regular habits. He had lived aloe*
for some time, in a cellar in Bank-street. Lass-street,
Great Aticcats-Brest, and at the time of his death was
receiving relief. He was men for the last time about half-
wit seven on Saturday evening, standing at his door.
About half-past two yesterday afternoon, his sister,
Ellen Bomber, Dean-street, A ncoats, went to the cellar
to see him. The dose was partially open. On entering
the cellar she found the deceased lying in bed, dead, with
five or six circular marks on his forehead, as if the flesh
bed been pinched out or cut out with a knife. Informa-
tion wee gives to the polies, and the assistant to Mr.
Barlow, surgeon, was adled in to examine the body. It
was mush discoloured about the back and sh3uldens, but
the surgeon was unable to discover the cause of death.
There was a little blood in the bed from the wounds on
the forehead, but there was DOOB about the MG=
The furniture, what little there was, was undisturbed, and
the clothes did not appear to have been touched. The only
articles that could have been nadas weapons were a shovel
and a mallet, but neither appear to have been used, sad no
sound of say struggle or cit 7 win heard in the house above.
No motive can be discovered for the murder, if it be coo The
own was hams to be very poor, and he has never been seen
to quarrel with anyone. A sixpence was found is a cup-
board In the well, and a halfpenny in Mechem He is behevri
to have been subject to fits, and it is suggested that be might
have died in a fit, and that the peculiar wounds no the fore-
heed may hays been mad* by rats, with which the pleas is
infested. Up to 12 o'clock lest night no further discovery
had been me&, sad it is probable that nothing more will be
elicited till the inquest, which is to be held this morniog.—
Mancheater Cialan dies.

FORT:STIRS AT TER CHTITAL PALACIL (THIN
Dar.)—The annual fete in aid of the Widow and Orphan
Food belonging to the South London and Greenwich dis-
tricts of the Ancient Order of Foresters was held this day
at the Cmlii Palace, and was exteosively patronised.
There was an absence of that block and crush at
the stations common to the " Great Forestal? Dey "
in August, but the trains were well filled as test as
they could run with safety. A large number also pro-
ceeded by road. At halt-pest one a " grand procession"
wee fanned in the crowds, which, though lacking the
sambas taking part in it cool the " great day," still pre-
anted • very respectable and pleasing sight, evidently
gratifying both to thou who took part in it and those who
whammed it. At the conclusion of the procession the
company dispersed about the grounds and building to take
part in the various amusement& and games provided for
their entertaiameat. Amongst the special attractions was
• display of the great fountains, the performance of mili-
tary bands, an archery fete, Ice. The weather during the
momig wee fine and clear.
A TOWN IN WANT OF WATER. —During the
whole summer Belfast bee been suffering front a deficiency
I of water, that now amounts to &downright soandty: Belfast
is, or rather was, supplied from three reservoirs, in which
the water, on the Ist of this mouth, stood at an average of
200 inches below the proper level, and on Thursday evening
two of them were completely empty. The supply for menu-
faetutiog purposes has been stopped and the inhabitants are
obliged to be very economical in the use of the limited
quantity available for domestic requirement& The results
are somewhat alarming. Respectable citizens, noted far neat-
er"' of attire, are restricted to the bebdoma tat clean shirt
that oboe, according to an Irish authority for duelling pur-
poneaentitied any non to be termed& gentleman. Teetotallers
—hut they ore sot munaroue in the north—have been
driven to the frightful alternative of quenching their thirst
with potations of Bam ; sod nervous old ladies shrink with
terror from their panting canine favourites. There is very
little prospect of relief. A gentleman named Cirdwood
has, indeed, otime to the aid of the authorities like
a benevolent river god, and kindly offers to turn the
water of his own mill-dam into the town basin for • conei.
&ration of 4001. per ammo ; bat be will not be in a position
to give say material relief until November, and other mill-
ownees, who have a secondary claim on the water, threaten
legal proceeding' if their supply be interfered with. The
position of the Water Comosimionare is far from enviable.
Their efforts, chiefly oratorical, to procure an adequate sup-
ply of the pore element have only resulted in plunging
themselves tato hot water, and drawing down on their de-
voted heads the universal censure of their constituents It
is to be hoped that some improvement will have taken place
before the arrival of the Chimed fleet, or what will Jack
'shore do for his favourite beverage?
TRU RAISING OF HOLBORN VALLEY.—There are
two plasm before the public by which the existing evils satin
route may be corrected, if sot altogether removed. Ono ie
bold, comprehensive, and costly ; it involves the demedi-
tics of a large amount of property in Holborn, Skinner-
street, Farringdon.street, King-street, and adjsoent tho-
roughfares, for the purpose of raising the general level of
the roadway. According to this plan, leased of two steep
kills, there will be four moderate ioclioes, running earth
and south, and east and west. This will be a resolution
of brut& and should the gradiests, east and west, be
made easy enough for the heavy traffic, that will continue to
rue ie those directioes, this plan will be the most thorough
that could be devised. Mr. Bunning is the author of this
sehecue. The other proposes to throw • viaduct over the
valley, towards the north side, thus avoiding au extensive
destruction of property, an-I providing a roadway on a dead
level from east to west. There will also be, as at present,
• level road from north to south, but there will be the great
disadvantage of the present inclines out of the valley from
Farriogdou-street, he. and the bletropolitao Railway
Station to Holborn and Skinner-street. This plan wee
advocated, though sot originated, by Mr. Marrable, the late
architect to the Metropolitan Board of Works, and it would
be the cheaper of the two. We have thus two plans before
us emanating from the two great municipal authorities oft his
metropolis. The respossibility of carrying nut this India-
peosable improvemeathas been thrown by purliement upon
the corporatioo, and we leave to its wisdom mid experience
the selection of the most permanently and prac-
tically useful scheme. All we desire to inculcate
is, that the present is the time for euguieg seriously in
its coodderation. The hammer of the destroyer re-
verberates hourly among the fallen ruins in Smithfield, sod
there will mom be a char space for the commencement of
the work of restoration. Whilst the corporation is con-
sidering its design for a new market, and laying out its
plan for fresh midways let it amalgamate therewith a
design for the raising of Holborn-valley, so that these street
works, comically two, but in reality one, may proceed
together. The market scheme, at any rate, mount he made
complete or satisfactory without the accomplishment of
lite other ; it would be therefore the wisest, as in the end it
would be the cheapest, police to work out both improve-
meets in one design.—Cab r eta.