The Express.
London, England, 1853-03-18 00:00:00

MURDER OF TWO CHILDREN AND SUICIDE

OF THE MURDERER.

lIRIBI OL, THURSDAY, MARCH 17.
The faahionablo locality of Clifton has just been
thrown into a state of the utmost excitement and alum, in
consequence of the discovery of a most appalling tragedy,
which has been perpetrated by a respectable muter shoe-
maker named Isaac Tucker, who after having murdered his
two children, aged respectively five and three years, by cut
hug their throats with a shoemaker's knife, put a period to
his own existence in the same way. It would seem from
what particulars have as yet transpired, that the deceased ,
had recently taken a house upon Princes-place, near the
Royal York-crescent, Clifton, in which for many years Mr.
Kempster, shoemaker to the Queen, carried on business,
and into the possession of which Tucker entered, with his
family, only a few days since. To-day, at between tweve
and me o'clock, his wife had occasion to come into Bristol
on some business, and he was left at home in the Muse with
his children and a female servant. Soon after his wife
left he was observed to come down stairs, go to
the street door, look up and down the thoroughfare,
and then go to a looking glass and survey
putting out his tongue and working it about
in a somewhat strange manner. He then went up stairs,
and soon afterwards his eldest littie girl went up also.
Nothing subsequently was heard of any of them, hut soon
after, upon a person going up stain, the doer was discovered
to be locked, and upon its being afterwards broken open,
all three of them were discovered quite dead, their clothes I
saturated with blood, and their throats out in &shocking
manner, the head of the youngest being all but completely
severed from the body. The instrument with which the
fatal deeds had been accomplished was a shoe-maker's knife I
having a remarkably keen edge, which was found in the
room. The fatal occurrence has created quite a sensation iu
the neighbourhood, and the house, since the letelisoi were
discovered, has been surrounded by crowds of persons. In-
formation has been sent to the coroner, and the inquest will
be held tomorrow.

THE EXPLOSION ATLONGSIGHT.

THE VERDICT.

The inquest on the tour men killed by the explo-
sion of a locomotive engine boiler at Longsiiiht, belonging
to the London and North Western Railway Lompany, Wel%
brought to a conclusion on Wednesday evening after our
.report was despatched. Mr. Cooper, out-door ►uperinten
dent of the company, and the leading servants of the com-
pany were present.
The jury found that the deceased were killed by the ex-
plosion of the boiler of the No. 1 locomotive of the Loudon
and North Western Company, and "from the evidcnce we
are of opinion that the boiler was in a defective condition,
and unsafe to be worked."

MESSIEURS JEVANJEE I'ESTONJEE AND Rl:sit/1%1-
Jan VICCMII wish it to be stated that ao memorial of
theirs has been returned to them by the Board of Control
" because it vas in print." The r. *lion of any document
for such a reason has nut occurred M their cam, whatever
may have been done in °thin.

ELECTION EXPOSUIIES.
NORWICH.
The committee appointed to inquire into the with-
drawal of the petition against the last election for Norwich,
which had adjourned from Tuesday last (as reported in the
Daily News), met again yesterday morning, to resume the
inquiry (Mr. Buncombe, chairman).
The public interest in the question seemed by no means
abated, as the room was thronged throughout the day, and
a large number et hon. members were present.
Lord Ranelagh was examined, at the request of, and by
Mr. Brown, the p irliamentary agent.
Mr. Brown—Have you read the evidence, Lord Ranelagh,
given before this committee on the previous days?
Lord Ranelagh-1 hare—more especially that portion of
it which relates to myself.
Mr. Brown—ls it not your lordship's wish to make your
own statement ? a

Lord Ranclagh—l should prefer doing so. His lordship
went on to say—l wish to explain two or three conversa-
tions I had with Colonel Dickson. Colonel Dickson and
myself have been on very triendly terms for some years.
After his return frout:Nerwich, he told me he had every
reason to believe that he had a very good case of
bribery, corruption, and intimidation, whist the sit-
ting member,. Before the meeting of parliament, Col.
Dickson called uaon me and asked me to he one of
his recognisance': he informed me it would he better to
have two, and he mentioned the name of Captain Hines as
the other. 1 advised him to go down to Norwich, which ha
consented to do after his recognisances had been accepted,
and that I would meet him there. My reason wan, that I
might put myself in communication with two or three
leading members of tint conservative party in Norwich, to
acertam if the petition would hold good. It was-mgr: ed sea
should meet at Norwich the following day. I proceeded
there, and I made inquiries if it was a good ease. 'the reply
was, undoubtedly. I teen asked, now that Lord Douro was
Duke of Wellington, were they prepared to fight for Colonel
Dickson stoat ? 'I tie answer w.s that Colonel Dickson had
made himself very popular and very much liked, and they
were quite disposed to aid in this petition by money or
otherwise. There the conversation ended. Colonel Dick-
son arrived the next churning. 1 repeated this cons ersa-
tion to him, and told him I was glad he had such a good
chance of success. I asked him who his parliamentary
agent was, and he said Mr. Brown. I said, lum sorry for
that. I wish you had taken a more independent agent.
Colonel Dickson replied, " Oh, Brown's a capital fellow;
he was recommended to me by Colonel Forester, and he'll
do well." I said "You'll find Brown, who is a conserva-
tive agent, will have fid or GO petitions to lank otter, and,
I besides, when he has a week raititiou like your., it is most
1 likely to be thrown over." I rid out oven by that
anything personal to Mr. Brown, as I had no previous
knowledge of him : but what I meant was that, even if
Col. Dickson succeeded-in unseating the sitting members,
he could not seat himself On the day I heard the p.dition
Iwas withdrawn 1 west into the Conservative Land Society,
and Colonel Dickein was there, and said, "My lord, you
were quite right ; 1 have been thrown over." 1 said l was
not surprised. I think I had no further conversation with
Colonel Dickson till last Tuesday week, when he asked ma
what reason I had to suppose that Brown would throw him
over. I recapitulated my conversation with him at Nor-
-1 with. I said i knew nothing of Brown personeliy, and
therefore I bad no reason to suppose he would act dis-
-1 honestly, but that I thought, front the number of petitions
he had to conduct, when it came to the last moment his
(Colonel Dickson':) petition would be thrown over. I
begged Colonel Dickson not to mention my mune, as I did
I not wished to be mixed up in the matter.
Colonel Dicksuu—l believe, Lord Rantlegh, you con-
sider me an active member of the Censers attve Laud So-
ciety ?
Lord Ranelagh—i always considered you an honest,
straightforward conservative.
Colonel Dickson—Did you ever hear me try to run down
the Derby administration ?
Lord Itanelagh—Never.
Colonel Dickson—Did you not often hear me gay I would.
subscribe moat handsomely to this petition ?
Lord Ranelagh—l did, and that the conservatives of Nor-
wich were prepared to back you in it.
The Chairman—ls there much disappointment felt in Nor-
wich at the withdrawing of this petition ?
Lord Itanelagh—Very great disappointment.
The Chairman—lt has been stated here that if the peti-
tion bad gone on you would have subscribed to it?
Loud Itanelagh—l would. I have no doubt, from what I
heard, the expenses of the pentium—from lOW. to 1,5001.
—would have been subscribed.
The Chairman—That would not came oat of Colonel
Dickson's pocket ?
Lord Ranelagh—No. I don't see why it should. I think
Colonel Dickson would put down from 3001. to 5001. towards
it, judging from a conversation I had with him a week ago.
I should say 1,0004 would be forthcoming.
'the Chairman—What reason had you to suppose it was a
good cue ?
Lord Ranelagh—l believed it from what I heard from
three or tour gentlemen who felt an interest in it, and went
Into the cases of bribery, corruption, and intimidetic n, and
who said they had every reason to believe it was a good
case.
The Chairman—Who laid this case before these gen-
tlemen ?
Lord Ranelagh—l don't know. I should say nut Mr.
Brown, but the local agents.
Colonel Dickson said he should ;Ike now to cross-examine
Mr. Brown.
The Chairman intimated that the committee could not go
into any fresh matter.
Colonel Dickson then banded to the chairman a written
list of questions which he wished to put to Mr. Brown, and
1 which be said were most important.
Mr. Kitten was then agile mollified as to his share in the
withdrawal of the petition, and he stated that lie hail never
I instructed Mr. Brown to withdraw tne petition. Mr. Brown
acknowledged receiving • letter from him on the eubjeet,
but did not say it was an extraordinary letter.
Mr. Brown was next called, and moss-examined by CoL
Dickson. Ile stated that at the meeting at his office on the
Mb November, he found, by referring ro his book, Colonel
Forester, Colonel Dickson, and Mr. Kitten were present ;
but, as be had stated before, Colonel Forester had no com-
manication with him as to this petition. His belief was,
that Colonel Forester came in, as he was in the habit of
doing, accidentally, but he was not there when he (Brown)
wrote the lever to Kitton. The reason why he wrote to
Kitten to obtain subscriptions at Narvrio.h for the petition
was, because Kitten had asked him to dose, so a letter from
him (Brown) would have more weight.
In reply to the Chairman, Mr. Brown said he had always
a favourable opinion of the care.
In reply to further questions by Colonel Dickson, the
witness said it was true that Captain Ives had one of the
best houses in Norwich, end that Lord Itanelaelt had a
large estate within three miles of Norwich, and consequently
his recognisances were local men.
In answer to the committee, the witness said lie himself
sever had been surety fur say election petit ion, but he knew
that Mr. Coppock had.
Colonel Dickson—What consideratioa did you receive
from Mr Coppock for withdrawing this petition
Mr. Brown—Consideration! what do you mean ?
Colonel Dickson—Look in the dictionary, and you will
find the meaning of the word consideration—you knew what
I mean.
Mr. Brown—My answer i,--None.
Colonel Dickson—Then you chucked it into Mr. Cop-
pock's lap by way of a lark. (Laughter.)
Mr. Brown—l ask the committee if it was not a slander
which Co!. Dickson stated Lord Ranclash had said of me.
You (Col. Dickson) are the lint man I ever knew who dis-
trusted me.

Mr. Kitton was again called in, and, in reply tl the
chairmat, stated he saw Col. Forester once at the Carlton,
early in September, and again on the fish November. He
read a letter which he received (tom Colonel Forester, is
which the colonel said that there as timed to be some misun-
derstanding as to the withdrawal of the petition, and that
any application to the house would do infinite mischief to
the party, and that he (Mr. liitt:l9 must runeaaber he
had informed hint (Colonel Forester) there were sufficient
ground., to unseat the sitting members.
Colonel Forester objected to that letter being received
in evidence as it was a pri►ate letter.
Mr. Brown also objected to it.
The Chairman said that letter was perfectly consistent
with the evidence Colonel Forester had already given.
In reply to the committee, the witness said if Mr. Brows
had told ham there was no cue to support the petition, he
should have taken no farther steps—he should have lett it
entirely to Colonel Forester and Mr. Brown to do u they
thought fit forth* interest of the party.
The Chairman—Yon think it would be for the interest of
the party to pair off a bad petition against a good one ?
Mr. Kitten—l hue nut the slightest objection to that.
The Chairmen—Colonel Forester has said iu his evidence
that all parties make the best bargain they can. Do you do
the same ?

Mr. Kitton—l would leave it ail to Colonel Forests,.
(Laughter.)
The Chairman—Did any of the ptitiontrs give you in-
structions about this petition beton you came to Mr.
Brown ?

- Mr. Kitten—Yet.; Mr. Phillips gave me instructions to
prepare the petition &lore I went to Mr. Brown.
Mr. Kittmi-1 our siite incspal•le of writing any letter
for the purpose of rais.nir money.
By Colonel Diekson—Did not Brown say to you and Col-
lins, after the petition kind been withdrawn, that he had in-
structions to get rid of Dickson ; that Dickson was rather
a troublesome fellow, and that he added, " I am very muck
behind the scenes ?

bted ly Brown did say so, and I was
sorry t.) hear him make use of such a disparaging remark
about Colonel Dickson.

Bmwn—l solemnly find sineerJy declare it is an untruth.
The room was then cleared, and the committee remained
in delibereCon until four o'clock. Upwards of 100 persons
quitted the committee corridor, in expectation that the com-
mittee would give their dec..ion, but on its transpiring that
they would proceed at once to rep,rt at to the house, a dia-
per/ion soon took place.