The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-26 00:00:00

LONDON. TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 26, 1861.

MUSIC.

ROYAL F:NOLDIIR OPERA, COVENT-OARDEN•

Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W. Harrison coin-
menned their season ham last night with Benedict's ro-
mantic opera, The Lily of Killarney, originally produced
under this management in February last. There was •
novelty in the out, inasmuch as Mr. George Perron made
his Ent appearing,* in this oompany as Hardrees Cregan, •
part originally filled by Mr. Haigh. Mr. Perren'e suave style
of vocalisation and sympathetic quality of voice were heard
to great advantage in the expressive music which the coin-
' poser has allotted to the lover of Eily O'Connor ; and in
his ballad in the last act (encored) be crested a very strong
and marked senestion-41 was, indeed, a masterly piece of
cantabile singing. With • little more declamatory power,
and greater command of stage action and gesture, Mr.
Perron might take high rank as • dramatic singer.
The opera west throughout with great spirit.
Miss Louisa Pyne was as charming as ever in
Eily O'Connor ; Miss Thirlwall was • ladylike Ann*
Chute, and Lim Swan Pyae was impressive as Mrs.
Cramp. Mr. 9•otley as Danny Mann both acted and rag
with great dramatic power ; while Mr. Harrison as Mylarna-
Coppaleen, rivalled Mr. Boncicault in the raciness of his
Irish humour, and took the "tremendous header" in
splendid style. This gentleman has really become an excel-
lent actor. The subordinate parts of Mr. Corrigan and Father
Tam ware well filled by Mr. E. Duiesk and Mr. Patsy. The
orchestra, with few exceptions the same as that of the
Royal Italian Opera, was of unqualified excellence;
and Mr. Mellon has reason to be proud of the
artiste who respond to the baton which he wields as con-
ductor. Most of the favourite pieces in the opera were
encored by the numerous audience which filled the house.
At the closed the performance, " God save the Queen" was
sung by the entire company--the solos being taken by
Madlle. Pareps, Miss Louisa Pry), and Mr. Harrison.
The opening night of the Royal English Opera gave every
promise of • brilliant and prosperous season.

THE MURDER OP A POLICEMAN AT ASHTON.

At the South Lancashire assizes, A Liverpool,
yesterday, this ales came on for trial before Mr. Justice
Mellor. Ooosidersble interest wee manifested in the pe-
a/rates, and the court was crowded throughout the day.
Only four of the men concerned were indicted, Barlow having
tamed approver, and the others not being in custody. The pci•
amen were Michael Burke (35), John Ward (36), Frederick
Hepwell (25), and John Clay Johason (39). Mr. Bliss, Q.C.
(AttorwyGeneral for the county), together with Mr. Kaye
and Mr. Grinishaw, prosecuted ; and Mr. Digby Seymour,
Q.C., Mr. Torr, Mr. Ernest Jones, and Mr. Roberta de.
fowled the prisoners.

Mr. Bliss, Q.C. in opening the case, said that the pri-
mmer. Michael Burke, John Ward, and Frederick Heiman
stood indicted fur wilful murder, and Johnson was indicted
es as accessory after the fact, for screening and harbouring
Burke and Ward. and for oonealing them, knowing them
to have committed the murder. In addition to the pri-
macies at the her there were alsofour other persons impli-
cated in the murder, but they were not in custody. Ano-
ther , named Barlow, also implicated would
be as • WADIES. The prisoners Lird the
other person charged were all brickmaksrs, living at
ass near Ashton.uuder-Lyne. The name of the deceased
was WilliamjJump, a policeman, who at the time of his
murder was on duty and in uniform. The murder was nen-
mitted on the morning of Saturday, the 26th June last, at
• f or yard called floiallahaw Fold, in or near Ashton-
lie was killed by two shots which entered
his breast about an inch and a half apart, paned through
his body in • parallel direction, and lodged somewhere near
the spine. The charge against the patios implicated in this
murder was that on the night of Friday, the 27th June. they
assembled together and armed themselves with bludgeons
and pistols, with intent to destroy the bricks in a
neighbouring yard, and to use these weapons against
any person who should interfere with their committing
this crime, or making their escape afterwards ; and that M
pursuance of this intention and dingo they committed the
murder charged against them. On the night of Friday, the'
27th June, Burke, Ward, Hepwell, and the five other toe*, I
assembled at a place called the Ashton Barrack", not far
from Clifford's brick-yard. They met there in different
parties of two, three, and four, but previously they had all,
or some of them, been at'a certain house where they charged
the pistols with shot. Having met at the barracks, the
whole eight men went to Clifford's brick-yard, and there
destroyed 16,000 or 17,000 bricks. Having destroyed the
bricks, they returned to the Ashton Barrack', and tree
thence they took a way across the fields and roads until
they came to the field adjoining the fold-yard, where the
murder was committed. In crossing the field which ad-
joined the yard the prisoners were met by two policemen,
one Sergeant Herron (who would be brought before the jury)
and the other the demand William Jump. When they
saw the policemen the men walked in angle file, endea-
voured to disguise and conceal their faces by putting up their
collar, and averted their heads from the officers
as they approached. Harrop maw that they had
something concealed under their clothes, and suf-
fered six of them to pan, but stepped before
one of the last men, and said, "My man, what is the
meaning of all this ? I find you here in this manner at the
time of the morning." The man whom he stopped said
nothing, but endeavoured to pass on. Harrop then said,
" You have no occasion to fear anything from me if you are
here about nothing wrong." The man then pushed Harrop
violently away, and, upon being again held in check, he
cried out sharply, • Now, men, now men, now," and the
other seven men then turned round and commenced a most
violent attack, during which they and bludgeons
and pistols, and Harrop was shot over the eye.
After the struggle had been going on for some
time, • person named Williamson, who lived in
• house adjoining the yard where Jump was murdered,
sew Jump come through • stile at the corner of the house,
and go to another stile on the opposite of the yard. Jump
was staggering as though wearied or exhausted, sad when
he got to the stile he stood there leaning upon the stump.
Williamson then maw anothermannome after Jump through
the stile ;and when be was about a yard or two yards from
the officer, Williamson saw a flash and heard a report of
firearms, as of a pistol, apparently coming from this man
towards Jump. lie maw and heard • second Hash and
shot, which, he thought, came from the same man.
I Harrop who was standing near the yard beard Jump
cry out, " Oh, dear ;oh dear," and going back immediately
fa the direction of the cry he entered the fold-yard, and found
Jump doubled up by the stile. Harrop asked Jump if he
could speak, lintJamp could make no answer, and with
the assistance of soother man, William Smith, he carried
Jump into Williamson's house, where he died in a very taw
'ninon*. The learned counsel pointed out that one of the
most important points of evidence against Burke was the
finding of • piece of paper near the murdered man which had
formed • portion of the wadding of the pistol, and this piece
of paper bore the name of Burke, and was identified as
a portion of • bill furnished to Burke by a
be9rhouse keeper. It would be proved also that Burke
was at the hones which formed the rendezvous of the pri-
mates, and that he assisted at the loading of the pistols, that
he was also present during the affray, and that he after-
wards used expressions which implicated him in the attack.
Burke had also made a confession which was somewhat at
variance with the other evidence, and which represented that
Jump was killed by one shot only, whereas it would be
proved that two shoo were fired, and fired close together.
With regard to Ward the evidenos would show that he
was present during the firing of the shots, that
he took an active part in the affray, and that
afterwards be used expressions to the effect that
both he sad Burke "fined into" Jump. It was
also important with regard to Ward that two men were
seen after the affray running over the railway bridge • that
one of these men answered to the description of Ward, sod
that the footprints discovered in that direction were identi-
cal with than of Ward. Though the evidence was not so
strong against Hepwell, still it would be shown that he also
was engaged with the other men throughout the affray. In
conclusion, the Attorney-General said that if the prisoners
went out with a common design that these weapons should
be used in the way they actually were used, all parties to
that deaign were responsible for such more of weapon",
being either present at the time of the actual affray or
amenories before the fact. All those who were present
after the weapons were used, and were there aiding and
abetting, were equally guilty with the persons who tired
the shot, and whether the pnsoners were the person who
so fired, or whether the shots were fired by some of the men
not in custody. If the jury thought that the prisoners were
there at the time, they roust hold them responsible for the
results.

The examination of the witnesses then commenced.
The first witness examined was Mr. Artioptall, who was
called to speak to the correctness of the map produced.
Another witness was called to describe and elucidate a
model of the plans spoken to.
Thomas Barlow, bnckmaker, brought up in custody, was
called for the prosecution. Ho was a member of the union,
and said a short time before the murder Ilipwell went to
his house and said there were some bricks to spoil, and
asked him to join in the act. He and Hipwell
went to Ward's, where he saw Renshaw and Gregory.
Then they went towards the Ashton Barracks, where they
were joined by Burke and Ward. By this time the number
of the men assembled amounted to eight. They proceeded
towards Clifford's briekfield, but before the work of 'puha-
Lion actually commenced, they drank freely of whiskey and
set a watch. Toole, Burke, and others began to tread
down the bricks, and they spoiled five flab. When this
was done they all went away in the direction of linden-
shay, and in a short time got to the some of the murder.
This witness described the position of the pri-
soners when they met the policemen. He heard
Samuel Gregory cry out, `• Now, men," when
the collision with the officers took place; and, almost im-
mediately, he heard several shots fired. In about ten days
after the murder Barlow was apprehereded, and brought
before the magistrates. Between the time of the murder
and his apprehension he met Johnson at a vault in Man-
chester, and be, with Hipwell, went to Johnson's and saw
Burke mid Warde upstairs. They asked witness bow
things were going on as to the smolt on Harrop and Jump,
and be told them the latter was dead. When he was in
the Ashton lock-up he occupied the next cell to Wards who
began to speak about the affair, and said, "My shoes hare
done me for this." When the prisoners were brought up
at New Bailey, Salford, he (Barlow) had another ooriversa-
Con with Burke and 'A'arde, who both said they had fired
at the police. While confined in the New Bailey he occu-
pied the next cell to Wards, who said, "They are keeping
Burke at Ashton. and he'll split on all the others." A cap
foood on the field was identified by this witness as belong.
Big to Wards. Several bludgeons (most fearful weapons
were produced, and he pointed out which of those
sticks each of the prisoners had on the night in I
question. Another cap found was spoken to as the one
worn by Toole on the night in question. Under erase-
examination Barlow said his brother, a police.officer, came
to his cell in New Bailey, and while they were together the
reward offered for the apprehension and conviction of the
real murderers was made the subject of conversation. The
witness was told that the person who could give a clue to
the perpetrators of the crime would be rewarded ; and. if
sot implicated in the actual crime, would receive her Ma-
jesty's pardon. He then consented to make • statement,
which be did make to Ludlum, the police-officer.
Geo. Herron was the next witness called for the prosecution.
His with Jump waft on duty on the eight of the murder,
and was in the neighbourhood of a place called flinalbrhaw-
fold, about two o'clock in the morning. This witness de-
scribed the prisoners when he met them. They walked is
single tile, carrying bludgeons, the rods of which were visible
under their coats or slope ; they also tried to turn their
faces from the °filar as if they wanted to evade mord-
tioo. When six or seem of the eight men had passed the
officers, llarrop went up to the one approaching him, and
asked the meaning of their being there at such a time in the
morning and under such peculiar circumstances. This,
the lest of the men Audis' that he was likely to be cap.