The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-18 00:00:00

SHOCKING HUILDER AT NEWCASTLE.

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE, SATURDAY NIGHT.
The greatest excitement prevails in this town to-
night in consequence of another horrible murder which has
just been committed. It occurred on the Quayside, in the
busiest part of the day, two o'clock, and closely adjoining
the Tyne Bridge. The victim of the horrible outrage is
a little old man, a kind of " character" in the town,
whose name is Patrick Rogers, but who was better
known as Needle Jack. His murderers are John Dixon and
Thomas Millar, two ruffians well known to the police.
Rogers had been in the habit of standing at the Bridge-arid
on Saturdays, but to-day, instead of attending to his cus-
tomers, bad got drunk, and had come out of a public-house
kept by Mr. Tiroperly, at the Hegh Crane, and had gone
into • large public convenience at the ai Age-end. He had
there encountered the two men above-mentioned, but there
were other persons in the building at the time. As soon
as he came in, it seems that the two men
began to " chaff " the unfortunate deceased, who had
been the butt of the blackguards belonging to
that part of the town. Subsequently, having
aggravated the little man, one of them lited a match and
set fire to his hair. He then attempted to rush out of the
place on to the quay to get away from them, when one of
them, reported to be Dixon, said, "If you stir out I'll kill
you, you little but he still attempted to get away
from them, when the two villains deliberately took hold of
him, and, being a light little man, pitched him through one
of the holes in the convenience into the river. When he
floated out into the stream his hands could be observed
above the water, and he shouted for help, but he did not
make any great struggle for his life, and floated down
towards two vessels which were lying alongside the quay.
Before assistance could reach him he was sucked under the
stem of one of the vessels end drowned. As soon as the
fellows threw the old man into the river they made off. bat
it fortunately happened that several detective policemen were
in the neighbourhood of the quay. They soon found out who
they were and gave chase after them. Millar had made off
into the county of Durham, but was run down and captured
by the Gateshead police. Dixon made off to the Castle
Garth and hid himself in • house there. Detectives Fawcett
and Dixon followed him, broke in the door, and captured
him after a bard struggle. They were both taken to the
Manor's station and locked up. An immense concourse of
people are assembled on the Quayside, watching those in
boats who are endeavouring to recover the body of the mar.
dared man. It had not been found when our despatch came
away.

THEMYSTERIOUR MURDER IN KENT.—OD Satur-
day William Johnson and Edward Johnson, father and son,
canyiog on business as coal and corn dealers, at Sheernees,
were charged with the murder of Wm. Elliott. The par-
ticulars of this case have already appeared in our column'.
The only evidence in support of the charge was that on the
night of the murder the younger Johnson was seen in hi
cart near the place where the deceased's body was found,
and afterwards the elder Johnson was seen coming towards
the cart with something under his arm, with which he got
into the cart and drove off in the direction of the Half-way
House. The magistrates considered that the evidence was
not sufficient to justify them in keeping the accused any
longer in custody, and they were accordingly discharged.
THE CONDEMNED SOLDIER FLOOD.—AII the result
of influential representations addressed to the Secretary of
State on behalf of the soldier Flood, who was left for execu-
tion at the Lewes Assizes for the murder of a comrade at
Brighton, Sir George Grey has had the case under his
serious consideration. I a consequence of the breach of
military discipline, added to the heinousness of the crime,
Sir George Grey consulted the Commander-in-Chief, deem-
ing it essential to have the assent of the military authorities
before deciding upon any commutation of the sentence. TM
result has been that Sir George Grey has been enabled to
advise her Majesty to extend her royal mercy to the un-
happy culprit, who was goaded to the act by continuous and
imtatiog provocation, from which he bad no means of
escape. The gravity of the crime, however, will render it
necessary to inflict a severe and exemplary punishment,
and the culprit will be kept in penal servitude for life.—
Observer.

Gentlemen who require good and fashionable
Deese can depend on the hest materials and latest style at
Hamilton and Ilmpton's, 105, Strand, oppodta Meter Halt
LAdvertlawasst.)