The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-08 00:00:00

THE BATLEY DOUBLE MURDER.

Eli Sykes, who was condemned to death for mur-
dering his sweetheart and her mother at Batley, and who
subsequently attempted to commit suicide, et Armley gaol,
Leeds, by throwing himself over the second gallery on to
the stone area beneath, has succumbed to his self-
inflicted injaries. In his fall he slighted upon his feet,
and his left foot was so seriously shattered that it was
found necessary to remove five small bones from it.
Excessive hemorrhage set in on two occasions, and the
medical men contemplated amputation of the foot, but
abandoned it in caasequence of the convict's exhaustion.
At the same time. It was considered that if a third
return of hemorrhage should occur, Sykes could not
possibly survive. About six o'clock on Saturday after.
noon this crisis occurred ; but es the surgeon to the gaol,
Mr. W. N. Prim, was then present, the Sow of blood was
immediately, though only temporarily, checked. Sykes
then appeared to rally, and though at times he was some-
what violent in the language he used towards the warders
in attendance upon him, at other periods he °ravened
freely about the treatment be received is the Dewsbury
lock-up and the Wakefield gaol. The last change came
about half-put 9 o'clock, and though the convict appeared
to be suffering severely, his consciousness was retained
until within a few minutes of his death. He was attended
in his dying momenta by the chaplain, the Rev. C. H.
Middleton, and the governor. Mr. C. A. Kees*.
The Leeds Mercury says :—" On one delicate question
connected with his trial a few words only will be necessary.
Few who were present in court when sentence of death was
so impressively passed on the prisoner by Mr. Justice Shee,
will ever forget the painful scene by which it was prefaced.
With tears rolling down his cheeks and almost choking his
utterance, the prisoner threw himself on his knees, and
besought forgiveness from Heaven for the crime he bad com-
mitted. It is to be regretted that his subsequent eonduet
has led many who were interested in him to doubt the sin-
cerity of the words he then tattered. The callousness and
indifference be has lately exhibited to the ministrations of
religion must have been very psinful to the chaplain of the
gaol, Mr. Middleton, sod to ail whose duty it was to take
charge of him. We believe, however, that within a short
time of his death be uttered expressions which gave greater
hope as to his state of mind—listening attentively to the
chaplain, and joining with him in prayer."

THE STORM.
MARGATE, SUNDAY NIGHT.
Mr. R. F. Aldrich, chief officer of coastguard,
reports that a large brig was seen beating up Margate
Roads this morning during a strong gale from S.W., and
while doing so she missed stays and got on the south side
of Margate Sands. The small lifeboat belonging to the
Margate boatmen was at once launched by them, and pro-
ceeded under sail to the brig, but on the way the boat cap-
sized, and would not right. The 13 men who formed the
crew fortunately managed to hold the boat until they were
rescued by a steam tug. The boat has since been brought
in by a lugger. When it was found that the small lifeboat
had failed to reach the brig the lifeboat of the National
Lifeboat Institution pat off to her, but on arriving along-
side it was found her services were not required, as a tug
managed to tow her off and take her into Ramsgate Har-
bour.
SKERRUS, DUBLIN BAY, JAIL 3.
A barque has been anchored about 10 mile. off this piece
for the past four days. During a heavy gale of wind from
the S. this morning the ship was observed to hoist a flag of
distress. The lifeboat of the National Lifeboat Institution
was immediately launzlied, and proceeded to the vessel in
a very heavy sea, the drogue or drag bag being made use of
frequently during the passage. On arriving at the vessel
she was found to have lost her windlass and bite, sod had
her chain fast round the foremast and foreyard. The cap-
tain bad altered his mind by this time, and resolved to ride
oat the gale, although tome of the crew wished to come
ashore. The lifeboat, however, brought off a passenger.
The ship was as American one named the Lyman, bound
to Dublin with timber. The lifeboat behaved very well
while engaged in this service.

A meeting of old pupils and friends of the
Rev. Dr. Mortimer will take place at the Clarendon Hotel
Albemarle-street, on Thursday, the 11th instant, at half-
put 3 o'clock, to consider the propriety of opening a
subscription for a public testimonial in commemoration of
his valuable services to the cause of education. The Ven.
the Archdeacon of Ely will preside.
COLLEGE or Purearrons.—At a meeting of the
Council of this corporation held on the 6th instant, the
Rev. Dr. Howson, the Rev. W. A. Osborne, and the Rev.
Dr. Temple were re-elected members of the council. The
diploma of associate was granted to Miss M. E. Arthur.
Cathcart-road, Bromptoe, and to Mr. G. Hardy, Victoria.
road, Hornserrise ; and the following gentlemen were
elected members of the college :—Mr. J. Ashtoe, 8.A.,
Fitzroy.terrace, Gloucester-road ; Mr. J. Douglas, Manilla
House, Peckham-rye ; Mr. W. B. Eldridge, Brewer-street,
Maidstone ; Dr. 0. Fromeling, Richmond-road, Bayswater ;
Rey. John Griffith, M.A., the College, Brighton ; Mr.
E. S. Pay, Taff Vale academy. Aberdare ; Mr. J. Shack-
leton, 8.A.. Fitzroy-terrace, Glouceeter.nied ; Mr. A. P.
Soothes, West Cliff school, Ramage.* ; Mr. S. Spurgeon
and Mr. T. D. Spurgeon, Manor House school, Havant.
THE FATAL ACCIDENT TO Ma. JOHN DINNEN.
—An inquiry was held on Saturday afternoon by Dr. Lan-
tester, at No. 23, Montgue.street. Russell-square, touching
the death of Mr. John Dineen, R.N., aged 59. The evi-
dence showed that on Wednesday last, at 20 minutes past 5,
the deceased was walking near Charing-cross, when be
stepped into the road right in front of a cab horse, so that
be was knocked dews, run over, and died from the wounds
he received. An eyewitness said he thought be must
either have been istoxicated or in deep thought at the
time. The coroner said that all blame to the driver of the
cab was disproved by the evideoce, and he thought it was
one of those ease' in which men, whose occupation like
that of deceased led them into abstracted thought, bad met
with an accident. The jury returned a verdict of "Acci-
dental death."
SHOCKING GCN Acctrissrt.—On Thursday even-
log last • young man named William Fuller, from New-
market, sod who was on • holiday visit to his friends is the
village of Eynesbury, near St. Nees, was at the residence
of his uncle, Mr. Pope, Old Brick Kilns. There was • large
party of friends present, and the young mao amused him-
self by poieting a gun which be found in the stockyard first
at one and than at another, at the same time snapping off
• sap. He pointed the gun at his cousin, and said to ber,
" I'll shoot you." He snapped another cap, and to the
horror of the company the gun exploded. The poor girl
bad just before put her hands up before her face, sod the
shot struck her hands and knocked nearly all the teeth
oat al her head. U her mouth bad been open and the
heads away, the peobebility is that bee brain' would have
hese blown out. Mr. Evens. stalivoa,
sou tmmedstWy
eslial in to attend to her, but the poor girl his in • very
precarious state.