The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-02 00:00:00

MURDER BY A SOLDIER.

A shocking occurrence took place at Horfield
Barracks, near Bristol, on Thursday evening, a sergeant
of the 3rd Buffs having in the most sudden and unac-
countable manner killed a private of the same regiment
by first inflicting two severe bayonet wounds, and then
shooting him through the body. The deceased was
Private Robert Synan, and his murderer was Sergeant
John Haskell. The particulars of the sad affair, so far as
they can be ascertained, for no ose saw the act com-
mitted, are as follows :—Between eight and nine
o'clock on the evening of Thursday, a considerable
&mown of alarm was created throughout the bar-
racks by the reports of five distinct discharge. of
a rifle. The officers and non-commissioned officers ran
from their quarters, and proceeded in the direction from
whence the sound proceeded. Colonel Pearson, the
commanding officer, Colour-Sergeant Howarth, and
Sergeant Jenner were amongst those who proceeded to-
wards the sergeants' mess-room. Near the entrance
they saw the deceased lying upon the ground upon his
face. Sergeant Howarth lifted the body up, and observed
that life was extinct. Colonel Pearson afterwards held
deceased, and sent immediately for the surgeon, whilst
Sergeants Jenner and Howarth went into the mess-room.
They found Sergeant Blaskell standing behind the door,
with his rifle in his hand, and having his sword
bayonet fixed. Jenney seized his rifle and took it
from him, whilst Howarth collared the prisoner,
and they struggled together, and fell, but the
prisoner was at once secured and placed under arrest.
The rifle was subsequently examined, and found to be still
loaded and cooked. The most remarkable circumstance
is, that no one saw the act committed, for the prisoner,
being armed with a breech-loader, was enabled to fire five
rounds and load again before he was arrested. It is con-
jectured that the prisoner in a sudden fit of frenzy fired
wildly about the barrack square, and that the deceased
rushed upon him to prevent him, when the pri-
soner attacked him, stabbing him with his sword
bayonet in the forehead, again in the right side,
and then shooting him through the body. A bullet
passed through the door of the sergeants' mess-
room, and lodged in the floor of the apartment, but
whether it was the bullet whh which the deceased was
shot, or that of one of the previous charges of the rifle, is
unknown. The prisoner bears a good character in the re-
giment—indeed the fact of his being a sergeant is an in-
dication of that, and since the arrival of the regiment he
had, an being • trustworthy man, discharged the duties of
letter.carrier, and had on Thursday been twice to
the Bristol poet-office, a distance of three miles,
and had but • short time previously to this tragic
*pennons* returned from has second journey. He
had, however, after his return, quarrelled with his wife,
and, in a paroxysm of rage, broken up the whole of the
furniture of his room. The wife appealed to the sergeant-
major, and he told her that if he came down to lam he
could do no other than confine him. She said she did not
wish that, and the prisoner shortly lifter went to the mess-
room. He has a family of two children, and his wife is
daily expected to be confined. The prisoner has been
handed over to the civil authorities, and the coroner has
been communicated with.

SHOCKING MURDER OF A STATION-MASTER

AT DOVER.

A deliberate murder was committed yesterday
morning at the Priory Station, on the down line on the
Folkestone road in connexion with the London, Chat-
ham, and Dover Railway. It seems that the perpetrator
of the deed—a young man named Wells, engaged in the
company's service as carriage clenner—had for some time
conducted himself fa a
proof of the officials ; and on Thursday he was caught in
the set of firing a gun near the station. The resident
statien-master at the Priory, Mr. Jam.. Walsh,
reproved him for so doing, and suggested that
such a proceeding could not peas without being
represented to the authorities. Accordingly the eircum-
stance was laid before Mr. Cox, the chief station-master
at Dover, who arrived at the Priory shortly before 11
yesterday morning. On his arrival there Mr. Oex seated
himself at the desk in Mr. Walsh's office, whilst tke
latter was leaning over him dictating the subject of the
complaint against the prisoner. Wells entered imme-
diately afterwards. and aiming a gun at Walsh, shot him
deliberatly in the head, killing him on the spot. That the
act was premeditated is assumed by the fact of the
prisoner being seen shortly before without the gun, which
is supposed to have been earned in • carriage
near the station. A search for Wells was at once made,
and the police in the service of the company discovered
him seated in an adjoining shed. The lifeless body of
the unfortunate roan was removed to his dwelling, and the
prisoner, whe will be brought before the magistrate this
morning, was safely lodged in the police station. The
inquest is to be held this afternoon. The murdered man
is married, and leaves • wife and family to mourn his
loss. The murderer, whose father is • flab salesman, and
resident at Dover, is respeetably connected.

Mr. H. R. Duke said—l am secretary to the above coma
pang, and was so on the 4th of December last. About
half-past Ave o'clock on that day I saw a cab, driven by
a man named Bracy, nest the company's warehouse.
There was a mound of earth at the corner of Southwark-
street, Borough, just outside my office. The cab went over
the mound and was upset. I said, " Pull np to the light,
and let us see if there is any injury done.* The cabman
pulled up to thepublic-bane, and I said, "What damage is
done!" I monied the horse and cab and found there
waa no particular damage done. The men= said he was
a little shaken, but net hurt, and I mid it them is any VA RNA RAILWAY. —Traffic reoepta for thus fOttr
damage dons I will recompense 70w if you will call mast weeks ending 31st March, 1868 :—Passerrsio.9B6l.
1 gay. No one did cell on the following day. Ow the 9th 6s. 10d.; morAandno, 4,9554 13s. total, 5,94 . I 10d.
at December I teselrod a letter signed by Mr. Riekettes traffic reoeipts for week ending 7th *Erg, 3868 : meelt•
clerk, and I sent • reply oa the 10th, after horhig seen my 2301. las. 6d. ; 'merchandise, 975 t. 7s. 4d. ; teal,
directors. On ths 31st I rensired • letter from Mr. Lam. se. 10d. Oorreepomding week last ear, 5181.135. 2d,
Ricketts, solicitor, and I replied to the letter on the 2nd of pubjectimeipset.i__oow4may'A AND
January. Oa the Bth I tweed another letter from Mr. pma.—A frequent ems of gmi rikami is tb, in.
Rieke* on behalf of the dsitudant to my that he was ......4.., thq blood, ',WWI aleadilla wad,
cat. prosecute an action fir the injury done to the .. nee does cd teas lei ham II tee, are
On the 14th of December I weal to the defendant's gairAistellesenstirs amble gel mat ilingebilla I Mita*.
yard in giarrogros. rattemsb.reid. Imyay with a one via Ws iris sits& staillise dread an • Clialmet
&reser, awl saw the defendant. I s the object liainghli.i.,,Vll sWtralk Aran
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Cif my visit, saying,
." We have ailed to see_ nu as es besed.Wisk aiW,
.: aim radii*
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roan, "Bring out that k maze, . 1. 1111011 sylias Is pat bier
was produced, and I said, " le apt lacast that tell to tarow et le dila Ms wpm*, . , •