The Express.
London, England, 1861-06-13 00:00:00

FUL MUItDER.

a .

A dreadful tragedy took place on Monday night
at the Hawkcliffe tollbar, neer Steeton, about two miles from
Rashley, on the Kendal sad !Lashley road. At the toll-
house there resided a prson named John Holdsworth. about
37 years of age, his wife, Elizabeth Holdsworth, about 40,
and his daughter, Pbiliaa, about 16 years of age. On Mon-
day, a brother of Mrs. Holdsworth, a man named Joseph
Snowden, keeper of the tollbar at Fonlridge, near Colo.,
visited Holdsworth for the purpose of endeavouring to re-
move his sister to his own house. There have been some
differences for some time past, and Mrs. Holdsworth has
suffered bad treatment at the bands of bet husband. Some
say that he has exhibited symptoms of aberration of mind.
Snowden had, about a quarter before 6 o'clock on Monday
evening, succeeded in getting his sister Mrs. Holdsworth
from the house, immediately after there had been some
difference between Holdsworth and his wife with regard
to the payment of some toll by a passing drover or farmer.
He observed his wife and brother go off, and went to the
door and called her to come back. She refused ; she
and her brother went on their way; and Holdsworth
went into the chamber and deliberately fired a loaded
gun at his wife through the glass, shooting her dead
on the spot. She was taken up quite dead, scene of the
contenta of the gun having been lodged in her heart. Her
brother, Snowden, was also wounded by some portion of
1 the contents entering various parts of his body, including
his face, head, and breast, and he bled profusely. Two per-
sons, a man named Thomas Shires, and • youth named
ICharles Garfortb, were fishing at the moment of the dreadful
1 not, heard the report of the gun, and saw the poor woman
I instantly fall dead. Holdsworth had no sooner done the
dreadful deed than he left the bar house. A police-
man (Miles Lister) had passed a few minutes
Were, and on his attention being called to the
dreadful murder, he started in pursuit of Holdsworth. He
found that he had gone in thedirection of the hill behind the
bar house. He pursued him five miles over the hills and
moor to Hayden, and there found him at his father's
house. He charged him with the murder of his wife, and
took him into custody. The prisoner replied, " Well, I
have shot her, and you may hang me where I am."
Sergeant Macdonald took charge of the toll-how, and
found there a double-barrelled gun, one barrel being loaded
and the other having been apparently recently discharged.
The prisoner was brought the same night to Keighleyre
, and
lodg
ed in the lock-up. On Tuesday he was brought befosTo.te:lSugden, Esq., and remanded till Friday. An inquest
was opened yesterday morning, at ten o'clock, at the Old
Star Inn, Steeton, before Mr. T. Brown, of Skipton, coro-
ner. and after an adjournment till evening, a verdict of
" Wilful murder " was returned against Holdsworth. The
dreadful circumstance has crested a great sensation in the
district, but the prevalent opinion is that the prisoner is
insane. He looks well, and manifests the greatest indiffer
ewe. Holdsworth will be brought before the magistrates
on Friday.

PEINCH Atraan.—We have received, from a
correspondent, by the snivel of the last mail from Halifax,
Nova Scotia, the following information respecting his
Royal Highness :—" Halifax, May 29.—His Royal High-
ness Prince Alfred arrived at 11 o'clock in the morning
of May 23rd, and sou • guest of Earl Mulgrave, the
Governor-General. There was a large dinner party at the
government Douse the same evening, at which were present
the leeding society of Halifax. Friday being the queen,.
birthday, the Governor-General had another large dinner
and evening prty t has Royal Highness, who is in
i, jo meet
excellent h the reestioo he mat with
health ana *trite,
mast have been highly gratifying to bun. .e-/".. Motley
there was another large dinner party. On Sunday the
dinner party was confined to the Earl and Countess of
Mulgrave and family, the chaplain, his Royal Highness,
and Major Cowell, who is in attendance on the Prince. On
Monday the Prince went out fishing with Lord Mulgrave,
and they encamped out all night. On Tuesday he dined
out with the general of the staff, and on Wednesday he
left here for CanadaHe is expected to return in Jnly."—
Brio/don Gazette.
THE QUERN AND THE DIA, AND Dtitut—Her
Majesty has been graciously pleased to contribute 50/, to
the building fund of the Association in Aid of the Deaf and
Dumb (Oaks, 309, Regent-street), for the purpose of erect-
ing • place of worship for the deaf and dumb, in which the
services will be conducted in the finger and rigs language ;
also a home for the aged, a lecture and reading room, &c.
The donation is the result of a petition, signed by more than
300 deaf and dumb persona, praying her Majesty to assist
the above association in its endeavour to carry out the on-
derteking, for since they are debarred by their affliction
from bearing the Word of God read and preached in ordi-
nary places of worship, they require services specially
for them, that mode of communication being used
Vilittrdhich they are most familiar; and as the Bishop of
Loudon had ordained the Rev. S. Smith as chaplain of the
above association, they were anxious to have a proper place
in which to meet for worship, kr. A grand bazar, ain be-
half of this object, will be held in the Hanover-square
Rooms, on Tuesday, the Idtb, and Wednesday, the 19th
instant, which will give our readers an opportunity of help-
ing forward this good work.
Brawn( Minuc-nam..—An inspection of the
building yesterday has led to the oonclusion that the walls
may he may available for future purposes. All else is
utter ruin. The stage and orchestra, where IL Jullien
wielded his Woe to a thousand performers, sod the pro-
cji.7B balconies, the design of which Mr. Spurgeon has
M • to RO datest, in his new chapel, are all a mean of
ru h. It is fortunate, however, that the fire was con-
fined in the hall, as though in a furnace, and that •
smaller building, connected by a short omega, has entirely
eeesped, thus enabling the lessees to carry oa their
entertainments, although sot to the mud extent. Near
4001. had Nee expended on decoration, and every prepare.
tine bad been made for what is termed the season—which
at the best of times is of a most precarious character, but
under present circumstances scarcely anything can sere
I the proprietors from loss. The greatest sympathy, how
ever, hasalreedy been expressed for them by the menial
profession, and Prince George Galitain, the Russian com-
poser, has generously offered to undertake the organisation
of a concert and al Irmo entertainment for their sole bent.
fit. The building ia insured, and, it is believed, to the full
amount.

----
Ewers OP • PEW:MIL—On Monday afternoon
• daring escape was effected from the Southwell Gaol,
Notts, by a maa named Thomas Peanoo, who was tried at
the last Nottinghamshire sessions, and sentenced to two
years' hard labenr, for having housebreaking implements
le his pomession at Radford. He was • cordwainer, and
was *replayed as such on the premises. By some mmns he
contrived to make a rope of tacbiog cads, which be threw
over the wall with • large stens at the other end, so that
it might fall on the ground. He then scale' the wall, and
having knocked the loose bricks off, descended on the other
r side. He has sines been recaptured.
TIAZILIBLZ AOCIDRIPT ON • RAILWAY. The
tramdmad between Cameron and the Nantlle Slate
Quarries
Is also employed fee the conveyance of passeogers,
e bag drawn by horses. On Tuesday, as the
lasinalletC Naugle at 11.5 a.m. was about two miles
trays Oaretavon, dawn by two horses, the first carriage
get off the midst • sharp burning, which was also, unfortu-
nately, at the top elan embsekumat ten yards high ; the
whole trade wee precipitated down the declivity, dragging
the taste of horses after it. Uuhappily, Bra Rowlands, the
wife of 11r. Richard Rowlands, Salk Quay, Carnarvon, was
found dead among the .ii' ,•IR. Another lady bad her arm
fractured, and ODO Of two others were slightly
injured.