Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-05-10 00:00:00

The Daily
324 ; Conservatives,

the contests, both in boroughs and counties, have been mis-
managed; that to gain a majority was not the only object,
and that the managers of these contests had equally at

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heart to break down-the independent Liberal party in the
House of Commons.
The Times estimates that, when the new House is com-
plete, the total amount of the ministerial gains will be

twenty seats, which, though counting forty in a division,
will by no means be sufficient to give the Government a
working majority.
The Times asserts that in South Lancashire the influence
of the Roman Catholic clergy have been thrown into the
Tory scale. The severe contest at Manchester, and the
success of Mr. Massey at Salford, are ascribed to the dislike
of the Manchester Reform Association.

ELECTION RIOT AT DARTFORD.
On Friday afternoon last, during the West Dent election,
the proceedings at the polling district at Dartford were
characterised by a most disgraceful outrage, which caused
the utmost alarm amongst the inhabitants, and resulted in
serious injury to several persons. The polling booth at
Dartford was erected near the Bull Hotel, the head quarters
of the Tory party, and it was generally rumoured in the
town that a number of pugilists and others of the same
stamp had arrived from Loudon, and were snugly berthed
at this house. Handbills were issued on the subject, and
much excitement prevailed, as Dartford invariably gives a
large majority to the Liberal candidates; and it was believed
that the Tory "roughs" had been introduced for the mere
purpose of intimidation. As a precautionary measure to
preserve the peace, fifteen of the county constabulary force
arrived from Chatham on the previous night to aid the
Dartford police force, and on Friday, during the hours of
polling, party feeling was strongly manifested, the Liberal
candidates, Messrs. Martin and Whatman, maintaining a
majority. About three o'clock a party of " roughs" pro-
ceeded from the rear of the premises at the Bull Hotel, and
commenced an indiscriminate onslaught upon every person
in the streets, A man named Osborne was knocked down
and severely injured, and other respectable inhabitants
were similarly treated. The tradesmen in the High-street
closed their shops, the alarm bell at the Market-place was
rung, and a large number of the inhabitants collected, and
armed themselves with sticks, &c., determined to resist the
lawless proceedings of the " strangers." With the assist-
anee of the police force, something lice order was ultimately
restored, but the various surgeons in the town were amply
employed in binding up the wounds resulting from the
melee.

It is confidently reported in military circles that Minis-
ters intend calling out the whole of the militia, and adding
fifty new battalions to the line.

The Herald says the question of war-risks at Lloyd's has
lost its attraction, and there is now less disposltion to
complete arrangements at late rates.
The Times comes to the conclusion that so far as Austria
has yet shown herself, her generals have not come up to
what Europe expected from her haughty bearing and her

military preparations.
ROBBERY or £6OO IN THE CITY.—On Saturday informa-
tion was received by the police that the counting-house of
Mr. Treloar, cocoa nut fibre manufacturer, of 42. Ludgate-
hill, was feloniously entered on the preceeding day, and the
cash-box carried away. Its contents were £3OO in Bank
of England notes, gold and silver, several crossed cheques
on London and provincial bankers, a promissory note for
£l5O, drawn by Messrs. Barry and Co., of Cape Town, on
Messrs. Barry and Nephew, and made payable at Messrs.
Prescott, Grote, and Co.'s, and several small bills of
exchange.

EXTENSIVE FIRE IN THE ClTY.—Early yesterday morn-
ing the police-sergeant on duty discovered a fire on the
premises of Mr. Groves, Queen's Head Tavern, Upper
Thames-street. He alarmed the inmates, who attempted,
but were unable, to escape by the stairs, so fiercely was the
fire raging. They managed however to get away safely
by the back premises. Great fears were for some time
entertained for the safety of the adjoining buildings on
both sides, but ultimately the fire was extinguished without
travelling from the house in which it broke out. The latter
was entirely destroyed
FATAL ACCIDENT AT SYDENH&M STATION.---Yesterday,
notwithstanding the precautions which have been taken by
the railway officers at the Crystal Palace, to prevent
travellers alighting from the carriages before the train fully
stops, casualties from that cause cannot be prevented. This
morning, Mrs. Dunn, aged 37, who resided in Newington
Causeway, on arriving at the Sydenham station, with others,
endeavoured to alight before the train fully stopped, when
she fell between the wall of the platform and the wheels of
the carriages, which passed over her leg, crushing it in a
most frightful manner. Without loss of time she was con-
veyed to St. Thomas's Hospital, where amputation was
performed, but she gradually sank and expired.
AUGITMENTA.TION OF THE CHANNEL FLEET.—OH Saturday
orders were issued by the Admiralty for the James Watt,
91, screw, Captain Stopford ; Asia, 84, screw, Captain
Robinson ; Exmouth, 90, screw, Captain J. J. Stopford ;
Cressy, 80, screw, Captain Elliot; and the Hero, 91, screw,
Captain Sir G. . Broke, Bart. ;to sail from Sheerness and
Devonport to join the channel fleet ; and large draughts of
men were sent from the different guard-ships, and the
Royal Naval Rendezvous, Tower-hill, to bring the crews of
each ship up to the required compliment. Orders were also
issued for the Goliath, 90 ; Cadmus, 21 ; Falcon, 17 ; Im-
perieuse, 61 ; Melpomene, 60 ; Termagant, 25; and the
Pioneer and Flying Fish, gun-boats, to be brought forward
with all expedition to reinforce the fleet in the Channel.
SHOCKING ACCIDENT. On Saturday afternoon last a gang
of poachers left Lincoln shortly after five o'clock, on a
poaching expedition, and proceeded along the banks of the
river Witham, on tke way to a village named Washin-
borough. One of the men, named Henry Enfield, had the
barrel of a gun loaded in his coat pocket, and when about
two miles from the city it fell out, and, striking against the
ground, it went off, and the contents entered his head, just
beneath the chin, entirely blowing off the left side of his
face. It is needless to say that death immediately ensued.
The train from Boston to Lincoln was passing at the time ;
the guard saw the accident, and immediately on his arrival
in Lincoln he gave information to the police, who proceeded
to the spot, and ordered the removal of the corpse to Wash-
ingborough, where an inquest will be held.
THE Loss OF THE GENERAL WILLIAMS STEAMER.—
The inquiry into the loss of the screw steamer General
Williams was brought to a close on Saturday. Mr. Traill
expressed his opinion that the captain by a little attention
could have saved the ship's papers. He thought also that
he could have done more to ascertain the canse of the ship
making water, and taking into consideration the whole of the
circumstances, he should require the captain to pay the costs
of the inquiry, as far as regarded witnesses. They would
report to the Board of Trade their views upon the various
matters which had been elicited during the investigation.
Captain Walker thought that Captain Peters might have
navigated the ship in a way that would have secured her
better weather. Had she been brought to the wind, about
four points on the bow, she would not have suffered so
much.
THE ACCIDENT ON THE CORNWALL RAILWAY. —On
learning the particulars of this accident, we regret to
find that it is of a more serious character than from
the telegram published on Saturday, we were led to expect.
The train to which the accident occurred was that which
was due at Truro at 10.10 p.m., and consisted of engine,
two second-class carriages, a first-class carriage, and a
truck. When nearly at the end of the Grove-lane viaduct
the train went off the line and rushed along, tearing and
destroying the rails, sleepers, and everything it encountered.
Just as the truck cleared the end of the viaduct, the
engine fell over into the water and mud, a height of 28
feet, carrying with it two carriages, a second and first.
The guard and the passengers in the remaining carriage
did all they could to render assistance, and persons h
s three
: but e,
also despatched to St. Germans for aid. After some delay
all the passengers were removed from their perilous situation,
very few having received any material injury •
servants of the company lost their lives--41
guard, Briscombe, the engine-driver, and Ha
1111°sakfoerna,the
stoker. The body of the first-named was found
just
afterthe
the accident, and those of the two latter an hour
after-
wards, the rail of the engine lying on them, and from their
position it ispresnmed the death of the poor fellows must
have been instantaneous.

ATTEMPTED MURDER THROUGH JEALOUSY.
On Saturday Charles Peek was brought before Sir
Percival H. Dyke, Bart., and a full bench of magistrates.
at Dartford, in custody of Superintendent Brandon, of the
Kent constabulary, upon the charge of feloniously stabbing
Charles May, with intent to murder him, or to do him
grievous bodily harm. The case has created a great deal of
interest in the neighbourhood, on account of the painful
circumstances connected with it. It appears that the prisoner,
i who s quite a young man, is very respectably connected,
his father being a shipowner at Guernsey, and he was the
captain of a brig belonging to his father, called the
Anne, which at the time of the occurrence was lying
off the village of Greenhithe. It seems that he was
paying his addresses to a :young woman named Minter,
the daughter of the landlord of the Hull Packet Inn, at
Greenhithe, and rumour went so far as to say that they
were very shortly to be married ; but there appears to be no
doubt that the prisoner was very much attached to the
young lady, and on every occasion_ of his_coming to London

with his vessel he took up his abode at her father's house.
and was on terms of great intimacy with the family-,
It appears that on Goo(I Friday there was a sort of

merry-making at Greenhithe, mid the prosecutor May.
with another young man, named Webb, both of whop
belong to Dartford, were at the Hull Packet, at Green-
lithe, in company with the prisoner, his sweetheart,
and some other young people, and in the course of the
afternoon the prisoner invited May and Webb, and Miss
Minter and another young
-woman, to go on board his

ship, and they did so, and remained on board for some
time, and he afterwards got out a boat, and they had a row
upon the water, and returned to Grccnhithe, all of them
being at this time upon friendly terms. They
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—ad it would
May

,Minter than he was

ey had taken, this
place, but nothing

pacified. About
ed Lis sweetheart
ro on board his