The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-31 00:00:00

Awful Tragedy,

On Tuesday night last an outrage of almost un-
exampled atrocity was perpetrated at the village of
Fiskertoe, about six miles south-west of Newark,
in the county of Nottingham, the victims being a
respectable cottager named Samuel Parker, 60
years of age, and his wife Elizabeth, who is is her
76th years. The facts are briefly as follows :—The
aged couple have a son named Richard Thomas,
about 30 years of age, a married man, who has for
some time been separated from his wife, and has
therefore lived at home with his parents, carrying
on a small butcher's business on his own account.
On Monday last he went by special train to Shef-
field, promising to return the same night, as his
father wished him to assist in drilling some corn. It
appears he did return to Newark on Monday night,
and remained there until the half-past 4 train to
Fiskerton on Tuesday afternoon. He had then
been drinking hard at the cricket-field, and, it is
stated, was refused a ticket by the clerk, but an-
other person obtained one for him. On reaching
home his father found fault with him for not re-
turning according to promise, and high words en-
sued, which soon led the sen to threaten his father
with blows, and a sort of chase took place round
the house. The father took refuge in the stable,
and the mother, seeing Richard take a loaded
double-barrel gun from the shelf, ran out of the
house and called in alarm to the old gentleman to
keep out of the way, as Tom had the gun. The
same instant Richard deliberately levelled the gun
at his motker's head, firing through a pane of
glass in the window as he stood in the room. The
poor creature fell frightfully wounded, and the father
ventured to the stable door to see what was the mat-
ter. The inhuman son then took aim at him, and
lodged the greater part of the contents of the second
barrel in his face and chest. The second shot passed

through the adjoining pane of glass. Assistance be-
ing at hand, the unfortunate couple were taken into
the house and a surgeon was sent for. It was thought
that Mrs. Parker could not survive many hours, and
some of the shots in Mr. Parker's head were in such
dangerous positions that it was very doubtful what
might be the result in a few hours, although his
wounds were less dangerous than those sustained by
his wife. Richard ran out of the house without his hat
towards the river Trent, which was only a few yards
distant, leaving the gun. reared up in a corner.
About half an hour afterwards he was apprehended
by plice constable Barksby, leaning over a gate
near the river side. On being charged with shoot-
ing his father and mother, he said ho had done it,
but it was an accident. He at first resisted very
violently, but was compelled to yield to superior
force. Oa the way to Southwell he repeatedly
asked whether be should be hung, and said if he
were he should die on the scaffold like a dog. At
half-past one o'clock yesterday both victims were
alive, but there was scarcely the shadow of a hope
that Mrs. Parker could recover, and Mr. Parker's
condition was exceedingly precarious. The greatest
excitement prevails throughout the locality, and it
is now reported that both are dead.

The Slessrs. Stenford, of Charing-cross, have just
published a cheap plan of Duppel with its fortifications.
ex-
tremely scal
eel elawr, and therefore
o,
inchest
o the
English
will be u m ilese renders it
ful for hasty
reference during the present struggle.
A Norfolk squire, Mr. John Middleton, of Hain-
ton, has been fined £5 for " indecent behaviour" in
his parish church. The rector is Mr. lieppel (a relative of
the Earl of Albemarle), whose sermons, it appears, were not
to the taste of the squire, who lately adopted the plan of leav-
ing the church just before the rector ascended the pulpit.
On Sunday week, on entering and leaving the church, he
towards a pew at the other end
turned round and " looked"
in which were seated the rector's servants. This was the
alleged "indecent behaviour" which Mr. Koppel said
"vexed and disturbed" him. Mr. Middleton, on being
summoned, offered to make a written apology, but Mr.
Keppel—himself a magistrate—declined to accept it, and
brought the case before his brother magistrates, who in-
dicted the full pmalty of £5 and 155. costs,—Lincoingare
Chrfniat,

The following notices have been received in rela-
tion to the debts of Mexico and Venezuela ;
" Mexican Dividends—Messrs. Baring Brothers and
Co. have received by this mail on account of
Mexican dividends 45,915 dols. 23c." " Venezuela
Debt—Messrs. Baring Brothers and Co.'a agents in
Venezuela advise that they have received for 55
per cent. of the import dues, from the Custom-
house of Puerto Cabello, 6,086 dols. 75c. ; do., La
Guayra, 28,440 dole. 77c.—total, 34,527 dole. 52c."
The last week's rai'way receipts, ascertained up
to this day, are, in round figures, as under :

1864. 1863.
Great Western £61,974 1,55,675
North-Western
South-Western
Brighton
Midland 46,971 29,607
South-Eastern
Great Northern
Lancashire and Yorkshire 35,047 31,230
Bristol and Exeter
North Eastern
Great Eastern ..
Manchester, Sheffield. and Lincoln 188,185495 15,176
Glasgow and South Western
Great Southern and Western Ireland 8,467 7,614

Des e returns, compared with those of the same
period of last year, show some very satisfactory
features :—On the Great Western there is an in-
crease of £6,299; North Western, £12,505 ; South
Western, £3,546; Brighton, £5,188; Midland,
£7,364; South Eastern, £4,451; Great Northern,
£1,879; Lancashire and \ orkshire, £6,817 ; North
Eastern,
Sheffield, and Lincoln, £3,009; Great
Southern
and Western of Ireland, £853. The
o a £7,280 ; Great Eastern, £4,225; Man-
chester,ut
Glasgow and South Western, however, exhibits a
decrease of £l9.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE TN EDINBURGH.—On Tues•
day morning, about 4 o'clock, a fire broke out in
the works of Mr. Allan Beak, tanner and currier in
West Port, Edinburgh, which resulted in the almost com-
plete destruction within an hour of that extensive establish-
ment. The building in which thefiro originated which was
about 76 feet square, consisted of seven floors and was nearly
80 feethigh. It had justbeen finished, workmen having been
engaged up to the previous day:in finishing the belfry ; and
the workshops and lofts were fitted up in the most approved
style. The premises lay almost in the centre of a very popu-
lous neighbourhood, and the greatest alarm for a time pre-
vailed among the inhabitants, many of whom fled for their
lives, their houses being placed in the greatest peril by
the furiously spreading flames. The town engines were
very promptly on the spot, but the rapid advance of the fire
prevented enything being done to save the tan works, and
the safety of the neighbouring buildings became the chief
concerti. Happily the flames were kept within the new
building and the one immediately adjoining. A small sec-
tion of the works separate from the rest escaped, and only
one or two of the domiciles threatened were rendered Lunn..
habitable. There was, fortunately, no loss of life. The im-
mediate damage is estimated at about £1.5,000, which is
nearly covered by insurance. Several thousand pounds
offinished
worth of materials had just been taken into the premises,
andde
li
vtehreyr.e waslt i
is not
large n amountown wthe fire originated,
good ready foriginated. About
100 men will be thrown out of work. The brilliance of the
fire before dawn, especially in the illumination of the Castle
Rock, attracted even at the early hour large crowds of
admiring spectators,