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

Election Intelligence,

Sir Morton Peto has just issued an address to the
electors of Finsbury announcing his intention of
retiring at the close of the present session of Parlia.
ment.

That there will be a severe contest in Lancaster,
at the next general election, appears beyond all
doubt. Since Mr. W. J. Garnett intimated his in-
tention of retiring from the representation of the
borough, three gentlemen have announced them-
selves as candidates for the prospective vacancy—
Mr. IV, A. F. Saunders, of Wennington ; Mr. E.
M. Fenwick, Barrow ; and Mr. F. Somerville
Head, London. Mr. Head's address was issued yes-
terday morning. He says, "My political principles
being moderate, I should, if elected, attach myself
to no extreme party, and for the present should
offer a general but independent support to Lord
Palmerston's Government."
_ _

As stated yesterday, a vacancy has occurred ii:
the representation of Devizes, in consequence of Mr
Addington's accession to the Peerage. Sir T. Bate-
son, Bart., a brother-in-law of the late Captain
Gladstone,is the candidate on the Conservative side.
The Liberals, it is said, do not feel themselves justi-
fied in contesting the seat.
Sir William Miles, Bart., who was first elected for
East Somerset in 1834, and Mr. William Francis
Knatchbull, who was first returned for the same in
11852, having announced their determination to re-
tire at the next general election, three other gentle-
men have issued addresses to the electors. Sir
Henry A. Hoare, is the Liberal candidate, while the
Conservatives bring forward Mr. Ralph Neville
Granville, of Butleigh Court, and Mr. Richard
Horner Paget of tranmore Hall.

Awful Tragedy,

On Tuesday night last an outrage of almost un-
exampled atrocity was perpetrated at the village of
Fiskerton, 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 in 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 ho 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 cld 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 after wards he was apprehended
by police constable Barksby, leaning over a gate
near tho river side. On being charged with shoot-
ing his father and mother, he said he 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 he 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 shado:Nw. ofarker
a hop'e
Ps
that Mrs, Parker could recover, and
condition was exceedingly precarious. I
he greatest
excitement prevails throughout the locality, an d
it
is now reported that both are dead.

The Messrs. Stanford,of Charing-cross, have just
published a cheap plan of Duppel with its fortifications.
The scale, two inches to the English mile, renders it ex-
tremely clear, and therefore it will be useful 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. heppel (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
turned round and "looked" towards a pew at the other end
in which were seated the rector's servants. This was the
alleged "indecent behaviour" which Mr. lieppel 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-
flicted the full penalty of r 5 and 15s. costs,—LincolKsh
ire
Ve,ronicle,