The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-26 00:00:00

'THE SUN, LONDON, TUESD Yt' EVENENG, AUGUST t 26, 1862.

now we could surely never have been in earnest.
What has the North done to terrify us so ? Have
we not 400,000 men in arms ? Are they going to
lay down their arms because the North tells them
they are subdued. Let them come and disarm us.

They are good at talking.
" The other day they were going to walk over
James Island before breakfast, and take that meal in
Charleston, but shey unexpectedly got so much
to digest before they had advanced half a mile
that they were obliged to return where they

came from, and to defer their visit for another
occasion. We gave them grape from an eight-

inch Columbiad, and a shower of rifle balls, and so

much cold steel, that they left us in disgust. They

will probably like to try the same game again. Let
them come. Our company has been in but ene
fight, in which I had the honour to fire the first and
tho last shot. The affair was with a gunboat which
was coming down one of our creeks. We took up a
nice position with four pieces on the banks of the
creek, where the boats were obliged to pass at the
short distance of 75 or 100 yards. She came abreast
of us just after dark. They were heaving the lead
and swinging right merrily when I gave the order,
" Fire." You may imagine the bustle that arose on
board. They soon began to let fly shell and grape
at us, but we were so close these missiles only
whistled over our heads harmlessly. None of our
men were hurt; what damage was done to the
enemy darkness prevented us discovering. The
light artillery is a fine service in many respects, but
there is too little activity about it. But indeed
there is too little activity displayed in the war gene-
rally. You can have no idea what a mean, low
people these Yankees are, unless you were here to
see and hear the truth. They lives on lies and
brag. The prisoners whom we took on James
Island the other day told us—' You have taken us,
but we have taken Richmond.' When asked how
they had learnt that, they said it had been read out
on dews parade to them. What a miserable sub-
terfug# to elevate the courage of the men. No doubt
you have read Butler's order concerning the women
of New Orleans—that every woman that, by word
or gesture, insults any of his soldiers shall be consi-
dered a common woman. This is a fact. The
scoundrel ought to be hanged, were it not too good
a death for him. We should certainly be fools to
submit to such people, to say the least of it. When
I think of the days of Bruce and Wallace, and com-
pare the situation of the people of Scotland with
ours, it seems absurd to suppose that if the Yankees
had twice their force they could ever subdue us. One
thing is certain, that if they were either to subdue
us or to overrun the country, they would certainly
ruin the agricultural interests of the South ; and
cotton, which seems so necessary an article even to
Abolitionists, would never more be forthcoming.
Bale after bale is given to the flames as the enemy
approaches; for they are cotton thieves, and take
all they can lay hands on. They have taken away
a great many negroes, but do not seem to find them
such useful citizens as they expected. Indeed, some
of them have expressed a wish that we would take
them back.
" I have become rather fond of a military life, and
have made several efforts to get a commission in the
regular army, but as yet without success. You need
not be surprised if I should take to it altogether
after the war is at an end. For if the war lasts
many years it will put me back so much in all pro-
fessional pursuits, except the military, that I think
I shall have to resort to it any how, if only for a
living. I wish you could walk into our camp just
now and take a look of us. But I am so dreadfully
shabby in my appearance that I should be ashamed
to be seen by you. We have not such substantial
uniforms as your volunteers have, and at present
most of us have only what we have worn all winter.
It is amazingly hot here just now, and not too
healthy. Quite a number of us have had chills and
fever, though I have as yet escaped all sickness.
The country about here is very unhealthy ; in some
places, especially in August and September, it is
almost certain death to the white man to spend a
night in its baleful atmosphere. The site of our camp
has been chosen for its healthiness, compared with
other places which are inferior in that respect, but
still it is by no means what I should call a desirable
locality. But this is the fortune of war—more die
trom vcsinenee than Day Llle bw ord of the enemy.
None of our men have, however, died, or been even
sick. I am fourth corporal in the company now,
and may, if I stay long enough, become a ser-
geant, one of these days, but a commissioned
officer I doubt if ever. The system of elections
is still carried on in officering our volunteer
companies and regiments, and a vile system it
is, for the result is, officers who are quite in-
competent, in many instances, for the position,
especially among the country troops, who are very
ignorant and incapable of judging what is best for
themselves and the country. But a system of exa-
mination, in conjunction with the other, is now
about to be introduced, which will be of great
benefit to us, I think.

" JUNE 30.

tion.

"Adam's Run Village is a hamlet so called from
Adam's Run or rivulet flowing near it. The troops
here guard the Charleston and Savannah Railway.
It is situated about 22 miles to the south of Charles-
ton. Glorious news from Richmond yesterday.
M'Clellan's army threatened with complete destruc-
tion ; entirly cut off from their gunboats ; a large
portion routed and taken prisoners; attacked in
flank by Stonewall Jackson."

they could not recover. He also admitted
that if the contractors were to be rated they
must be rated as occupiers. He contended that their
case was analogous to the case of theatres and
saloons. There the parties were not occupiers, but
merely held a licence to sell refreshments.
At the conclusion of the arguments the counsel
and those interested in the case withdrew.
Mr. Brown then moved that the assessment be
affirmed. He said that if counsel had questioned
the accuracy of the assessment the board might have
gone into the matter, but they had raised grave
questions of law, which were to upset other assess-
ments. It was the practice to assess property so
soon as there was beneficial occupation. They as-
sessed gas companies and others in the same way,
and they possessed only a beneficial occupation.
Mr. Peck seconded the resolution.

Mr. Barnes was of opinion that they were not the
parties to be assessed. He thought they should ad-
journ the matter and take counsel's opinion.
Mr. Green, the clerk, said counsel's opinion had
been taken, and they were acting under his advice.
The resolution was then put and carried by a ma-
jority, two hands being held up to the contrary.
Mr. Banting said there were other contractors in
the Exhibition. He wished to know whether they
would be assessed. He said there was an umbrella
and stick contractor, and the contractor for the
cloak-rooms, and he should like to hear of their be-
ing assessed.

Mr. Green said the matter was under considera-

The counsel and the appellants were then called
in and acquainted with the decision.

MURDER OF A POLICEMAN AT ASHTON
BY TRADE UNION BRICKMAKERS.

LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.
At the South Lancashire assizes to-day this case
came on for trial before Mr. Justice Mellor. Con-

siderable interest was manifested in the proceedings,
and the court was crowded throughout the day.
Only four of the men concerned were indicted,
Barlow having turned approver, and the others not
being in custody. The prisoners were Michael
Burke, 35, John Ward, 36, Frederick Hepwell, 25,

and John Clay Johnson, 39.
Mr. Bass, Q.C., attorney-general for the county,
together with Mr. Kaye and Mr. Grimahaw, pro-
secuted ; and Mr. Digby Seymour, Q.O , Mr. Torr,
Mr. Ernest Jones, and Mr. Roberts defended the
prisoners.
Mr. Bliss, Q.C., in opening the case, said that
the prisoners, Michael Burke, John Ward, and
Frederick Hepwell, stood indicted for wilful mur-
der ; and Johnson was indicted as an accessory after
the tact, for receiving and harbouring Burke and
Ward, and for concealing them, knowing them to
have committed the murder. In addition to the
prisoners at the bar there were also four other
persons implicated in the murder, but they were
not in custody. Another person named Barlow,
also implicated, would be called as a witness. The
prisoners and the other persons charged were all
brickmakers living at or near Ashton-under-Lyne.
The name of the deceased was Wm. Jump, a police-
man, who at tilt' time of his murder was on duty and
in uniform. The murder was committed on the
morning of Saturday, 28th June last, at a fold or
yard called Smallshaw fold, in or near Ashton--
under-Lyne. He was killed by two shots which
entered his breast about an inch and a half apart,
passed through his body in a parallel direction, and
lodged somewhere near the spine. The charge
against the parties implicated in this murder was
that on the night of Friday, June 27, they assem-
bled together, and armed themselves with
blud-
geons and pistols, with intent to destroy the bricks
in a neighbouring yard, and to use these weapons
against any person who should interfere with them
committing this crime or making their escape after-
wards ; and that, in pursuance of this intention and
design they committed the murder charged against
them. On the night of Friday, the 27th June,
Burke, Ward, Hepwell, and the five other men as-
sembled at a place called the Ashton barracks, not
far from Clifford's brick-yard. They met there in
different parties of two, three, and four, but previ-
ously they had al], or some of them, been at a cer-
tain house where they charged the pistols with
shot. Having met at the barracks the whole eight
men went to Clifford's brick-yard, and there de-
stroyed 16,000 or 17,000 bricks. Having destroyed
the bricks they returned to the Ashton barracks,
and from thence they took a way across the fields
and roads until they came to the field adjoining the
fold yard where the murder was committed. In
crossing the field which adjoined the yard, the pri-
soners were met by two policemen, one Sergeant
(whu would be brought beforA the jury),
and the other the deceased, Wm. Jump: When

they saw the policemen the 'men walked in single
file, and endeavoured to disguise and conceal their
faces by putting up their collars, and averted their
heads from the officers as they approached. Harrop
saw that they had something concealed under their
clothes, and suffered six of them to pass, but stepped
before one of the last men and said—" My man,
what is the meaning of all this ? I find you here
in this manner at this time of the morning." The
man whom he stopped said nothing,but endeavoured
to pass on. Harrop then said," You have no occa-
sion to fear anything from me if you are here about
nothing wrong." The man then pushed Harrop
violently away, and on being held in check he cried
out sharply, " Now men, now men. Now !" And the
other seven men turned round and commenced a
most violent attack, during which they used
bludgeons and pistols, and Harrop was shot over
the eye. After the struggle had been going on
for some time a person named Williamson, who
lived in a house adjoining the yard where Jump
was murdered, saw Jump come through a stile at
the corner of the house, and go to another stile on
the opposite side of the yard. Jump was stag-
gering as though wearied or exhausted, and when
' he got to the stile he stood there leaning upon the
stump. Williamson then saw another man come
after Jump through the stile, and when he was
about a yard or two yards from the officer William•
son saw a flash, and heard a report of firearms, as
of a pistol, apparently coming from this man to.
wards Jump. He saw and heard a second flash and
shot, which he thought came from the same man.
Harrop, who was standing near the yard, heard
Jump cry out, " Oh, dear ! oh, dear !" and going
back immediately in the direction of the cry, he
entered the fold yard, and found Jump doubled up
by the stile. Harrop asked Jump if he couldspeak,
but Jump could make no answer ; and with the as-
sistance of another man, William Smith, he car-
ried Jump into Williamson's house, where he died
in a very few minutes. The learned counsel pointed
out that one of the most important points of evi-
dence against Burke was the finding of a piece of
paper near the murdered man, which had formed a
portion of the wadding of the pistol, and this piece
of paper bore the name of Burke, and was identi-
fied as a portion of a bill furnished to Burke by a
beer-house-keeper. It would be proved also that
Burke was at the house which formed the rendez-
vous of the prisoners, and that he assisted at the
loading of the pistols ; that he was also present
during the affray, and that he afterwards used ex-
pressions which implicated him in the attack.
Burke had also made a confession, which was
somewhat at variance with the other evi-
dence, and which represented that Jump
was killed by one shot only, whereas it
would be proved that two shots were fired,
and fired close together. With regard to Ward,
the evidence would show that he was present during
the firing of the shots ; that he took an active part
in the affray, and that afterwards he used expres-
sions to the effect Ghat both he and Burke " fired
into" Jump. It was also important with regard to
Ward that two men were seen after the affray run-
ning over the railway bridge, that one of these men
answered to the description of Ward, and that the
footprints discovered in that direction were identi-
cal with those of Ward. Though the evidence was
not so strong against Hepwell, still it would be
shown that he also was engaged with the other men
throughout the affray. In conclusion, the Attorney
General said that if the prisoners went out with a
common design that these weapons should be used
in the way,they actually were used, all parties to
that design were responsible for such using of wea-
pons, being either present at the time of the actual
affray or accessories before the fact. All those who
were present after the weapons were used, and were
there aiding and thetting, were equally guilty with
the persons who fired the shot ; and whether the
prisoners were the persons who so fired, or whefher
the shots were fired by some of the men not in cus-
tody, it' the jury thought that the prisoners were
there at the time, they must hold them responsible
for the results.
The examination of the witnesses then commenced.
Thomas Barlow, brickmaker, brought up in cus-
tody, was called 'or the prosecution—He said he was
a member of the anion, and that a short time before
the murder Hepwell went to his house and said there
were some bricks to spoil, and asked him to join in
the act. He and Hepwell went to Ward's where
he saw Henshal and Gregory, two of the men im-
plicated but tot in custody. They then went
towards the Ashton Barracks, where they were
joined by Butte and Ward. By this time the
number of the men assembled amounted to eight,
and included and Ryan, who made up the
four who were not apprehended. They proceeded
towards Clifford's brick-field, and destroyed five
flats of bricks, and when this was done they went

away in the direction of Ardenshaw, the scene of
the murder. The witness then described the colli-
sion with the police, as detailed by Mr. Bliss. Di-
rectly after the assault on the police commenced, he
ran away, but about ten days afterwards was appre-
hended. When he Was in the Ashton lock-up he
occupied the next cell to Ward, who began to speak
about the affair and said, " My shoes have done me
for this." Burke and Ward hadboth told him that
they had fired at the police. In prison Ward said
to him, "They are keeping Burke at Ashton, and
he will split on all the ethers." A cap found on the
field was identified by this witness as belonging to
Ward. Several bludgeons, most fearful weaponsj
were produced, and the particular weapons used by
the prisoners identified.
Under cross-examination, the prisoner said that
he had been induced to make a statement to Lnd-
ham, a police officer, on the understanding that the
person who could give a clue to the perpetrators of
the crime would be rewarded, and, if not implicated
in the actual crime, would receive a pardon.
George Harrop, police sergeant, was next eit-
amined, and bore out the statement of the learned
counsel. He distinctly identified Burke and Ward
as taking part in the affray. The man with whom
Harrop was struggling disengaged himself, but left
his bludgeon in Harrop's hand. Harrop threw it
after him as he was escaping, and hit him on the
forehead. At this time shots were fired about 90
yards off, and almost immediately afterwards
Harrop heard a moan, which upon going to the
yard, he found proceeded from Jump. Jump's body
was found to be much bruised by blows from
bludgeons. tHarrop underwent a severe cross-
examination with regard to the shots which he
heard being fired in succession, and as to their pro-
ceeding apparently from a revolver. His evidence,
however, was not shaken. He produced the bullets
which had been found in Jump's body.
Samuel D. Lee, M.D., who had been called to
attend to the deceased, described the nature of the
wounds which Jump had received, and attributed
death to the shot, one of the bullets having entered
under the second rib and perforated the left lung,
causing an immense loss of blood, The two bullets
which were extracted from Jump's body were very
rough, and one had a shank upon it. Dr. Lee,
who examined Ward in the New Bailey, Salford,
proved that he had a wound on his forehead, which
might have been caused by a bludgeon.
Samuel Williamson was next examined, and de-
scribed the firing of the pistol in the direction of
the stile where Jump was standing, and also the
finding of the wadding-paper, which dropped from
Jump's coat when he was being carried mortally
wounded into the house.

Another witness, named Smith, who lived near,
and heard the shots, said that he went out and found
the deceased crouehing on his hands and knees.
Jump exclaimed, " Oh dear !" and endeavoured to
get up, but fell three times. Jump died almost im-
mediately after he was taken into Williamson's
house.
Eli Ogden and his wife, who lived in Smallshaw-
fold, gave corroborative evidence as to the firing of
the shots and the wounding of Jump.
The Court then rose, and the hearing of the case
was adjourned till the following day.