The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-14 00:00:00

GRAND TROTTING MATCH AT

MANCHESTER.

On Saturday afternoon the much-talked-of " extra-
ordinary trotting match" came off on the race-course
of the Belle Vue Gardens, on the Hyde-road, and at-
tracted nearly all the elite of the Manchester sporting
world. The match, which was for 100 sovereigns,
was got up, we believe, by Mr. Burke, of trotting
celebrity, half the sum having been subscribed by the
proprietor of the course, Mr. Jennison, and the re-
mainder by a few sporting gentlemen of this city.
The conditions of the match were, that the winning
horse must not run a less distance than 171 miles
within the hour; the horse which performed the
greatest distance within that time to be declared the
winner of the stakes. As may be expected, from the
"heavy work" cut out, it was supposed, and with
great reason, that no horse could accomplish the dis-
tance, but a whisper having got abroad that a Yankee
horse " up to anything" was entered, a great amount
of money was staked that 18 miles, and more, would
be done within the hour. Two started first under
saddle; one of them, a brown horse, named by Mr.
Pearce Morgan, and the other a chestnut horse, called
"Sir William," named by Mr. Lawson, veterinary
surgeon, and brought over from America to
England about eight months since, during
which time he has been training at Aintree,
near Liverpool. Although, as we have stated,
rumour had done much to make the Yankee
horse, " Sir William," a favourite in the betting,
yet his appearance was by no means calcu-
lated to encourage speculation. He appeared, in
stable phrase, " a rum-un to look at," although his
performance subsequently proved him " a good-un to
go." On the signal to start being given, both horses
got well off together, and for a short time the brown
one appeared to have the best of it, going very well
for some 14 or 15 times round the course, when his
rider was obliged to give in, the horse being out of
condition. The Yankee " Sir William" (who seemed
to improve in his work) then made a gallant sprint
for the race, and, vigorously laying his legs down to
the task, completed a distance (within the hour) of
eighteen miles and a half, less about sixty yards,
coming in quite fresh, or at least so little distressed
that it was asserted on Monday that he was already
in a condition to be backed to do the like again. He
never broke from his trot during the whole distance,
and (his rider not having heard the report of the
pistol fired by the judge at the expiration of the
hour) went round the course, and a short dis-
tance more, after the hour was up, as fast, and
with as little apparent distress, as during the
latter half of the time. Of couase the perform-
ance of this unparalleled feat called forth loud
cheers. The jockey, John Spicer, who, like the
horse he rode, is also Yankee, was, it is almost need-
less to state, much exhausted with his exertions, and
had he not been supported on dismounting, would
have fallen to the ground. His jockeyship was most
admirable. Mr. Burke's grey mare afterwards
started, and for the first seven or eight times round
kept better time than the horse, but was withdrawn,
after going a distance of about twelve miles, in con-
sequence of showing symptoms of distress. Many
rumours are afloat as to the history and pedigree of
Sir William, and it is said he at one period belonged
to Mr. Samuel Brooks, banker, of this city, and on
the other hand, that he is American born and bred.
There appears no doubt of his being now the pro-
perty of a company in America, as not less than ten
sporting characters from the other side of the Atlantic
came over with him, and have been in England ever
since ; and these, in addition to the jockey, trainers,
and others, to the number of nearly as many more.
Be it as it may, he proved himself a wonderful ani-
mal ; and his owners, who, it is asserted, netted
3,000/. by his performance, may well be proud of
him. The same parties, we hear, have another horse,
of which even greater feats are predicted.—Man-
chester Examiner.

THREE CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH.—A horrible
and fatal accident occurred late on Wednesday night
last, at the Blacklaw Huts, on the Caledonian Railway,
above Beattock, by which three children were destroyed
and two women seriously injured, one of whom is not
expected to recover. It appears that a man named
Roberts and his wife had possession of two huts, in
which lodgers were kept and ale sold. In these hovels,
besides Roberts and his wife, there lived two lodgers,
the wife of one of them, two children of Roberts, both
girls, one two years and a half and the other a year old,
and a young girl betwixt ten and eleven, who acted as a
servant. The three children slept in a loft, and they,
along with the other inmates, had all gone to sleep on
Wednesday night, except Roberts's wife, the husband
having been from home, who sat up later. In going to
bed, or at least into the bedroom, her candle had come
in contact, it is suppcsed, with some of the bed-clothes
and before the alarm was given, and the lodgers roused,
the whole of the loft was in flames. They had barely
time to escape, bearing the unfortunate woman along
with them, when the roof of the hut fell in, bringing
down the bcdies of the poor children, which were almost
burnt to ashes. The fire spread with great rapidity,
and speedily consumed Roberts's other hut, and an ad-
joining one, belonging to James Wright. The whole of
Roberts's furnitnre and clothing, as well as several bar-
rels of ale, were destroyed. his wife was so severely
burnt, that there is very little hope entertained of her
recovery, and the other woman was severely burnt on
the left arm and shoulder. They have both been re-
moved to the hospital at Huwele ugh.—Dumfries Courier.
DOMESTIC FELlClTY.—Yesterday a respectable
female, of the•name of Hamilton, who appeared to be in
a very advanced state of pregnancy, was brought before
Mr. Rushton, on a charge of having inflicted several
wounds on the nose and forehead of her husband by
means of a table-knife. Mr. Henry Hamilton, the
husband, who bad a great portion of his face covered
with pieces of sticking-plaster, said that he resided in
Nelson street, and that on Saturday night last he went
home about nine o'clock in a very wet state, and, as he
had nothing to eat all day but a sandwich, he asked his
wife to get something ready for supper. She replied
that she had nothing cooked in the house, and that if
he wanted anything made ready he must dress it himself.
She then went away, remained out the whole of the
night, and returned in the morning, stating that she
had slept at her sister's. Ile asked her to prepare
breakfast, but she produced part of a leg of pork, and
said she would eat it herself, telling him that he might
breakfast on part of the cold beefsteak he had left from
the night before. Some words ensued, at the close of
which she stabbed him in the nose and forehead with a
knife, and ran out of the house. Subsequently she ex-
pressed her regret that she had not cut his throat, and
her father, mother, sister, and brother, entered the place
and abused him. Mrs. Hamilton, in her defence, stated
that her husband had thrown a knife, fork, and plate
at her, and that he had kicked her twice. Mr. Rushton
reprimanded the husband, and ordered the wife to be
discharged.—Liverpool Times.
FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.-011 Monday, a fatal
accident, resulting, as is so often the case, from the care-
lessness of the individual who lost his life through it, oc-
curred on the Liverpool and Manchester line of railway
on Monday. A special train started about ten o'clock
on Monday morning from Manchester for Liverpool, and
ou its arriving about 300 yards past the Barton Moss
station, a man, named Thos. Seed, employed by the
Electric Telegraph Company, in painting the posts
which support the wires, who was passing from one post
to another, with his kettle and brush in one hand, and
carrying his ladder on the opposite shoulder, stopped to
look at the train. tie was then standing off the line, and
out of danger. At that moment the passenger train
from Warrington, which arrives at Manchester at half-
past ten o'clock, came up, evidently unobserved by the
deceased, and at the very instant of its reaching the spot
where he stood, he stepped on the line in front of the
engine. Almost before he could set his foot to the
ground, we are told, he was caught at the back of the
head by the lamp iron in front of the engine, thrown a
considerable distance forward, and the whole train pass-
ing over him, he was killed instantaneously. Such was
the force of the collision with the unfortunate man's
head, that the lamp iron, about three-quarters of an
inch thick, and two and a half inches broad, was broken
by it. The deceased was a widower, and, we believe,
had no family.—Manchester Examiner.

NOTHING LIKE BEING IN TIME.—A correspondent,
who gives his name and address, sends the following
singular statement;--" On Friday last a respectable
individual, whose name I shall not mention for certain
reasons, called upon the clerk of St. James's Cemetery,
and requested that his family grave might he opened, as
the corpse of
a man would be buried on the following
Saturday morning, at ten o'clock, at the same time stating
that he was not yet dead, but in the last stage of disease,
and expected every moment to breathe his last. Having
no doubt upon the subject, the grave was accordingly
opened, and every preparation made; the ropes were
laid across the grave for the purpose of lowering the
body; the minister, the Rev. Mr. Graham, with the clerk,
was in attendance at the appointed time, and the sexton
was actually tolling the bell, all expecting the mournful
procession to arrive. At this juncture the individual who
called on Friday, came into the cemetery, at the south
end, and was
,asking one of the grave diggers at what
time they buried on the Sunday morning, stating that
the person he had mentioned was not yet dead. The
grave-digger told him that the bell was tolling for the
supposed deceased, and that the minister and clerk
were waiting to perform the last rites of the Church
over their departed brother; at hearing this he was
struck with astonishment, and proceeded to the chapel
and informed the clergyman that his friend was not
dead. The minister was surprised, but could not help
laughing heartily. Sunday morning was appointed, but
no funeral, the man being still alive. On Monday it
pleased God to release him from this world's trouble,
and he was buried yesterday morning in the grave pre-
pared for him on Friday.—Plymouth Journal.
AMERICAN PRODUCE.—A vessel named the Here-
fordshire, of 1,354 tons burden, has entered the East
India Docks from New York, entirely laden with provi-
.ions and merchandize, the produce of the United States
of America. This large vessel has brought 7,364 barrels
of flour, 21,594 bushels and 333 sacks of wheat, 385
packages of pork, 564 packages of beef, and 53 casks of
lard.
CESSATION OF LABOUR IN FACTORIES.—At
meeting of the delegates from the operative cotton-
spinners in the surrounding districts, which was
resolved
by a large majority to cease working f
held on
Sunday, at Bolton, we understand thator a time,
it
and that
Sunday,
another meeting :s to be held next in Manches-
ter, for the purpose of fixing the day on which such ces-
sation is to comnunce.—Manchester Examiner.