The Sun.
London, England, 1824-11-12 00:00:00

FATAL ACCIDENT FROM A SPRING GUN.

SWAFFHAII, Nov. 10.—We trust that the
following melancholy event will have the effect
of abolishing these murderous machines :

On Sunday afternoon last, about four o'clock, Wm. Brown-
sell, who for a very considerable number of years has been in the
service of Win. Mason, Esq. of Necton (four miles from Swell.
ham), as a hurdle-maker, went into one of that gentleman's
plantations to examine what timber would be fit to fell for
hurdles, when the poor fellow, through ignorance of the place
where the gun was set (and one would naturally suppose that
such a weapon would not be planted in a road), as he was cross-
ing the road trod upon the wire, and the gun went oil; lodg.
ing its contents in his body. On Monday horning he way
found in dreadful agonies, and conveyed to the nearest house
for relict, but in vain; he shortly after expired. An inquest
was held last. night, at the Three Tuns at Necton, before W.
Bero
Esq. Coroner, when it appeared in evidence that the
p
gun was heard about. four o'clock on Sunday after.
report of
noon ; but as the occasion was not suspected by any one
no notice was taken ; that on liionday morning about eight
o'clock, as the gamekeeper Was going his rounds, he found
the gun sprung, and about eighty yards further discovered
the wretched llrownsell weltering In his blood, but still alive.
It would seem that the deceased, who must have lain sixteen '
hours In agonies which cannot well be imagined, had rolled
round through briars and brambles to a tree near the spot,
where the ground appeared as if a horse had been tied there
and pawed the earth all round ; he had afterwards crawled
upwards of eighty yards to a hollow part where there is a seat
for the keeper to watch, and where he was found nearly insen-
sible, muttering only " Let me alone."—After some delibera-
tion, the Jury came to the following verdict, which of itself
speaks volumes r--" Accidentally came to his death by a spring
Mn set in a cart road leading through a plantation of Mr. !
elon's, called the Furnace, adjoining the boundary of Sporle."
---It is but right to add, that Mr. Mason, who had a very high
opinion of the honesty and industry of Brownsell, is now abroad
on a tour, and it is said that the spring guns have been set
since his absence. We are confident that our readers will par-
ticipate in our feelings of surprise and indignation when we tn.
fonn them, that the Jury, on inspecting the spot, found the gun
again loaded.

A sailor, named Barney Gough, fell from one of the Bath
coaches, two miles from Colnbrook, on Wednesday morning,
and a Coroner's .Jury found his death was accidental, by being
drunk. One of the witnesses proved having seen him drink
seventeen drams in a short space of time.
On Sunday last, as a waggon conveying the
scenery, &C. of the Norwich company of comedians from Bury
to Colchester, was descending a hill near Cock&ld, the driver
having omitted to clog the wheel, the vehicle ran down with such
velocity as to kill one of the horses, and seriously injure two
ethers.

HORRID CRUELTY TO ANIMALL—On the
forenoon of Tuesday last two butchers,
named Menders, residing in Free-school-street,
and `'Volley, of Geinsford-street, both of St.
John's, Horsleydown, proceeded each with his
mare, in harness, from the mile-stone, Opposite
Stepney Green, 5 miles out, and the same
distance home, on the Ilford road, for a bet of 50
sovereigns. Both parties started at a pace, al-
though their horses were considered good bot-
tom, too quick for any cattle to continue such a
distance. Walley
took the lead, and by the
time the 9.5 miles out were done by him, he
was between two and three miles a-head of his
opponent. Menders, however,
overtook NV olley
when the latter
pulled up, and gave in, as his
mare could not proceed farther with any
chance of success ; indeed, he left the poor
animal behind him on the road, and came
home by some stage-coach. 11/antlers con-
tinued, however, as
well as his mare could go,
until his arrival at Ilford, where he baited her ;
but on proceeding for the winning-post, the mare
could scarcely walk, and the poor distressed ani-
mal was near 3 hours in going the last 6 miles.
Menders, however, won the bet, but his mare, on
being unharnessed and put into a stable, dropped
down dead in a few minutes aftewards
ought to be stated that each of these humane
competitors had a friend with him in the chaise
to act as umpire on this disgraceful occasion.