The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-08 00:00:00

SUPPOSED MURDER Ay PATS-
HULL.
—On Sunday forenoon last the body of a man, ide
tified to be that of John Larkin, an Irish labo er,
was found drowned in a pool in Patshull-park, close
to the park farm. It was first seen floating in the
water by a child, and was shortly afterwards taken out
of the pool by the direction of Mr. Asheby, house
steward to Sir Robert Piggott's seat at Patshull, and
was placed in an outhouse. From the putrid state in
which the body was found, it is supposed that it had
been in the water a week ; and, from various circum-
stances which have come to light, it is suspected that
the deceased met with his death by unfair means. It
appears, that about two months ago the deceased came
to this country from the county of Mayo to work, and
earned some money from several parties ; amongst
others, from Mr. Till, of Oaken. His brother,- and
seven other Irishmen, from the same part of the
country, arrived in the neighbourhood of Patshull
about six weeks ago. On Saturday, the 6th of
August, Peter Larkin, the brother of the deceased,
took the cutting of 26 acres of wheat from Sir Robert
Pigott's land-bailiff at Pattshull. They commenced
their work the week following, and during the week
the deceased became very unwell. As his complaint
' was supposed to be fever, he was removed by the
directions of Sir Robert Pigott to the Shiffnal union
workhouse. He remained there only four days, and
then returned to Patshull. Finding that his brother
and the other men had gone to work at Mr. Boy-
cott's, he remained in the neighbourhood until
they returned to complete their job at Patshull.
They came back on Wednesday, the 18th of August,
but the deceased was unwell, and not able to do
more than carry beer and bread to his brother, and
bind up the sheaves of wheat. The deceased was not
seen in the neighbourhood after Sunday night, the
21st ult., although the barn in which all the parties
slept was not more than fifteen yards from the dwell-
ing of the land-bailiff. On Sunday, the 22d ult.,
the wife of the baliff asked one of the eight men how
Larkin, the sick man, was, as she had not seen him
during the day. The man replied that he was very
poorly, and was lying in the outhouse. On the fol-
lowing Wednesday, the 25th, when the work had
been completed, Peter Larkin and one of the men
went to the bailiff for the money which was due.
The bailiff asked Larkin how his brother was, and
whether he would take the money which was due to
him. Peter Larkin replied, "My brother is very
poorly indeed, and is lying above in the barn." The
bailiff then paid all that was due. The same men
afterwards met some Irishmen who were working in
the neighbourhood, and asked how the deceased was.
Peter Larkin, on this occasion, replied, " Oh, he is
pretty well ; he is gone on the road to Wolverhamp-
ton, and I am going to take him home by railway to
Ireland." On the same day, about five o'clock in the
afternoon, Peter Larkin, and the man who had ac-
companied him to the land-bailiff at Patshull, called
on Mr. Till, of Oaken, and asked for the balance due
to his brother, John Larken, he having on a previous
occasion received 21., without the knowledge or
sanction of the deceased. Mr. Till inquired of
Peter Larkin how his brother was. He replied
that he was poorly, and that he had been in the
Shiffnal union, but had been removed, and was at
that time in the Tettenhall workhouse. Nothing more
was heard of the deceased until Sunday last, when
his body was found, as before stated, in the pool. In
his right hand was firmly grasped a jug, which had
been borrowed by one of the men from Huselby, wife
of the land bailiff, on Sunday, the 22d, when John
Larkin was first missed. The only article of clothing
found on the body was a shirt, and no clothes have
since been discovered in the neighbourhood. It also
appears that, during the illness of the deceased, he
went frequently to the house of the bailiff, whose
wife was very kind to him, giving him coffee and
other things, in consequence of his being in a bad
state of health. As she did not see him on the Mon-
day, Tuesday, or Wednesday before referred to, she
concluded that he had left the neighbourhood. A
post-mortem examinination of the body took place on
Tuesday, by Mr. Bidwell and his son, Dr. Bidwell.
We hear that marks cf a severe blow or blows were
found on the left side of the head and face of the de-
ceased, which presented the appearance of a complete
jelly, and we believe it is the opinion of Dr. Bidwell
and his father, that, although the deceased came by
his death from drowning, yet he must previously have
received the blows referred to ; that those blows must
have stunned him, and that while in this state he was
put into the water. We also hear that it is the opinion
of the medical gentlemen, from the state of decompo-
sition in which the body now is, that it must have
been in the pond at least five or six days.—Shropshire
Conservative.

NEW POSTAGE STAMPS.

The new stamps, representing postage rates of
10d. and ls. each, are being prepared at Somerset-
house. The ls. stamps are ready for issue, 'and the
proof of the 10d. one has been approved of by the
authorities.

Both stamps are of the compressed octagonal form,
the same width as the embossed " heads" upon the
envelopes now in use, but rather deeper than such
stamps. The profile of her Majesty, which is most
accurately drawn, and exquisitely engraven, is deeply
sunk in the die, and consequently it stands out in bold
relief. Round the profile are the words " Postage,
One Shilling," or " Postage, Tenpence," as the case
may be. The colour of the ls. stamp is green, and it
is intended for those of 10d. to use a brown ink or
composition. The stamps are struck on sheets of
twenty each, for the conveni▪
ence of purchasers, and
well backed with adhesive matter.
These stamps will be valuable for parcels and
foreign letters. They are not to be confined to foreign
letters, but may be indiscriminately used for inland,
ship, or foreign postages, where the demand of the
office, either for transit or wei▪
ght, reaches the amount
represented. To the merchant, or others, sending
foreign letters the convenience will be very great,
while the time saved to the office in the operation of
obliteration will be considerable.
The following instruction has been issued to the
deputy-postmasters :—" The Lords of her Majesty's
Treasury having authorised the issue of postage stamps
of the value of one shilling, a specimen is forwarded
separately to those deputies, &c., who obliterate
postage stamps, for the purpose of being compared, in
case of doubt, with the stamped letters of this de-
scription that may pass through the Post-office. With
respect to the issue of these new postage stamps to
postmasters, for;sale to the public, the distribution by
the Post-office will be confined, for the present,. to the
postmasters of the under-mentioned places in the
United Kingdom, who will be supplied with the new
stamps as early as possible. The postmaster entrusted
with the sale of these postage stamps will sell them
to the public at the rate of ls. each, whatever may be
the number sold. The usual poundage, at the rate of
1 per cent. upon the sale, will be allowed to post-
&c., contained in the
book
masters who are entrusted with the distribution of
these stamps to the public. The instructions on the
subject
ellingstamps,
issued to
postmasters, in
1846, must be carefully acted upon with regard to
the new stamps. Amended forms of accounts for
o f generalof canc
instructions
postage stamps will be transmitted to
all postmasters,
and upon their receiving a supply they will return to
this department the present
forms for stamps in their
possession.

SEPT. 7
the royal
MajestyTHE guErt DthoewaGEL—PouTsatou:
Queenß Dowager,le of Wight, this-
suite and attendants,
steam yacht. Her
Majesty
Sir Charles Ogle, Burt ,and
the dockyard by Admire
morning, and crossed tolette daYoleikdy'sauridteinwtehree
rLecigeihvtendinagt
other officers, who
tbeing to view the magni-
' stairs, s Majesty
re
st 3:
Charles
recently presented
toSir by the
Grand conductedsi her to the Admiralty
House, the object of the vi
ficent vase rece
Constantine Russia.tooftheKing s
shortlyimbarked in the Admiralty barge, and was conveyed to
the Clarence. yard ; her Majesty and suite left by the
Express train of the South-Western Railway, at five mi•
afterwards
arlswonre statu
nutes after twelve. The crews of the ships in the har-
bour cheered as her Majesty landed and departed, and.
the Victory fired a royal salute on the occasion,
MASTER AND JOURNEYMEN CARPENTERS.—A.
monster banquet, at which seven hundred journeymen
carpenters partook of a substantial dinner and its.
accompaniments, took place yesterday in the large room,
at Cremorne-gardens, to celebrate the compact just
entered into between the master builders in London and
the vicinity and the journeymen or operatives, by which.
the men are discharged from labour at four o'clock on
Saturdays, and enabled to enjoy a sort of half heAiday-
The chair was taken shortly after two o'clock. by Mr-
Bates, and the numerous company commenr.:ed opera-
tions on the good things provided by 1N1',.. Ellis, the-
caterer of the feast. The healths of the Ylessrs. Cubitt,
of Messrs. Grissell and Pete, of Mr. Ba'Aer, and of the
other hundred master builders who he ye entered into
the agreement for shorter hours of leaour, were drunk
with enthusiastic cheers. The company, after breaking
up, were joined by their wives and families, and partook
of the usual amusements of the evening. It is gratify-
ing to know that this arrangement between the masters.
and the men has been carried out in the best feeling,
that no acrimony has arisen, and that it has been con-
summated to the mutual satisfaction of all parties.
Nothing could be more orderly, or more gratifying, than.
the whole of the proceedings.
ALARM OF FIRE AT THE STRAND THEATRE.—
Last night, shortly before ten o'clock, an alarming scene
occurred during the performance at the New Strand.
Theatre. It appeared that the flame of one of the gas
burners on the stage had heated an iron reflector so as
to fire the timber bracket on which it was fixed. A few
sparks were seen by a man in the gallery to fall upon
the stage, when he foolishly raised a cry of " Fire
This created the greatest alarm among the visitors,
which was increased by the sudden fall of the curtain..
This was done that the stage-manager might inform the.
audience that no danger was apprehended. It how-
ever had a contrary effect, and a general rush took place..
The man who first raised the alarm, on getting into the
street, again shouted " Fire I" This caused the rumour
to be circulated, and the engines, with a strong muster
of firemen, started to the spot. Fortunately their ser-
vices were not required.