The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-19 00:00:00

TH E SUN, LONDON, MONDA Y , DECEMBER, 19, 1870

ACCIDENT TO THE ECLIPSE EXPEDITION.
H.M.S. PYSCHE ON A ROCK.
The following telegram has reached London, from Mr.
Lockyer, who is in charge of the English Eclipse Expedi-
tion, bound for Sicily

THE LIVERPOOL MURDER.
At the Liverpool Assizes on Friday, Edward Richard
Howchin, aged 22, was (as has been already briefly stated)
put upon his trial.for the alleged wilful murder of Christian
Flueck the proprietor of a school in Liverpool. Mr.
Aspinall, Q.C.. and Mr. Leofric Temple prosecuted;
Mr. Torr and Mr. Wheeler defended. The deceased man
Mr. Flueck, lived at Dingle-hill, near Liverpool, where
the prisoner had been resident usher for nearly 12 months.,
Ile is slight and active in form, youthful and intelligent
in appearance, most unlike the usually accepted
type of murderer. The facts appear from the evidence
of the witnesses, but it may be said that at
the time of the murder there were in the house
the deceased and his wife, Mr. Kerr, a lodger,
four boarders, a page boy, and two female servants. Ano-
ther lodger, Mr. Preyss, and some day scholars, were out
at the time. The house is a large semi-detached one,4
three stories high, the hail door in the side in a portico,
and passing this a yard door. The schoolroom is the first
on the left on entering the hall, and the study, in which
the murder was committed, is on the first floor in the rear.
along a passage, and over the kitchen. The room in which
the prisoner slept is on the second floor, and just over the
study.—Mrs. Flueck examined : I am the wirlow of Mr.
Christian Flueck. My husband was 41 years old. -Ie
was born at Versailles. We were married in 1859.

" CATANIA, DEC. 15, 3 P.M.
' The Psyche, with the Eclipse Expedition on board,
has struck on a sunken rock near Catania. ,
" All hands have been saved, and also the scientific
instruments.
" The captain, who has behaVed most nobly, is still on
board, and, with a view to save the ship, has telegraphed
to Malta for assistance."
The eclipse will be visible on Thursday.
The following telegrams have been received at the
Admiralty :

(FROM MALTA.)
The Psyche. from Naples, struck on a sunken rock six
miles north of Catania, Sicily. Crew saved. The Royal
Oak and the Caledonia were despatched to her assist-
ance.

(PROM CATANIA.)
The Psyche has struck, .while running by chart, on a
sunken rock, near Catania. All saved. Instruments
sent into Catania. Commander Fellowes has acted nobly,
and hopes to save the ship, if assistance comes at once
from Malta. where he has telegraphed. The Royal Oak
is also sent for.
N.B.—The Psyche had gone from 11Ialta to Naples to
receive the astronomers who are proceeding to Sicily for
the purpose of observing the eclipse of the sun.
The instruments alluded to are those sent out for their
use.

The prisoner was an usher in the school. He
-was going to leave at Christmas. I was in the
habit of going , out to give music lessons oil
Tuesdays and Fridays. I generally returned about seven.
School would be over between four and five. My husband
would usually go to the study and sleep or read. He
very quickly fell asleep, and slept soundly. On Friday,
the 25th, I went with a boy, soon after two, down into
Liverpool. I came back at half-past four. I then saw
my husband in the study. He was quite well On the
table in the study there were some clean shirts. At the
side of the table there was a rocking chair. I immediately
went out and gave one music lesson. I returned at twenty
minutes to seven. I rang the front door bell and was let
in by the page boy, M'Grath. It was then shut, as
usual. The two lodgers were the only ones who had keys.
On the door being opened I ran up to the study. The
door was shut. I opened it and went in. I' saw my hus-
band lying on the hearthrug with his head on one end of
the fender. I tried to rouse him. • He was breathing
heavily. I spoke to him, but he did not answer. I lifted
his head off the fender and put it on the hearthrug. There
was blood inside the fender. I ran upstairs to my bedroom
for water and a sponge. I came down and began to bathe
his head. I found his hair all clotted with blood. I put
his head on a cushion and ran downstairs. I went to the
schoolroom door and called Mr. Howchin. He came out.
He said repeatedly, " What is it?" I said,' " Close the
door. Come upstairs." .. We went up • together
into the study. I said, " What can this mean ?"'
He said, " It's very evident. Look at this." He pointed
to a piece of 'iron (produced) .lying on the left hand
side of the hearthru,g. There were two gaslights burn-
ing in the room. I then asked the
.prisoner to go for
Dr. Barrett, and he went out for him. He returned
before the doctor, who soon followed. When he came he,
asked for a razor. I went upstairs for one. As I was
coming with it 1 met Mr. Howchin on the stairs. I said to
him, " Mr. Howchin, do you know anything of this?"
He said, " No, Mrs. Fleuck." I then said, "On your
soul, Mr. Howchin." He said, "On my solemn honour."
I said, " When did you last see Mr. Flueck ?" He said
" Asleep in his chair, at 5 o'clock." Nothing further was
said.; then I took the razor into the room. I think he fol
lowed me into the room. There, he said, "Shall Igo for
any one for you ?" I said, "Oh no." He said, " Shall I
go for your aunt ?" I said "No ;" at last I said " Very
well, go, she must know some time." He went and
brought her. Before this, Howchin had not touched
my • husband at all. I think the doctor was
the first to touch the piece of iron. My husband died
two days afterwards without having become conscious or
being able to speak. I know of no . quarrel or difference
existing between my husband and any one. [Some letters
were here read from the prisoner to a Mr. Calder applying
for asituation, and one to the same gentleman from the
deceased in which he says of the prisoenr " though some-:
what peculiar in manner, he is polite and obliging."] Pri-
soner did not obtain this situation. He told me so on the
23rd of November. He asked me " Was there not ome-
thing prejudicial to me in Mr. Flueck's letter to Mr.
Calder." I said, "On the contrary, I think it was an ex-
cellent character." fie said, " Was there not something in
it about a `peculiarity' or ' eccentricity.' " I said, " Yes,
there was," and I told him what was in the letter,, repeat-
ing the words. He said, "Ah ! that is sufficient to damn
me." I said, " I don't see that, as there was something
•to 'a like effect in a character my husband received lof
you." He said, " I know it, and I hope you will inter-
tede to get Mr. Flueck to omit• such words in future."
I said, f,` I'll speak to him, but I don't think he will, as
he is strictly conscientious." He said, "He need
not be so particular, as there arc men with characters as
black as night with splendid testimonials." I said, "If
so, .'its. a shameful thing; you had better speak
to Mr. Flueck yourself." He said, " I wish no
further conversation with him, as I have already made
One blind stroke." • This was all that was said. I heard
prisoner speak to my husband the same day. He was
speaking angrily to Howchin about a boy having gone
out. I said, " I gave him permission." He said to him
" Why did you not tell me Mrs. Flueck lied given
leave ?-" I don't recollect what was said, but How-
chin said, " You may as well call me a liar." My
husband said, "So I will," and left the room. Mr.
Howchin said to me, "How can you bear this?", I said,
"I am accustomed to his excitability." He said, "He
ought to be punished." I said. "Oh, no, Mr. Howchin."
After tea, my husband said, " I'm sorry I should have
blamed you unjustly, Mr. Howchin." Prisoner made no
answer. The shirts which I had seen on the table before
going out were there•when I found my husband lying on
the floor. There was also a newspaper there. There
were spots of blood on both the shirts and paper. I never
saw the piece of iron in the house before. Three of the
boarders slept in the same room as the prisoner. He had
a box there which was usually kept locked. Nothing was
stolen from the house on the night of the occurrence.
Cross-examined I saw the front door closed when I re-
turned from giving my lesson. Aspeaking-tube commun.
cates from the study to the kitchen. I did not speak by
it to the servants. I did not wish to alarm the house or the
boys. I think when the prisoner went for the doctor I called
the servants, but lam not sure as to the exact moment: I
do ?not remember Mr. Preyss coming and holding my
husband's right hand after he was injured. Mr. Howchin
and'Mr. Preyss disliked each other very much. My hus-
band was easily excited by a Title drink."
Isabella Jones, housemaid to Mr. Flueck : On the 25th
of November, about 5.30 o'clock, my master came in at
the side door. I was in the kitchen. The door was always
open. He spoke to the cook and left some sausages. He
then. went along the passage towards the hall. I had sent
the page, M`Grath, upstairs to the back room to dress.
About ten or fifteen minutes after Mr. Flueck left, we
had tea. About five , minutes after Mr. Fleuek
came in Mr. Howchin • came in the same *ay.
I saw him going along the passage. • While we were
having tea we heard a fall on the floor of the study Over-
head, on the right side of the fireplace: This would be ten
of 15 minutes after Mr. Flueck came in. !I heard nothing
afterwards. I went upstairs. to dress 25 minutes after-
wards, and stayed there about 20. It was a quarter past
six when I came down. I heard, my mistress come in,
and about five minutes afterwards I heard her call. I
went to the study, and saw my mistress, mid Howchin; and
Master there lying on the floor. I first saw the pieCe of
iron on the study fluor. I had never seen it about. the
House before.
After the hearing of the case for the prosecution, the
prisoner's counsel dwelt upon the purely circumstantial
nature of the evidence, and urged that there was no! (•vi-
dence sufficiently • strong to justify a verdict of guilty.
The judge, Mr. Justice Mellor, then summed up, Occu-
pying two hours and a-quarter in so doing. He saidthat
it would not be sufficient to find a verdict of guilty upon
if the jury merely came to the conclusion that if tlit psi
boner did not commit the murder it would be impoi;sible
to say who did. After an absence of an hour and a-Cpaar-
ter the jury returned a verdict of .not guilty, which , was
received with loud applause. •

SERIOUS RAILWAY COLLISION NEAR
ST HELENS.
SEVERAL PERSONS INJURED.

On Friday morning a railway collision of a serious
character, and attended with severe injuries to three
persons and slight injuries to a number of others,
occurred on the London and North Western Railway, at
Peasley Cross, about one mile from St. Helens station.
The train to which the accident happened was the 9.30
passenger from St. Helens Junction, through St. Helens to
Wigan, which consisted of the engine, three mixed car-
riages, and the break, and contained about forty passen-
gers. On nearing Peasley Cross the guard saw in front of
them a coal train, which had pulled up to take in water.
He instantly applied the break, which had the effect of
considerably diminishing the speed of the train, but
not of preventing a collision. ' The passenger train
dashed into the coal trucks with considerable violence..
The passengers at once experienced a severe shock, most
of them being violently thrown off their seats. One of
the coal trucks was slightly smashed, and two of the
buffers were knocked off the engine, but beyond this the
injury to the rolling stock was of but a trifling character.
The passengers, however, did not escape so easily. Three
received injuries of so serious a character that they had
to be taken to the Temperance Hotel at St. Helens,
where they at present remain, two being confined to bed.
One man was seriously hurt about the chest, and two
about the head, besides suffering from a general shock
to the system. Many of the other passengers were con-
siderably shaken, but their injuries were not of such a
nature as to prevent them continuing their journey, and
the train, after a slight detention, was despatched on to
Wigan, the necessary repairs being afterwards attended.
to. The following are the names of the injured passen-
gers who remain at St. Helens :—Robert Dewerson,
Warrington ; George Howard, Warrington ; Joseph
Cooper, Manchester--Manchester Courier.

SCIENTIFIC TEACHING IN ELEMENTARY

SCHOOLS.

A deputation, of the Council of the British Association
for the Advancement of Science, consisting of the presi-
dent, the general secretaries, and the treasurer, Sir
Charles Lyall, Bart. •, Sir John Lubbock, Bart„ :
1)r. Lyon Playfair, M.P. ; and Mr. Francis Galton,' had
an interview with the Vice-President of the Council on
Tu4day last. The object is stated in the following
document :—" Sir,—The deputation from the" Conned
•of the British Association for the Advance-
nient of Science waits upon you for the purpose
of urging the advisableness of including elementary natural •
science among the subjects for which payments are to be
made under the authority of the Revised Code. We have
asked you to receive us at the present time because-we
understand that you have announced your intention of
making certain modifications in the code. Our reasons
for requesting you • to give
.direct encouragement to the
teaching of natural science iiielementary schools are
three. Firstly, we conceive 'such teaching to be one of
the best instruments of education in the sense of intel-
lectual' discipline, and in many respects better cal-
culated to awaken intellectual activity, than other
studies; secondly, we think that a knowledge of the
elements of natural science has a high value as informa-
tion ; and, thirdly., .we are of opinion that scientific train •
ing and teaching in the elementary schools will afford the
best' possible preparation for that technical education of
the working classes which has become indispensably
necessary to the industrial progress of the country., We
lake the liberty of pointing out to you that, in asking for
the introduction of scientific teaching into the elementary
schools; we are not seeking for the creation of a new
system, or even of new executive machinery. The, Science
and Art Department does already provide for elemedtary
'scientific instruction ' • and all that is necessary to fulfil our
desire is, that the system Of the Science and Art Depart-
ment, and that of the revised code shall be brought into
harmonious co-operation. In preferring the request that
instruction in the elements of science shall be made part
ofi the regular course of instruction of all elementary
schools, we desire carefully to guard against the suppo-
sition that we are • seeking for such an amount of this
kind of instruction as would interfere with -the
teaching of reading, writing, and arithmetic, and
the other essential constituents of primary educa-
tion. 'On the contrary, we think it very desirable that
systematic, instruction in elementary science should be
•given iinly to those scholars who are able to read and
write fairly ; that it should be 'limited to certain well-
defined subjects, such, for example, as elementary •physi.
cal geography ;• elethentary physics • and chemistry ;
elementary botany; and, in consequence of its relation to
the public health, elementary human physiology ; and
that care should be taken to make the instruction, so far
as may be, real and practical." • The address was signed.
by Professor Huxley,* as President of the British Asso-
dation.

. It is Stated. -in Dublin that the Wicklow Peerage
case is finally settled, the proceedings having fallen •
through.
AS Christmas Day will this year fall on a Sunday,
-the following day, Monday, the 26th, will be observed as
in almost universal holiday. In the present state of the
law, the banks must remain open, but the attendance will
•be much smaller thanusual. The Stock Exchange will be
clOsed, according to custom.
•
In the Court of Vice-Chancellor MaEns,. on Satur-
day, A. jessrs. Olowse, the well"known,printers and pub-
lishers:of LondOn Society, applied for ail injunction against
• Mr. Hogg, • late editor of the magazine 4 restraining him
• from 'continuing the' publication of a magazine (called
English Society.- On the defendant leaving, the service of
the plaintiffs, he issued the periodical in question, the
covers of which, theugh not,precisely the same, *ere so
nearly identical, it was alleged, in form and general ap-
pearance with those of the other, as to cause one to be
mistaken for the other: The injunction was granted.
A NoTHEit FATAL RAILWAY 01;LIS
Be-
tween twelve and one o'clock on Saturday a collision
took place at Stoneclough, near Bolton, between a 3as-
senger train to ' Southport, and . a luggage train to Man-
- chester. ,The driver of *the luggage train was killed; :and
one of the firemen'was seriously injured. Twelve passen-
gers were injured more or less, among them heir* Mr.
George 'Wild, a gentleman residing at Belmont-street,
Southport, who is,badly cut, and his head injured and
Mrs. 'Sarah Fenton,- Manchester, who is injured in-
ternally. The passengers were conveyed to'Bolton Station,
Where their injuries were attended to.

• . •
MEETING OF THE LEICESTERSHIRE CHAMBER.
or AGRICULTURE. —At a meeting of the Leicestershire
Chamber of 'Apiculture, Sir Henry Halford.chairman, it
was decided to 'take steps to induce Government to con-
tribute more largely towards local taxation. It was .also
resolved that the meeting should take steps to impress
upon. the,.Privy Council the undesirability 'of reVert-
irg. to the old systeM of weekly inspection by
inspectors in cases of foot-and-month disease, as it en-
tailed unnecesEary serious expenditures, costing the
county of Leicester alone £5,00() a, year. . It was like Wise
decided to get the -county members in case of the ex-
piration of the turnpike leases to throw the expenSe en the
Consolidated Fund rather than on the owners and peen-
piers of • land. Similar resolutions were passed
With regard to the profits from farming and
local , taxation that were adopted three weeks ago.
; On the subject of local taxation, Mr. Albert Pell, M.P.,
-said that it. was unadvisable to deal with that subject
piecemeal, and no change should be made in ntie portion
of the pxisting, law, till ParliaMent had dealt with the
'whole subject in a comprehensive manner, and had decided
whether the -whole burthen of local taxation shall-be ex-
elusively:confined to the same description of property as
at_ present. .

. .
SCHOLASTIC ADVEUTISEMICNTS.—Justat this sea-,
son of the year scholastic advertisements areiued.iu gwat
numbers, and it is curious•to note the attractions put for-
ward by the schoolmasters of the clay. Here are one or two
siunples from a recent number of the 2 luzeZ' One disinte-
rested " dominie" tells us that A few nice gentlemanly
boys can be received on very easy terms, in a first-
class school, a few miles from London, where the main
.object is not to make money but good scholars and
loving disciples after the Arnold sort. -Address," &c., &c.
The idea .of advertising capacities like Arnold's is cer-
tainly unique. A revel end gentleman advertising
another school quotes an 'extract from a "private
letter," which it, would, perhaps, be cruel to
suggest wa,4 concocted fOr the occasion. A gushing
correspondent is supposed to write :—" By your admi-
rable management of him you succeeded :in gaining his
confidence nod affection while exacting the strictest atten-
tion to .bis studies." We can only say that if the
British parent is decoyed by this sort of
thing, the School Board Will have .to educate
fathers and mothers as well as the children. But here is
an advertisement which will probably catch the average
father, so artfully does it appeal to the innate flunkeyism
of the middle-class mind :—" The vicar of a small country
parish desires after, Christmas a companion pupil for a
viscount and an earl's nephew.—Address,''.&e„ This
is inimitable. Thackeray should have known this Vicar.
Pall Mall Gazette.

•
CRYSTAL .1.-ALACE.—HaIf -4-k,mown Day, Satur-
day, December 17th, 1870.—Admissions by season tickets
5,819 ; ditto on payment, 1,034 ; total visitors, 6,923.,
BIBLICAL REVISION.—The Revisers Ot. the New
Testament Company concluded their present session on
Friday, after having sat during the four days as many a
25 hours. The Bishop of Glocester and Bristol preSided
during thli session. The revision of nearly one half of the
sutivrfsed version of the Gospel of St. Matthew has now
been concluded.' •

NoTIcE.—KINAHAN's LL. Whisky Depot. Kinahan
and Co. have removed to their new and spacious premises,
No. Ga,' Great" TitChfidd-street, Oxford-street, leading
from Margaret-street,- Regent-street, and Market-street,
Oxford-street. Kinahan's Lb. Whisky.—This &Mous
and moSt delicibus old mellow spirit is the very cream of
Irish . whiskies, in quality unrivalled, perfectly pure,
and more wholesome than the finest cognac brandy.
.Can be obtained all over the kingdom, in the well:lnown
sealed and labelled bottles, or in bond for exportation at
the London Docks. Wholesale Agents to Messrs. Bass,
Guinness,-and Younger, and Dealers in -Foreign Wines
and Spirits.

_
CAN I AFFORD IT ?—ray your Stationer Gd. for a reply.
'ap of the World gratis in all Letts's Office Diaries. Letts's
ond Xs. Diarie3-give most value for year Money. Utiles
Housekeepers' and Ladies' Diaries are much improved. Letts's
Invisible Inl; or Postal Cants, Gd. per bottle.