The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-11 00:00:00

rHE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 11, 1870.

THE THORNOLIFFE OUTRAGES;

More details are now to hand of the serious disturb-
ances which have ftrigen among the colliers at ThornclitTo
It was reported for several days that the looked-out
miners intended to attack the men engaged to 6_ll
their places, on the first opportunity. On Thurs-
day. night one of *the non-unionists was attacked
and beaten, and on the day following a general attack on
the houses of the "blacks," In non-unionists, was resolve&
upon. The unionists were, it seems, especially incensed
at a meeting being held by the." blaoks,"with the object of
forming a Free Labour Society. The authorities at Barns-
ley and Wakefield, on hearing of the proposed outbreak, sent
down the whole available constabulary of the West Riding
to Thorncliffe. Soon after eight o'clock on Friday the
steam buzzer was heard sounding the alarm, and a strong
posse of constables went off quickly to the pit. Mean-
while 400 men, armed with knives, bludgeons, and other
weapons had assembled in Tankersley Park, and started
for the colliery. On their way they overtook two con-
tables, and severely injured one of them, the other escaping.
The unionists were proceeding towards a block of houses
occupied by 150 non-unionists, when they learned that
the latter were on their guard, aided by 50 constables.
They therefore abandoned their intention, and though a
strict watch was kept they were not detected in any
attack on the houses. They did, however, serious injury
to the engine - house of the conq any, and also
did a great deal of damage at the pit shaft,
by throwing down " corves" filled with bricks, stones, Sm.
It was feared on Sunday that a fresh outbreak would
occur respecting the preparations made for an inquest to
be held on the body of a non-unionist who was killed by
an accident last week, but it was happily avoided. As the
non-unionists are armed and are much incensed against
their rivals, an open collision would probably lead to very
serious consequences.

EXTRAORDINARY CONFESSION OF A
MURDER COMMITTED TWELVE YEARS

AGO.

At the . Bow-street Police-court, George Dyer, aged 47,
a clerk, of diminutive stature and peculiar appearance,
was brought .up before Mr. Vau,:han charged on his
own confession with causing the death of George
Wilson at the Loddon diggings, Victoria, in Australia.
James Jacob Thomson, a superintendent of the Metro-
politan Police, deposed that at eleven o'clock last Saturday
night, Inspector Hubbard brought the prisoner from
George-street Police-station, where ho had delivered him-
self up, to Bow-street. Witness asked the prisoner what
he wanted, and he replied that he wished to make a
statement concerning a murder that he committed at
Loddon diggings. Witness duly cautioned him, saying
that whatever he said would be taken down and might
be used against him. The prisoner then made the
following statement :—" He resided in Hilliford-street,
and was in the employ of Messrs. Brown, Shiplake,
and Co, ship merchants. He was married and had
children. He left England for Melbourne with them, and
arrived there in August, 1853, and stayed there till
May, 1855. His wife died, and he sent his children
back to England. He then went to the gold diggings at
Loddon, took up a claim and wasted it there. About a
month before Christmas, 1857, he met a man named
George Wilson. As they each wanted a mate, they joined
t nether to work the said claim. They got on very well
for nearly a month when a quarrel arose between them in
the prisoner's tent as to the quantity of gold realised. It
led to mutual recriminations, and Wilson drew his
sheathed knife. Prisoner to defend himself took
up his spade and struck down Wilson. He split
his head clean open and he died immediately. Prisoner
t'irew his body into a well about fifty yards off a tent
c intaining some Cornishmen, amongst whom he afterwards
retired to rest. They were both perfectly sober when the
quarrel took place. The Cornish party asked him
afterwards what had become of his mate " George,"
and prisoner replied that he had gone off by the " Inglewood
Rash" He (prisoner) afterwards left the scene of the
murder, and ultimately returned to England—this was
some years afterwards. During that period he had stayed
at many places. On arriving in England he lodged
with Mrs. Axtens, his married sister, and also
at his son's residence. Not a soul knew of
the murder but himself. He was perfectly calm
and rational as he raf..da ibis statement, and fully
realised the situation in which he stood by such a

confession. The fearful event bad preyed upon his mind
ever since; and he had had no rest. When wandering
in the street he gave himself up at a place
where he saw the words " Police•station" written"
up."—Witness said that the prisoner had been examined
by this date. The medical certificate was in court. In
cross-examination, witness said he did notice a slightly
wild expression about the prisoner's eyes. He did not
emplain that his son had attempted to poison him.—ln-
spector Hubbard, E division, gave similar evidence,
and added that ho had been to see Mrs. Al ten, and
he said there was no douLt that the prisoner was
greatly affected by some delusion-ever since he returned
from Australia.—Mr. Vaughan said he should remand the
prisoner in order that the police might make minute
inquiries concerning the case, and also that medical testi-
mony might 1”. produce :1.