The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-22 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY MAN/A.

During the last 6 or 7 weTies(says the Royal Cornwal,
Gazette) much excitement has prevailed iu the neigh.
bourhood of Tregeare, the seat of Mr. John King Letle
bridge, in consequence of the great and mysterious
slaughter of sheep and lamas belonging to him and the
occupiers of the farms immediately adjoining. On the
first alarm that several sheep and lambs had been killed,
mangled, and torn in the most shocking manner, the
whole of Mr. Lethbridge's farm servants and also the
farmers in the vicinity, commenced a systematic watch
over their flecks. Yet, notwithstanding, the slaughter
continued, sheep and lambs were killed on several occa-
sions in the very field surrounded by perhaps a deter-
mined party of at least 15 or 20 on the look out. All
kinds of conjecteres as to the destroyer were made ;
sonic were of opinion that wild dogs infested their neigh-
bautlood, others that a wolf was secreted somewhere
near the scene of the disasters ; then the idea of witch-
craft was stoutly maintained by a party. At length Mr.
Lethbridge's shepherd had found a clue ; he had found a
hole lined with doff's hair in a hedge, and a similar nest
in an adjoining plantation. This discovery filled the
whole party in the district with hope and encourage-
ment--the men turned out in great force, the locality in
1 fact was literally surrounded by anxious watchers, but
iu spite of all this, the slaughter continued, and although
the sheep and lambs were for the most part killed within
a few feet of some 5 or 6 men purposely watching, no
one could give the slightest clue to unravel the mystery.
Six weeks thus passed away, In the meantime Mr. G.
Adams, of Lidcott Farm, in the very heart of the dis-
trict, on Friday week called to his councils Mr. Leth-
bridge's principal farm servants (except the shepherd) and
a neighbouring farmer. Mr. Adams asked whether it had
not eceerred to them as str Inge that Sieton Kniver, the
shepherd of Mr. Lethbridge's fleck, should always be the
first man to find the carcases of the cattle destroyed.
They fully discussed the point, and they found that in
almost every instance (and by this time between 30 and 40
sheep had been destroyed) Simon Kniver was the man
who had found the slaughtered cattle ; that Simon
Kniver was the only man, of all the men on the look
out, who had seen dogs in the fields. He also was the
only man who had fired at dogs, and this not when in
the company of any other person. Simon, too, had dis-
covered the " dogs' nests" in the hedge and plantation.
This brought to the mind of one of the party that Simon
had his hair cut about the time the hairy nests were
discovered ; and that the hair found therein was very
like his own. The result of this conference was, that
instead of watching any longer for dogs, a determination
was come to to watch the shepherd ; and with this view
Mr. Lethbridge's hind arranged to station Simon Kniver
to watch in a field, adjoining Mr. Adams's ground, where
an eye could be kept on him. The rest of this singular
story is coon told. Mr. George Adams was right; but
one ewe and lamb swelled the list of those already de•
stroyed before Simon Kniver was detected and in custody.
He was taken to Launceston, to the magistrates, on
Saturday, and was remanded till Tuesday. On Sunday
the prisoner made a most desperate attempt to escape ;
but after a short run was captured. He was brought
up before the magistrates on Tuesday, and after a
lengthened examination of witnesses, including most of
the persons who bad been victimised, was fully com-
mitted to take his trial at the next Cornwall assizes, on
two distinct charges, for maliciously killing and maiming
cattle. Since being in custody the prisoner has stated
that he did not kill more than one-half of the sheep de-
stroyed, and that be ought not to suffer for the whole.
It came out in evidence that, while watching with others,
the prisoner would pretend that he heard dogs or some
singular noise in some particular place near, which he
would name ; he would then rush to the spot, and after
being absent a short time, would return and report the
death of either a sheep or a lamb, or perhaps several of
each. In this interval be had slain his victims. This
clears up the mystery. Being the shepherd of the flock,
and one of the party on the watch, he well knew their
respective stations, and also the exact position of the
sheep, and could then easily arrange and carry out his
diabolical purpose. Ho is about twenty-one years old,
. and has been in the employ of Mr, Lethbridge from a
boys

Last evening a meeting, convened by the churchwar-
dens in compliance with a requisition, was held in Hall's
Riding-school, Albany-street, for the purpose of eliciting
an expression of public opinion on the recent stoppage
of the Sunday bands. Mr. J. A. Nichelay presided.
The Chairman having briefly opened the proceedings,
Mr. P. GRAHAM proposed a resolution expressing the
regret of the meeting at the concession made by the
Prime Minister to the views of a party, and in opposition
to his own convictions.
Mr. OVERTON seconded the resolution, which was furs
ther supported by Lord Raynham and Mr. D'lffanger.
Sir B. HALL, Rho was loudly cheered, said that as the
representative of Maryle bone he felt it due to his consti-
tuents to come bet• r 3 them and state, expressly and fully,
the circumstances under which he had ordered the bands
t play on the Sunday afternoon. His first act after ac-
cep tine office was to see how far he could benefit those
who had placed such entire confidence in him. (Hear )
Having so long represented the great borough of Mary-
lebone, he felt that he could judge of the wants of the
oeop e. In orderins the bands to play on Sundays he
feit that Le was giving a boon to the working men,
and doing g sod to many, while at the same time ne did
not offend his Maker. lithe Sunday bands were so bad,
and gave so much offence, why was he not found fault
with in the House of Commons ? (Hear.) No sooner had
he granted a band to Victoria and Regent's-park than
he was accused of pursuing an aggressive policy, and it
was further said that had he confined the band to Ken-
singtsn-gardens he would not have been interfered with.
His (Sir B. Hall's) reply was, that if the bands were
stepped in the Regent's and. Victoria-parks there should
be no music in Kensington-gardens. (Cheers.) He
would not say one word, although he knew a great deal,
about how the various petitions were got up. (Hear,
hear.) The prayers of some of the memorials called
for the closing the Post-office, the park gates, and that
the trains and steam boats should cease to run.
Not content with this at home, they actually wished
thae the same policy should be inculcated in all foreign
cote tries, to which we sent accredited ministers. Mr.
Bdir:e3—(hisses)—was a man of great influence, but be-
tore he attempted to interfere with the bands in the Lon-
don parks he ,hould look at home. Why did he not use the
mighty engine he had at his disposal, the Leeds Mercury,
in putting a stop to the numerous trains which pass
through Leeds ? (Hear.) It had been said that the
working men could have bands on the Saturday after-
noon, but he (Sir B. Hall) felt that, were such a proposal
carried it, it would, in many cases, attract the man, with
his wages in his pocket ; and it might so happen that the
husband would not reach home in time for the wife to
go to market : be -ce, she and her family would suffer
much inconvenience. However, up to the present time
she Sseuelay heif-holiday was not general, and even if
it were it was not the question at issue. Had the people
misconducted themselves, then indeed some complaint
might have been made. Me (Sir B. Hall) bad visited the
parks on the 11th inst., and he never felt more satisfied
evi It any act of his life than he did on that day. (Hear,
hear.) In order to ascertain beyond all doubt if there
had been any disorder which might have escaped him,
he had addressed a letter to Mr. Broughton, the police
magistrate, and ho was happy to say that the magistrate
had replied that he had not one charge of disorderly
conduct on the day following the assembling of the
258,000 persons in the park. If the strings of Puritan•
ism were pulled too tight, God alone knew what would
be the result. (Cheers.) Ono word of advice he would
give to the people of the metropolis :—lt was to be pa-
tient, and continue the same orderly conduct which had
hitherto marked their proceedings. (Hear, hear.) It
was to be regretted that their opponents were so un-
charitable as to designate those who differed from them
as heathens, but it was a fortunate thing that all good-
ness and Christianity in this country were not contained
in Exeter-hall. (Cheers.) But if the Exeter-hall
agitators would throw open the portals of that
vast building, he (Sir B. Hall) would be ready to
meet any number of his opponents, and explain and
defend the course he had taken—a course which, after
the expression of public opinion in St. Pancras, and that
of the vast assemblage before him, he had certainly no
cause to regret. (Cheers.) The right hon. baronet re-
sumed his seat amidst deafening cheers.
Mr. FARNHAH intimated his desire to move an
amendment, and after many feeble attempts to obtain
a hearing, retired amidst hisses and cries of "No Exete r
Hall." _ _ _

The resolution was pnt and carried amidst loud ap-
plause, a few hands only being held up against it.
A resolution appointing a deputation to wait on the
Prime Minister to urge upon. him the propriety of revok-
ing the order for discontinuing the bands, was also
adopted, and a petition to the Queen having been
agreed to the proceedings terminated.
CRYSTAL PALACE.—The :first grand flower show of
the year will be held on SE.turday, and is expected to
comprise as many specimena as that of last year, and to
be more brilliant and effective. There will be a special
display of fruit and tulips, arkd the fountains ►ill play in
the course of the afternoon.

E USSIAN SETTLEMENTS ON THE

A MOOR.

(From the German ,Literary Magazine.)

Of the new acquisitions of Russia on the river Amoor
by which the frontier of th.e empire has been advances
as far as to the Japanese See, and made to include a
new territory nearly equal iii extent to that of France,
little hitherto has been certainly known. The Russians
themselves, as may be Kipp need, were not eager to pro-
mulgate exact information about the state of their settle-
ments in that region, since this would have enabled
their antagonists to repeat under more favourable sus-
pines, those attacks which during the campaign of last
year failed through ignoran. se of localities. The allies
seem to have missed the month of the Amoor, or at all
events, to have kept at to< ) great a distance from it to
be able to obtain a knoll ,ledge of the establishments
founded by the Russians, w!iikt on the other hand the
deicriptions given by Amen: can merchant captains of a
second Sebastopol built on the Amoor, with a garrison
of 10,000 men, and the like, were such palpable exagge-
rations, that people were temqyted to look upon the whole
Russian colony at the Amoor as a myth, a settlement in
fairy land. Nevertheless tho .official reports of the Rus-
sian admirals Savojks and Pltjatin, describing the mili-
tary operations in the Tataric channel, and the return
of the latter officer through Si beria to St. Petersburg,
nubliehed in the Airorskoi Sbovliik, or official gazette of
the Russian Admiralty, relates; some particu'ars that may
serve for data towards partiall y ascertaining the progress
made by the Russians down lo the close of la,t year, in
occupying and colonising that part of the Mandshoo
district which is watered by the Amcor.
Not far from the mouth of tiff) Amor, and on its right
bank, lie the posts or forts of Marunek, or Kisi, and
Nicolajevsk, the latter of which appears to be the more
important of the two. For lie re it was that the squad-
ron of Rear-Admiral Savojka., consisting of the Aurora
frigate, the Olivuzz.) corvette, the transports Dwina,
Baikal, and Irtish, came to an chor in the June of 1855,
under the protection of the batteries that had been
erected there' These batteries were probably constructed
in the year 1852, as allusion is made to the observa-
tions, extending over three years, made by Rear-Admi-
ral Nevelskoj respecting the course of the ice in the
Amoor. From these it would seem that the estuary of

the river is not free from ice, before the Ist or 13th of
June, two [months later than its disappearance in the
Neva, although the mouth of the latter stream is nearly
eight degrees higher to the :north. This phenomenon
is owing to the well-known 'influence of the climate in
the north-eastern part of A ria, an influence that will
assuredly diminish in no trifli aig measure the advantages
which the Russians expect t o derive from the free navi-
gation of the Amoor. It is evident, however, from the
reports, that they make the most of the short period
during which the river is naerizable, and that they pos-
sess no inconsiderable number of vessels there, for they
talk about the second and third divisions of the Anioor
flotilla, that arrived in June and July, with settlers on
board, and who, having lands d between Maruneck asi
Nicolajevek, proceeded, under cover of two companies
from the 14th Siberian batty lion of the line, to build
dwellings. Even at that early period this flotilla pos-
sessed at least one steamer.
From the Amoor the Russian establishments are
already advancing in a southerly direction along the
eastern coast of Mandshooria. When the allies came,
about the end of May. in 1555:, for the second time, to
Castries Bay, where Admiral Savojka had been shortly
before on his passage from Kamschatka' and where he
had been blockaded by a division of the English squad-
ron, they found it entirely abandoned, and discovered
merely the signs of its having been used as a temporary
encampment by the Russians. The interval that elapsed
between this and the reappearance of the enemy was not
neglected on the Russian side. The Governor-General
of East Siberia, Muravieff, repaired in person to the
spot, and under his superintendence the works were
carried on with such energy that when Commodore
Elliot reappeared in Castries Bay with the Sybil frigate,
and the corvettes Encounter and Hornet, in October, he
found a settlement there in an advantageous position, a
garrison of Cossacks, sailors, and gunners, and the place
so far fortified that it was able to withstand successfully
the bombardment opened against it by the ships. The
new colony, which already carries on a brisk trade with
the Americans, who supply it with all kinds of pro-
visions, and especially of ammunition, bears the name of
Alexandrovsk ; it is situate on the little stream of Nelly,
and consists of a certain number of tenements with
magazines, an hospital, and a church in a churchyard.
Quite close to Salmon Bay there is a village of Giljaks,
where the inhabitants "seem to live on very friendly
terms with the Russians. Beyond a doubt the latter

nc' :the; constructed a fOrt, also on the—opposite
coast of Sagalio, for the purpose of commanding the
Tatatic CLannel, and securing, as also eventually closing,
the entrance to the Amoor from the southern side.
With the cesFation of hostilities will of course ceaso
the motives that have hitherto induced the Russians to
keep their undertakings a secret, end we may, therefore,
expect to see the veil raised, with which they have en-
deavoured to conceal their most recent settlements so
important for the trade of Siberia. A map of the Amoor
by Admiral Putjatin and his officers will very shortly
appear in St. Petersburg, as we are informed by the
Inerskoi oSbornik.

We read in Galignani—"Before the departure of ne
Court for St. Cloud, M. E. Girand, portrait painter, was
permitted to take a likeness of the Prince Imperial.
The artist is said to have succeeded perfectly in seizing
the resemblance, and the fine blue eyes of the imperial
itdant in the picture are precisely similar to those of the
Empress."
Great numbers of persons have been arrested in Paris
and the provinces. There is much discontent in the
Faubourg St. Marceau, chiefly 911 account of the dear.
Reg% of lodging And provision%