The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-29 00:00:00

THE DUKE AND ANN HlCKi.—The case of Ann
hicks has called forth another letter from the Duke of Wel
lington to the Secretary of the West and North London
Anti-Enclosure Societies. It is as follows :—" London, Aug.
ts.—Field-•Marshal the Duke of Wellington presents his
compliments to Mr. Griffiths. He has received his letter of
the 20th inst. Although t e Duke again declines to enter
into any discussion with the secretary of a self-appointed and
elf-authorised association upon the details of his duty es
Ranger of the Park, in relation to his superiors in office, the
Board of Woods and Forests, he observes that Mr. Griffiths
has not quoted correctly what, it appears from the reports,
the President of the Board of Woods and Forests stated in
respect of his communication with the Ranger of the Park
upon the removal of Mrs. Hicks. The Duke does not ex-
actly understand what connexion is supposed to exist be-
tween his house in Piccadilly and Mrs. Hicks's cottage.
The Duke purchased from the Crown his property in Pic-
cadilly ; Mrs. Hicks is neither more nor less than a squatter
on the bank of the Serpentine river. The Duke has fre-
quently considered it his duty to inquire, and he could never
find that Mrs. Hicks had any authority whatever to estab-
lish herself there. He believes that it will no. be very easy
to convince the public that the Duke of Wellington has been
guilty of an offence because he recommended that the opinion
of the law officers cf the Crown should be taken before any
measures should be adopted to remove Mrs. Hicks from the
park.—To Mr. Henry Dowell Griffiths."
SUICIDN OF MRS. COLONEL CROWTHER.—CHEL-
TENHAM, THURSDAY.—An event occurred here yesterday
afternoon which has cast a gloom on the town. Mrs. Crow-
ther, the widow of the late Colonel Crowther, of the 27th
Fusiliers, committed suicide by precipitating herself from
her bed-room window, and the day of the fatal act was the
thirteenth anniversary of her husband's death. The dec used
had been suffering for some time from a severe attack of
bronchitis, and her mind had become evidently affected, and
during her visit strict orders had been given by her medical
attendant that she should be constantly watched, but on
Wednesday afternoon she eluded the vigilance of her nurse,
ran up stairs from the drawing room to her bed-room, which
was on the third floor, and threw herself out of the window.
On being missed en alarm was raised, and she was found lying
in the yard, having fallen from a height of fifty feet. She
breathed heavily twice, and then expired. Her skull was
frightfully fractured, her right arm broken, and other severe
injuries were also discovered, although her face was not dis-
figured. She was upwards of 60 years of age, and very
corpulent. Her fashionable reunions were the life of the
Cheltenham season, and her death will be greatly regretted.
FIRE AND NARROW ESCAPE IN THE STRAND
Yesterday morning, shortly after midnight, a fire broke out
in the premises belonging to Mr. Lofts. printer and publisher,
368, Strand. The flames originated in the shop, and when
first discovered had obtained so firm a hold of the stock in
trade, that the residents were unable to descend by the
stairs, they therefore made for the top of the building, and
succeeded in escaping by the roof. With all possible expe-
dition the escapes of the Royal Society at tended, and several
engines of the parish, Royal Brigade, and West of England
Company. Plenty of water having been obtained, the fire-
men were eventually enabled to subdue the flames, but not
until the whole of the stock in trade was destroyed, and
serious damage done to the premises. Fortunately Mr. Lofts
was insured in the National Mercantile Fire-office, and the
premises were insured in the Sun-office. The iron area-
grating was removed at an early stage of the fire. to allow the
inmates to escape, and a police-sergeant of the F division, on
rendering assistance, fell down the opening and broke his
shoulder bone. He was extricated, and removed in a state
of great suffering to the hospital.

ST. HELENA GARDENS, ROTHERHITHE.—On Mon-
day the announcement of a very extended list of amuse-
ments at these elegant gardens had the effect of drawing
together an immense number of spectators—and highly gra-
tified did they appear with the liberal catering of the ma-
nagement. .slrs. Graham made a very fine ascent in her
Victoria balloon. She was accompanied by one of her
daughters and Mr. W. Warde, the comic vocalist of the Sur-
rey Music, Hall, who endeavoured to look serious in a posi-
tion so particularly novel to him. He attempted to part
with his friends as the balloon was rising with a song, but
under the circumstances it was too high for his voice, and
however certain his break-down might have been, he un-
doubtedly rose far above any in his profession. The machine
took a north-westerly direction, crossed the Thames, passed
over Kent, and after a very pleasant return journey (the
wind having shifted) re-crossed the river, and made an easy
descent at Erith.
ATROCIOUS OUTRAGE.—On Friday evening last,
between eight and nine o'clock, an outrage of a very serious
nature was committed upon the person of a girl named Case,
about fifteen years of age, by three married young men,
whose names are Duckham, Wingate, and Headford. It
appears that the young woman was walking with a boy in
the fields at the back ot ,the' Malt Shovel Inn, Bridgewater,
when they were assailed by the abo.ve-named fellows, and
the boy being driven away, they dragged the girl to a se-
cluded spot, where two out of the three effected their diabo-
lical purpose, Headford looking on at the time. They sub-
sequently treated the poor girl in a most disgraceful manner
and left her; when she immediately gave intorma, ion to the
police, and the fellows being known, two of them were appre-
hended in bed, at their residences, in Provident-place. not
far from the spot; and on Saturday morning brought before
the magistrates, who, after a lengthened investigation, re-
manded them until Tuesday, the 26th instant, in order that
further evidence might be adduced, and Wingate appre-
hended, which the police succeeded in doing in the course of
Saturday, after the examination had taken place; he was
therefore brought up with the others for re -examination on
the aforenamed day.— Sherborne Journat.
THE APPROACHING MARRIAGES IN HIGH LIFE.
—We understand that the Hon. A. Gordon (second son of
the Earl of Aberdeen) will shortly lead to the hymeneal
altar the lovely and accomplished Lady Eliza Peel, second
daughter of the late lamented Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel,
Bart., M.P. for Tamworth.—Lord Stanley and family (Al-
derley) have arrived at their town mansion, Grosvenor-place,
from their country seat, Aderley Park, Cheshire, to be pre-
sent at the marriage of the Earl of Airlie, which will be so-
lemnised at St. James's Church, Piccadilly, in the beginning
of the week.

Report says that Lord John Russell has taken
Mona Una EQUiel Aberdeenshire, during the shooting
megal.