The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-16 00:00:00

WIFE MURDER.

At an early hour on Sunday morning a wife murder of
the most brutal and revolting nature occurred in South
Shields. The murderer is an Irishman named Peter
Tracy, a labourer in the employment of the Tyne
Chemical Company. He is a married man, about 38 years
of age, and resided with his wife, Jane Tracy, a young
woman 25 years of age, at 11, East Adelaide-street, South
Shields. On Saturday night, at an early hour, Tracy,
after being absent for some time, returned to the house
considerably the worse for drink, laid himself down on
the floor, and fell asleep. His wife was in the house,
and it is stated that she was also under the influence of
liquor. Tracy awoke about ten o'clock, and about that
time some of his friends—countrymen of his own—came
into the house, whereupon he ordered his wife to go to a
beerhouse adjoining for half-a-gallon of beer. Tracy,
with his friends, sat waiting the return of his wife for
about two hours, at the end of which time he rose and
said he was going out to look for her, evidently getting
irritated at her long absence. After waiting outside for
some time, his wife made her appearance in the
yard where he was standing. He immediately on
her return rushed upon her and knocked her to the
ground. She by some means or other managed to get out
of his hands and ran into the house, which, it may be
here stated, is a sort of cellar or low hovel. He followed
her in an angry passion. After he got into the house he
again made an attack upon her, knocked her down on the
floor, and kicked her in a most brutal and violent manner.
Mrs. Tracy was found lying on the floor in a pool of
blood. Tracy was asked if be knew what be had done,
He replied, " She shall not make a fool of me. lam not
finished with her yet," and made a rush again as if to
kick her, but was prevented renewing his brutal treatment.
On examining the woman she was found to be pulseless,
and, indeed, died about a quarter of an hour after the
occ-arence. On being informed that his wife ivas dead
prisoner burst into a fit of crying. He has been brought
before the naagistrates.

COUNTY FINANCE BILL,-W© understand that,
owing to the large number of Government measures now
before the House, the County Finance Bill cannot be
introduced for some days, probably not till after Easter.
—Chamber of Agriculture Journal.

TIIE LATE SIR CHARLES SLINGSBY.—A proposal
has been started to hold a county meeting, probably at
York, to devise measures for the erection of a memorial to
the late baronet, who was the last of the Slingsbies, and
which should also mark the scene of the late calamity on
the Ure, near Newby Ferry. A pyramid on Scotton Bank
is suggested.

DEATH OF A WATERLOO VETERAN.—The death
is announced of Captain Somerville Waldemar Burges,
son of the late Sir James Bland Burgs, Bart., of Beauport,
Sussex, and brother of the late Sir Charles Lamb, Bart.
Captain Burges was born in 1796, entered the Grenadier
Guards in 1812, served in the Peninsula, France, and
Flanders, receiving the war medal with two clasps for
Nivelle and Nive. He was severely wounded at Waterloo,
losing his right leg by a cannon shot. He had resided for
many years abroad, and died at Geneva on the 7th inst.

The operative plasterers in Sheffield have been on
strike for about a fortnight. The joint which they seek to
obtain is that they shall come an hour later in the morning
to their woak. This would make a difference of about 3s. a
week, and would entail a difference i❑ the work of the
labourers dependant on them. The master plasterers would
thus lose about os. for each of their men. They refused to
concede the point, as their trade is depressed and they com-
plain that the men refused to submit the matter to arbitra-
tion. The rule is that any matter i❑ dispute shall be refer-
red to an umpire, whose decision shall be final, and who
shall be elected annually by a mixed committee of masters
and workmen. The masters have obtained assistance from
the Free Labour Society.

THE RENOVATION- OF A. RACE. —The theory of
the Malay descent of the South Sea Islanders has been
adopted by King Kamebameha of Hawaii in a rather
practical manner. That monarch has come to the con-
clusion that his native subjects have become effete by in-
termarriage and too close relationship, and that the spirit
of the race must be revived by a fresh infusion of
the blood of their northern ancestors. His Majesty
has accordingly resolved to import into his dominions
a crowd of Malays from the Straits Settlements
and Archipelago, who are to amalgate with his subjects
and, renovate the race. An American agent has been
appointed, and will, as soon as he has transacted some
negotiations on behalf of the king at Washington, take up
his duties at Singapore. We shall watch the result of this
experiment with interest. Beyond the, traditional connec-
tion, which is liable to grave doubts, the Hawaiians and
the Malays have nothing in common, and the barrier of
religion will prevent the former from raising themselves to
a level with the followers of Mahomet.

ENGLISH TOURISTS ON THE NlLE.—Letters from
Cairo announce the completion of Mr. Cook's Nile trip.
The party was necessarily divided into two sections, for
the convenience of two steamers belonging to the Govern.
ment, each of which was provided for sixteen passengers,
but as four were added to the number at Cairo, there were'
seventeen in each vessel. They sailed on the 10th of
February, and reached Assouan, at the foot of the first
cataract, on the 23rd. They had not the honour of saluting
the Prince of Wales and his party on the Nile. At Luxor
they arrived on the day of the Prince's departure, and
again at Assouan they were a day behind the royal party.
The very low state of the river caused frequent deten-
tions, both in going and returning, and the navi-
gation of steamers, though of very light draft, is repre-
sented as extremely difficult. The Duke of Sutherland
in returning is said to have been detained for ten
hours on a sand bank between Asiout and Alineah. The
temperature all the way up was very high, frequently
exceeding 100 degrees ; but on returning there was a
sudden and extreme change, a strong wall wind meeting
the vessels, and one or two days being disagreeably cold,
resembling more a bleak day in the Scottish Highlands
than the general weather of Upper Egypt. In their
ascent of the river all the usual stoppages were made for
the purpose of visiting the ruins of temples, toxlbs, and
other antiquities adjacent to the Nile. The dark places
were illuminated by a large supply of magnesium torches,
and a sensation was created at Edion by the-burning of
!Several torches on the summit of the lofty pylon towers of
silitztatenuile_of that place. 4.1