The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-18 00:00:00

717 E OUTRAGES AT CORK.

The reported firing into the window of the Cork Con-
stitution office turns out to have been a hoax. The Con-
stitution of Wednesday, referring to the telegram, states
that the bullet came from a catapult or air-gun over the
roofs of the houses, and that no personal injury was
intended, although one of the printers had a fortunate
escape. The same journal reports that on Monday evening
a bullet was fired into the house of Mr. Kingston,
Princes-street, Cork, in a similar way, and, excepting the
breaking of the glass, did no damage.
But the other outrage in Cork is a most serious affair.
The following particulars, in addition to those transmitted
by telegraph, are furnished by a correspondent of the
Dublin Express:—" The residence of Mr. Pope Gray is
situate about two miles from Cork, in a picturesque spot
studded by thick clumps of trees, between Douglas
sniL Blackrock. About nine o'clock on Tuesday evening
Mrs. Gray was walking in the grounds, the weather
being fine, when she observed four men approach
the house, and believing that they came with no
friendly intention, she hurried into the house and
raised an alarm. Mr. Gray, who had been ill for
the last three months, was seated in an armchair,
M the parlour, when she rushed in, crying out that the
Fenians were coming, and, banding him a revolver, placed
herself behind his chair. Immediately one of the party,
who is described as a well-built, active, and determined-
looking man, came in. Confronting Mr. Gray, he raised
his band and displayed, as Mr. Gray believes, the barrel
of a revolver, at the same time uttering some words
which that gentleman did not hear. Observing his
threatening motion, Mr. Gray kept his eye steadily fixed
on him, and, taking deliberate aim at him, fired. One of
the servants and a lady who was present state that the
stranger also fired, as they heard two shots together.
When the smoke had cleared away, Mr. Gray was surprised
to find his visitor still standing before him unhurt. The
bullet, it is believed, grazed his head, as it was found on
Thursday morning imbedded in the plaster of the wall
behind where he stood. Mr. Gray instantly fired a second
shot, and this time with evident effect, for the man put his
hand to his head and rushed out of thehouse. While this
Beetle was going on in the parlour two of the party held
the servants in check, and, presenting revolvers at the
bead of one named Sweeny and his wife, demanded arms.
The fourth man acted as sentinel at the door. When they
found that their comrade had been wounded in his unsuc-
cessi ul attempt,theyleft him to his fate and rapid]) retreated.
Mr. G ray made Isis way to the doorof the room and called upon
thin to come on, but they were soon out of reach. The
wounded man was unable to follow, and laying himself
down at the hall door, he Legged to be admitted, as he had
received a wound. It was thought that this appeal was
a mere stratagem, and although the inmates of the house
were now all armed, they hesitated to let him in until Mr.
W. Conolly, of Clavier-hill, who had been alarmed by the
shots and came round with a pistol to render assistance,
found the man lying on the ground, and told Mr.
Gray. He was then admitted and treated with
kindness. The Rev. Mr. O'Connell, a priest, and
Dr. O'Flynn, a medical gentleman, having been
sent for, arrived soon afterwards. The wounded man
expressed great contrition, and said that his companions
bad taken his revolver, but he refused to give the slightest
information. The police arrived at an early hour yester-
day morning, and examined the premises. They were
unable to find any trace of the ball supposed to have
been fired by the man, and Mr. Gray cannot say
whether he fired at all ; but others who were in the
room state that he did fire. He was identified as a
keeper named Andrew Campbell, connected with
Dr. Osborne's Lunatic Asylum, Blackrock. He has been
for a long time suspected by the police. Three other men
in Dr. Osborne's employment were arrested, but they were
not identified as belonging to the party, and were imme-
diately discharged. Mr. Gray is a gentleman who has
kept clear of politics, never having given a vote for any
candidate, and he is therefore surprised that his house
should have been singled out for a Fenian visit. The
death of Campbell has already been noticed. Some bullets
were found in his possession, and some ammunition in his
house."

THE SCOTCH HERRING FISHERY.—A telegram
from Wick states that the Lewis herring fishing continues
a failure, and is not half the ordinary catch. One fishing
boat has been run down by a fishing smack and aban-
doned ; crew saved. A boat was swamped and a fisherman
from Morayshire drowned. Weather dreadfully cold.
FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION . A fatal boiler
explosion has taken place at Sherburn House Pit, about
three miles from the city of Durham. It appears three
boilers are used at the colliery, and at the time
above mentioned, as the enginemen were sitting
in the engine-house, No. 1 boiler, the one nearest
the engine-house, suddenly expludA. A number
of workmen zt once rushed to the spot, when it was
found that the engine-house had been knocked into a heap
of ruins, and the three unfortunate men buried in the
debris. One-half of the boiler was found about 200 yards
to the right and the other about 100 yards to the left of
the colliery. The colliery is the property of the Earl of
Durham.
SNOW IN JUNE. —The most extraordinary
weather at present prevails in the county of Westmoreland,
and has done now for many months. On Wednesday
morning the hills to the north were entirely
covered with snow, and the drifts were three or four
feet in depth. Nor was this strange and unseasonable
phenomenon confined to the higher range of moun-
tains ; on the contrary, the white wintry mantle
had fallen as far down the valley as Stavely, a village
between Kendal and Windermere, and occupying a
most sheltered position. The scene was most extraordi-
nary, and, so far as the memory of the oldest inhabitant
went, quite without precedent in the whole range of
atmospheric phenomena. A sharp, cold wind prevailed
from the north, and the general appearance of the sky and
clouds was more suggestive of February than the middle
of June. Indeed, the wind has been, with but few ex-
ceptions, northerly for the last six months. Vegetation of
all kinds is very backward.
MR. FRITH'S "DERBY D AY."— The explanation of
the exhibition of Mr. Frith's "Derby I)ay" at Vienna is
now supplied by the artist himself. Ile says : " When
Mr. Gambart, the publisher, had possession of " The
Derby Day," he had a copy made from it, by a French
artist, for the avowed purpose of assisting in the en-
graving. This copy—never touched by me—he says (I
now quote from a letter just received from him from
Switzerland) ` has been consigned for sale to a printseller
in Vienna. It must be that which is being shown in
Vienna. I am loth to believe, as a letter of yours in the
Daily Telegraph seems to imply, that our correspondent is
representing the picture as your own. It was invoiced to
him as a copy.' English artists, as a body, are very
anxious for the good opinion of their foreign brethren, and
the smaller a man's reputation is the less he likes it to be
•-imperilled by Such frauds-as.the one—you have kindly per-
=Med me to expose. I should like to hear what Mr,
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