The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-10 00:00:00

VIE MURDER 1N NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

An inquest has been opened at the Fox and
Hounds Inn, at Walkeringham, before Mr. Den-
man, the deputy-coroner for North Nottingham..
shire, touching the death of Samuel Spencer, who
was brutally murdered under the circumstances
reported in yesterday's Sun. A respectable jury
having been sworn, they proceeded to view the
body, which was a most appalling sight, and so
cut and mangled about the face and throat as
scarcely to be recognised. Having returned to
their room, four witnesses were examined, the sub-
stance of whose evidence was given in the account
we have already furnished to our readers.
Mr. Smith, farmer, of Walkeringham, on being
sworn, deposed that the pistols found near the body
and now produced, to the best of his knowledge
belonged to the prisoner's father, and after" arils to
the prisoner himself. He had had them in his hand
on several occasions. He also further stated that the
prisoner had a county court summons, and had re-
cently had a difficulty in meeting his payments.
He had seen the prisoner at Gainsborough market
on the previous day, and had paid him his bill.
On the application of Mr. Superintendent San-
ford, the inquest was adjourned to Wednesday
next, at 11 o'clock.
Spencer was murdered within about 60 yards of
his own door, and it appears probable that the
murderer had concealed himself behind a jutting
pillar that partly supports a garden wall in the

Since the prisoner has been in custody, he has
maintained the greatest reserve, and never alludes
to the fatal tragedy. He only talks of getting up
a petition in his favour, and obtaining the assistance
of a legal adviser.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS ON;THE BALLOT.
—ln consequence of a misunderstanding generally preva-
lent as to the days on which the question of the ballot is to
be brought forward in Parliament, we are requested to state
that in the House of Lords, Lord Teynham will on Monday,
19th instant, move his resolution in favour of the ballot ;
and in the House of Commons Mr. Berkeley, M.P., will on
Tuesday, the 20th, move for leave to bring in a bill to cause
the votes of parliamentary electors in the -United Kingdom
to be takenby way of ballot.
W. E. Franks and Son's monthly circular says:
—" Immediately after the date of our last, the production
of the budget set at rest the question of reduced duties on
tea for another year ; and trade was for some time inter-
rupted by the discussion of the merits of the financial
scheme. The market has, however, maintained much firm-
ness, and prices have fluctuated but little, considering the
pressure of large sales by public auction, " without reserve.'
The impression becomes strengthened that the total ship-
ments for the season will not be excessive, and every reason
exists for csntinued firmness. "
THE COMMITTAL OF A ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST
FOR CONTRMTT.—The Rev. Father Kelly, of the Felling,
who was committed by Mr. Justice Hill on Monday last,
for contempt of court, was, by his lordship's order, liberated
on Wednesday morning at ten o'clock. Long before the
hour at which it was understood he would be liberated a
number of women and children assembled in front of the
prison to meet him, and as soon as he made his appearance
greeted him with a cheer—feeble but still enthusiastic--
and a waving of little banners. The whole then surrounded
Mr. Kelly, and showed great eagerness to have the honour
of shaking hands with him, as he walked in the midst of
the little band to the Catholic chapel. They all entered
the chapel, where they remained a shorttime. After giving
the father a hearty salute, he made his exit, accompanied
by two friends. The company then quietly dispersed.--
Newcastle Chronicle.
THE HIGH TIDES.--The influx of water, both on
the m,rning and afternoon tides, yesterday, was consider-
ably less than on Wednesday and Thursday, the depth of
water at the steam-boat pier, Adelphi, being fully six inches
less than on Thursday. Still many low-lying wharfs and
river-side premises were overflowed notwithstanding the
precautions taken. The tide on Thursday night at South-
ampton was about a foot higher than usual. Yesterday,
however, at midday, it was not unusually high, notwith-
standing that there was no wind to keep it back. The
highest tide in the Mersey, according to previous calcula..
tions, occurred yesterday, though the actual height was
scarcely 21 feet, which has been frequently exceeded before
during spring tides and heavy winds from the west. Large
numbers of spectators crowded the landing stages and
j;k3rs.

- THE ACCIDENT ON THE EASTERN COUNTIES
RAILWAY.—The inquiry respecting the fatal accident on
the Eastern Counties Railway was resumed yesterday before
Mr. Humphreys, the coroner. The evidenab given related
chiefly to the tire. Mr. James Fenton, an engineer, gave
his opinion that the accident arose from the defective weld,
and not from the longitudinal flaw Most probably the
former defect was caused by a little sulphur getting im•
bedded in the joint during the operation of welding. The
metal of the tire, so far as the witness could discover in
its present oxydisedstate, was not bad, though not the best.
Edward Fletcher, a locomotive foreman, said he believed
the accident arose solely from the defective weld. The in-
quest was again adjourned until Thursday next, when it is
expected it will be concluded.
LIFEBOAT SERVICES.— TYNEMOUTH, SHIELDS,
THURSDAY NIGHT.—This morning a fishing coble called
the Honour, having on board three men, named W. Decide,
A. Taylor, and R. Storey, when off fishing about eight miles
from land, were suddenly overtaken by a heavy sea and
strong wind from the northward. They attempted to make
for Tynemouth Haven, but the entrance being very dan-
gerous, they durst not for some time venture to attempt
Under these circumstances the new lifeboat, which the Na-
tional Lifeboat Institution recently sent to Cullercoats, was
immediately manned by 12 fishermen, and launched with
much promptitude front the new carriage. She soon reached
the distressed coble, and afterwards safely escorted her into
the haven. The Cullercoats lifeboat promptly going off to a
scene of danger is often the means iu cases when our fleet
of fishing boats are overtaken by sudden storm of saving
many lives and much valuable property, for the presence of
the lifeboat inspires the fishermen with renewed courage to
combatnobly and successfully with the raging elements.
ASSISTANCE TO A PUNCH SHIP.—The follow-
ing is the text of a letter forwarded by Count Persigny to
Lord J. Russell relative to services rendered by her Ma-
jesty's ship Firefly to a French crew :—" My Lordr-
Information addressed to the Department of Foreign
Affairs, and also that of the Marine, has been received
from the Consul-General of France in London that the
Blanche Matie, of Vannes, was wrecked on the 24th Oct.
last on the Sardrette Rocks, near Guernsey, and that the
commander of the ship Firefly, belonging to the British
royal navy, promptly sent succour to the wrecked crew,
which enterprise was successful in saving them, notwith-
standing the violence of the hurricane. The commander,
Mr. John Scott Taylor, has a right, by his conduct on this
occasion, to the official thanks of the Government of the
Emperor of the French, arid I therefore pray your Excel-
lency to be pleased to convey such expression to him. As
to the British sailors who acted so nobly, each has received
a gratuity of 50 francs, and the master's assistant who di-
rected them, merits a medal d'honneur, second class, in
rid, which I shall have the pleasure to transmit to you.—
Ds PERSIGNY."

LOSS OF A SMACK AND ALL HANDS.--It his
now been fully ascertained that the fishing smack Forti-
tude, which left the port of Grimsby on the 31st of January
last, has become a total wreck, and the captain and nine
men and boys have found a watery grave. The melancholy
occurrence has created a deep sympathy for the three be-
reaved ;widows and eleven children, and a committee has
been formed for the purpose of raising a fund from which to
supply their pressing wants.—Stamford Mercury.
A market has just been established at Gillingham,
the present terminus of the Salisbury and Yeovil Railway
fur fat beasts, cows, calves, pigs, fat sheep, corn, cheese, and
butter. The first market was well attended. Gillingham
is on the border of the famous vale of Blackmoor.
A number of articles of Indian and China manu-
facture, such as Cashmere and crape shawls, carved ivory
ornaments, brought home in the India mail packet Indus,
a few days since passed through the Southampton customs
free of duty, in consequence of the alteration of the tariff
caused by the budget.