The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-05 00:00:00

ALLEGED MURDER AT WIGAN.

• The neighbourhood of the Hallgate, Wigan, was
thrown into,a state of*great excitement on Satur-
day night, in consequence of a report that a violent
assault had been rommitted by John O'Halloran, an
Irish labourer, residing -in the Top Croft, Hallgate,
upon John Droney, another Irishman, who lived
next door to him. The report. proved to be too
true, the assault being one of the worst description.
Droney, after lingering in great pain, expired on
the following Tuesday.
On Wednesday O'Halloran was brought before
the magistrates at the police-courtlwhen the chief
constable informed the bench that on Saturday
night the deceased and the prisoner quarrelled
about a pipe of tobacco whilst they were enjoying
themselves somewhere (we have been told it was at
a wedding) • that they both went to their homes,
and soon afterwards, whilst .Droney was comfort-
ably smoking his pipe by his own fireside, O'Hla-
loran came to the door and asked him to come out,
as he wished to speak to him. • Droney, being an
exceedingly quiet man, and fearing O'Halloran,
at first hesitated ; • but at length, after the
prisoner had again requested him to come and
speak to him, he just stepped outside the door when
O'Halloran, who had a large brick-bat in. his hand,
struck hiM violently with it upon the temples.
The blow was given with slid' force that Droney
fell 'instantly, and was carried bleeding to bed.
The brick must have dropped from the hand of the
prisoner when the blow had been delivered, as it
was picked up shortly after the assault, and placed
upon Droney's pillow, where it remained until
Tuesday. night, when death ended the sufferings of
the unfortunate man. Mr. Simm; the chief con-
stable, also stated that 'as soon as he heard of the
occurrence, he sent an officer to Bury on Tuesday,
and in the evening he succeeded in capturing the
offender, and immediately brought him to Wigan.
AS the jury were summoned to meet at the Town
Hall, and as there was no doubt that the
coroner would •adjourn the -inquest until a. post
mortem examination had been made, the prisoner
was remanded to Friday. •
The Jury having assembled And viewed the.body,
the Coroner adj.ourned the inquest. -
. From inquiries we .have made, there does not
appear to have been any particular cause of quarrel
between the two, as the prisoner said when taken
back to the lock-up, "We had a sup (meaning a
little drink), and I do riot know what we quarrelled
about ; but I.was in a passion, and struck him, and
I'm sorry for it." Droney was a very young: man,
and the affair has "caused_ a . profound sensation
amongst the working classes of the neighbourhood,
who consider it a deliberate murder.—Manchester
Guardian. •

COUNTRY MARKBTS.

MANCHESTER--Nov. 4.

At our market this morning English wheat was difficult
of sale, and must be noted Is to 2s per qr lower, foreign at
the same time time declining 2d to 3d per 701bs, without
leading to business. Flour was almost unsaleable, although
offered at a reduction of fully is per sack. In oats and oat-
meal there was but little change observable, and the same
may. be said of English beans. Egyptian beans and Indian
corn were each is per qr. cheaper.