The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-25 00:00:00

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'FATAL AFFRAY.

- A fierce fight took place at Ludlow on Monday
night, which resulted in the death of a man named
Pierce. It appears that about 8 o'clock on Monday
evening a gang of gipsies, male and female, num-
bering nearly 30, reached the Bridge Inn, at the
bottom of Cowe-street, Ludlow, and called for some
drink. The landlady, Mrs. Bird, refused to draw
them any, but her servant surreptitiously supplied
them with several quarts of beer. The party had
been drinking before this, and grew warm in their
disputes as to which was the best dancer. Blows
succeeded to high words, and a general fight en-
sued, in which women and men bore a part. The
landlady endeavoured to induce the excited gipsies
to leave her house, and interfered with a view to
stop the row, but in so doing she received a blow in
the face which drew blood. This incited several men
to take part in the fight, which became general, and
among the combatants was the man Pierce, a job-
bing butcher, who was acting as assistant ostler at
the Bridge Inn on Monday, that being fair day.
The men fought themselves out of the house, and
the door was locked behind them. The gipsy women
assisted their swarthy mates by beating their antar
gonists behind with tin pots and pans, forming part
of the ware which they hawk in their itinerations.
Pierce, being sober, had an advantage over his anta-
gonists, two of whom engaged him outside the house,
and while one of these was engaged with him in a
hand-to-hand strnggle, the other looked for a more
effective missile than the human fist, and picked up
a piece of a brick weighing about 1 alb. With this
he struck Pierce a violent blow under the left ear,
which caused the poor fellow at once to drop as
though he were struck dead. He was carried into
the Green Dragon Inn, in Co we-street, and a medi-
cal man, Mr. H. Meymott, was sent for, but before
he could reach the spot the man was dead. Hear-
ing of what had happened the gipsies quickly dis-
persed, and up to midnight the police 'w ere engaged
in searching out and apprehending the members of
the gang, assisted by the excited populace. Next
morning 12 men and seven women were brought
before the magistrates for a preliminary examina-
tion. The wild and swarthy appearance of the
prisoners, and the excitement prevailing among the
people of the lower orders, formed an unusual scene
in this quiet place. The gipsies were of all ages,
from the boy of 15 to the withered crone of 60, and
some of the men presented a most savage appear-
ance. Some evidence was taken to show that the
prisoner who took up the brick and used it with
such fatal effect was John Macgunnis, a rough-look-
ing young fellow, with a huge shock of unkempt
hair. He was retained in custody, and six men
were fined £1 each for riotous conduct. The ma-
gisterial proceedings were adjourned to await the
result of the inquest, to be held to-night before Mr.
Williams, coroner for the borough, at the Green
Dragon Inn. Meanwhile the town is in a state of
great commotion.

The coroner's inquisition on the body of William
Pierce, the unfortunate man who met his death in
the riotous affray with gipsies, on Monday, under
circumstances already detailed, took place last night
at the Green Dragon Inn, in this town, before Mr.
Williams, borough coroner. The prisoner John
Macgunnis, was brought up in custody. He had xo
advocate, and did not cross-examine the witnesses.
He is a stupid-looking fellow, about 26 years of age,
dressed in the ordinary gipsy habiliments ; and
with his unkempt hair and unshaven beard, looked
sufficiently uninviting and ferocious.
The jury, having viewed the body, returned to
the large room, which was densely crowded.
Henry Meymott—l am a surgeon, practising in
Ludlow. About half-past seven o'clock last night I
was called to see deceased, and found him sitting in
a chair, breathing, but quite insensible. His case
was hopeless, and he died at five minutes after eight
o'clock. There was a wound under his left ear,
which bled profusely. His skull was fractured on
the brain. On making a post mortem examination
I found that the fracture extended to the base of
the skull in several directions. There was an effusion
of blood on the brain opposite the wound on the skull.
Death ensued from that fracture, which was occa-
sioned by a blow from some heavy substance.
Two other witnesses were then called, who dis-
tinctly deposed to having seen the prisoner throw
the brick at the deceased. The blow was aimed at
deceased after he had turned away from the affray.
This being all the evidence, the Coroner explained
the law as it bore upon the simple facts of the case,
and the jury retired to deliberate, and were absent
for a considerable time, during which the greatest
excitement prevailed, and it was difficult to preserve
order. At length they returned a verdict of wilful
murder against the prisoner, who was removed in
custody.
These proceedings seem in a great measure to
have allayed the unwonted excitement which lately
prevailed, and the town is resuming its accustomed
tranquillity.

EXTRAORDINARY CONDUCT OF A
FARMER NEAR ITAWTHORNDEN:

A charge of assault was yesterday gone into at
great Jength before Sheriff Jameson in the Sheriff
Summary Court, Mr. John Aitchison, farmer, re-
siding at Montmarle, near Roslin, being accused of
attacking Captain John Bly th, of Seabank Villa,
Leven, Fifeshire, Mrs. Blyth, Mrs. M'Callum (wife
of Mr. George M'Callum, stockbroker and
accountant), and Miss Macpherson, sister of Mrs.
Blyth. The circumstances of the case are shortly
these appeared that Captain Blyth, accompa-
nied by the ladies above mentioned, and his dangh-
ter, Miss Blyth, went out from Edinburgh on
Thursday last for the purpose of visiting Hawthorn -
den. They travelled by coach to Lasswade, and
proceeded thence on foot. After reaching Spring-
field they lost their direction, not knowing the
locality, and in consequence got into a grass field
belonging to Mr. Aitchison, who happened to be
present on an adjoining ground with his
reapers. Mr. Aitchison noticing the party on
his field, called out to them to turn back, as
they had no business there, and there was no road
that way for people. Captain Blyth being rather
deaf, was informed by the ladies of what was said,
and as the farmer advanced towards them he
stepped forward to meet him, and civilly requested
him to point out the way to the high road, as they
had missed the way. Mr. Aitchison, however,
would listen to no explanations, and coupled his
refusal to give the desired information by seizing
hold of tha captain by the collar and shirt front,
and violently throwing him down. Captain Blyth
fell heavily, but soon regained his feet, though nei-
ther aotive nor young. Mr. Aitchison then a second
time rushed upon him and threw him down. Mrs.
Blyth and the ladies loudly rebuked this savage con-
duct, but the only answer given by the farmer was a
severe blow on the back, which felled Mrs. M'Cal-
lum to the ground, Mrs. Blyth and Miss Macpher-
son meeting the same extraordinary treatment in
succession. Remonstrance was again attempted,
but proved of as little avail as before, Mr. Aitchi-
son insisting that they should all march out of the
field instantly, or he would have them forced away.
A slight fence stood near the spot, and seizing hold
of the ladies he pushed them over one after the
other, giving Miss Macpherson a push of such vio-
lence that this lady fell down upon the other side
and received very severe injuries. Miss Blyth was
not assaulted, although she was compelled to get
over the fence. Captain Blyth being thus sepa-
rated was retained in the field by the rough fellow,
and in spite of renewed requests to be shown a foot-
path whereby he might reach the high-road, was
pushed on across the field in another direction by the
farmer, w ho, when they had proceeded some dis-
tance, and were out of sight of the ladies, dealt him
a severe blow on the eye with his fist. Eventually
they reached Sir J. W. Drummond's gamekeeper's
house, and Mr. Aitchison drew the attention of the
gamekeeper to the circumstances under which he
detained Captain Blyth. The gamekeeper, taking
a rational view of the matter, lectured the defender
on the severity of his conduct, the captain having
also related his side of the case. During the con-
versation which ensued, Mr. Aitchison declared he
would suffer no person to trespass on his ground,
and he would serve every one who did so in the
same way he had served Captain Blyth. After
several expressions to this effect, he pushed the
captain through the gate and left him. These facts
were proved in evidence by Captain Blyth and the
v
th
bya Captains e er al
ladies. For the defence it was
urged
reapers, who were called as witnesses,
Blyth attacked Mr. Aitchison
first, and that the
latter did not strike any of the party, and the
statement of the defender was to a similar effect.
Having heard Mr. Miller, S.S.C., for the defence,
and carefully reviewed the evidence, Sheriff Jame-
son convicted Mr. Aitchison of the assault, and sen-
tenced him to pay a fine of XlO ; in default to suffer
Scotsman.
imprisonment.—
forty days'

A meeting of the English and Australian Copper
Smelting Company took place yesterday, Mr. Bostock in
e chair. It was stated that there has been a progressive
increaseh in the prosperity of the undertaking, and that it is
now in a satisfactory position. The expenses are decreas-
ing, while an augmentation is taking. place in the returns.
Comparing the ten months ending in April, 1859, with
the twelve months ending in June, 1858, it appears that
in the former period 6,523 tons of ore were smelted,
against 6,800 in the latter, the proportional increase
being equal to 1,000 tons, and that the make of copper
has respectively been 1813 and 1852 tons. The total
make in the year ending June 30, 1859, is expected to ex-
ceed 2,000 tons. The stock of coal in April, 1859, was
£ll,OOO, and in July, 1858, £5,600. The advances from the
bank in the colony have been reduced from £15,000 to
£6,000 and a further considerable reduction is anticipated._e
The accounts show a balance of nearly £31,000, and the
question of declaring a dividend was debated at great length.
Ultimately a distribution was ordered, by a large majority,
of 2s. 6d. per share.