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

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 Badge 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 anta-
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 1-11 b. 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 Cowe-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 vv 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. Same 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 to
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.

.EXT.RAO.RDZNARY CONDUCT OF
FARMER NEAR HA WTHORNDEN.

A charge of assault was yesterday gone into at
great length before Sheriff Jameson in the Sheriff
Summary Court, Mr. John Aitchison, farmer, re-
siding at Montmarle, near Roslin, being accused of
attacking Captain John 813 th, of Seabank Villa,
Leven, Fifesbire, 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 active 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 ont 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, 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
yafactsth the
Captain captain through the gate andleftahnimii
These
th and
d
were proved in evidence by pti
e d
that b
Captains e v e
as witnesses, l
r
ladies. For the defence itwa
reapers, who wore calledsu
r g
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.
Raving heard Mr. Miller, S.S.C., for the defence,
and carefully reviewed the evidence, Sheriff Jame-
son convicted r• A
. itchison of the assault, and sen-
tenced him to p M
ay a fine of £lO ; in default to suffer
imprisonment.—Scots man.
forty days'

A meeting of the English and Australian Copper
Smelting Company took place yesterday, Mr. Bostock in
the chair. It was stated that there has been a progressive
increase in the prosperity of the undertaking, and that it is
uow 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 15,900. to
£6,000 and a further considerable reduction is anticipated.
The accounts show a balance of nearly £31,000, andthet
question. of declaring a dividend was debated at great length.
Ultimately Ultimately a distribution was ordered, by a large majority,
of 2s. 6d. per share.

THE GREAT EASTERN.

(Fioit Mitchell's Steam-Shipping Journal)

What will they do with the Great Eastern P is a
question which has occasioned a good deal of dis-
cussion, and has given rise to a variety of by no
means uninteresting conjectures. Will she go to
India, to Australia, or to North America, and will
she be laid cut chiefly for goods or for passenger
traffic P The question of her first voyage appears at
length to be definitively settled. She will, after a
trial trip on the Bth of September of 500 or 600
miles, start on the 15th for Portland, in the State
of Maine. The idea of sending the Great Eastern
to India or Australia has been for the present aban-
doned, and the directors, in placing her in the
North American trade, have, in our judgment at
least, come to a wise decision. It is possible that
the expectation of bringing home the remainder of
the Indian army from Calcutta and Bombay may
have suggested the idea of despatching the Great
Eastern to one or both of those ports •, otherwise
the state of the freight market in the East would
surely not have tempted the directors to load home
from any port in India. An Australian trip would
offer greater inducements both as to freight and
passencrers , • and as the projectors of the Great East-
ern originally designed her with a view to the Aus-
tralian trade, the despatch of the big ship to the anti-
podes might be regarded simply as the fulfilment of
her destiny. But there are practical difficulties in the
way of an Australian voyage which seem to have •
been overlooked. The Great Eastern, when under
full steam, will consume something like 250 tons of
coal per 'day. Say that she realises all the expec-
tations formed of her, both as to speed and wea-
therly qualities, she could not perform the voyage
to Australia in less than a month or five weeks each
way, and even her vast stowage would not possibly
suffice to carry coals for the occasion. If not, could
she reckon upon procuring at Melbourne, Sydney,
or the Cape, an adequate supply ? The idea of a
long voyage is, therefore, met by this initial. diffi-
culty, which must be disposed of before it can be
attempted with any prospect of success. The North
Atlantic trade, and especially the trade with Canada,
seems to invite the great experiment which the
world is soon to witness. The passenger and goods
traffic on that line is sufficiently large to induce
every encouragement, while the St. Lawrence in
the one direction, and Portland in the other, afford
the choice of harbours in which even the Great
Eastern may be safely accommodated. We regret
the preference has not been given in the first in-
stance to the St. Lawrence, inasmuch as there exist
at Quebec abundant facilities for loading and dis-
charging, while the communication with Chicago,
St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo, Buffalo,
Oswego, the other lake ports, and the cities of the
Ohio and Mississippi, the places whence the return
cargoes must be derived, is open and direct. Chi-
cago alone, in 1850, exported over 3,000,000 qrs. of
grain, 250,000 brls. of beef and pork, besides vast
quantities of bacon, lard, hides, wool, &c., while in
the same year Chicago took 100,000 tons of Eng-
lish pig-iron, besides hardware, earthenware, and
other British products, all of which went by way of
New York to the Erie Canal. Here is a trade the
profits of which have been hitherto diverted from
theafNani
rodnt
htSrete.
Boston,a Lgl .
reew aTttr
oeeh
rne
thecs
Eeh,lairietes
seriouscnoa afnt
autl natural
hasmo
taurhgtaielffite
ht
traffic of
frt
oto
ofQNdut eehr w Yb e
e and
drawn
wgnr great
lakes, although that canal is more than six times
the length of the St. Lawrence canals, and the
transit proportionably costly. The Great Eastern
may become of great importance in further deve-
loping this valuable trade in British bottoms and
on British railways. The selection of Portland as
the port of destination for the Great Eastern is in-
telligible, seeing [that the Grand Trunk Railway
runs in there, and that the harbour possesses abun-
dant accommodation ; while, during the winter, the
choice of is is inevitable. But it has been suggested
that the extension of the Grand Trunk to open water
in winter below Quebec, by means of a wharf,
would enable the Great Eastern at all times to load
and discharge in the St. Lawrence ; and this sug-
gestion, coming as it does from one thoroughly ac-
quainted with the traffic of the river and its navi-
gation, is worthy of attentive consideration.
Assuming, then, that the directors have decided
upon the trade in which, for the present, they will
employ the Great Eastern, and have fixed upon her
port of destination across the 'Atlantic, it remains
to be seen what place will be selected as her port
of departure in this country. For a vessel of the
dimensions of the Great Eastern the choice will
I probably be between Holyhead and Milford. Both
are sufficiently eligible in point of accommodation,
and both are connected with the interior and the
metropolis by railway. Holyhead has the advan-
tage of being nearer to Liverpool—Milford in hav-
ing supplies of coals at half price, and a good clear
offing, free from most of the dangers of channel
navigation. The balance of natural advantages is,
we should say, decidedly in favour of Milford; but
there may be other considerations which will go-
vern the managers of this great experiment—an
experiment which may entirely disappoint the
hopes of those who look forward to a splendid en-
gineering and commercial success, or which may,
and we trust will, crown the efforts of the projec-
tors, realise all their expectations, and inaugurate a
new era in the history of steam navigation.

HERRING FISHERY ON TILE WEST
COAST.-THE TRAWL.

In 1851 an act of Parliament was passed, declar-
ing it illegal for any person to trawl for herrings
after the commencement of the herring fishery, or
to use any other description of net than the drift
net. For some years back the fishery officials have
ceased to work the act, and the trawl mode of tak-
ing herrings has been pursued with perfect impu-
nity. A'spirit of dissatisfaction and discontent has
therefore prevailed amongst the drift-net fishermen
and they have from time to time adopted a variety
of means, with the view of getting the act wrought
out and the trawl entirely suppressed, but hitherto
without success. The trawlers did not appear in any
part of Lochfyne above Otter Spit until one even-
ing about the end of last week. On this becoming
known, the drift-net fishermen, despairing of get-
ting protection from Government, sacrificed a
night's fishing to go in pursuit, and chased them
out of the loch. The trawlers fired two shots at their
pursuers, but fortunately without injuring any one.
Mr. Sheriff Maclaurin and the Procurator Fiscal,
on hearing of the intended collision, drove down to
Furnace, where great numbers of the fishermen
were congregated, and lectured, dissuaded, and
warned them from resorting to violence, or in all
probability the consequences would have been most
disastrous ; as it is, one man was considerably in-
jured by a stone thrown at him. The authorities
are of course investigating the affair, but it is to be
feared that this is but the first of an outbreak which
has been long anticipated. The Magistrates and
Town Council of Inverary met on Tuesday last, to
take into consideration the present critical position
of matters, when Mr. Sheriff Maclaurin addressed
them, and made some explanations with reference
to the state of the law respecting the trawl.
The magistrates unanimously passed the follow-
ing resolutions, which contain a short summary of
the grounds of complaint :-
1. That trawl fishing is very injurious to the ordi-
nary and legal mode of fishing by drift net, which
cannot be carried on at the same time with trawl
fishing in such narrow waters as Lochfine, the trawl
nets, when extended, invariably crossing, tearing,
and otherwise destroying the drift nets, and the fish
taken by the trawl nets have been found to be ma-
terially destroyed as an article of food. 2. That
trawl nets are also very injurious to the spawning
beds of the herring,by tearing them up and thereby
destroying the whole bed. 3. That by totally
breaking and separating the shoals of herring, the
fish leave their usual spawning ground and narrow
waters for the ocean, where they cannot be caught
by either drift or trawl net; while, at the same
time, the use of the trawl has been found to have a
most injurious tendency by scattering the eyes of
the herring, frightening and disturbing them so
much that the herrings have in some parts, where
the fishing at one time was very successful, deserted
the grounds altogether from the prosecution of th
the present act against g yof opinion
hou ld be s t
strongly that e
trawl. 4. The meeting are
trawling s
gently enforced, and for that purpose they ear-
-
nestly recommend that additional officers should be
appointed, if the present staff be insufficient to sup-
press the trawl ; and
also, if practicable, that the
land police force should be employed in that capa-
city.
In addition to these well-founded grounds of com-
plaint, others exist, amongst not the least of which
is, the 'wholesale bagging of the herrings of all
sizes, from an ounce weight upwards. But the
trawl likewise sweeps up all fish coming in. its
greedy track ; and it was no uncommon sight last
year, in Lochfyne, to see the salmon and herring
in the boats together. For the upper parts of
Lochfyne, the salmon fishing has been almost a
complete failure this season. The parties engaged
in it attribute the scarcity solely to the foul work
of the trawl.—Glasgoto Herald.

THE BANQUET TO MR. LEATHAM.—WC believe
there is no doubt that a grand banquet, to ceb3brate Mr.
Leatham's triumph, 'will take place in Iluddarsfield nest
month (probably on Thursday, the Bth), when, in addition
to Mr. Leathern, Mr. John Bright will be present, aril, we
hope, Mr. Cobden as well. In the absence of any a utho-
rised communication, it being too early for that, our readers
may rely upon there being a banquet upon such s . scale,
ande attendedr such guests, as probably Hudders6 ald has
yessed. It is intended to engage tlb a large
marquee
eutelve
witnessed.
Rochdale during the past week. —H! Adders-
field Examiners—The banquet has, it appears, be,i in posi-
tively fixed for the Bthpeptember.