The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-17 00:00:00

DARING HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

BIRMINGHAM, MONDAY.—A highway robbery of an
atrocious character was committed in the neighbourhood
of this town this morning. Mr. Fern, a butcher, carry•
ing on business in the Horse Fair, accompanied by a
friend in the same business, left Birmingham in a gig,
with the intention of attending Warwick Fair, between
four and five o'clock. O❑ arriving at the Reservoir,
about six miles from Birmingham, the gig was sur-
rounded by six ruffians. Two laid hold of the horse's
head, while the others proceeded to drag Mr. Forn
from the vehicle. His companion was suffered to re-
main in his seat, but the fellows having succeeded in
capturing Mr. Fern, the reins were cut, and the horse
and gig, with its only remaining inmate, were started
at a furious rate in the direction of Solihull. For a
short time Mr. Fern maintained a resolute contest with
his assailants, but ultimately he was laid insenbible on
the ground, and the thieves carried off upwards of
1231. in cash. The horse and gig, over which Mr.
Fern's companion had no control, came in contact about
a mile distant with a waggon, by which it was stopped,
and information was immediately conveyed to the county
and railway police stationed at Solihull. On returning
to the spot where the robbery was committed, Mr. Fern
was found to have been dreadfully beaten about the head,
and after surgical examination he was removed to his
house in this town. In the course of to-day the police
of Birmingham and Solihull, who have been extremely
vigilant in their inquiries, succeeded in apprehending
four men strongly suspected of being implicated in the
commission of the robbery. Three of them were taken
at a public-hove in Solihull, and the fourth in this town.
Mr. Fern identifies two of them most positiTely as being
amongst his assailants, and other evidence shows that
the others were associated with them last night, and
again this morning. It unfortunately happens, that the
money, of which Mr. Fern was robbed, has not been
recovered, and is no doubt in possession of the one or
both the ruffians not yet apprehended. The prisoners
have the appearance of " navvies," and are supposed to
have been employed on the works of the Birmingham
and Oxford Junction Railway.

ST. ANDREW'S, HOLBORN.—A meeting of gentle-
men connected with this parish was held last evening at the
inquest-room, St. Andrew's-court, for the purpose of estab-
lishing a parochial district visiting society, having for its
object the relief of the necessities of the poor and the im-
provement of their social, moral, and religious condition.
The Rev. J. J. Toogood presided. The minutes of the pre-
liminary meeting having been read, the Chairman opened
the proceedings by expressing the anxiety be felt to obtain
the co-operation of his parishioners in visiting and assisling
the poor inhabitants of that populous parish. He proposed
that a society should be formed, to be conducted in accord-
ance with the rules of the Metropolitan District Society, the
managers and visitors being lay members of the Church of
England, but relief being administered to all, without refer-
ence to religious persuasion. Messrs. Alored, Elder, Grover,
J. R. Taylor, and other gentlemen expressed their hearty
approbation of the objects contemplated by the proposed
society, and a committee was appointed and subscriptions
entered into for the purpose of carrying them into effect.
DEATH OF GENERAL THE HON. SIR WILLIAM
LUMLEY, G.C.6. On Sunday, the 15th instant, this dig..
tinguished cavalry officer died iu town, aged 82 years. He
was son of the fourth Earl of Scarborough, and at the age of
eighteen entered the cavalry service in 1787, as a cornet in
the 10th dragoons. In 1798, having then attained the rank
of a lieutenant-colonel, he commanded the 22d Light Dra-
goons in the Irish rebellion. Lieutenant-Colonel Lumley
was severely wounded at Antrim, but, by his firmness and
judgment, prevented that place from being destroyed by the
rebels. Ile served in the Egyptian campaign of 1801, in
command of the same regiment. Afterwards he was ap-
pointed to the staff at the Cape of Good Hope. He also
served in South America, and became second in command
of the expedition under Sir S. Auchmaty ; ,commanded the
advance force on the landing in the Rio de la Plate, and at
the capture of Monte Video in February, 1807. Colonel
Lumley also served in the subsequent disastrous operations
at Buenos Ayres, in June, 1807, under Lieutenant-General
Whitelock. In 1809 the Colonel commanded the advance
force at the capture of the Island of Ischia. The following
year, having then attained the rank of a major-general, he
joined the army in the Peninsula, and served both under
Lcrd Hill and Lord Beresford. Major-General Lumley
commanded on the Chriatoval side at the first siege of Bade-
joz, in 1811 ; and, upon the raising of that siege, he com-
manded the whole of the allied cavalry at the battle of Al-
buhera, as also at the cavalry action at Usarge. For his
distinguished services be was, in 1827 appointed colonel of
the 6th Dragoons, and in 1831 nominated a G.C.B. In
1840 Sir William was removed to the colonelcy of the Ist
Dragoon Guards, which lucrative appointment is now vacant,
He had received the gold medal for Albubera. The late S r
W. Lumley bad been groom of the bedchamber to her Ma-
jesty, but in i 842 was appointed extra groom in waiting.
He had also held the appointment of governor of the Ber•

POOR-BOXES AT COUNTY COURTS.—At the Maryle-
bone County Court yesterday, Mr. Herring, solicitor, of
Lisson-grove, addressing the judge (Mr. A. Amos), said he
had been deputed by a client, Sir Frederick Watson, to hand
into the court /. 'b. (which he would accompany with 11. Is.
from himself) towards establishing a poor's box, to relieve, as
his Honour might think fit, those whose distresses were made
known in the hearing of cases wherein they were concerned.
His Honour "observed that he had never heard of a county
court poor's box, but he would willingly accede to the prof°.
sition, and subscribe T. 2i. towards the same, as there were
many instances in the course of investigations in those
courts where persons of good character had, through unfore-
seen misfortunes, been reduced from a respectable position in
society to abject poverty, and to whom trifling pecuniary aid
would be a great boon. Thanks were due to Sir Frederick
Watson for his benevolent project, and he had no doubt that
ultimately the plan would be adopted at county courts of
other districts.

TIIE LONDON HOSPlTAL.—Yesterday a meeting
of the governors of the above hospital was held in the
beard-room, for general business. It appeared from the
medical report presented that, during the past month, there
had been 687 cases of accidents admit ted,of which 168 were so
serious as to require immediate admission as in-patients, and
519 were out-patients; of other cases there had been 134 in,
and 795 out-patients; making a total daring the month of
November of 1,616 individuals who have participated in the
benefits conferred by the charity. Since the first day of
January in the present year 18,689 persons accidentally in.
jured, and labouring under disease, have been received.
ATTEMPTED MURDER NEAR ROTHBURY.—A seri-
ous quarrel took place yesterday se'nnight in Rothbury
Forest, between two half-brothers, named Andrew Wood and
John Arkle, occupying a farm called Crook, in the same
parish. Wood was returning from a place called Tossin Mill,
with a cart and horse, and when between Hollin-hill and
Crook-farm a man rushed from behind the hedge, and
knocked him from the cart on which he was sitting to the
round with part of a threshing instrument called a flail.
ood rose and was again knocked down several times ; he
then discovered that his assailant was Arkle, and struggled
hard for his life. They both fell, and Wood being uppermost,
he said, "Do you want to kill me?" Arkle said "No."
Wood then allowed his assailant to rise, but he himself
fainted from loss of blood. Arkle, it would appear, by this
time relented, and having put his weapon away, lifted Wood
into the cart, and drove it about 200 yards; he then left,
and went along a fence. The injured man, who had partially
recovered, noticed his movements, and saw him take some-
thing out of the fence, which he supposed was another wee..
pon ; he returned, however, and drove the cart home, on the
way asking Wood to forgive him. On reaching home, it
was found necessary to Bend for medical assistance, and on
the arrival of Mr. William Farrage, surgeon of Rothbury, he
found Wood in bed in a pitiable condition, his head having no
fewer than twelve wounds, some about two inches in length,
and the bone laid bare. On Monday, Arkle was brought
before the justices of Rothbury, when the case was partially
investigated.—Netecastle Chronicle.

PURCHASE OF ESTATES.—The Ballinasloe Star
contains the following :—" Kelly's Grove Estate has ex-
changed bands—its old, honourable, and respected owners.
whose birthright it was for ages, now know it no more.'
Lord Clancarty was declared the purchaser of the house divi-
sion for the sum of 11,050/ Mr. Campbell, a Scotch gentle-
man, to whom the estate was largely indebted, purchased the
remainder. Considering the late sales in the Encumbered
Estates Court—when the average lettings were from ten to
thirteen years' purchase—his Lordship bought dearly. He
has given, we have been assured on good authority, at least
twenty-two years' purchase for the lot; however, to his
Lords-hip it is more valuable than to any one else, as it adjoins
his estate."
MELANCHOLYi CASE OF HYDROPHOBIA.--A poor
woman in the neighbourhood of Ballinasloe, of the name
of Turley, was seriously bitten by a dog nearly twelve
months since. The symptoms of the disease set in the week
before last, under which the poor womon sank, after eight
or nine days of great suffering and distress. The dog by
which she was bitten was hanged immediately after the acci-
dent, and was not suspected of being mad, which shows
clearly the impropriety of killing an animal immediately,
until some change in his habits shows decidedly that he is
so affected, when due precautionary measures Itilltht be
adopted to secure any persons who may uftfortunatel
beta bitten preYloullY.