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

DARING _HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

BIRNINGHADI, 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. On 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, whi'e the others proceeded to dreg Mr. Fern
from the vehicle. His companion was suffered to re-
main in his seat, but the fellows baying 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 insensible on
the ground, and the thieves carried eff upeards 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 rubbery. Three of them were taken
at a public• heu,e in Solihull, and the fourth in this town.
Mr. Fern identifies two of them most positively as being
amongst his assailants, and other evidence shows that
the others were associated with them last night, and
ag,in this morning. It unfortunately happens, that the
money, of which Mr. Fern was robbed, has not been
recovered, and is no doubt in possession cf the one cr
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, HoLlloßN.---A meeting of gentle.
men connected with this parish was held last evening at the
inquest-room, St. Andrew's-tourt, 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.
Tile Rev. J. J. Toogood presided. The minutes of the pre-
liminary meeting having been read, the Chairman opened
the' proceedings by expressing the anxiety he felt to obtain
the to-operation of his parishioners in visiting and assisting
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. Adored, 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 purpese of carrying them into effect.
DEATH OF GENERAL THE HON. SIR WILLIAM
LUMLEY, G.C.B.— On Sunday, the 15th instant, this dise
tinguished cavalry officer died in 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. He 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 cemmanded the advance
force at the capture of the Island of Ischia. The following
*•ear, having then attained the rank of a major-general, he
joined the army in the Peninsula, and served both under
Lord Hill and Lord Beresford. Major-General Lumley
commanded ou the Cbristoval side at the first siege of Bada-
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 he was, in 1827 appointed colonel of
the Gth Dragoons, and in 1531 noini,ated 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 Albuhera. The late Sir
W. Lumley had been groom of the bedchamber to her Ma-
iety, but in 1842 was appointed extra groom in waiting.
He had also held the appointment of governor of the Ber-
mudas.

POOR-BOXES AT COUhTY 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 •:/. 2s. (which he would accompany with 1/. Is.
from himself) towards establishing a poor's box, to relieve, as
his Honour might think fit, thou 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 propo-
sition, and subscribe 2'. 2s. 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.

THE LONDON HOSPlTAL.—Yesterday 8 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 admitted,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 during 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 persona 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 Tocsin 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
ground with part of a threshing instrument called a flail.
`Food rose and was again knocked down several timer; be
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 wea-
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 send 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 hantwet'iedwhoaurned.s, aboutsoonmelaoady, Arkle
a two inches in length,
and than
the bone
before the justices of Rothbury, when the case waswas
partially
investigated.—Netccasik Chronicle. brought
PURCHASE OF ESTATES..--The Ballinasloe Star
contains the following :—" Kelly's Grove Estate has ex-
changed hands—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 11,0501. 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
u or o ,
has given, we have beenrchase assured onthgeoold
ta w o.uthhorie vye,trat, talehasita
twenty-two years' p
Lordship it is more valuable than to any one else, as it adjoins
his estate."
MELANCHOLY) CASE OF HYDROPHOBIA.--A poor
woman in the neighbourhood of Ballinasloe, of the name
of Turley, was seriously bitten by a dog nearly twelve
whichsm ptthoemspooof
rthwe
odmiseaanseaasnetk,inafttheer week
ol)
re monthsfno irneel atsisiatrau.nn
fd
Tegrhreeat suffer:ng 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 pfecautionary measures might be
adopted to secure any persons who may unfortunately have
been bitten previously.

GERMAN Y.
The Kolner Zeitung states that the kingdoms of
Central Germany think their existence put into
jeopardy by the secret articles of the Olmutz treaty.
To ward off the common danger they are forming a
defensive and offensive alliance ; besides which they
propose to maintain the Diet in its present state, and
to insist on the Dresden Conferences coming to a con-
clusion at the end of January. The so-called Fede-
ral Diet is filled with the greatest distrust of Austria,
especially since it has transpired, and since later mea-
sures have proved it, that by a convention made be-
tween Prussia and Austria, the Bavarian garrison is
to be withdrawn from Frankfort.

The head-quarters of the Prussian troops in Hesse
are at Ilofgeismar, and in consequence of General
von der Groben's resignation the command of the
7th corps has been taken by General Tietzen.
From a letter of Prince Adalbert of Prussia, the
Commander of the German fleet, it appears that the
future prospects of that force are very doubtful. It is
an answer written by the Prince to an application for
an appointment as a cadet :
"As I presume the young man wishes to prepare
himself for the rank of an officer, I must state that his
name cannot be set down, because not only are the va-
cancies filled up, but there are besides 90 names on the
list as candidates for any vacancy that may occur. As
is quite uncertain what extension the German Marine
may receive, or, indeed, whether it may be increased at
all, I shall, even if vacancies arise, abstain from appoint-
ing any new cadets till it is determined what increase
the marine force is to receive. The placing of a young
in in on the list, therefore, would only create hopes
that might not hereafter be fulfilled; for years must
elapse ere those already entered for appointments can be
employed, and by that time the candidate will be too old,
as, according to an order about to be issued, none aro to
e hereafter admitted after 16."

DENMARK AND THE DUCHIES.

A letter from Hamburgh of the 11th says—" The
forced retirement of General de Willisen from the
command of .the Schleswig-Holstein troops has led to
grave accusations being made against him by the
public. Among other things, his enemies accuse him
of having, by false manoeuvres caused the successive
disasters:at Istedt,-Missund(e, and Friedrichstadt.. The
Gen: rat's departure.. took place , with a certain
precipitation. Nevertheless, the pcpulations of
the . places through which he had to pass
on his way to Prussia were informed of it. On
the Kid railway, at Altona, he was received by
the crowd with marks of hostility ; at each station he
was gros.-ly insulted; and at several places stones
were thrown at the carriage which he occupied. The
General, hoping not to be recognised, had put on plain
clothes. At Hamburgh he only remained a few
hours. On taking the command of the Holstein
army the General required a sum of money, said. to
h.l considerable, to he deposited in his name, in the
B ink of England, at London. According to the last tic-
counti from head- qaarters at Rendsburg, the new Gene-
ral-in-Chitf, M. Von der Hurst, in order to excite the
ardo~rof his troops, is preparing anew plan of campaign.
Toe G6floa Frigate, taken from the Dines in 1849, in the
pJrc of Eckernforde, and definitively adjudged to
Gzrmany by the Ire sty of Berlin, arrived on the 9.h
at Brem2nhaven, and was added to the Imperial fl.!et.
Tnere is a question of causing the troops of Holstein
to occupy the Duchy of Lo.uenburg, which, in 1848,
rose in insurrection against Denmark, and which has
since been administered as a separate ind Tend,.,nt
sate. The subleriptions in the north of Germany
in favour of the Hessian officers who resigned become
considerable, At Hamburgh snore than 10,000 f.
hive ben collected ; and at Bremen mare than
20,000 F."

A I,ter from C:penhsgen, of the 4th, states that
the General Navigation Steam Company of London
11.14 juit brought over to that city, without charge,
4),000 blankets, furnished by the British Govern-
ment at the req'lest of tl:e Danish Cabinet, for the
use of the troops of Denmark bivouacked in the
Duchy of Schleswig. The same letter eays that the
inhabitants of Chri4tiana (Norway) have got up a
subscription, to present a sword of honour to Colonel
Helgeszn,.the defender of Priedriehstadt.