The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-19 00:00:00

MARYLEBOIVE.

Michael Lawless, a lawless Irishman, was placed at the bar
charged with having been drunk on St. Patrick's-day, and
assaulting Ann Finnigan.
The complainant, whose head was bandaged and her dress
covered with blood, stated that the prisoner came drunk to
his lodgings, and, after kicking and abusing her, he com-
menced an attack upon the complainant, first attempting to
strike her with a shovel, which however she caught hold of;
he then kicked her with dreadful violence in the forehead,
and repeated the kick a second time on the face. The land-
lady, who was unable to be present, was also kicked with
brutal force on the body.
Bridget Franklin, living in the same house, corroborated
the complainant's statement as to the prisoner's violence.
Mr. RAWLLNSON—Is this conduct for an Irishman on St.
Patrick's-day? Prisoner—lt was'nt me, yer Worship, it was
the drink that was in me.

Mr. RawussoN—For the assault on the woman you are
fined 2/. 103., or six weeks in the house of correction.

ELOPEMENT EXTRAORDINARY.
WOBURN, MARCH 16.—An affaire du caul., followed by a
somewhat romantic adventure, forms the topic of much
sprightly gossip amongst the tea-table coteries of this neigh-
bourhood, to whom anything worthy the name of an elope -
ment is, in these days of common-place life, perfectly excit-
ing. The facts, so far as I can learn, are these :—On Tuesday
last, Miss Frances, second daughter of Mr. Gascoigne, of
Brickmore-house, which is within a short distance of this
place, suddenly disappeared from home, to the great alarm of
her relatives and friends, who immediately commenced an
investigation, the result of which was, that the young lady
was found to have placed herself under the protection of Mr.
William Thomas Gawthorn, solicitor, who is the eldest son of
the late Rev. T. H. Gawthorn, rector of Morstan Mortaine,
in this county. How long the intimacy may have subsisted
is not ascertained, but, as the young lady is entitled, on attain-
ing her majority, to a large property, it seems that the dis-
posal of her hand was with her friends an object of some
solicitude ; but, in the true spirit of female independence,
she resolved to choose for herself in this all-important
step. Upon the common pretence of going out for a walk,
she met Mr. Gawthorn by appointment in the vicinity of her
paternal home, and walked from thence to Little Brickhill, a
distance of four miles, where a post-chaise was procured,
which whirled them off to Tring, and, securing places in the
railway carriage, they arrived in London the same evening.
Mr. Gawthorn having friends in London, all the preliminary
arrangements had been made ; and on the following morn-
ing, at St. Luke's Church, the fugitives received the nuptial
benediction. A marriage so contracted is, perhaps, no very
unusual occurrence ; but the sequel to the bridal happens to
be rather singular. When the bridegroom felt sure of his
prize, he dispatched a mission to a younger brother, re-
siding at Ridgmont, with authority to acquaint Mr. Gas-
ccigne that Miss Fanny had become Mrs. Gawthorn, and
only waited permission to offer her dutiful respects to her
family in that character. The younger Mr. Gawthorn, en-
tertaining a penchant for Miss Gascoigne, his sister-in-
law's elder sister, readily accepted the office 4
mediator. He requested an interview, which was perear
torily refused, the Gascoignes probably having no wish for
a quadruple alliance. The young gentleman protested that
such cruelty would be the death of hilt —he swore that he
would incontinently make away with himself. Fathers,
it is said, have flinty hearts—neither threat nor entreaty was
of any avail. Stung with such indignity, he drew a pistol
from his bosom and fired it—in the air ! Even this proof of
devotion made no impression on the callous feeling of his
lady love's relatives. Another murderous weapon was drawn
forth, and flourished in front of the windows. Still there was
no symptom of compunction exhibited. Another moment,
and a loud report told that the deed was done. These suc-
cessive discharges of fire-arms brought to the spot some of
the inmates of a neighbouring cottage. The young gentle-
man was found lying on the ground writhing in agony, and
though not dying, yet much more seriously wounded than he
had probably intended. The ball had passed, not through
his head or his heart, but through his leg ! The effusion of
blood was so considerable, that the persons who came to his
aid procured the assistance of Mr. Parker, surgeon, of Wo-
burn, who having dressed the wound, the young gentleman
was taken home to Ridgmont, where he new lies in a very
precarious state. The elder brother and his bride are sup-
posed to be keeping the honeymoon in London; but it is re-
ported that the lady's friends have determined to take legal
proceedings, in order to set aside the marriage, as she happens
to be under age, and heiress to a large fortune.