The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-29 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.

An inquest was held on Saturday at West Dulwich, rela-
tive to the death of Augusta Phoebe Chown, aged 12 years,
whose life was sacrificed through a young man discharging
a loaded gun at her. Mr. Bay!oy, of No. 2, Lancers=
tor-villas, Lower Norwood, said that on Wednesday
he was sitting in his parlour and heard the report of a gun.
Immediately afterwards ho hoard some person rushing into
his hall. Witness went out and saw a young man, who cried
out, "My God, sir, come and help me, 1 have shot a girl." He
went at once to No. 4, and on entering the kitchen saw a girl
lying dead on her back, with her head shattered to pieces.
David Welch, gardener, at No. 4, Lancaster villas, said Lock-
yer, the paperhanger, was also lodging there. Witness's wilt
had engaged the deceased girl to look after his two children.
The gun was loaded and placed in a corner in the tackkitchen.
There was a cap on tho nipple when he left it in the
kitchen. The gun was observable to any ono entering the
kitchen. Lockyer ha I never asked him any questions about
the gun, but witness had told him that ho had often left
the gun loaded. To witness's knowledge there had novel
been any words between Lockyer and the girl. The
police-constable said—On the way to the station Lockyer
said the girl called him to take his tea. He went info Vie
back kitchen and saw the gun. Ho took it up, and gong to
the front kitchen where the girl was, presented it at her,
and said, "I will shoot you," not knowing the gun wal
loaded, and not intending to du any harm.

MARINE DISASTERS. —The monthly statement
published by the Bureau Veritas of Paris skews that
during May 171 vessels were reported totally lost. Of
that number 84 were English, 35 American, 13 German,
12 French, 5 Norwegian, and 22 bearing various other
flags. The total number of vessels lost in 1868, up to the
31st of May, is 1,054—a diminution of 295 from the num.
bar recorded in the corresponding period of 1867.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.— The state of the
relating to weights and measures has been bron:;ht undex
the notice of the commercial classes by the Society fox
Promoting the Interests of the Trading Community. It
is pointed out that the Act imposing heavy penalties for
weights and measures "light or otherwise unjust" has
borne with great hardship upon the honest tradesman.
The society, believing that many hundreds of tradesmen
have been seriously injured by the exposure of errors over
which they had no control (for in a large number of in-
stances the causes of deviation exist in the inaccurate and
defective state of the standards), are preparing petitions to
Parliament, praying that penalties may be confined to
actual cases of fraud, and that, instead of dividing half
the fine and all the costs between the inspector who lays
I the information, and others engaged in enforcing the law,
a more equitable means for remunerating them may be
•
adopted. - •

tow—a.

1011 N GOSNELL and CO.'S CHERRY
TOOTH PASTE is greatly superior to any tooth
powder; gives the teeth a pearl whiteness, protects tho
enamel from decay, and imparts a pleasant fragrance to
tho breath. Price Is. 6d.—Red Bull Wharf, 93, Upper
Thames-street, London.