The Sun.
London, England, 1817-09-16 00:00:00

MURDER AND ROBBERY.

In the middle of last December, a respectable
farmer named Howard, whose age on the day of
his death_ was 90, was murdered in his own house,
within- three'miles of Uxbridge.. The situation of
the house is peculiarly solitary, being surrounded
with trees and fronted by a large lake, where now
and then a fishing-boat was to be seen. The fa-
mily, which were -almost the _ only inhabitants
within a very extensive circuit, consisted ofthe
venerable farmer, his grandson, and an aged female
servant,' The fondness of Mr. HoWard for.'his
grandson,.Bond, received no interruption from
the moment of the birth of the latter, who was
taught to look upon the property of his grand-
father as Lis inheritance. The old maulial stock
in the Bank of England, and took much pleasure
in the journey to London to receive his dividends,
which amounted to 301. quarterly. A few days
before the murder, he had been upon one of those
journies, and on his return, being weary, he re-
tired to rest. He never rose again. • Upon the re-
turn
of Bond froth some Occupationait 6 o'clock in,
the evening, he found ids grandfather dead. Near
him Jaya largeerab-stick, upon which was a quantity
of blood. : The body was dreadfully disfigured,
and the front of 'the head wasnOt distinguishable
from the back. The old housekeeper was lying
senseless on the ground. -Bond immediately ran
to the labourers employed in the adjacent mea-
dows,- and described the _nuttier that had taken
place. exhibiting all those symptoms so natural to
a relative of the deceased. They all repaired to
the house of Mr. Howard. They examined the
apartments, but no violence had been done to
any part. It seemed to have been the act of some
miscreant, who either was influenced solely Isy
revenge, or so horror-struck at the deed which,
he found necessary to perform before his object, of
plunder could be accomplished, as to fly front his
first intention There was, hoWever, one remark-,
able cir' umstance which excited suspicion against
the grandson The old man was in the habit' of
carrying the key of his bureau in the left pocket
of his waistcoat. The housekeeper was acquaint-
ed with his wayS, and that there were private
drawers in the bateau which could be known to
•no stranger. The old gentleman had received his
301.,and he. must have deposited it in one of those
secret drawers. If the nature of the murderer
was revenge, the money must be in the dr,:a-er,.
for.it .'tvas locked. The suggestion was attended
to, the bureau was broken open; Lint no money
Was to:- he found. - Every eye was fixed upon the
grandson, who did not show the slightest
sign of confusion.: On'.the contrary, he agreed
in the general opinion, that the . robber must
be the murderer, and that he could have been
-no stranger. 'He invited investigation, for the
sake of his_oven character and for the blood of his
grandfather; he called upon- a strict inquiry into
the dreadtta.case. lie was taken before a Magis-
trate. The housekeeper was called on to tell what
she knew. • She knew nothing, but that somebody
, came behind her in the kitchen, and struck ltcr so
Violent a blow that she fell senseless on the ground,
and that the fright had never left her since. Some
time before this she had been waiting upon, her
master,_ who was then in health ; upon recover-
ing she saw him a corpse. The person who struck
'her spoke, but was not seen by her. A' report
previously existed that the old, man had a, long
time ago made a will, in which be bequeathed all
he waS worth in the world to his grandson, but
that some circumstances had recently occurred
' which rendered it probable that an 'alteration was
meditated in the disposal of the property. It is
said that the grandson showed much impatience
upon hearing this suspicion, and an inference-un-
favourable was then drawn from his conduct at,
the idea of suffering any disappointment. The'
Magistrate discharged him ; but those who were
interested believed the case to be-one of the vilest
in the catalogue of murders, It was 'a singular
fact, that the-old man's will was _afterwards found
open. Upon being read, the inheritance was
found to devolve upon his grandson, who was put in
possession iaimediatly after hisdiseharge: Bowl
• returned to the house, buried his grandfather,
and lived in the same solitary place. Months
rolled on, and still no tidings of the murderer. The
agitation of Uxbridge began to subside, when a
few days ago it was revived with the greatest
violence. &Genticman sent to the Bank two
notes, one for 20/. and another for 10/. The
Rank were not idle upon hearing of the murder.
The numbers of thenoteS. which were paid to Mr.
Howard when he went to receive his dividend had
heen taken, and the necessary order for stopping
theta issued. Those very notes for 201. and 101.
were the notes which bad been taken oat of Mr.
Howard's bureau.' The Directors of the Bank,
with all that alacrity so laudable upon the occa-
sion, traced the notes through about 30 hands,
and at last came within three miles of Uxbridge,
and found them in the hands of Bond. The grand,
son was immediately conveyed to.town. By the
adtice of an experienced barrister, the bill for the
robbery was yesterday presented to the Grand
IJury .at .Clerkenwell. After the examination of
t 35 witnesses, it was found a true hill; , '

FATAL DoEL.---A Duel was fought at Dungar.-
van on Wednesday last -between- FRANCIS EAR-
RoN and JANIRS TALLON, Esqrs. in consequence
of some dispute which had unhappily occurred ;
and we deeply regret to state, that Mr. ,BARRON
was mortally wounded, and, expired on Thursday.
There was hot one shot exchanged. Mr: 8AR....
RON was a Lieutenant in the Waterford Militia.

A lady landing a few days since at Dover from
the opposite coast was observed by the custom-
house officers to have increased-in bulk, rather in
an unusual rapid manner,. since here 'departure
for the Continent. They therefore exercised more
than usual liberties With the person of the lady,
and eased her:of .more-than 1201. worth of lace,
and other contraband goods. • For the ladies they
haie female searchers.
A widow woman whose name is GASS9N, now
in the 91st year of her-age, occupies a small farm
at Westham, in .Susse,x,. where she keeps eight
cows, which she regularly- milks, morning and
evening.. In the haymaking time she was busily
employed- in forming her stacks, on which she
was mounted. to take tlae hay as it was pitched
to her.
•