The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-10 00:00:00

THE NOTTINGHAM MURDER.

The valley of the Treat aliou,ds in betautifit, st-ewry,
but we know of no part of it more interesting than that
porti. n which lies about three miles from Nottingham,
in the parish of Colwick. If the prisoner be the mnr•
derer, he would have to take his family down one of the
most rural of the "green lanes of Old England,"
having on his right a view of the Trent and its valley
for many miles, the scenery or which is exquisite ;
and on his left a continued line of high hills, covered
with wood and evergreens ; altogether forming one of
the prettiest walks in the neighbourhood. The
place where the murder was committed is now
shorn of a portion of its beauty. It Is true, the scenery
around is the same, but the recollection of the bloody
deed will ever attach itself to the place, and mar the
beauty of the spot. The immediate neighbourhood of
the murder—the spinney—is now no more beautiful ;
the brushwood, the herbage, and the trees, for several
yards round have been cleared away by the thousands of
visitors who have since been at the place, and carried
away with them some token to recal to their remem-
brance the circumstances of the tragical occurrence.
The bloody grass, the bark of the trees, and the shrub-
bing first disappeared; but now even several of the trees
have been wholly cleared off, by visitors carrying away
with them large portions of both boughs and trunks.
Numbers of persons, of all classes, constantly throng
the road, and the scene of the Colwick tragedy seems
likely for some time to come to be much visited.
Since his committal the prisoner has lost none of that
iron firmness which he so strongly evinced at the in
quest. Reports were very rife that he had confessed
everything,-for the purpose of unburthening his mind.
This is not the fact. The only care the man seems
to have is, lest his working implements and a bed,
in the possession of a relation, should not be pro-
curable by him when acquitted by a jury ! For the
purpose of securing these, he has sent several mes-
sages to the parties who have them in possession.
At the beginning of the week he also sent for a
relation, and requested he would go round to the
different lodges in the order of odd fellows to which he
belonged, for the purpose of procuring the means for
employing counsel to plead for him at the ensuing as-
size, saying that he thought, with able assistance, his in-
nocence would readily be proved. On Wednesday four
fresh witnesses were taken to the County Gaol, for the
purpose of identifying him. Three out of the four re-
cognised him immediately, although placed in a yard
along with thirteen others. One of them, who observed
the prisoner as he was returning from Colwick, after the
murder had been committed, stated that the prisoaer
had had a portion of each whisker shaved off since he
saw him in Snenton. The prisoner coloured a little
when he perceived himself thus identified by fresh wit-
nesses; this was not of long continuance, however, and
he quickly assumed his wonted carelessness.—Notting-
kens Review.

DISCOVERY OF A HUMAN BODY
IN THE TRENT.

Last week we gave some particulars of the remark-
able discover of the body of a young man, named Mil-
lirwton. We have since obtainecl additional particulars,
which we now give. We stated that, on the evening of
the 10th of Nov., 1842, a young man, of Holme Pierre-
pont was suddenly missed, and it was feared he bad
been accidently drowned, or murdered. The name of
the young man who so mysteriously disappeared at that
time, was John Millington, a gardener in the service of
the Rev. J. J. Cleaver. of Holme Pierrepont. The Rev.
Gentleman exerted himself much at the time to ascer-
tain what had become of the young man, being stimu-
lated by his feeling's of humanity and his respect for a
fai[hful and vain( d servant. Every exertion having been
made to obtain intelligence, but to no effect% the matter
had been allowed to rest involved in the most perplexing
mystery. The circumstances attending the sudden dis-
appearance of Millington were such, that those who were
least acquainted with them supposed he had, by some
means, fallen into the Trent. This idea had, for some
time, been given up by many who are unacquainted with
that river, and they had come to the conclusion that he
had been murdered, and otherwise disposed of. Knowing
the nature of the river, and the likelihood of his body be-
ing covered by one of the extensive shoals of sand which
are continually moving about at high water, several
parties engaged in the neighbourhood have con-
tinually been on the look-out, as the season became dry,
and the water shallow. Mr. Bignall, who found the
body, states that he has been constantly on the watch
during the last twelve months, and that he was of opinion
the body would be found when the stream became
shallow. Such has been the case. On Saturday week
whilst engaged in his usual occupation, as a fisherman,
he observed a portion of the bones of a man protruding
from the bed of the river, about two yards from the
Colwick shore, and only a short distance from the place
where Millington's basket had been found on the morn-
ing after he bad been missed.
The evidence on the Inquest fully established the
identity of the body, and the jury returned a verdict of—
Found in the Trent, but by what means he came into
the water, no evidence appears to prove.

EMULATION AMONGST SONG BIRDS.—A gentleman
of my acquaintance had an American mocking-bird in
such health and vigour that it was either constantly
singing or imitating the various sounds it heard. In or-
der to try the Powers of this bird its owner purchased a
fine skylark. When placed in the same room with the
mocking-bird, the song of the former was heard to echo
through the house as if it were chanting "on fluttering
wing," its well-known welcome to the rising sun.
The mocking-bird was silent for some time, but at last
burst forth in the strains of the " serial songster," but
louder and clearer, as if mounting and stretching its
wings towards heaven. The lark was silent from that
moment, nor was a joyous note ever heard from it
afterwards. To test the mocking bird's powers
still further, an unusually large price was given
for a blackbird, celebrated for its vocal powers.
It was placed in the same room with the
mocking-bird; early in the second morning its song was
resumed, and its charming notes were warbled forth
with all the sweetness and modulations which may be
heard in its native " thorny brakes." The mocking-
bird listened, and was silent for some time, then all at
once the blackbird notes were heard to issue forth, but
sweeter and louder than those of the woodland songster.
The poor blackbird heard them, felt that it was con-
quered, remained silent, drooped, pined, and died. From
the above facts, emulation would seem to be one of the
exciting causes of the song of birds.—Jesse's Scenes and
Toles of Country Life.
MESMERISING A PIG.—We have lately heard of
some sheep having been stolen, and of which all traces
have been cut off by their removal in carts. Farmers
must certainly not encourage mesmerism, or they may
have it .‘ unseen, unheard," intrude where little welcome,
and convince them that the piggery no more than the
fold will be secure from depredation. The noisy
propensities of the grunting tribe have hitherto acted
as a bander to their abduction without their owners'
knowledge ; but to obviate this difficulty, some daring
invader last Saturday night tried the effects of mesmeric
influence upon a fine hog of nine or t-n score, belonging
to Mr. Bushell, of the Gate public house on the Dover-
road, about a mile from this city. Taking a liking to
Toby's " fair proportions," he was anxious to secure a
removal without order, possibly to locate him in another
parish; and after sundry mysterious passes,which, no
doubt, at first excited piggy's wonderment, the grunter
laid his full length along in not quite a " perfect state of
coma;" for, on the mesmeriser attempting to raise him.
clairvoyance was very evident. Pigs generally run the
way not required, and do that which is not
desired. The pig, in this instance, did so, and
displayed his perverse inclination, and made a
terrible squeaking, which drew "mine host"
from his drowsy arm chair, just in time to
see some one leap from the sty and decamp. Mr.
Bushell tried to demagnetise his favourite hog ; but his
unskilfulness did not succeed ; and as piggy had no
notion of tune, he did not like his organs to be played
upon, and, with the ferocity of a wild boar, attacked his
owner till other means were devised for quieting the
unruly beast. The pig was killed.—Canterbury Journal.
ANTIDOTE FOR THE BILE OF ADDERS.—A respect-
able and experienced farmer, who has been accustomed
from his youth to keep sheep on warm soils at this time
of year, was in the constant habit of losing valuable sheep-
dogs, by their being bitten by adders, till he heard of the
following remedy, which he afterwards used with unfailing
efficacy. When a person or dog is bitten, let the part be
fomented for four hours with a fomentation composed of
ash leaves and keys (or if in early spring, with ash bark),
which have simmered over the fire in an iron pot or
saucepan. Our correspondent states that he once knew a
young girl to be bitten, and no doctor could be obtrined
for some hours. The above plan was adopted, however, and
completely restored her. He says that so efficacious is
it in assuaging the pain, that dogs which have been
batked with the decoction once or twice, have come
voluntarily to have the operation repeated, which seems
to prevent the swelling that generally suffocates dogs
when bitten anywhere about the neck or mouth.
PEAL OF BELLS FOR YORK MINSTER.—In the
course of a few days a very fine and powerful peal of bells will
be erected in one of the towers of York Minster, and for
melody, richness of tone, and power, they will far surpass
any other in the north of England. They are the gift of the
late Dr. Beckworth, the eminent physician of York, who,
amongst his many charitable bequests, directed 2,000/. to be
named in his will for the purpose of furnishing the great nor-
thern cathedral with a suitable peal of bells. They have
been cast at the foundry of Messrs. Mears, in Whitechapel,
and are-12 in number, the largest weighing 53 cwt, and
being in note C ; the smallest 8 cwt., and the whole being up •
wards of 10 tons in weight. In addition to the above a
complete " monster" clock bell is about being cast for the
Minster at the same foundry, which it is stated will be the
largest in the world. It will be of the enormous weight of
10 tons, and in key F ; that of the great bell at Oxford being
7 tons; Great Tom of Lincoln, 5i tons; and the great bell
at St. Paul's, 5 tons. It will be paid for by public subscrip:
tion, 1,7001. being already collected.
CONINGSBY.—Since the days of Scott and Byron '
there has been no instance of so much interest having
been excited by any literary production as in the case of
Mr. D'lsraeli's " Coningsby. ' The Literary Gazette
observes----" This work possesses many of the elements
calculated to excite public attention, and is accordingly
destined for extensive popularity. It is bitterly personal,
satirical, political, and is, besides, the manifesto of
Young England. It treats of aristocrats lately dead, or
still living, of Ministers and Opposition, of Members of
Parliament of all opinions, of cotton-lords, of demireps
and others belonging to the world of fashion. Among
the leading personages (there is hardly a veil thrown
over them) we must at once recognise the late Marquis
of Hertford (Lord Monmouth), the amiable Duke of
Rutland (Beaumanoir), Lord J. Manners (Henry Sid-
ney), Lord Lonsdale (Eskdale), Theodore Hook (Lucian
Gay), and others well known by their connexions with
these, and by the cast of their parts in this drama. With
wonderful impartiality, we have Tory, Conservative,
Whig, and Radical shown up to the utalcst of the au-
thor's talent."