The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-06 00:00:00

JERG, ISLAND OF LANGELAND.

Admiralty, Sept. 2, 1844.
Sir,—l am commanded by my Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty to acqUaint you, for the information of
the Committee for managing the affairs of Lloyd's, that
the light of Fakkebjerg, on the south point of the is-
land of Langeland, Denmark, has been strengthened by
additional lamps, by order of the Danish Government,
by which means it will be rendered visible at the distance
at which it was originally intended.—l am, Sir, your
very obedient, humble servant,
(Signed) JOIIN BARROW.
• W. Dobson, Esq., Lloyd's.

DEATH OF THE GIPSY KING.
A few days since, died, near Beaulieu, Joseph Lee,
the acknowledged monarch of that mysterious class
of people, the Gipsies. He was a native of Brocken-
hurst, in the New Forest, and was, it is said, in his
eighty-sixth year. He was the progenitor of a long
line of descendants, having left behind him a large
asernblage of aged children, grandchildren, and
great grandchildren. He is reported to have died
worth a great deal of money. Indeed some years
ago, when Charity Lee was married to one of the
Stanleys, old Joseph Lee presented her upon
the occasion with one hundred spade guineas, besides
trinkets, and several pieces of plate furniture. About
sixty years ago he was in the habit of travelling the
country around Southampton, Ramsey, Lymington,
and Ringwood, as a razor-grinder, and was well-
known in those neighbourhoods under the sobriquet of
Gipsey Joe. It is observed that " Joe" in his day had
dabbled in almost every department of the Black art,
and with the exception of having upon three or four oc-
casions mistook his way into Winchester gaol, he had
managed to play his cards with more than ordinary suc-
ceSs.- He was the boon companion of the notorious Peter
Warren and Billy Dear, the two greatest contraband
adventurers that ever risked -life and property in the
pursuit of hazardous and perilous undertakings on the
South-Western coasts of England. The prodigious
freights of illicit spirits this gang used to work some
fifty years since is incalculable. Sometimes they
would be accidentally met with a caravan of one hun-
dred ponies and upwards, laden with tubs, passing
into the forest, where they were wont to conceal the
traffic until a favourable opportunity presented itself
to them to remove the same with safety to some more
inland mart for the sale of it. Nor were the " Wal-
tham Blacks" in their day more formidable for deer
stealing in Waltham Chase than was Gipsy Joe and
his party in the New Forest. Smuggling, deer steal-
ing, poaching, and occasionally selling a few ponies
at the various fairs, were Joe's mottled avocations.
His artifices and manoeuvres were so skilfully
managed, that he successfully eluded the vigilance
of the New Forest keepers, and no farm• house
larder lacked a haunch of venison when Gipsy
Joe was at hand. He was in the forest what
Jonathan Wild waa on the town—up to every trick,
and down upon every move. In his political adminis-
tration he was remarkable for one act which took
place in his reign, viz., that of excommunicating, in
person, about three years ago; a gipsey of the name
of Lee, from the sybilline fraternity, for some act the
latter had committed against the rules and regulations
of the order. The ceremony was performed before a
very large assembly of the various tribes, and though
extremely novel, had a very imposing effect.

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDES IN

SUFFOLK.

The suicide of the Earl of Stradbroke's head game-
keeper was announced in The Sun this week. Scarcely
had the sensation caused by the act somewhat abated,
than the neighbourhood of Henham-park was thrown
into a renewed state of excitement by the report that
another of the Noble Earl's keepers had destroyed him-
self: The situation held by this second suicide was de-
seribed as that of superintendent of the other game-
keepers, including amour, his duties the supervision of
the horses, dogs, &c., belonging to the Earl of Strad-
broke. His name was Cruxey ; and from the few facts
that ore to be gathered from the many rumours, it would
appear that on Sunday afternoon (but little more than
24 hours after the frightful death of his fellow-servant)
the unhappy man went into the lower apartment of his
own cottage, situate in the park, and with his gun de-
liberately shot himself. At the time of the act one of
his Lordship's grooms was lying in the room imme-
diately above that in which it was committed, confined
to his bed from the effects of a serious accident he had
met with but a short time since. Many rumours are
about professing to account for the melancholy deed with
respect both to Cruxey and Easey, neither of whom
seem to have had any domestic incentive to the com-
mission of so rash an act. Cruxey had been seen but
a few minutes previous to . his death in excellent
spirits. One report attributes the death of both to
their anxiety and dread of meeting their master
(who was expected at Henham-park on Saturday,
on his return from his Irish estates, but who is not
now looked for till this week), fearing his anger that
such extensive depredations should have been allowed
among his preserves as have lately thinned the numbers
of his pheasants, &c. Another rumour states that
Cruxey had robbed Easey's portion of the preserves of
many pheasant's eggs, &c., and laid them under the
birds on his cover, so as to figure before the Noble Earl
as the more prosperous and worthy steward; the conse-
quence of these acts was the suicide of Easey from vexa-
tion, and the subsequent imitation of his rash example
by Cruxey, who feared that all would transpire and his
delinquencies be detected. He did not bear so good a
character as the head keeper did. A third cause as-
signed is, that both the deceased have for some time past
been carrying on a system of 'plunder ; robbing their
master's preserves, and sending the game to market for
sale. It is supposed that the inquest which was to have
been held on Easey's body on Monday will have been
postponed to allow of both examinations taking place on
the same day, many of the witnesses in the one case be-
ing equally necessary to the other. A third suicide has
just been committed in the vicinity of Halesworth. The
unfortunate individual in this instance is a young lady
named Burgess, who possessed considerable personal at-
tractions. She is said to have been excited to the fatal
act by disappointment in love. She effected her purpose
by throwing herself into the river about a mile below
the town. These melancholy occurrences so rapidly
succeeding each other have naturally caused a great and
painful sensation and regret here.

. _
LOUIS PHILIPPE AND LADY .EILDBOROUGH.—One
of our Paris letters contains the following instance of •
gallantry on the part of his Majesty the King of the
French, for the truth of' which the writer pledges him.
self :—"On Thursday or. Friday last Lady Aldborough
(who, if any lady ever was old, comes into that cate-
gory) wrote to King Louis Philippe, begging his Ma-
jesty would have the kindness to inform her was war
imminent ? The King delayed not a moment to reply
to her Ladyship, through his first aide-de-camp, that
she might make her mind perfectly easy. Nou:a
be-
tween France and England was imminent, nor inlredte teed
likely."
THE HORRORS OF A DEPARTURE.---"Your yo
found us in what have been termed, with scarcely
exaggeration, the horrors of departure.' All any
the
callings, the leave-takings, the apologies for the omission
e
of both, and all the other external and internal variety
and complication of social contrivances for manifesting
and diminishing comfort ;
civility, and wasting time,
olU'ilslupuppoesned ahlaidd
in3zcslaaitmiss.
caonmd,intog cfloorsneatrhdeowv-hheonley,ew
fied, while the supplies which you expected to carry
away with you grow less and less,andyloue an honestdoubt wle- ther you shall have enough to go off like
man.''—Letter front 11'ilberforce to one of his Children.
pinSgTAinTtEereostt' in TRADE.--SOUTH Eu
undergone
South
is
Shields,
SduurriEnt.gptsh.—elasThtetwsohipor-
h,
Freights,
h ts
fweeks,rom ue
List,
beinghag a
losing
affair,a complete reaction.
average of the best times.ngDuringetrheerLslisntgouvop
years,
they they.have, in the coal trade, fluctuated between five and
six shillings per ton, and they have now risen to eight
and nine shillings. The continental trade is in the same
excellent condition. The seamen of the town are mak-
ing an effort to get higher wages—and will get them ;
already they have risen ten shillings on the voyage,.
Tyne Mercury.

EXECUTION OF FISHER FOR
MURDER.
TAUNTON, SEPT. 4.—This wretched man under-
went the extreme penalty of the law this day, on the
new drop outside the walls of Wilton gaol, near this
town. It is scarcely necessary to remind our readers
that Fisher was convicted at the late Somersetshire
assizes of murderinghis wife, at Weston-super-Mare,
in June last, and that the deed was one of frightful
atrocity. It will be recollected that the night prior
to the morning of the murder, Fisher and his wife
had quarelled ahout some lodgers, on which occasion
great warmth of temper was evinced by both, the
husband remarking that " She was asking for it, and
he would give it to her by and bye." Deceased said
she would not sleep with the old rascal any more, and
retired to rest with The servant. After they were in
bed Fisher went up stairs, thumped at the door, say.
ing, "I may as well kill her to-night as to-morrow,
for I am bent on doing it." At midnight the quarrel-
ling ceased, but at five o'clock in the morning Fisher
had forced his way into the room, and with a large
iron bar he struck deceased three violent blows on
the head, and afterwar.ls fetched a carving knife from
another room, with which he nearly severed her head
from her body. He then said he knew he should
be hung for it, and gave orders for a policeman to be
sent for.

The following short sketch of the wretched man's
life, given by himself to the gaoler, may prove inte-
resting. He was born at Wick, St. Lawrence, So-
mersetshire. He enlisted in the 7th Hussars, in
1811 ; joined his regiment in Dublin, accompanied it
to Spain, was present at the battles of Orthes and
Vittoria, and the other actions in which the regiment
was engaged until the peace, in 1814; was afterwards
at the battle of Waterloo, and continued in the regi-
ment until the year 1826, a period of twenty-three
years, without a single blot or stain on his character
as a man and a soldier. The colonel leaving his re-
giment, Fisher, having an opportunity of becoming
his servant, left also, and lived nine months with Ms
colonel. He married at Weston-super-Mare, but his
wife died in about four years; he afterwards married,
at Bristol, Mary Hyatt (the deceased), considered to
be the widow of Thomas Hyatt, a labourer. They
then resided at Blackwell. Some months after the
marriage a quarrel took place, and the wife left her
home. She returned with a man named Hill, who
turned out to be her husband before Hyatt. Hill came
and demanded certain articles of furniture which Fisher
had received with Mary Hyatt when he married her.
This demand was refused by Fisher. Hill left that part
of the country, and after a separation of two months,
Fisher consented to his wife's return. After two or three
removals they settled at Weston-super-Mare, occu-
pying the Devonshire Inn, where the murder was
perpetrated. At this place the quarrels became more
frequent and violent. The woman on several occa-
sions packed up a quantity of things and left Fisher
entirely alone. Upon one occasion she was absent
for three months. About twelve months since she
left her home, taking with her a quantity of linen
and other articles, also 201. in money. I isher fol-
lowed her to ath in company with a policeman,
found her, and ascertained that she had placed the
money in a bank in Bristol, and had received a
cheque for it, which was found concealed in her
stays. After this, Fisher advertised that no one
should trust her as his wife, and that he should not
be responsible for her acts. On her promising to
amend her conduct Fisher again consented to receive
her into his house, but only fur the quarrels to be
again renewed more frequently, which unfortunately
terminated so tragically.
Previous to his leaving Wells after his trial, his
two sons, one about ten, the other seven years of age,
took leave of him. The parting from the parent was
agonising. To the eldest he gave his Waterloo medal
(which, with soldier-like pride, he had always worn
about his person), exclaiming, " Oh, John, would
that I had died at Waterloo ; you then never would
have been born to this disgrace, and I never should
have committed this dreadful crime !"
The chaplain of the prison stated that Fisher's
conduct since his condemnation has been most
exemplary. The Rev. Gentleman has been in-
cessant in his attentions upon the culprit, who was
fully alive to the awful situation in which he was
placed, and evinced the deepest contrition.
On Sunday the condemned sermon was preached
from a text selected from Ecclesiastes, x. 30, " Yea
also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and
madness is in the heart while they live, and after that
they go to the dead." A more suitable or solemn ap-
peal to the prisoners could not have been made, and
the effect was discernible.

On Monday Fisher was visited by his brother, and
an old comrade, who had travelled one hundred miles
to see him. His old companion declared that he was
in the regiment with Fisher for twenty years, and
that he was a clean, well-behaved soldier, of indus-
trious and sober habits—that h' was never once re-
ported for misconduct, and was servant to the same
officer when captain, major, and colonel.
At intervals during Monday night Fisher slept
soundly, and on Tuesday evening he retired to his
cell early, in order, as he ob,-erved, to devote the
%thole of the time that nature would permit him to
prayer.
At an early hour this morning there was a great
influx of strangers from the surrounding districts to
witness the execution, which was appointed to take
place at eleven o'clock. The culprit rose early, and
with great composure expressed his entire resignation
to his fate. The chaplain was early in attendance,
and the unhappy man joined in prayer.
Shortly before eleven the solemn procession moved
towards the scaffold; Fisher walked with a firm step,
and did not evince much dejection. On the drop he
again entered into the devotional exercises with deep
feeling.
The remainder is soon told—the executioner per-
formed his office, and the murderer was launched into
eternity. He appeared to die very soon, not the
slightest convulsive struggle being perceptible. After
hanging the usual time the body was cut down and
buried within the precincts of the prison, conformably
with the sentence.

At least 5,000 people were assembled to witness
the execution.

There is a circumstance connected with this event
which, but for the high authority that vouches for its
accuracy, we should deem—in this, the nineteenth cen-
tury—to be next to impossible. Several applications
were made to the Governor of the prison by persons
afflicted with the king's-evil and rheumatism, for per-
mission for the hand of the dead man to be rubbed
over the parts effected, with the idea that they would
be cured. It need hardly be said that the applications
were refused.

BARNET FAlR.—Yesterday this ancient and popu-
lar fair opened with every prospect of a fruitful harvest
to the speculators in booths, tents, and amusements with
which the green was crowded. Notwithstanding the
attendance of a numerous body of police to prevent a
repetition of the disgraceful conflicts that have been
enacted during the last two years, through the gamb!ers
that infested it, the thimble-riggers, and other members
of that class of blacklegs, were to be found in all direc-
tions, having scouts to give notice of the approach of
the police. From an early hour in the morning until late
in the evening, the roads from the metropolis were
crowded wtth vehicles heavily laden with patrons of the
fair, who seemed resolved " to make a day of it."
FORCE OP HABIT.—It is neither so easy a thins
nor so agreeable a one as men commonly expect, to dis-
pose of leisure, when they retire trom the business of the
world. Their old occupations cling to them, even when
they hope they have emancipated themselves. Every
one knows the story of the tallow-chandler, who having
amassed a fortune, disposed of his business, and took a
house in the country, not far from London, that he might
enjoy himself. After a few months trial of a holiday
life, he requested permission of his successor to allow.
him to come into town and assist him on melting days.
I have heard of one who kept a retail spirit shop, and
having in like manner retired from trade, used to em-
waving one puncheon tilled with water,
panlnh)e imassuefrlinbgyit off by pints into another. I have heard
also of a butcher in a small country town, who some
ithrl constituency
nsottwi
thui
hens
little time after he had left off business, informed his old
customers that he meant to kill a lamb „nee a
week. just
for his amusement.— The Doctor.
of l‘Alral;ollatuhmttkl\l'pPla."—ce lolnirnTeheu6rnsdgayof,
north. The hall was
varhleiaamr
,annt,aadtdprirzssenfrtoomn
his
sr
way. worthy
h in
well filled on the occasion, the larger proportion of the
electors being present. Mr. Hume- was accompanied by
the provost and bailies, and rapturously received by the
audience.

OFFICE OF CITY CHAMBERLAIN.—Mr. Alderman
HumpheryiaT tlhhiaeriefinrgrsetretired at a little bfore four, the con-
test remains betweent Mr. Alderman Brown and Mr.
Ic
therocnPtPesetl
respective
est
Capt. Ormsby
and famill 2ap)t'as
np ocl 1
hi nagmbwe:rlsl
Isvufli.
Beieeenctlhy, aEt
st
strength of the parties.
family, Lenox Esq., Dr. Laffarth, and
Captain family, were among '
the passcncrers
that embarked at Blackwall yesterday morning on board
the General Steam Navigation Company's steam-ship
Soho, for Antwerp.
THE MINERS.—The extensive combination of the
pitmen in our principal coal districts, and the unexam-
pled length of time it continued, have turned public at-
tention towards their organisation and true character,
and much inquiry has been directed to the subject ; but
it is impossible that a view of these mischievous unions
could be given more graphic and complete than will be
found in the September Number of the New Month*
Magazine, in the form of a narrative tale called " The
Miners, a Story of the Old Combination-laws," very
powerfully written, that displays the selfishness of the
leaders and concoctors of such combinations, and the
base purposes to which they employ their influence. The
story is one of deep interest, and is likely at the present
time to be very generally read.
PRIZE ESSAYS ON INSANITY.—The Lord Chancellor
of Ireland has declared his intention to give ten guineas
yearly, during the next ten years, for the best subject
connected with the treatment of mental disease, to be
and
College alternately by the College of Physicians d
College of Surgeons of Ireland, and the prize to be
awarded by the Council of the College by who n the sub-
j ject was chosen. The first turn to belong to the
College ofPhysicians.—Dublin Emily Post.