The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-03 00:00:00

MURDER AT ULVERSTON.

The conclus;on of the inquest on this horrible affair
took place on Saturday last, the 28th ult., before W.
Blendall, Esq., when a verdict of " Wilful Murder" was
returned. against the prisoner, Thomas Donahoo, for
murdering his wife on Friday, the 20th, by striking her
with an iron bar. The inquest occupied three days.
The following is the most important evidence which
came before the jury connected with this tragic affair.
Mr. Barton, surgeon, stated that there were three
wounds on the deceased's head; any of which were fatal;
4iit. that the immediate cause of death was a severe wound
on the back part of the head, which might have been
done by some obtuse instrument. He found about a
spoonful of extravasated blood pressing on the brain.
He also stated that the whole body, especially her legs,
thighs, and arms, were severely bruised ; and on being
shown a piece of square iron, round at the end, like a
pistol, said the marks and bruises corresponded with
this iron, and that he had raeasered them with it. That
he had no doubt whatever but the deceased's death was
cased by the wounds in her head, and that they
could have been produced by such an instrument. He
also distinctly stated that the deceased could not possibly
have received such wounds by falling down stairs, as
stated by the prisoner. That he had particularly exa-
mined the iron, and was confident that there wa:, a spot
of blood on the end, and that it had the appearance of
being recently washed. _ _

Police•con4able Sandwell examined—He had met the
deceased between twelve and one o'clock on Fri ;,,y
morning, and talked with her. .'sh! was dru k. and h,
then no bruises upon her. Soon after he 50..., h,r ruts
band, who inquired for her, and he told hita she had
gone home ' • when he said he wanted money, and would
go home and give her a " d—d good kicking." That
afterwards he went to the prisoner's house, and 6aw
Donahoo and his son, a b•.y about 12 years of age, sit-
ting by the fire. Dinahoo was talking to the buy about
his mother, and saying, the " d---d b —h" came in
and sat down on his stool, and he knocked her off ; and
said she had been " spreemg ;" and then he took a can,
apparently having water in it, and a cloth, and began
washing about the foot and on the stairs, and took a
stone after he had washed and scrubbed the flag. Soon
after thr;y went up stairs, and be went away, concluding
all was peaceable
James Walker stated hat he lived next door to
Donahoo, and he was awoke by a violent falling against
the wall which separated his room from theirs ; that it
was a thin lath and plaster wall, and he could hear any
ordinary cot versation going on. When he awoke, he
found that Do-nahoo and his wife were engaged, as he
thought, in a quarrel, which was quite common with
them, and he heard the deceased cry out, " Don't murder
me, don't kill me," and immediately he heard a violent
blow or kick given, which was quickly followed by two
unnatural groans. Soon after he heard a dragging along
the floor, and something falling down stairs like a dead
weight, when he heard the boy exclaim, " Oh, you have
killed, or will kill my mother," and then the prisoner
gave a violent stamp with his foot, and said something
which he did not catch.

The jury were about to adjourn. it being half•past
eight, but on being informed that the boy had 4: xpressed
a desire to give a statement of the affair, he was sent for,
and gave an account that his father had kicked and
struck his mother both up and down stairs, and dragged
her by the hair of the head, and in various other ways
abused her.

The prisoner is a travelling razor-grinder and tinker.
He is a fresh-coloured, strong muscular man, and stands
about six feet high, possessing a most brutal and savage
temper. The prisoner and his wife have bad six chil-
dren, all of whom are dead, with the exception of a boy
of about twelve years of age, and a little girl about three.

AFFRAY WITH GAMEKEEPERS
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

IfAVERFORDWEST, PEMBROKESHIRE, Dxc. 31.—One
of those featful affrays that are continually taking place
indifferent parts of the kingdom—arising from the evil
tendency of the game-laws—occurred on Friday night last,
at Picton, on the estate of Sir R. B. T. Philipps, Bart.,
M.P. for the borough of Haverfordwest. It will pro-
bably be attended with the loss of one or two lives. It
appears from the different flying reports, that on Friday
night and Saturday morning the gamekeepers heard the
report of fire-arms in a plantation very close to the man-
sion of the above-named gentleman, and collecting assist-
ance proceeded towards the place from whence the
sound issued, and lay in wait for the poachers until the
should retire, with the intention of surrounding and cap-
turing them. But, unfortunately, this intention was
frustrated in the following manner :—One of the poachers
wounded, but did not bring down, a bird, which he im-
mediately pursued to the edge of the plantation, and was
laid hold of himself by one of the keepers or assistants.
He gave the alarm to his comrades, and they quickly
came to his support. The keepers endeavoured to se-
cure their man, hut failed to do so, and in the fight the
poachers inflict' d an awful blow on ono of their p4rty,
which he will not prob.shly long survive. The pouch. rs
'hen made off, carrying with them their wonnded n3ok ;
however, one poacher covered the r..tr,lxt in such an of
'ectual manner, that on the keepers utterupting to is-
rend a bank on a Bich he stood, th.y w •re
down quickly one after the other. The bank or grip on
which the poacher stood was rends-red inaccessible by
the circumstance of a deep ditch being at the bottom.
At last he thought proper to decamp, taking away all
the game. splinters of the butt end of &c , and the
whole party got safe of'f.
Of the keepers and assistants, elevet. a:together. eight-,
received very severe wounds. One person had his skull
fractured, jaw broken, and teeth knocked out, and was
unable to speak until Monday. The others got off with
severe bruises about the head, &c. The poacher, five
in number, have not been taken, although af-tive means
are being used for the purpose. It is supposed from the
immense pool of blood left that he will expire troll' the
effects of his comrade's blow.
Picton Castle estate is situated about three miles from
Haverfordvvest, and the game is preserved. . The planta-
tion in which the poachers were heard is close to the
house, of one of the keepers, the birds being fed there.
On Sunday and Monday, persons were apprehended
on suspicion, but on being brought before the magistrates
at a private hearing, the keepers failed to identify any
of them. The appearance of the keepers was ludricrous
in the extreme with their heads bound up.
Sir Richard Phillips is at present in France.
Persons in the neighbourhood of this town are sus-
pected, but proof cannot be obtained on account of the
unwillingness of the peasantry to give information.
They view poaching as a very venal offence against law,
if any at all. This is another consequence of class
legislation.
We shall probably be able to give the result of the
search of the police in a few days.

FIRE AT CROTDON.—Wednesday morning, between
two and three o'clock, an alarming fire, which was not
extinguished until property to a serious amount had
been destroyed, broke out in the extensive range of pre-
mises in the occupancy of Mr. R. S. M'Leod, maltater,
at Thornton's Heath, Croydon. When first discovered,
the flames were raging with great violence in the kiln
and stove room ; and not many minutes elapsed before
the whole became one sheet of fire. From that portion
of the premises the flames extended to two malt-floors
stored with grain, one 110 feet long by about 30 wide ;
the other upwards of 60 feet long by 32 wide. Before
any of the stock contained in the loft could be rescued,
the fire reached the same, and broke through the
roofs of both buildings. A spacious coach-house and
a two-stall stable, belonging to a Mr. Maud, next
became ignited, and, in spite of every effort to save
them, they were speedily burned down. The fire con-
tinuing to spread, it was deemed advisable to dispatch
an express to London for the aid of the brigade. As
soon as intelligence was received in town of the disaster,
Mr. Henders"n, one of the chief officers of the fire eats
blishment, started to the scene with an engine and a
strong muster of firemen ; and by the comb ned efforts
of all parties the flames were eventually extinguished.
The damage done is as follows :--Malt-kiln and store-
room burned down. The two malt-floors have their
contents and roofs destroyed, and about 300 quarters of
barley are extensively damaged by fire and water.
Coach-house and stable belonging to Mr. Maud con-
sumed. The fire originated from the over-heat of the
kiln. Fortunately a portion of Mr. M'Leod's loss will
be made good by an insurance in the Guardian office,
but Mr. Maud's premises were wholly uninsured.
" TUB RULING PASSION STRONG IN DRATH."—
Wednesday afternoon Mr. Wakley, M.P., held an inquest,
a tthe Flag and Lamb, Clerkenwell-green, on the body
of Frances Gardiner. It appeared that the deceased was
greatly addicted to drink, and that she frequently almost
deprived herself of the commonest necessaries in order
that she might fully indulge her propersity for ardent
liquors. Her husband, who is a must abstemious alai!,
'returned home on the night of the tith of last month,
when ho found her drunk, and craving for more drink.
In order to get her to bed he gave her rum. Upon
awaking in the morning he found her a corpse at his
side. Verdict, " Natural death." Mr. Wakley said
that he lately held an inquest upon a lady inordinately
given to drink. Her medical attendants informed her
husband that she could not live without drink, but that
drink would kill her. The husband, of the two evils,
chose what to him appeared the lesser, as it secured him
peace, And gave her what drink she desired. In two
months she drank 137 bottle, of port wine and brandy,
exclusive of malt liquors. She shortly afterwards wall
seised with mortal sickness, and such was her craving for
drink, even in the agonies of death, that her attendants
were compelled to keep constantly in her mout,b a rag
saturated with brandy.