The Sun.
London, England, 1827-09-08 00:00:00

A FATHER STABBING HIS ONLY SON

The prisoner, William Hardy, is a blacksmith, .
a respectable way of business, at East Leake, or as
it is frequently called, Great Leake, near Costock.
On Thursday, the 30th of August, the day on
which this lamented occurrence took place, the
father had been to Loughbro! market, and he came
home about eight o'clock,being about half seas over,
in which state his passions are the most ungo-
vernable. On going into the shop, he found his son
mending a lock, which had been broken that after-
noon by a person of the name of Mercer, and which
was particularly wanted to put on a door that night.
The father fouhd fault with him, for not repairing
some ploughshares that stood in the shop, belonging
to Mr. Walker, of Stamford-hill ; and John replied
very mildly, that he would see to theni as soon as he
had done with the lock. This answer displeased the
father, who took up a hammer that lay on the anvil,
and struck at the lock to break it, but this the son pre-
vented, by removing it ; he then struck at John with
the hammer, who instead of returning the blow, pushed
his father back on to the smithy. The old man, in-
furiate at this, took up the smithy poker, and when
about to do serious mischief with this instrument,
James Yeomans, a workman in the shop, wrested
the weapon from his hand. John seized the oppor-
tunity; and ran out into the yard, whither he was
pursued by his father, who, snatching up the ham
of a horse-collar, inflicted a violent blow upon the
shoulder, and John, thinking it time to fly, went
into a neighbour's house, where he staid nearly an
hour. In the mean time the old man went into the
house and sat down, where he was soon joined by
his man Yeomans, with whom he entered into con-
versation on indifferent subjects; but at last said he
would go into the Horse Shoes, get a can of ale, and
then return home and lock the door, for Jack should
not come home that night. It was now about nine
o'clock, and on Yeomans getting up and going to
the door, he found John entering the house. The
young man thought his father's passion would be
over by this time, and as his shoulder hurt him very
bad, he was going to the kitchen to get Susan
to rub it with some oils. The father heard
his voiee, and followed him, saying, " You're
going to bed, young man, ar'n't you ?" to which
John replied, he would get his supper first; and the
father answered, " I'll make thee glad to go."
Then John first perceived an open knife in his fa-
ther's hand, and fearing that he was going to be
struck with it, took up an old garden-rake from be
hind the door; with which he endeavoured to keep
his father at bay, but all in vain ; his father closed
in upon him, and stabbed him just above the left
hip. When be saw the blood issuing out in a copi-
ous stream, he coolly shut up his knife, and inhu-
manly said, " thee, I've done thee at last !"
Young Hardy had his wound dressed, when it
was found of a dangerous nature, two inches
long, and about the same in depth. The fa-
ther remained in his own house all night, in
custody of the constable, who sat up with him;
Early the next morning, he went into the Waggon
public-house, and asked for some ale, and seemed
very much surprised when they refused to fill him
any ! Soon after this, the Rev. Dr. Holcombe,
magistrate, having been sent for, arrived from West
Leake, and ordered the wretched man to be brought
to the Three Horse Shoes, where he was hand-
cuffed ; and then for the first time he seemed to
think rather seriously about the matter. When the
examinations had been taken and his commitment
had been made out, he sent for some friends and
pot-compamons, to bid him good-bye, and seemed
greatly surprised, and no little offended, when some
of them refused to shake hands with him ! He
would not go into the room where his son was lying,
declaring he never wished to se him more ; and af-
terwards said, that had he bee"aken into the room,
he would have shut his eyes, that he might not be-
hold hini. He, on Friday afternoon, was safely lodged
in the county to,*
The prisoner is about 43 years of age, and has lost
one eye, having been engaged in a drunken squabble
at the Waggon some years ago, when a potatoe was
thrown at him, which struck out his eye.
We have the satisfaction of adding, that young
Hardy is likely to recover.—Nottingham Review.

BEBLIN, AUG: 27.—A Society of BoOI:r.
sellers has proposed three prizes for the comppOion ni
theatrical pieces---the first, of fifty Frederica d'or, for- tlfL•
best German comedy, in two or three acts ; the ,second, orj
twenty-five Frederica d'or, for the best comedy, in one act,.,
and a third, for the brat vaudeville. This is intended to
prevent the trambtion of bad French plave.—Journa;
Debuts.