The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-28 00:00:00

DELIBERATE MURDER.

On Thursday evening, at about a quarter past five o'clock,
one of the most cool and deliberate acts of murder that has
been committed in the metropolis for many years, was per-
petrated in Peacock-street, Newington.
At that time a Daniel Fitzgerald, a labourer in the employ-
ment of Mr. Quennell, a respectable builder in Kennington-
lane, and a countryman of his, named Owen M'Carthy, were
proceeding home after the labours of the day, and as they
turned into Peacock-street they were met, at rather a dark
spot, by a person who came in front of them, and who, with-
out the slightest parly or uttering a sentence, deliberately
presented a pistol to the breast of poor Fitzgerald and dis-
charged its contents into his body. M'Carthy was so affected
with the suddenness of the act and the flash of powder in his
face, that he became powerless for the moment, and the as-
sassin would have escaped but for the promptitude of two
gentlemen named Cotton and Allem, who, witnessing the
murder, immediately pursued the murderer,who, on committing
the act, instantly took to his heels. His pursuers, however,
gained ground so fast upon him that they succeeded in cap-
turing him before ,he had got far down Kennington-lane,
after running about 500 yards or little better. On securing
him those gentlemen took him on to the police station-house
in Kennington-lane, and gave him over to Lockier, the
gaoler, saying that he had been shooting somebody, but they
did not know whether the man he shot at was dead or not.
The prisoner all this time never uttered a syllable, and
was taken into the reserve room at the station by Lockier,
where he sat down apparently quite composed. In a few
minutes intelligence had reached the station that the unfor-
tunate man Fitzgerald was no more, and that so deliberate
was the act of assassination that the poor man never even
uttered a groan. The body having fallen close to the Pea-
cock public-house, at the corner of Peacock-street and Ken-
nington-road, was carried into that house, and Mr. Smith, a
surgeon in the neighbourhood, was in immediate attendance.
but the instant he saw the deceased he pronounced him dead.
On examining the body he found that the bat had entered
the left breast, passed through (he had not the slightest
doubt) the heart, and come out at the left side of the back,
so that his death must have been instantaneous; and one of
the policemen picked up the ball which had caused the fatal
wound at the bottom of the staircase of the Peacock, it hav-
ing fallen from the body while the deceased was being moved.
The murderer, upon the charge being about to be entered
against him, gave the name of Samuel Quennell, and it was
'then ascertained that he was brother to Mr. Quennell, the
builder, and, as well as the deceased, had been employed by
him. While the charge was being taken Mr. Inspector
Carter asked the prisoner if he had the pistol about him, and
his reply was, that he had not. Immediately after, however,
the prisoner was in the act of taking somethiug out of his
pocket, when Lockier seized his arm, and found that he had
got a pistol in his hand, which was immediately secured.
It was a good sized pocket-pistol, single barrel, percussion
lock, and it was evident that it had been but just discharged
Upon the prisoner being further searched, some strong cord-
age was found in his pocket, with twopence in copper, and
some trifling articles. Before the charge was fully taken,
Mr. Rutt, the inspector of the L division, arrived at the
station-house, and having been made acquainted with its
serious nature, and perceiving also that the prisoner had
got a quantity of cordage about him, as if he intended to
destroy himself, he gave peremptory orders that two men
with a light should remain in the cell with him all night,
which order was complied with. On making inquiries as to
the causes which led to so shocking an act of murder, it ap-
peared that for some cause or other the prisoner
had been discharged from his employment by his
brother on Saturday last, and conceiving that Fitz-
gerald had been the cause of his dismissal, had
been heard during the week to make use of violent
threats towards Fitzgerald, and some go so far as to say that
he had declared he should shoot him, and that witnesses can
be produced to prove the fact ; at all events nothing could be
more determined than the manner in which he has dispatched
his unfortunate victim. Poor Fitzgerald resided at No. 11,
Peacock-street, and his assassin resided close by, so that the
unfortunate man met his death within a few yards of his
home; indeed, sufficiently near fer his wife and five children
to hear the report of the shot which deprived them of a hus-
band and a father, and in an instant hurried him into the pre-
sence of his Maker. The prisoner, who is an unmarried man,
and 22 years of age, maintained a perfect silence, and remained
Perfectly calm and unmoved until called on by Mr. Games,
the solicitor, who had been retained by his friends to defend
him at his examination on the following (this) day. He then,
for the first time, appeared to reflect upon the dreadful deed
he had committed, and shed tears abundantly. He soon,
however, recovered his self-possession, and at half-past eight
took some coffee and bread and butter, which had been sent
to him from his brother's house.
At a later hour Mr. Carter had ascertained from the pri-
soner's landlord that the murderer, during the day, had been
to see the deceased at work, and having returned home re-
mained there until about five minutes before the murder was
committed. He also says that the prisoner was perfectly
sober at the time.

THE LATE MURDER NEAR

COVENTRY.

Cow :run; THURSDAY NIGHT.—The inquiry into the
circumstances attending the death of thL unfortunate man
Tranter, who was murdered in his own /louse, on the 17th
inst., took place on Wednesday, and was adjourned until
to-day, when, amongst others, the following important facts
Were elicited : • _ _

The boy Satchel!, who, it will be remembered, had accom-
panied the old man over some land on the morning of the
murder, said--When I was in my master's house, on the
morning previous to my going out to work, a man named
Roberts, a shoemaker, came in and held a short conversa-
tion with him. He did not remain long, and we went ,aut
into the field. About a quarter of an hour after my master
had returned to the house, I observed that the shutters
were closed. Half an hour after that I saw a young man
come out of the front door. He locked it after him, and put
the key in his pocket. At twelve I endeavoured to get into
the house, but could not. I tried again in the evening,
and on the following morning, but the house was still shut
up. On Wednesday I gave information to some persons in
the village.
Mr. William nitre a farmer residing at Berkswell, said
that on Monday, the 17th, about midday, he saw a man
named Read in the road, near to Tranter's house. He was
talking to a man in my employ; named Wright, and wore
corduroy trousers. He had resided in the neighbourhood
three years, working as a day labourer. He usually wore a
cap.
The next witness was Mrs. Ann Hyatt, who said—l reside
a little way from the place where the murder was committed.
The man (Read) has lodged at my house ever since the first
Monday in July. He left last Saturday week, the 15th
instant, and did not say where he was going. He had on a
dark green waistcoat, ancle-jack boots, striped corduroy
trousers of a drab colour. There were tips on the heels of
his boots. He had previously left me on the Tuesday, and
lie came back on Saturday morning, .at which time he left,
and I have not seen him since. When lie went away on
Tuesday, he said he was going to Hampton station, to try
and get a job, and he should be back at night. He left be
hind him a Scotch cap, which he usually wore, and several
other articles.

Mrs. Maria Raven, the wife of a farmer in the parish, de-
posed that on the 17th instant, in the afternoon of the day,
she saw two men in the lane. One, who was dressed in a
light-coloured jacket and waistcsat, was standing at the top
of the lane ; the other, dressed in a velveteen jacket, appeared
to be coming in the direction from Tranter's house. lam
sure that the man Read was not one of those. _

Thomas Trippas, the parish constable, said that in con-
sequence of information he received on Wednesdry last, he
went to Tranter's house, and found the doors fastened and
the window-shutters closed. He obtained an entrance to the
house through one of the upper windows. There was a box
and two drawers open in the room. A great number of papers
had been strewn about the floor, and the drawers and box
had been ransacked. On proceeding to another room I found
the articles in it in a similar state of disorder; but there was
no appearance of anything having been disturbed in the
attics. The witness here detailed the circumstances attending
the finding of the body of the murdered man.
In the course of the inquiry, the bill-hook and the axe
which were found near the body, and with which in all pro•

bability the murderers executed their bloody deed, and a
straw hat were produced, which some of the witnesses alleged
they had seen the old man wear. It was much stained with
blood, and there was a :deep indentation in the crown of it
which corresponded exactly with the end of a hedge-stake
cut in a peculiar manner.

Two or three other witnesses were examined, whose evi-
dence was chiefly in corroboration of the foregoing, and at
six o'clock the inquisition was adjourned.
The jury again assembled at ten o'clock this morning; a
number of witnesses were examined, amongst others,
George Hopkins, a labourer, who said that on the Wednes-
day after the committal of the murder he met the man Read
about five miles from Birmingham. Witness conversed with
him as to where he had been, when he said that he had been
in Birmingham in search of employment from the previous
Monday ; but that he had not succeeded, and was returning
home. Read has not been seen since.

Joseph Blkk, a shoemaker, residing at Balsall-common,
said that he examined a number of footmarks near Tranter's
house, and the impression on his mind was, that they were
produced from a boot which he made for Read in May last.
The inquiry had not terminated when our report was
dispatched; but the general opinion is that Read is the mur-
derer; and a reward of 1001. will be offered for his apprehen-
sion. The old man who has been murdered was exceedingly
penurious; he is supposed to have had a considerable sum of
money in the house, but sixpence only was found in his
pockets. One circumstance tends materially to confirm the
suspicions entertained against Read. It appears that a
short time since he was found concealed in the old man's
house; he was given in charge to the police; but Tranter
afterwards declined to prosecute.
Yesterday's Government Police Gazette contains the fol-
lowing additional information respecting the man named
William Read, alias James Reed, who stands charged with
the wilful murder, on the 17th instant, in the parish of
Berkswell, in the county of Warwick, of Thomas Tranter:--
" The suspected murderer, who has absconded, and is sup-
posed to be working on one of the railways, is described as
about nineteen or twenty years of age, five feet four inches
high, stout made, and when talking has a smiling counte-
nance; had on a pair of narrow cord trousers, which had a
hole in the left thigh, and is supposed to have with him an
old pair :of plaid trousers and an old dark jacket, which be
may be wearing. lie is believed to be in the neighbour!lood
of Birmingham."

DEPLORABLE CALAMITY-SIX-

TEEN LIVES LOST.

At a late hour last night accounts reached town of the
occurrence of a calamity of the most deplorable nature, of
which, in the course of the evening, the Royal Canal was
the theatre, and by which the lives of very many of our fel-
low-creatures were sacrificed. It is certain that sixteen are
already dead. Of course the full particulars of this shocking
affair are not yet fully known, but the following facts may
be relied upon, having been communicated to us by an indi-
vidual who arrived in town in the course of the night from
the scene of the tragedy.
The night boat to Longford started yesterday at
the usual hour, two o'clock in the afternoon. There
were eight passengers in the fore or :principal cabin, and
considerably upwards of twenty in the after-cabin. Upon
reaching the neighbourhood qf Clonsilla, the steersman went
below to dine, and unhappily committed the rudder, as we
have been informed, to a boy employed on board the boat.
This boy, either knowing nothing of the proper mode of
steering, or not attending to the serious duty, unfortunately
and rashly committed to him, permitted the boat to run upon
the bank of the canal, which caused her immediately to cap-
size, and speedily to fill with water. The fore-cabin passen-
gers were saved, as that portion of the boat lay almo3t out of
the water, which is, of course, shallow at the bank ; the un •
happy after-passengers, plunged into the deepest portion of
the canal, could not extricate themselves, and as no imme-
diate assistance was at hand, many of them have perished in
the waters. At the time our correspondent left Clonsilla,
sixteen of the drowned already crowded the banks, and the
drags were plying busily in search of more.
This is a horrible calamity. It must be rigorously inquired
into, and this frightful sacrifice of human life be excused by
evidence, or punished by law.—Freeman's Journal of Wed-
nesday.

MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS
CITY, THURSDAY EVENING.

POST.—The public securities rallied to-day to the extent
of nearly '4 per cent. on yesterday's closing quotations.
This was owing principally—perhaps exclusively—to the
breaking up of the Bank Directors (it being the weekly
board-day) without issuing any fresh order respecting the
rate of discount. The minimum remains the same as for the
last three weeks, namely, 3t/2 per cent. In refraining from
any further action upon the currency the Bank have, we
think, acted for the best in every respect—best for the cor-
poration and best for the public. Apart from political em-
barrassments, there is nothing whatever to create uneasiness.
The Bank have a superabundance of treasure, and we no
longer hear of any pressure for money abroad, nor, with the
exchanges so high as they are, is it :possible to believe
that a scarcity exists. Already we find the value of
merchandise has been forced down in a serious degree
by the operations of the Bank parlour. This is an
evil that requires correction, and, in the application of the
remedy—the relief of the money market—the cases of vari-
ous other important interests will be benefited. The fund-
holders and the holders of all descriptions of joint-stock pro-
perty cannot but participate in the consequences of the in-
dulgence shown by the Bank to the trading classes in the
greater liberation of their accommodation, and the modera-
tion of the charge they make for it. Under these circum-
stances, dull as many things have been again to-day, an im-
provement is thought to be close at hand. Ministers have,
we hear, resolved to adopt measures of some sort to prevent
the payment of deposits on railway shares from disturbing
the circulation of the kingdom. Should this prove to be the
fact, it will have an ameliorating influence such as is so ge-
nerally needed.

TIDIES.—From various letters received on the subject
there would appear to be a pretty general disposition among
those who have received letters of allotment for shares in
railways, but who have sold those letters, to resist any claim
now made upon them for the payment of the deposit. Their
liability to such payment is not denied, but as they conceive
that it can only be enforced by a suit at equity, which most
of the promoters of bubbles would have peculiar reasons for
not resorting to, they are inclined to await the result without
much apprehension. In the event of such suits being insti-
tuted, it is not difficult to imagine the perplexity in which
some parties would be placed, when necessarily called upon,
as the basis of their claim upon others, to make affidavit
that they had themselves paid the deposit on their own shares.
Such parties, it is obvious, could never maintain a suit in
equity,, and their victims would be in no sort of jeopardy
from their resistance to such a call. Bat in the compa-
nies of a sound and legitimate character it is equally clear
that the case would be materially altered, and if the concern
is proceeding with a fair prospect of ultimate success, it is
the duty, and perhaps the policy too, for every man to keep
to his engagements, as he will frequently thus assist in
creating a value for the shares which they would not other-
wise possess, and legal proceedings would, in the end. ulti-
mately compel him to do so. The great objectionable feature
of the matter, as regards the promoters of railway projects,
is the lateness of the application, and the consequent short.
ness of the time which appears in many instances to be
allowed for making the payment. Had all been fair with
the directing board or committee, they would at the outset
have adopted, as a stringent rule, the payment of the
deposit within a given time, and made it a part of the
original letter of allotment, which would have made
the applicant fully aware of the liability in which
he was placed; but, during the prosperous run of
railway affairs, nothing of the sort was even hinted
at. They evidently held it to be their policy to say as little
as possible that could alarm their dupes, and the energy they
are now using to compel payment of the deposits by the
parties who originally applied for the shares only proves the
difficulty into which they themselves have now in turn justly
been brought. In almost every instance, therefore, their
case would be far from a strong one, and in a great majority
of them quite untenable. Much credit is due to the Directors
of the Bank for the arrangements made to shorten the period
during which the books aie to be closed against the transfers
of stock. Last year the shutting day was the 3d of
December, but the approaching shutting is not till
the 10th of December. This arises chiefly from the
reduction of the labour required in making out the
dividend warrants, in which, by order of the Directors, the
names of the holders of the stock are not in future to appear;
and this is adopted to answer the double purpose of lessening
the period of shutting, and of withholding that information of
the accounts, as to names and amounts of stock, which is
capable of being turned to fraudulent uses. At all times an
additional week for public transfers is valuable, but it is most
particularly so at present. There has not occurred for many
years a period for closing the Bank books against transfers
which has been regarded with so much anxiety.
The Directors of the Auction.. Mart have passed a resolu-
tion that their rooms shall not be used for the sale of scrip in
projected undertakings not authorised by Act of Parliament.
HERALD.—Another weekly meeting of. the Bank Direc-
tors has passed off to-day without producing any further
change in the minimum rate of interest by that establishment.
This fact will be anything but gratifying to the alarmists,
some of whom predicted that, ere this, the minimum rate of
interest would be not less than five per cent. The foundation
bed is, however, even more fragile than that of some of the
bases upon which they have relied for support. The fall in
the prices of railway shares has not made money less abun-
dant, but, on the contrary, by restricting the field for its em-
ployment, it is rapidly accumulating in the hands of the
London bankers, and by necessary sequence tending to reduce
its value. The distrust which has been created continues to
impede discount transaction., and to someextent has enhanced
the terms; but, as we have often had occasion to remark, there
was no speculation in commercial commodities, and the busi=
ness of the country being sound at the core, the effect of the
reaction in railways will be but partial in extent and
comparatively temporary in duration. Already the
bankers and other capitalists are getting tired of keeping
large sums of money unemployed in their tills. They have
not, however, got entirely rid of the apprehension created
that money will be more in request towards the end of the
year, and short dated paper is, therefore, discounted at rates
considerably lower than the difference of time compared with
long dated bills. A preference is given to lending money re-
turnable on call, from the same apprehension, and it can be
obtained in abundance by the discount houses on these terms
at the rate of three per cent. per annum. Whilst this state
of things lasts, it is not to be presumed that the Bank of
England will increase their present rate, as the inevitable re-
sult would be the loss of much of their discount and loan
business. As no valid reason can be given for the expecta-
tion that money will be scarcer and dearer at the end of
December than it is now, within the last two or three days
some of the shrewder bankers have become less scrupulous
with their discounts. Public securities have been rather
firmer to-day, and the speculators for the decline have lost
confidence to carry their operations further. One of the re-
sults, indeed, of injuring commercial credit, is to send more
money to the public securities for investment, and of this
the experienced speculators are so well aware that they hesi-
tate about timing their accounts and proceeding for the ad-
vance.

Mr. HUDSON AND THE GAUGES.—The Broad and
Narrow Gauge Commission examined Mr. Hudson on Satur-
day. Mr. Hudson is a strenuous advocate of the narrow
gauge. on the plea of economy, and he affirms that it pos-
sesses all the capabilities, as regards safety and speed, of the
broad gauge. The main points of his evidence were to the
following effect :—" We have been enabled to do every-
thing on the narrow gauge which the Great Western has ac-
complished on the broad. Economy was the great induce-
ment for adopting the narrow gauge. It would be impolitic
to enlarge the gauge, as they would gain nothing with re-
gard to speed or power by it, as they have already sufficient
power on the narrow gauge lines. The narrow gauge lines
were more convenient for traffic. A truck weighing from
seven to nine tons could easily be moved by one horse ; but
those on the Great Western, weighing 13 tons, could not be
moved by one horse, and it was difficult to attach a leader
to the load. He had seen this difficulty arise at Bristol.
Unless some great advantage could be derived from the
broad gauge which had not been shown, he thought the
narrow gauge had been wisely chosen. In his opinion
the public had not overrated the inconvenience of a break of
gauge."
The. promoters of the association for "Christian
Union" intend to hold a public meeting on Tuesday, the 16th
of December. It is said that several clergymen of the Esta-
blished Church will address the meeting.—Liverpool Courier.