The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-11-27 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

MANCHESTER, FRIDAY EVENING.
•
COURSING.
THE SOUTH LANCASHIRE CLUB.—The members of this
club met on Thursday morning at Haddon, near Bakewell.
The weather was most unfavourable, a heavy mist and still
heavier rain continued throughout the sport, and a worse
coursing day was seldom witnessed. The hares, owing to
the fall of rain and winds, were not disposed to "lie out;"
consequently, notwithstandiug the previous night's care, very
few were to be met with in the pastures, although the demesne
is remarked for an abundance of them. To-day, the weather
was more favourable, though cold and dark, and every pros-
pect of snow. When the last accounts left, the following
courses had been decided :

THE RUTLAND CUP.—For all aged dom
Mr. Slater's Sultan beat Mr. Allen's Dart.
Mr. Mr. King's Venus , Mr. Rowley's Emperor.
Mr. Parkinson's L'Hirondelle „ Mr. Chew's Spring.
Mr. Deakin 's Spring „ Mr. Edwards's Milo.
Mr. Mayall's Nelson „ Mr. Lucas's Hardwick.
Mr. Hunt's Pinto „ Mr. Gale's Priam.
Mr. Fowler's Sultan Mr. Robinson's Empress.
„
Mr. Bake's Major ~ Mr. Ogden's Elton.
FIRST TIES.
Venus beat Sultan Plutd beat Nelson.
L'Hirondelle „ Makin's Major „ Sultan.
Spring.
The remaining ties had not een run off when the Derby
mail came by.

THE HADDON PUPPY CUP.
Mr. Whitehead's Tomboy beat Mr. Edwards's Maiden Queen.
Mr. Deakin's Fly „ Mr. Chew's Don John.
Mr. Lucas's Lapwing „ Mr. King's Hector.
Mr. Bake's Belvidera „ Mr. Parkinson's Silk.
Mr. Lucas's Lightning „ Mr. Hunt's Sylvian.
Mr. Slater's Smart „ . Alr.. King's Clasher.
Mr. Chew's Carpenter „ Mr. Gale's Cap.
Mr. Moss's Wedge
11, Mr. Fowler's Chasse.

FIRST TIES.
Fly beat Tomboy. I Lightning beat Smart.
Belvidera „ Lapwing.' Carpenter „ Wedge.

Since Wednesday the sporting rooms here have been de-
prived of nearly all the influential turf gentlemen, in conse-
quence of the coursing in Derbyshire. We have, therefore,
simply to observe, that True and Accelerator, for the Derby,
are both in force; the former has been backed for about
£l2OO, at the rate of 100 to 3; the latter at 500 to 20, and a
desire to go 0n..,
ST. LEQER.—.B to 1, to a round sum, taken on Commodore
TATTERSALL'S.—TimisnAr. ,
The attendance was thin and the betting dull, at the fol-
lowing prices :

THE DERBY;
1110 1 agst Lord Jersey's Brother to Bay Middleton.
18 to I „ Lord Jersey's Ilderim.
20 to 1 „ Duke of Portland's Flambeau (tk.)
20 to 1 „ Mr. Wreford's Westonian.
26 to 1 „ Mr. Bowes's Accelerator (tk.)
30 to 1 „ Lord Albemarle's Tros (tk.)
30 to 1 „ Mr. Greville's Derrynane (tk.)
40 to 1 „ Sir G. Heathcote's Valaincourt (tk.)
50 to 1 „ Mr. Dixon's Camelino (tk.)
14 to 1 „ Bloomsbury and Dey of Algiers, and the saw:
against Bloomsbury and Derrynane (tic.)

Earl Fitzwilliarn has subscribed £lOOO towards a fund for
providing additional clergymen for the service of the churches
at Mahon.

Only two night stage coaches now run from Birmingham
to the metropolis, in consequence of rail-roads, and none by
day. Stage coaches, however, are to be employed by day in
winter.

PROPOSED NEW RAILWAY Fitom LONDON TO THE
Norcru.—A new line of railway has just been projected, to
be called the North Trunk Railway. It is proposed to com-
mence at Islington, passing from thence between Highgate
and. Hampstead, by t'inchley, Barnet, St. Alban's, and Bed-
ford, between Highain Ferrers, and Wellingborough, and
thence to Leicester, there to join the Midland Railway.
This route would form a portion of a direct line from Lon-
don to diriburgh.

BRUTAL MURDER OF MICHAEL DONNAGHUE,

A RAILWAY CONTRACTOR OR "GANGER" ON THE
NORTH UNION, AND PRESTON AND LANCASTER RAILWAYS.

We bad the painful duty to record in our last paper, the
details of a callously cruel case of murder of a young Scotch-
man, of the name of Henderson, perpetrated in a secluded
part of moor country between Blackburn and Bolton; and
we had the sorrowful satisfaction of presenting an account
of proceedings held before the coroner, which, although not
then completed, afforded good grounds for indulging a belief
that the guilty offender was discovered, and that the law
would not be disappointed of the victim claimed by outraged
justice and humanity. There was also something of another
kind of extenuating feature in the commission of the dark
deed, (if any thing whatever may be offered as a palliation of
so deep a crime as murder,) and this possible mitigation
seemed to present itself in the fact which the preliminary
proceedings then, and as since completed, appeared to render
highly probable, namely, that Whittle, the alleged murderer,
was the sole contriver and the only individual implicated in
the most foul and unnatural and cowardly deed. It is now,
however, become a duty to furnish our readers with the par-
ticulars relating to another case of murder that took place on
Monday evening last, the scene of which brutal and bloody
act was not a lone sequestered wild, but in a dwelling-house,
in Brown-street, near Marsh-lane, Preston ; the guilty per-
petrators of which have not yet been apprehended, nor has
there yet appeared a probable clue that their place of con-
cealment is likely to be soon discovered ; and instead of its
being likelJthat one abandoned individual was alone con-
cerned in the perpetration of the horrifying tragedy, there
exists not the shadow of a doubt that at least sixteen mis-
creants in human form, were either actively sharing in the
work of slaughtering the defenceless victim of their barbarian
fury, or that they were undoubtedly present, and were wil-
lingly consenting to the murderous purpose of their more
pre-eminently guilty confederates. As, however, the facts
disclosed in the evidence given before the coroner on Tues-
day, which we subjoin, will place the deed in so black a view,
we may forbear to harrow the feelings of the reader, by adding
to the horrifying disclosures, any comments ,sliikth would
seem to aggravate this shocking act of ruthless criminality.
But as it will be seen that the inquiry before the coroner is
postponed to Monday next, we may, perhaps, be allowed to
add a few preliminary particulars. We shall proceed, then,
to say, that a post mortem examination of the murdered
man was held on Tuesday ; the medical gentlemen engaged
were Dr. St. Clare, Dr. Stavert, and Mr. Howitt, surgeon;
the last-named gentleman was the principal, if not exclusive,
operator. On the exterior of the head, at the back part,
were found numerous wcunds, but the skull was not fractured,
and on the right temple was a deep cut, which might have
been possibly produced by a heavy fall, but was much more
probably occasioned by some deadly weapon, and it is con-
cluded by the medical gentlemen, from the internal appear-
ances corresponding to this wound, that the deceased's
death was effected instantaneously by the blow that made it.
On the throat of the deceased were the evident marks of an
attempt having been made, either to cause death by strangu-
lation, or that the fiends, after having dispatched their un-
fortunate victim, were determined to " make assurance
doubly sure," by thus giving a perfect consnimation
,to their
murderous purpose. We learn, however, front one of the
medical authorities we have named, and in that opinion we
understand his colleagues concur, that life must have been
undoubtedly extinct in the deceased before the pressure that
produced these discolourations on the throat was effected ; it
therefore follows that the villains were foiled in this attempt
to add to his mortal agonies. Having, then, completed the
deed of murder, their next hasty business was to plunder the
deceased of the money which they were aware he had in his
possession, and we gather from the evidence of Riley, at the
inquest, that the amount would be about £5. The savage
and villainous desires of the wretches now being fully glutted,
the whole gang suddenly left the house by a back way, and
although they were seen escaping, as was shown at the in-
quest, the completion of the murder and robbery not being
then known, and the police officers not exactly on the spot,
they were enabled to get so clearly out of the way, by flight
or concealment, as to have baffled all subsequent endeavours
to secure them. It will be seen thatthe Lackeys are all
known ;' and that they are principals in the first degree in the
dreadful crime that has been committed, is quite evident. We
therefore most gladly desire to aid in every possible way to
procure their apprehension, and have for that purpose given
at the foot of the proceedings, as correct a description of
their respective ages and appearances as can be obtained,
and we may also add, that a reward of £25 has been offered
for their apprehension and conviction. It will be in the re-
collection of the public in this neighbourhood, that in con-
sequence of a disagreement between the Irish and the English
labourers on the Lancaster end of the railway forming be-
tween that town and Preston, that a number of Irishmen, of
desperate characters, were effectually driven from the line;
now among the number were these identical Lackeys-; this
information will therefore assist all those labourers to aid in
their detection. Of the twelve or thirteen other " boys"
fetched into Lackey's house to witness or participate in the
robbery at least, it' not- the murder, of Donnaghue, there
seems to be nothing i:nown, or we should perhaps rather
say, that nothing to lead to their discovery has been yet dis-
closed; for it is altogether beyond the bounds of credulity to
allow fora moment, that so large a number of persons are
unknown. There is, indeed, already indirect testimony given
that may be used in leading to their detection and identity,
but it is certainly necessary to establish it, that various indi-
viduals should give their assistance. It was stated en the
inquest that Julia, Pat, and Mick Lackey went out of the
house at the bidding of James Lackey, and brought in the
boys," (12 or 13 men), and it was made to appear that
these " boys" had a claim on the deceased for wages, as well
as had the Lackeys. Now it surely cannot be difficult to
Ascertain the exact individuals who were employed by Dons
naghue ; and as the day when the absentees left the town is
also fully known, that fact would greatly strengthen the sus-
picion of guilt which their non-appearauce on the lines since,
must have awakened: But even although they were not all
employed by the deceased, the other contractors or "gangers"
are not ignorant ofthe number and names of their respective la-
bourers.

From what gang or gangs then have these twelve or thir-
teen murderous ruffians deserted? if these contractors or
" gangers" do not at once purge themselves from all collusive
participation in the murder, by screening the murderers, they
may then, if they like, endeavour to satisfy their own con-
sciences by motives of fear, or some other quibbling expe-
dient ; but if they would deserve for themselves the
to tlic wuids, and assist
give up to the punishment of the law, these barbarians who
have set at nought its most sacred prohibition. We shall,
therefore, trust, that a ready co-operation will be given by
all parties who have the power to render effective assistance
in procuring the apprehension of every one present at the
commission -of the murder; for although the verdict of the
coroner's jury has not yet been pronounced, the evidence
already given plainly indicates of what description it will be.
Before concluding our remarks, previous to introducing the
proceedings of the inquest, we may just mention that in
Lackey's house, where there the murder was committed,
there was not found either table, chair, or any article of fur-
niture. A rude bench seemed to have served the purposes
of a table, and on the floor were blocks of wood, which were
used as seats, for chairs. At night the degraded inmates were
wont to place some straw or bundel of rags in the different
parts of floors, and then with the aid of a covering of rags,
their wretched dormitories were considered well furnished
and ready for use. 'l'hedistrict in which this house of Lackey
is situate, has gained for itself a inost appropriate designa-
tion—it is called the " Irish Rookery ;" and whilst the
hordes of the " finest pisantry" that now inhabit it, shall
continue to make it their particular settlement, the name by
which it is now known can never be changed for a more sig-
nificant one. A-propos of this locality—here were murdered
some years ago Scott and his wife, by poison administered
by their abandoned daughter Jane Scott; and here also,
more recently, a very respectable old person of the ilanie of
Edward Gregson was brutally murdered, by his throat having
been cut in a shocking manner, the guilty perpetrator of
which crime has never yet been discovered. But we hope
that the last black coincidence affecting this part of the town
has now been made, and that the crimes now enumerated
may be all that shall be remembered in the recollections of
the present generation, or read as historical facts by posterity.

TIIE JURY.
James Park, foreman, John Gibson, Henry Whittle, Wm
Smith, George Bateman, William Taylor, William William
son, William Pinder, Evan Hodgkinson, Thomas Akers
Robert Taylor, John Latham, Geurge Foster, John Hard.
man, Jos. ilaslem.
The following are the proceedings of the
INQUEST.
- - -

John Riley, of Preston, labourer, the first witness ex-
amined, said he lived in Preston, and was acquainted with the
deceased, who was a contractor or " ganger' on railways, he
was about 40 years of age. The deceased lodged at James
Lackey's, in Brown-street, Marsh-lane, and witness had
lodged at the house, but left it on Sunday, but was at the
house on Monday afternoon, at five o'clock, and he bad seen
the deceased receive £6 17s. from O'Marr, all in silver, for
the purpose of paying workmen, and witness saw the deceased
pay four workmen their earnings at the Bay Horse, in Pen-
wortharn, which place he left with the deceased and Michael
Lackey, about half-past five o'clock, and went to the house
of Lackey, in Brown-street, and found there James Lackey
and Julia his wife, and Patrick Lackey, there were also seve-
ral other workmen present, who wanted their wages, about
which a dispute had been raised in consequence of Mrs.
Lackey putting in a claim for provisions furnished to some
of the claimants, for which the deceased felt himself respon-
sible, and was wishful to pay. A man called "Dublin Ned"
was one of the persons in the house- Soon after witness went
to the house of Lackey, Julia Lackey went out for the
.pur-
pose, as she stated, of getting the shop bills of the articles
owing for, and on her return she brought a bill, which was
made out in so informal a manner, that the deceased refused
to acknowledge its authenticity, and then desired her to re-
turn and get it properly signed. She then turned on her
heel, and said she would have it kicked out of his body before
he left the house: and immediately afterwards James Lackey,
her husband, got up, and made use of the same expression,
and then told his brothers Michael and Patrick Lackey, to go
out and bring in a few of the boys who wanted their wages,
and then they would either kick the life out of him or the
head of him, or make him pay, and those persons, with Julia
Lackey went out, and came back in about five minutes,
bringing in with them twelve or thirteen men, but witness
did not know their names. There was then a silence for a
short time, which Julia Lackey broke by saying she would
go for another bill. Witness then sent a person for the con-
stables. The woman returned in ten or fifteen minutes,
about three minutes before the constables came in, and
brought another bill, (which he produced), but this had no
particulars in it, the amount was £2 175. 6d., the goods for
which were stated to have been had on the 9th of November.
When the two police-officers arrived, James Lackey told
them they were not wanted, but witness said they were, as
he believed that murder was about to be committed; how-
ever, the constables went away, but said they would be in the
street if wanted, and witness immediately followed them.
As soon as witness left the house he heard the lock of the
door turned, and in five minutes afterwards he heard the
screams of the deceased. There was no noise of disorder
when the police were at the house. Witness wished to get
into the house again, but the persons inside would not open
the door. James Lackey called out to know who was at
the door? which witness answered, and Lackey afterwards
added, " go to hell out of that, or I'll kick your rump too."
Witness then' walked about the street for a few minutes, and
heard the deceased screaming and calling out for mercy, and
telling the persons to mind that. Witness ran to the head of
the street, and called for the police, but could not meet with
any officer, and presently afterwards saw twelve or fourteen
men that were in the house coming from the back part of
Lackey's premises, and among them were Michael and Pa-
trick Lackey; the latter was without his hat; it was then
about eight o'clock in the evening. None of the men were
drunk. Witness did not know any of the other men.
—George Holt, constable, here produced two hats, which
witness knew, and said they belonged to Michael and Patrick
Lackey, he having seen them worn by those two persons.
A little before nine o'clock, witness went into the house,
and there found the deceased dead, and was gathered in a
lump in the corner. He saw several wounds about the head,
and there was a large quantity of blood on the floor. Witness
was quite sure that the deceased had as much as £5 in his
pocket when he went into Lackey's house, but when be
searched him after he was dead, he found no money in his
possession.
William legham, labourer, was next examined, and he
said he was at James Lackey's house on Monday evening,
about seven o'clock; there were twelve or thirteen other per-
sons present. He knew the Lackey's, but not any of the
other men. This witness then corroborated the evidence of
Riley, as to the dispute about the shop bill, and the men's
claim for their wages; and he then went on to say, that
Lackey's wife, after being refused her bill rushed towards
the deceased, and said he should pay by that bill before he
left the house, and if she had a poker she'd beat it out of
him. James Lackey also said he would have the amount
of the bill, or he would kick it out of the deceased. The de-
ceased observed that Lackey was not able to kick him, and
he in reply observed, if he could not do it himself he could

get it done. Witness saw James Lackey put his shoes on,
some time after the dispute commenced; and he also saw
Michael Lackey strip himself into his shirt, and then heard
him tell the other men to come, and he threatened the 'de-
ceased that he would take the money from him. Witness,
then, along with another man left the house, the men within
it having said that if they interfered to protect the deceased
they would punish them in the same manner. Witness saw
no blows struck. When he went back to the house, about
.eight o'clock, the deceased was dead, and the Lackeys and
the other men whom he had seen in the house had left it.

There were three other labourers sworn and questioned,
but they either could not or would not furnish any other fresh
facts.

The Coroner then said, as it was necessary; if possible, to
get other evidence, he thought the ends of justice would be
best consulted by adjourning the inquest, which he did to
Monday next, at one o'clock ►n the afternoon.
James Lackey is about 30 years of age, 5 feet 8 inches
high, of fair conuntenance. Michael Lackey, 33 years old,
5 feet 6 or 7 inches high, and is a durk looking man. Patrick
Lackey is about 22 years old, 5 feet 5 inches high, and of fair
countenance. Julia Lackey, wife of James Lackey, is about
28 years old, middle size, and good looking.