The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-08-04 00:00:00

MURDER AND HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

A most diabolical murder has been committed on a respec-
table man named John Coulton, of Haigh, near Wigan, an
underlooker at the collieries of the Earl of Balcarres. The
unfortunate victim resided at Red Rock-bridge, in Haigh. He
had been to Wigan, and was rather intoxicated, on Saturday
afternoon. At twelve o'clock at night he passed through the
toll-gate on his way home. The wife of the collector, after
she had let the deceased through the gate, retired up stairs
to bed, when she distinctly heard the firing of a pistol or gun,
but she took no further notice of it, as it is not unusual to
hear similar noises at all times of the night in that neighbour-
hood, in consequence of its contiguity to Haigh Foundry and
Brock Mill.

At about five o'clock in the morning, as a man was going
from Wigan in the direction of Standish, he discovered poor
Conßon:lying on the right-hand side of the road, about 160
yards from the turnpike, and between it and the railway-
bridge. He was still bleeding from a wound under the ear,
and quite insensible. He had been shot, and some slugs were
extracted. He languished until Wednesday night, about 7
o'clock, when he died.
The horse on which poor Coulton was riding at the time
he was shot, it is supposed, had galloped off in a fright when
it lost its master from its back, as it was found in Standish
on the morning of the murder.
There can be no doubt but that the man was pulled from
his horse, robbed of his money and watch, and in order to
effect their purpose the midnight assassin shot at and other-
wise abused him. A reward of £2O was yesterday offered
for the apprehension and conviction of the guilty parties ;
but notwithstanding all the assistance of Mr. Whittle, the
chief constable, and two of his officers, Heath and Smith,
who have been actively engaged in making enquiries, no one
has yet been taken into custody, although we anticipate from
the enterprising exertions of our police that the bloodthirsty
villains will be brought to justice.—Wigan Gazette.

GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY-.EXTRAORDI
NARY DESPATCH.

On Wednesday last, on the occasion of the return of the
Queen Dowager from Lancaster, a special train was provided
for the conveyance of her Majesty and suite, from Lancaster
to Parkaide, by the Lancaster and Preston and North Union
Railway Companies, and thence to Stafford (being the nearest
point to Alton Towers, the seat of the Earl of Shrewsbury,
which was her Majesty's destination), by the Grand Junction
Railway Company. The train, consisting of three railway
carriages, one of which had been handsomely fitted up.by the
London and Birmingham Company for her Majesty's use,
and five private carriages on trucks, making eight in all.
Started from Lancaster at .
Arrived at Preston Station llh. 15m.
Stopped there
And on the Viaduct over the I
Ribble Valley .

Time at Preston .
Arrived at Parkside
where it was attached to an engine of the Grand Junction
Railway.
The latter part of the journey, viz., from Newton Junction
to Stafford, a distance of fifly-four miles, was performed,
exclusive of a stoppage of five minutes, at Crewe, for water,
in one hour and thirty-one minutes, or at the rate of upwards
of thirty-five-and-a-half miles per hour. Her Majesty, on
her arrival at Stafford, personally expressed to Captain
Cleather, the manager of the Grand Junction Company, who
was in attendance, her satisfaction at the rapidity of the pas-
sage and the uncommon smoothness of the line. The
engine, the Vandal, on its return, brought back from
Birmingham a train occupied by the directors and chief
officers of the company, who had been inspecting the line,
and holding a board at Birmingham on that day. It left
Birmingham at 630 p.m., and arrived at Edgehill at 9'2 p.m.,
having made three stoppages of five, four, and three minutes
thus running the distance in two hours and thirty-two
minutes, or at' the rate of thirty-eight miles an hour, inclu-
ding stoppages, or forty-one miles an hour, exclusive of them.
This is believed to be the most remarkable performance, for
a continued distance of this extent, that has yet taken place
in this or on any other railway in the kingdom. This en-
gine, in both its trips, was under the direction of Mr.
Buddicom, the superintendent of the locomotive department
of the company.

THE NEWSPAPER PRESS.—The increase in the circula-
tion of London newspapers, since the reduction of the stamp
duty, has been annually 9,885,943, or 47 per cent. on the
previous circulation. The increase in the English provincials
has been 11,370,452, or 137 per cent.; Scotch, 1,320,006, or
49 per cent.; and Irish, 364,452, or 7 per cent. on former
circulation:

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THE MERCURY'S GRAMMAR.