The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-09-05 00:00:00

TTING AT TATTERSALL'S—This DAY,

LEAMINGTON STAKES.-7 to 2 agst Baalbec, off; Bto
1 agst Pantomime ; 12 to 1 agst Amalgamation ; 12 to 1
a,gst Lurley ; 12 to 1 agst Hungerford
ST. LEGEE

-100 to 45 agetßoiardo, tk ; 5 to 1 agst
Trapper, tk and off; 7 to 1 apt Acrobat, tk ; 40 to 1 agst
Hannibal, tk.

CESAILEWI TcH.-30 to 1 agst Burlington, tk; 30 to 1
Tat Poodle; 30 to 1 agst Star of Surrey; 4D to 1 apt
; 60 to 1 agst Barrel.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE.-33 to 1 agst Burlington; 38 to /
agst Monie Moses; 50 to 1 agst Barrel, tk.
DERBY.-33 to 1 agst De Clare.

LIVERPOOL GUARDIAN SOCIETY,

--♦--

A special general meeting of the Liverpool Guar
Society was held last night in the Hall, Hackin's-hey

31`Millan. The meeting

The chair was occupied by Mr
was well attended.
The first business was the consideration of certain
alterations proposed to be made in the rules of the society.
These embraced chiefly verbal changes, calculated to en-
sure the more ready working of the society. The chief
alteration consisted in the appointment of two new office-
bearers, namely, a solicitor and a banker. The proposed
alterations having been read seriatim, and in that manner
put from the chair, they were unanimously adopted.

TUE PRICE OF GAS.

The CHAIRMAN said, the next business which would
come under the notice of the meeting was the pro-
ceedings adopted by the society in reference to the price
of gas. This, as the meeting was well aware, was a sub-
ject which had been frequently before the committee of
the society, which had appointed a sub-commiteee to con-
fer with the directors of the Gas Company. He con-

ed by calling on

The SECRETARY, who read the report of the sub-com-
mittee, which detailed in general terms the nature of the
conference. It complained that no reduction in the price
of gas had been made or intimated by the company,
although a reduction had been promised. The sub-com-
mittee also complained that economy was not observed
by the company in furnishing gas ; and likewise of the
amount charged as metre-rent. The secretary then read
the report adopted by the Gas Company at the annual
meeting held last month.

Mr. flouGn remarked that the Gas Company had not
treated the Guardian Society in a proper manner, as no
notice had been taken of the repeated remonstrances of
the society. In these circumstances, it was, he considered,

perfectly justifiable to take steps for the omanisation of
new company. He felt assured that the proposed reduc-
-4* sixpence per thousand feet, now promised by the
Company, had been wrung from it by the threat
ival company. He expressed his concurrence in the
emendation of the committee, which, expressing its
satisfaction with the report adopted by the Gas Com-

pang, r
Mr.

iety of supporting a new company.
moved the adoption of a resolution,
isfaction with the Gas Company;s report,

ised thew

SII3iME

expressing dissat

given to a new company, which he understood was about

to be started.

The motion was seconded and unanimously agreed to,

Mr. Mynas, in answer to a question, stated that he
understood, from inquiry, that, paying a return of 7f per
cent. on the capital employed, with a consumption similar
to that of the Liverpool Gas Company, gas could be sold
at 2s. 90. per thousand cubic feet, and that, with a return
of 5 per cent., it might be sold at 2s. sd. per thousand.
In fact, he believed that at Bolton gas was actually far.
nished at 3s. per thousand cubic feet.
Mr. C. CALMS moved that the thanks of the meeting
be given to the chairman and committee, for their dili-
gence and attention in relation to this matter.
The motion was carried by acclamation, and the meet-

ing separated.

DISTRESSING

TRAGEDY

AT OXTON."4

MURDER OI

A POLICEMAN

A melancholy instance of the evil effects arising from
an inefficient restraint upon the physical powers of luna-
tics, when they have apparently recovered their reason,
occurred yesterday morning, at Oxton, near Birkenhead,
which resulted in the death of a police-conslable, and

caused considerable consternation in the neighbourhood.
Near the Talbot Inn, Oxton, a retired.gamekeeper, named
William Knowles, aged 57, formerly in the employ of Mr.
Price, the lord of the manor of Birkenhead, has for some
time resided with his family, but it is said he has been

twice placed in confinement in a lunatic asylum. He ha.
latterly,however, apparently recoveredhis reason, although,
as in most cases of this description, has been subject to
occasional fits of temporary derangement. On Sunday
pcfp.....pm, he hnri hpen nut with igninA friends_ nue of

retnrne

home v

ith him in the evening,

Knowles's son, seeing that his father's malady was about
to afflict him, asked the friend to remain in the house
with his father all. night, to which request the friend

teeded. About two o'clOck yesterday r

ing, the father's
hat violent, the

friend with his turbulent father. Daring the early part
of the morning he was sometimes worse and sometimes
better, but about five o'clock the violent symptoms having
somewhat abated, the son and friend went down stairs to
take some refreshment, leaving Matthews with Knowles
in the bed-room. The latter asked Matthews to go into
the parlour, whither he proceeded, followed by Matthews,

opened door, when he saw Knowles walk to a cupboard
where he kept his

buble-barrelled gun

from the cupboard, when
the kite!

ithews called the son up from
whether that 'gun was loaded

and as

the breast of the policeman, the shots taking with them a
portion of his clothes into the wound. The gun was
loaded with shot about No. 4—usually fired by sportsmen

—and the deceased being so near to-the maniac when he
fired, they• had no chance to spread, but made a wound
which caused almost instantaneous death. Matthews had
just time to articulate,—" I am a dead man; go for Doctor
Gordon." He then staggered to the yard, but the instant
that he got into the air, he drew one long breath, and

then fell to the ground a corpse.
Knowles has always been on the best terms with Mat-
thews, therefore could not have been actuated by any ill-
feeling to murder him.
Matthews has been on duty, at Oxton, nine or ten years,
and was much respected. He formerly belonged to the
Liverpool police force. He has left a wife and five or six
children to deplore his loss.
Knowles was brought before the magistrates, at the
Birkenhead Police-court, yesterday morning, and some of
the evidence was gone into; but, ultimately, the magis-
trates thought it advisable to remand him until a Coroner's
inquest had been held upon the body.

:Much sympathy is felt for the' bereaved widow and
family of the constable, and it is hoped that something
substantial will be done for their benefit.

MUSIC AND TYE DRAMA

.....,141,1••••••,,P.1.11.I.I.a.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERI.—At the Theatre Royal, Wil"
liamson-square,e,the first of a series of five operas was per-
formed last night. The piece selected for the opening was
Bellini's favourite opera of " Norma." • .The part of Norma
was ably sustained by Mad'lle.Cruvelli, the other characters
being also charmingly filled by Mad'lle Marai,
Albini, Signor Tamberlik and Signors Santi and Taglia.
fico. The house was filled by a fashionable audience, who
expressed their approbation of the performances by mu.
murs of applause. and occasional outbursts of delighted
emotion. The chorus is very effective, and gave evidence
of good drill, and , the- orchestra was in admirable trim,
well in hand and obedient to their leader. During the
week we are to have in succession the operas of " ErnanWL
(this evening) "La Sonnambula,! " Fidelio," and
" Otello '-" a more enticing musical treat was never of-
fered in Liverpool.
pr e
er 0
si alhetsh,e eat r e
AT THE ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE,' the united talents
of the London Adelphi company contbiynnwehticohattthreayethanaved
to deserve good houses. During: the past week they have
repeated most of the favourite Pieces
gained celebrity in the metropolis, and produced much
,grrahitsifiecvaetnioz
he performed, and in course of the week other attractive
dramas will be repeated. f?
hthereefaayso‘ivierillteaspbry ootfh7
1~l

A .PERSON in want of a situation, inquired of a rather
stupid-looking individnatif •be Would inform him of one,
and, upimi answpFing rather gruffly in the
,negative, he
remarked that, from the look of his face, he thought he
might know of a YLIC4IIcy.