The Sun. — 1844-12-19 (London, England)

MURDER IN LIVERPOOL—About two o'clock on Sunday morning last, two police-officers, named Fairclough (78), and Price (88), were on duty in Toxteth Park, and went into a brothel for the purpose of suppressing a disturbance among the inmates. After they had succeeded in their object, and when they were again going on duty on their respective beats, a fellow, named William Jones, followed them from the brothel into Whitfield-street, where he made a fierce attack upon both with a large poker which he brought from the house. Fairclough closed with him and attempted to wrench the poker from his grasp, but in the attempt the ruffian struck him a blow with that deadly instrument which fractured his skull, caused the brains to protrude through the opening, and laid him senseless at his feet. Price, in endeavouring to render assistance to his companion, also received a blow of the poker, which knocked off a part of the bone immediately above his right eye-brow ; but he was enabled to call for assistance, and to point out to the officers, who speedily arrived, the brothel to which Jones had returned after inflicting the blows. The door of the place was instantly broken open, and the fellow was arrested and taken off to bridewell. Fairclough was conveyed to the Southern Hospital, where he died yesterday. The prisoner has been brought before Mr. Rushton, and will be committed for trial to-day, on a charge of wilful murder. —Liverpool Albion. DREADFUL FIRES AT LYME REGlS.—lntelligence was recived in the course of yesterday at the several fire insurance-offices in the metropolis, of two most destructive fires having taken place at Lyme Regis on Sunday night, occasioning a serious loss of property. The outbreak happened between 11 and 12 o'clock, when on the alarm being raised it was found to have originated in an uninhabited house in Church-street, and from circumstances which have since transpired, it is tuo sadly feared that it must hare been the work of some incendiary. Owing to the roof of the building being thatched, like most of the rest in the town, and a strong S.E. wind blowing at the time, the flames raged with extreme fury, and fired the adjoining houses. The engines stationed in the borough were quickly drawn to the spot, and as promptly got into active operation ; but so firm a hold had the destructive clement of the property, that before it could be in any way mastered, four of the adjacent houses had fallen a sacrifice. One of them was tenanted by a man of the name of Lynn, the oldest person in the town, who being bedridden, it was generally supposed that ho had perished amidst the flames. It was, however, afterwards ascertained that he had been carried out of the burning building. Scarcely had the inhabitants recovered from their alarm before they were again startled by the bursting forth of another fire in the same street, about 60 yards higher up, on the opposite side of the way, at a house in the occupation of a Mr. Garland. The firemen and their engines were almost immediately in attendance, and notwithstanding the most strenuous exertions on their part, they were unable to stay the progress of the flames until three buildings, in addition to the one tenanted by Mr. Garland, were destroyed. This second calamity is also said to have .been caused by some miscreant intentionally. The town during the summer was visited by a fire which consumed the Custom-house and upwards of 40 houses. THE PATRONAGE Or