The Sun. — 1836-09-15 (London, England)

THE MURDER AT WOODHOUSE, LINCOLN. An inquest was held on Monday last, at Woodhouse, before Mr. John Gregory, on the body of Thomas Burtou. James Angrave examined :—I, Wm. Johnson, Thomas Biggs, and deceased, were mowing in a field of barley belonging to my father on Saturday, Sept. 2, and after we had partaken of bread and cheese and ale together, John said he wanted more ale, it well smokingthatl a have comepipe. backe as There, you may and would go and fetch some. I advised him not to do so, but H to go on with his work ; he, however, went, and after an hour's said, absence, returned quitethink tipsy, have—you are such a d—d fellow for work." He then attempted t o mow, a o d continued, though quite tipsy, during hoaufrtse,r dtuhri isn,gonwiis hiichcohmeindarannekathr wherereehorlewsamsoreof a mowing, finding that lie was still very tipsy, and using his scythe ale. arl Shortly very unskilfully, I told him to stand back. Immediately after I heard him say to Biggs (a youth of 17) " Mow it up clean," to which Biggs replied, " You don't point your's so well." In a moment Johnson flew at Biggs, knocked hag down, and throwing himself upon him said. " I)—n your eyes I I'll do you now !" Deceased went up to them, and, trying to pull Johnson off, was pulled down by him close to Biggs, when Johnson, who was a powerful man, beat them both most violently about the head and face. Being afraid he would have killed them, I rot►t up and struck Johnson on the head with the scythestick; I then pulled him off Biggs, and held him down. On his promising to behave well, I let him get up, but, as soon as he was up, he sprang towards Biggs's scythe, seized it, and immediately struck deceased with it again with all his might on the back of his left thigh. Burton said, " Will, you have killed me ; I shall die l" He got up and walked to the hedge sick, where lie fell, the blood flowing in a stream. I said to Johnson, " You've killed Burton." He replied, " D—n you I I'll do for you al!, or else I'll fetch my brother Harry and kill you all together." Johnson then struck at me with the scythe, which would have cut both my legs had not Biggs laid hold of his arms. Biggs let to of him and ran away. lie immediately struck at me with the scythe, but I at the same moment struck him on the head, which knocked him down, and in falling he drew the scythe across my hip, which inflicted a wound in the flesh. Johnson lived with my father some time since last Martlernas, and, when sober, was a good workman, and conducted himself with propriety, but when drunk, quarrelsome and revengeful. Verdict—. Wilful murder against William Johnson."—Lincoln Gazette. The Tories have lately been at considerable pains to get up an agitation in different parts of the country, among the working. classes. It is remarkable, however, that they never venture to call a public meeting, for the discussion of any p olirical question of interest. They collect at the most two or three hundred persons in a room ; the ale and tobacco circulate, and sometimes a dinner is provided. There are only one or to o topics on which the Tory orators at these meetings venture to be eloquent—the cruelty of the New Poor Law, which, supposing to be had, they dishonestly attribute to the Whigs alone.—and abuse of 111 r. O'Connell. This is the mode in which the Tories play their favourite game of humbuy,