The Sun. — 1857-10-05 (London, England)

MAJOR GEORGE POWELL THOMAS.—We regret to have to record the death of Major George Powell Thomas, of the 3.1 European Regiments Toe decease(' was seriously indisposed the day before the battle of Agra on the sth of July, when he so gallantly conemended and led on five companies of his regiment. Its this action he was severely wounded in the foot, and his horse also receiving three bullets fell over and upon him, thereby injuring his head, from the effects of which he never rallied, but lingered on amid severe suffering until the 4th of August, when he expired in the fort of Agra.. Major George Powell Thomas served with great distinction in Affghanistan under General Sir George Pollock, K.C.8., where he commanded a corps of Jezeilchees, and, being at home on sick leave on the breaking out A the war with Russia, he applied for and obtained the command of a regiment in the Turkish Contingent under General Vivian, on which occasion the Queen conferre d upon him the local rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in Teekey ; be', being desirous of more active employment, he volunteered to proceed to the Crimea, and was present set the fall of Sebastopol, far which he received the Crimean medal, to add to the other decorations he had already won in the service of his country. He was known as an author -and artist of considerable merit, having published a volume of poems which were very favourably noticed both here and in India. He was also a first rate linguist, while his sketches of the Himalayas are perhaps the most magnificent productions of the kind that have been published. Major George Powell Thomas was a son of the late Major-General Lewin Thomas, C. 8., whose services in India are too well known to require comment. SHOOTING AT A CLERGYMAN IN THE PULTlT.—Considerable excitement prevailed at the magistrates' meeting at Frame, in consequence of a man, named Joseph Ashman, being charged with having discharged a gun at the Rev. G. A. Mahon, while he was engaged in the performance of Divine service in the parish church of Leigh, on Sunday. The sitting magistrates were W. F. Knatchbull, NI P., Dr. Harrison, and N. Barton, Eq., and the court was much crowded. It appeared from the evidence of the Rev. G. A. Mahon and other witnesses, that at about 7 in the evening of Sunday. he was in the pulpit engaged in preaching a sermon, wemo the sudden report of a gun was heard on the northe snid of the church, fed wed instantaneously by the aswng of glass in the north window. The minister was observuit t to fall back againet the column of the pulpit ast of unconsciousness, and his face and surplice were instantly covered with blood. As may be supposed, the utmost consternation and alarm was produced—women screamed and fainted, many rushed from the church, whilst others hastened to the help of the clergyman, whom everybody thought had been murdered. Mr. Mahon bad been struck by the charge and partially stunned, but it was soon ascertained that the greater part of the blood must have been discharged from the gur, and that the or ly wound he lead received was from a fragment of the' glass which was still st:ckir g into the comer of his eye, and was removed by one of the congregation. The inquiries instituted by he police caused very strong suspicion to fall on the prisoner, who vas arrested. Evidence to fix that suspicion upon him having been adduced, the ma- t gistrates remanded the prisoner to Shepton Mallet-gaol,