The Sun. — 1840-04-30 (London, England)

POLICEMAN MURDERED AND ANOTHER DANGEROUSLY WOUNDED.  (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) Huddersfield, April 29  A horrible circumstance occurred in this town S'osterday, which has caused excessive excitement. I will detail the matter as briefly as possible : A gardener of the name of Tait, who recently resided with Rawson, Esq., of Halifax, originally from the highlands of Scotland, was in Huddersfield yesterday, and, going up to a florist's stall, inquired the price of a shrub; on being told eighteen-pence, " Will you not take twopence?" replied he. In banter, the owner said " Yes." Tait threw down twopence, seized the plant, and walked off with it. The florist pursued him, and, finding be persisted in retaining it, he called the policeman, Duke, to his aid, aid directed him to be secured for purloining the plant. He resisted the policeman, who had to call others to assist, and with great difficulty lodged him in the lock-up. On being put into one of the cells, he was searched, but, unfortunately for after events, not very minutely ; however, a knife was secured, and he was lett to his reflections. We have only three policemen (Duke, Danson, and Dalton) in this borough, and it had required their united efforts to lodge him in security. The lockup is situated in the rear of Duke's house, and the usual access to it is through the house. They had not left him many minutes, and were talking together, when they heard the prisoner making a great noise, so much so that they returned to see the cause of the hubbub. Duke, unlocking the door, threw it wide open, at the same time sa)ing, " What is all this noise about ?" " I'll let you sec," replied Tait, " you damned --." He sprung forward at the same instant, and plunged a pruning-knife into his body. The attack being so sudden, and Duke taken by surprise, he had not the least chance of either warding cit. or avoiding the blow ; he stepped back, and endeavoured to get away from him, but the prisoner pursued and cut at him as a gardener prunes a tree, that is to say, upwards, Danson and Dalton endeavouring in vain to seize him. Very soon Duke fell, and Danson got hold of him; the prisoner immediately assaulted him in the same savage manner, and, in an incredibly short time, inflicted nine severe wounds on his head, body, and thighs. All the policemen were unarmed, with the exception of Dalton, and he had only his pocket-staff. When this butchering commenced, he drew it out of his pocket, but never bait an opportunity of using it till all the mischief I have now related had occurred ; however, lie now planted a blow on the hand or arm of Tait, and the fatal knife fell harmless; with another blow he brought the savage to the ground ; the doors of the prison yard were thrown open, assistance front the market people procured, and the murderer was secured. Mr. Wrigley, surgeon, arriving immediately, and attending first to Duke, found him deluged in his own blood ; a frightful wound within the thigh had divided the femoral artery, and he was ev'.dently fast sinking ; no skill could save him ; he was dead in fifteen or twenty minutes. Danson was sent to the e Infirmary, and great fears are entertained for. him. e inquest on Duke has been held this morning, and the Jury's verdict is " Wilful murder." It is remarkable that Duke and Danson were tall, powerful, big men, weighing from fourteen to sixteen stone each, while Dalton, a mere boy to look at, weighs only nine stone. Duke has left a widow, but fortunately no family ; he came from Hull to be chief policeman in this town about eight years ago. It is said the prisoner resides at Halifax, s\ here he has a wife and two children to lament the consequences of his furious passions.