The Sun. — 1865-12-20 (London, England)

CONVICTION FOR SHOOTING A SISTER.--At the Stafford assizes on Monday, before Mr. Justice Keating, George Taverner, a young man about 21 years old, was indicted for shooting his sister, Ellen Tavernor, at Baswich, on the 15th of September last, with intent to murder her. On the afternoon of the day named the prisoner 01110 home in a state of intoxication, quarrelled with his mother, and when she left the house in terror, followed her with a loaded double-barrelled gun. The prisoner's sister, Ellen, was walking out with a gentleman named Leybourno, and the prisoner on being spoken to by them threatened to shoot both. Miss Tavernor turned to go away, when the prisoner fired off both barrels in rapid succession, and the young lady fell to the ground, so severely wounded in her back and legs that she had to be carried home, where she remained a considerable time under medical treatment. The prisoner, when appreheneded, expressed his sorrow for what he had done, and wished it had been his mother instead of his sister. The jury returned a verdict of guilty of unlawfully wounding. The prisoner was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment.  - . A meeting of the magistrates of Gloucestershire, convened by the Lord-Lieutenant (Earl Ducie), was held yesterday afternoon in the Shire-hall, to consider the powers vested in the local authorities by the Orders in Council, and to decide what further steps should be taken to prevent the spread of the cattle plague. Earl Ducie presided, and there were also present the Earl of Ellenborough, Sir G. Jenkinson, Sir J. Campbell, Sir W. Guise, Rev. Sir L. Darell, Col. Kingscote, C. 8., M.P., Mr. E. Holland, M.P., Mr. York, M.P., Mr. C. Hayward, the county chairman, and a large number of other magistrates. Earl Ducie sketched the history of the cattle plague, and pointed out the prohibitive arrangements which were carried out when the cattle plague visited this country in 1746, showing that only by strict isolation and the stoppage of all cattle transit could the disease be eradicated, and he urged the necessity of combined action with. that view at the present time. He recommended the continued prohibition of the holding of the markets and fairs until March 1, 1866. Mr. C. Hayward proposed a resolution embodying the provisions of the 16th clause of the Order in Council of November prohibiting the removal of cattle. This was seconded by Col. Kingscote, and adopted. A long discussion then took place as to how the 17th and 18th clauses of the Order should be put in force. It was proposed that there should be the signature of two magistrates or of two members of the County Cattle Plague Association, or two persons nominated by the magistrates residing in the district, to the certificate of removal of fat cattle. This was negatived by a majority of one vote. Mr. Holland then proposed a resolution, urging the Government to take upon itself more stringent measures for the suppression of the cattle plague. He remarked that the agriculturists and the public were prepared to make any sacrifice to stop the plague, provided the prohibitive measures were made uniform. Sir G. Jenkinson seconded this, and it was agreed to. Lord Ducie was requested to forward the resolutions to the Home Secretary.