Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1862-04-04 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

TEE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.—A deputation waited upon Sir George Lewis, at the War Office, on Friday, for the purpose of representing the advantages of a royal commission to inquire into the present state of the volunteer force, and her Majesty's Government have consented to issue a commission for that purpose. The deputation was the result of a resolution unanimously agreed to at a meeting of members of both Houses of Parliament, held on Tuesday, in one of the committee-rooms of the House of Commons.  Mr Peabody, the eminent American merchant, has just made a splendid donation to the poor of this metropolis, which may well put many of our own merchant princes to shame. After 25 years residence amongst us he has been moved to devote the sum of £:50.000 for the benefit of the poor of London, the only condition he has imposed on the trustees of his charity being that no religious or political opinion shall avail to exclude from his bounty. Another recommendation, rather than condition, is, that the money might be spent in providing better house accommodation for the poor. The trustees are—the American Minister for the time being, Lord Stanley, Sir James Emerson 'ferment, Mr Lanipson, and Mr Peabody's business partner, Mr Morgan. We trust Mr Peabody may set the fashion of wealthy men distributing their charities in their own life-time. .Nlr. John Thomas, the well-known sculptor and artist, has offered to erect in Stroud, as a memorial to the late Prince Consort, either a colossal bust with drinking fountains, or a full-length statue surmounted on a pedestal, to be executed in Sicilian marble, on condition that the town will find some suitable place for its erection, and contribute a portion of the funds necessary to complete it. Mr. Thomas had the distinguished honour of personal intercourse with his Royal Highness for many years, and has designed and executed some choice specimens of art under the Prince's guidance at Balmoral and Windsor Castle.— This artist was in early life a ragged boy, working in a stone quarry near Stroud, Gloucestershire, for his daily bread. His execution of the statues and embellishments for the new parliament houses first brought him into notice. We trust the inhabitants of his native town will accept the handsome offer that he has made them.  SHOCKING MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SUlclos.—Soon after the opening of the Marylebone Police-court, on Saturday last, a constable of the S division made known to Mr. Mansfield, the fact of a young man having, at six o'clock that morning, murdered a young woman named Bettel, by shooting her through the neck with a gun, and thereby causing her instant death. He atterwarde shot himself in the head, and blew off the left jaw, as also a greater portion of his cheek. The constable, who had heard the report, rushed instantly to the spot, and found the man, whose name has not yet been ascertained, lying in a pool of blood, with the gun, a double-barrelled one, by his side, and on a question being put to him by the officer, he replied in a faint voice, I could not help it." The shocking oecurrence took place near the Adam and Eve, Mill-hill, Hendon. It appears the parties were sweethearts, and resided next door to each other, in cottages adjacent to the public-house alluded to. The murdered young woman was conveyed to her own home, and the man himself was taken to Middlesex Hospital, where, from the frightful nature of his injuries, he remains without the slightest chance of recovery. _ _  _