Weekly News. — 1890-09-18 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE 111NGSLAND TRAGEDY.  Alfred Hargan, an ex-soldier, was indicted at the Old Bailey on Friday, before Mr. Justice Charles, with the wilful murder of William Lambert and John Wheeler. Mr. Horace Avory and Mr. Muir prosecuted, and Mr. Geoghegan defended. In opening the case, Mr. Avory detailed the facts at considerable length, but they are of so notorious a character as to be well within public recollection. The circumstances of the case, said the learned counsel, had created a great deal of local excitement, and many disturbances and assaults had arisen out of them. In November, 1889, the prisoner obtained his discharge from a line regiment, where he had attained to the rank of Coloursergeant. On July 25th lie returned from a visit to America, and took lodgings at 5, Southgate-road. Tim tragedy occurred on July 30th, near the Waggon and Horses public-house, Kingsland. Lambert was a. carman, and a frequenter of the house, and Wheeler was a boon companion, and the former had been in trouble with the police some years ago, whilst Wheeler was such a confirmed toper that the cognomen "Half-pint, Jack," had been conferred upon him. The deceased and a man named Gray created a disturbance in the bar of the house. Gray tried to get over the bar and the others tried to steal the liquor. Mrs. Peck, the landlady, became greatly alarmed, and pointing to the prisoner, said, "I've got someone here who will protect me," and lifting the flap of the bar she let him into the bar. There !hag= produced a revolver, which he flourished and put in his pocket again. This greatly enraged deceased and their companions, and in order to allow the prisoner to escape, Mrs. Peck shoved him out through the back yard. Lambert and Wheeler attempted to follow through the bar, but Mrs. Peck pushed Lambert back and Mr. Peck ejected Wheeler. Mr. Peck saw Ilargan pass along the Hertford-road followed by Lambert, Wheeler, and another man, who cried out. "There goes the —." The second time they called alter him, the prisoner turned round and said, "Don't you follow me," and a moment or two later, when only about 10 yards separated them, the prisoner stopped, advanced towards the two men, raised his revolver, and fired three shots in rapid succession. The first shot killed Lambert on the spot, and the second or third the man Wheeler. Prisoner put the revolver back in his pocket and walked away, with the expression, referring to the ' dead men who were lying in the roadway, "Lie down dead, vou—." Several persons followed the prisoner an endeavoured to arrest him, but he threatened to shoot them if they touched him. Ultimately a person seized the prisoner from behind, pinioning his anns behind his back, and he was then handed over to the police. On the way to the station prisoner was attacked by an infuriated mob, and he seems to have sustained serious injuries at their hands. Prima facie the case was murder; but of the prisoner could satisfy the jury that he only acted in self-defence, then the crime was reduced to one of manslaughter—Mr. Peck, in the course of his evidence, said the deceased men had behaved in a riotous and disgracetul manner nearly the whole of the day. When Lambert, Wheeler, and Jones followed the prisoner,the latter several times cautioned them not to follow him, and witness thought he fired the first shot in the air, by way of a weeping. Mr. Gimghegan, for the defence, argued that what the prisoner did was done in selfdefence. Jones had threatened to shoot Mr. Peck's head off, and one ot the men was heard to talk about making for the soldier; he also enlarged upon the dangerous character of the neighbourhood. —His lordship then summed up, and the jury returned a verdict of manslaughter; and Mr. Justice Charles sentenced the prisoner to 20 years' penal servitude.  The Scientific American publishes an interesting account of a full-grown bull which has two mouths. With the exception of this departure from recognised rules of being, the bull is said to be a handsome animal. well formed, and dapple-grey in colour. The mouth, which is where one would generally expect to find a mouth in a bull, is of normal size. and contains two full sets of teeth, but no liquid ever passes between them. The other mouth (which is used for drinking purposes) is :about Sin. is diameter, and is situated directly under the neck, about half-way between the head and shoulders. How convenient !  A Stewartstown correspondent reports the suicide of a lady, Miss Araminta Hyde, who was not of strong mind, and has been much depressed in consequence of the loss of £7OO in foreign stocks. She walked to Ardpatrick Lough, in the vicinity of her residence, and threw herself in. By the death of Sir William Raillie of Polkemmet. Linlithgowshire, without issue, another baronetcy falls to an Australian colonist. This is Mr., now Sir lieorge, Billie, of Ognez. Toorak, near Melbourne, second brother of the deceased, who will thus complete the quartette of Victorian baronets, namely: Sir William Clarke, Sir Bryan O'Loghlen (brother of tly late Sir Coleman O'Loghlen), and Sir Arthur Nicolsom This, too, in what Sir Charles Dilke calls the. most democratic" of the Australian Colonies  "The Cloister Life of Charles V." and a voltune of "Miscellanies" will be published in the spring. Many alterations and editions by tie author are incorporated in this new edition, and the illustra:ions are chosen from a number collected by him for the purpose. • The well-known publishing firm of Messrs. W. and it. Chambers has, following the prevailing fashion, resolved itself into a limited liability compimy. The shares were not offered for public subscription, but were entirely taken up by the existing partners and Wee employed in the business.