The Sun. — 1860-05-31 (London, England)

SHOCKING MURDER 4. ATTEIHIED SUICIDE.  A shocking murder took place at Washington (Sussex) on Monday evening, Mr. Samuel Rowland, landlord of the Star Inn at Ashington, and who was well known and much respected in the surrounding locality, having been shot dead by Peter Dudeney, a man who rented a cottage and some land at Washington, Immediately after committing the horrid act the murderer attempted to hang himself in a plantation which adjoins his house; but he was discovered and cut down before life was extinct, and was taken to the lock-up at Steyning. It appears that the cause which incited the murderer to the dreadful act is not very apparent. Dudeney is a married man, and has a family of two children ; but his wife, who is described as being a powerful woman, has for the last three years been afflicted with insanity. This seems to have preyed upon Dudeney's mind, and also to have considerably straitened his circumstances, as his wife being at times very violent had to be constantly watched, and he had to employ assistance for this purpose in order that he might be enabled to follow his usual employment. This, with other expenses, which were necessitated in consequence of his wife's malady, caused him to be a good deal behind in paying the rent of his cottage, which belonged to his father-inlaw, Mr. Peter Wells. Dudeney also rented a piece of meadow land adjoining the cottage, and on this he kept two cows. For some time past the friends of his wife have helped him a great deal, but we hear there has been much unpleasantness amongst the relatives ; particularly between Dudeney and his father-in-law. The latter, so report says, wished to get possession of the cottage and premises ; and we hear that on Monday most of the parties concerned had been to Storrington, where an arrangement was come to that Dudeney should give up the cottage, garden, and meadow at once, that Mr. Wells should take his two cows in liquidation of all claim against him, Mr. Wells undertaking, as we also hear, to provide another house for Dudeney, and to pay the rent of it so long as his wife lived. Mr. Rowland, the unfortunate deceased, had, it appears, been at Storrington with the parties, and, with a bricklayer, named Tidey, had assisted in concluding the arrangement. After all had been arranged these two persons seem to have proceeded to Dudeney's cottage to see about the removal of the cows, and it is supposed that while they were there Mr. Rowland must have used some expression to exasperate Dudeney, who shot him dead upon the spot. It is thought, inconsequence of the wrangling which has taken place and some threats which Dudeney has been heard to make, that he has kept the gun loaded in his cottage for Aome time past. It has been remarked of late that his conduct has been rather strange. On the following afternoon an inquest was held at the Frankland Arms, Washington, before R. Blagden, Esq., the coroner for West Sussex, when the jury promptly returned a verdict of wilful murder. As may naturally be supposed, the sad affair has caused the greatest sensation in Ashington and Washington. Rowland was a man generally respected, what is termed " a good•hearted pleasant fellow." He was about 37 years of age, and leaves a wife and one child, only about three years of age. Doubtless his friendship with Wells, the father-inlaw, and his presence on the spot, very much excited Dudeney, who, until lately, had been looked upon as a quiet, inoffensive man, but whose threats against more than the deceased the day previous, show a wicked disposition. The wife was removed on Tuesday morning to a lunatic asylum, and it is believed that the children of the prisoner will be provided for by the grandfather. The prisoner was, under the warrant of the curoner, committed to Petworth gaol.  llolloway's Pills.— Disordered Stomach. Whenever the stomach fails faithfully to perform its functions, indigestion is produced, the issue of which is uncertain. The food, atter passing undigested through the sluggish stomach, irritates the bowels and sets up diarrinea, which probably relieves the sufferer for a time. To rectify the disordered digestion, and check the first morbid symptoms, nothing previously prescribed equals Holloway's Digestive Pills, which in some cases should be assisted by his Ointment rubbed over the stomach and right side perseveringly for ten minutes twice a-day. The united action of these remedies over stomach, liver, and bowels is immediate, beneficial, and lasting ; they restore order and ease and simultaneously return the MN and come inenees of the tliseaee.