The Sun. — 1854-03-21 (London, England)

THE PARIS BOURSE.—The final q u otation s from the Paris Bourse yesterday evening showed a further fall of nearly a-half per cent. The letters describe a slight improvement in the rate of exchange on London, and it is believed that the heavy remittances of gold from this side will now in a great degree be checked. The amount taken from the Bank of England was again about 50,0001. The whole of the gold brought by the Sydney steamer will, of course, be sent, as it gives a slight advantage over that obtained from the Bank. [AnvEansEmExT.]—The Earl of Aldborough and Holloway's Pills.—An astounding cure by this miraculous medicine after every other means had failed. See extract from his lordship's fetter, dated " Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21, 1845. To Professor Holloway. Sir—l beg to acquaint you that your pills have effected a cure of a disorder in my liver and stomach, which all the most eminent of the faculty at home and All over the Continent had not been able to effect—nay, not even the waters of Carlsbad or Marienbad. (Signed) Aldborough." These wonderful pills will cure any disorders of the liver or stomach.—Sold (also Holloway's ointment) at Prosessor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London, and by 'all medicine-vendors throughout the world,  MURDKR AND SiTIPIDN AT  BIRM I:‘ Gil A3l.  BIRMINGHAM, Saturday.—Munler and suicide seem to have become epidemic in this locality. Within the last few days three persons have been murdered, and the life of another is placed in imminent peril. Scarcely had the excitement caused by these occurrences subsided, when the public were shocked by rumours of a still more sad and frightful tragedy, which was unfortunately too well founded.  The scene of this second murder and suicide is in Lister-square, G; eat Lister-street—a small court of houses situated near St. Matthew's Church. In one of these houses resided Mrs. Speak, the widow of a band master, who died while with his regiment in Gibraltar some time ago. Her son, Samuel Speak, a youth of little more than 20 years of age, resided with her—both, in fact, living with her brothers, Messrs. John and Thomas Dodd. It was this poor woman and her son who were almost instantaneously hurried into eternity yesterday morning. II t appears that the youth Speak got up very early and went to his cousin, John Dodd, a pistol finisher, employed at Mr. Dineley's Whittal-street. While there he produced a pistol which he had borrowed from a companion on the previous day while they were out shooting about Aston, and wished to cast some bullets in a mould. He found, however, that the mould would not fit the pistol—an ordinary pocket pistol—and thereupon he cut up some lead into slugs and went away, saying, " Now I'll go and have a good shot; there is some good waste ground near our house. Nothing particular was observed about him then, and shortly afterwards he arrived at home. There he had breakfast with his mother, one of his uncles, a niece, and his grandmother, and everything went on as usual. At length Mr. J. Dodd went to work (Mr. T. Dodd, having a rheumatic affection, was lying ill in bed in the attic). His grandmother then went out, after he had assured her he was going to work immediately, and no one was left in the room but his utifort mate mother and his cousin, Mary Dodd. That young person, however, also withdrew into a small pantry adjoining the sitting-room, leaving the door open, and the youth Speak standing conversing with his mother. She had scarcely left the apartment when she heard the report of a pistol ; instantly the place was full of smoke, and in a moment after, when she rushed into the room, she saw her aunt falling from her chair, covered with blood. The youth Speak was standing close beside her. "Oh ! Sam," cried the girl, " what are you doing I" but he made no reply. He merely turned and looked at her for a moment, and ran up stairs. The girl on proceeding to her aunt's assistance found her lying on the floor, with a stream of blood flowing from a frightful wound in her head. She screamed in alarm, and her cries having been heard by Mr. G. F. Dodd, a relative, who re,ides in the house opposite, he immediately ran to her assistance, when his brother, Mr Thomas Dodd, descended from the attic, having been alarmed by the report of the pistol. Before, however, he got to the bottom of the stairs another report of firearms was heard, and on the bewildered relatives proceeding to the front bedroom on the second floor, they found the unhappy youth who had murdered his mother lying dead by the side of the bed, shot through the head by his owe hand.  Intelligence of the frightful event spread with amazing rapidity and in a few minutes Mr. Yellowley, surgeon, and Mr. Davis, surgeon, had been sent for, and arrived without delay. Their services, however,were of no avail. Both the mother and her son were dead. In both cases death must have been instantaneous. The youth must have placed the pistol close to the right ear of his unfortunate parent, and thus blown out her brains. The wound is of considerable extent, part of the skull being blown away and shattered. The pistol he must have had concealed in his pocket, as no one saw it until after the fatal deed had been committed. After terminating the existence of his mother, who never spoke one word, the youth seems to have proceeded to his bedchamber, reloaded the weapon, and, sitting down upon the edge of the bed, put the muzzle of the pistol 'to his right temple, and, pulling the trigger, lodged several slugs in his head. He could not have lived for one moment after. The weapon with which the fatal act was perpetrated was found lying by the body on the floor. The youth Samuel Speak, as we have said, was little more than 20 years of age. He was a gun engraver, and had been employed up to Christmas by his uncle, Mr. G. F. Dodd, Sand-street, and since then by Mr. Lewis, engraver, Lench-street. He is represented to us as being a quiet, sober, steady youth, but "never reckoned over sharp." There are various rumours as to the cause of this awful tragedy ; but of course it would be impossible to attach any importance to them. It is charitable to infer that such a crime could only be the result of madness ; and in confirmation of this view of the subject it is stated that shortness of work lately had preyed on a mind even at the best of times none of the strongest ; and that the fear of seeing his mother reduced to want had led to its commission. The unfortunate woman was about 50 years of age, and was respectably connected.