CHRONICLE. 



35 



Mr. Brookes was projnictor of 

 a lueiuit^crie. He had been ac- 

 tliuiiuted witli -Sandi Tuokey for 

 six years, during which period 

 they had lived tog-ether as man 

 and wife, but were not married. 

 Having- business in Scotland, he 

 left the female under protection of 

 his friends, residing at Westmor- 

 land-place, with a suitable pro- 

 vision for her maintenance until 

 his return. His friends being in 

 the habit of visiting an acquaint- 

 ance with whom Mr. 'J'houipson 

 lodged, the latter, in consequence, 

 became ac(|iuuntcd with Sarah 

 Tookey ; and two days prior to Mr. 

 Brookes's return from Scotland, 

 prevailed upon hei- to quit W'est- 

 inorland-jdace, and to reside with 

 him at his lodgings in the City- 

 road. Mr. Brookes was much 

 grieved at the loss of the lady, 

 and consulted with Tookey, a 

 hair-dresser, &c. in Ball-alley, 

 George-yard, the brother of the 

 fugitive, as to the best means of 

 recovering her. Tliey both pro- 

 ceeded together to Tiiompson's 

 lodgings, and dining his absence 

 induced Sarah Tookey to return 

 with tlicm, l)ut not without con- 

 siderable rchictancc. Three days 

 had claj)"5ed, when Mr. Thompson 

 hail cndcavouri-d in vain to trace 

 the woman ; and it was not until 

 yesterday that they met. In the 

 forenoon, Mr. Thompson called 

 at the brother's, in Ball-alley, 

 and left word that he wa.s desirous 

 of an opportunity of speaking 

 with Mr. I'rriokes on bu.sincss, 

 relative to the posscs.sion of Sarah 

 Tookey, and that in the hope of 

 meeting him tlicrc in Ihe evening, 

 he shonid look in. In less than 

 an hour and a half, however, he 

 called again, and in the internal 



Mr. Brookes and Sarali Tookey 

 had seen the brother, and been 

 told of Thompson's intention. 

 Thompson, finding Mr. Brookes 

 and the object of his search toge- 

 ther in liidl-alley, desired to 

 come to an explanation with the 

 former. On the parties meeting, 

 a quarrel ensued, and Thompson 

 not being able to cope with 

 Brookes, in point of strength, 

 had jjiepared himself w ith a pis- 

 tol, which he drew from his jac- 

 ket in his defence. The scream- 

 ing an<l fears of the women, how- 

 ever, induced Thompson to re- 

 place it again in his pocket. 

 Brookes, th\is threat€ne<l to be 

 shot, ran up stairs and armed 

 himself with a poker, and, on 

 coming down again, a fresh 

 scuffle ensued. Brookes had given 

 Thompson a violent blow on the 

 head with the jioker, who finding 

 himself again overmatched, had 

 recourse to the pistol. Brookes, 

 on perceiving his danger, got rid 

 of the ])okcr, and clf)se.d with 

 Thompson, in order to wrest 

 from his hands the deadly wcai)on : 

 but Brookes states that in this he 

 did not succeed, and finding that 

 Thompson was endeavouring to 

 discharge the pistol, he turned 

 it aside, when the cimtents enter- 

 ed the head of the unfortunate 

 man, and he instantly fell, and 

 bled profusely. Mr. Ambrose, 

 of tlie post-office, hearing the 

 shrieks of the women, entered 

 the house, and \va'i endeavouring 

 to .'separate the p;u'ties when the 

 pistol went off close to hi,'^ ear, 

 an<i his face and neckerchief were 

 bespattered all over with blood, 

 l)ut he fortunately escaped with- 

 out injury. Tlie })oor wretch 

 was assisted into a chair, and en- 

 D 2 deavourcd, 



