1245 
THE FIELD. 
CRIMES AND CASUALTIES. 
Capture of another Cano of Burglars. — Wo lust week 
recorded the taking of four burglars near Newcastle. The 
detective police have captured two more. From statements 
made by them they appear to have gathered up thoir 
notions from reading Mr. Harrison Ainsworth's work “Jack 
Sheppard,” a well-thumbed copy of which, with a mask, dark 
lantern, skeleton keys, &c., was fouud in possession of 
Douglass, who is a young man only twenty years of age. On 
the 18th of March, they broke into the shop of u Mr. Lee, 
stealiug three pistols and several other articles. They 
subsequently robbed tho shops of Mr. Carr, tailor, and of Mr. 
Cail, builder, stealing a large quantity of ready-made 
olotliiugi some lead, &c. Their last and fourth schoine of 
plunder was the house of Mrs. Atkinson, Elswiek-place, 
when they contrived to carry off plate to the value of £100, 
and several portraits. On Friday, W. Glighorn, W. Goulthorp, 
W. Smith, and J. Bevan were brought before the Tynemouth 
magistrates, charged with attempting to break into a 
lineudraper's shop in that town, as reported last week. The 
first throe prisoners, who were ascertained to be returned 
convicts, were remanded. Bevan was discharged. A silver- 
smith, Oswald Story, and another man, known as “ Jack the 
Chessman," but whose proper name is John Stony, are also 
iu custody, on suspicion of being concerned in passing stolen 
property out of the district. All the prisoners are under 
remand, to give the police time to complete the evidence. 
The thieves have not all been taken into custody yet, as 
since the apprehension of the prisoners already named 
silversmith’s shop in North Shields has been broken into, 
and more plate and jeweller\7have been stolen iu the same 
adroit manner as the former robberies. 
Daring Burglary in Birmingham. — A daring attempt at 
burglary was made at the Bell Inn, Bristol-road, Birmingham, 
about two o’clock on Sunday morning. The landlord (Mr. 
Reynolds) was disturbed by sounds which induced him to 
think that some person was attempting to break into tho 
house. He armed himself with a revolver, descended the 
staircase, and suddenly unbolting the back door, he heard 
some person jump to the ground and run along the stable- 
yard. Mr. Reynolds called upon him to stop, or he would 
shoot him. Tho burglar redoubled his speed, and Mr. 
Reyn >lds fired, but missed him. lie fire l a second time 
with no better result ; but the third shot took effect iu the 
head, and the robber, closing on his assailant, a fearful 
struggle ensued. Mr. Reynolds was the successful combatant, 
and succeeded in securing the prisoner until a policeman 
arrived. The prisoner turned out to be a notorious character 
named Charles Davies, who had twice broken into Mr. 
Reynolds' premises, aud been once sentenced to transporta- 
tion for a burglary at Walsall. He was severely injured by 
rhots in the head, and was conveyed to the Queen's Hospital. 
Mi - . Reynolds presented also a frightful appearance. The 
burglar had broken through the bar window, aud removed 
several tiles from the roof of the peut-liouse. 
Extraordinary Suicide. — Last week a melancholy 
occurrence took place at the Eagle Furnaces, West Bromwich, 
to appalling that the circumstances are hardly credible. 
A man unknown to the workmen, who wore a dejected 
aspect, went to the above works on Tuesday, and, without 
appearing to have any object, sat down. After remaining 
seated a short time, he was desired to move out of the way, 
and ho chauged his position without making any remark. 
A workman was engaged uear the spot, but being busy, did 
not notice him for ten minutes or so. Happening then to 
turn his head, he saw the unfortunate man lying on his face 
under the ash grate of the furnace, with all his clothes off, 
except his shirt and trousers. He lay, head first, under the 
grate ; his back was raised, aud nearly touched the bars above. 
Beneath him the ground was covered with cinders red-hot, 
aud the flame was so strmg he could hardly be discerned, 
The man laid hold of his leg aud drew him out. He was 
Bcorched all over, aud was quite dea l. It was evident he 
could not have fallen under the grate by accident, and it is 
difficult to conceive the tenacity with which he sought so 
fearful a death, as he must have crawled, as it were, into a 
roasting fire. None of the workmen heard deceased make 
any noise. At the inquest, one of the brothers of deceased 
stated that a few days before his death ho was informed that 
his brother had gone mad, having turned the chairs and 
tables over, and after pursuing one of his fellow-servants a 
considerable distance, had left. The jury returned a 
verdict of insanity. 
Two Persons found Drowned. — On Sunday information 
was received that a man of respectable appearance had been 
found drowned in the London Docks. A bunch of keys aud 
some articles marked H. Freeman were found on tho body. 
Also that of another man, apparently about thirty-five years, 
in the Thames, off the Bishop’s-walk, Lambeth. 
Fatal Accident on London-bridoe. — On Saturday Mr. 
Payne held an inquest at St. Thomas's Hospital on the body 
of Thomas Ridley, aged seventy. Mr. Pierce, an engineer, 
stated that on the previous Tuesday he was on an omnibus 
on the bridge; the deceased iu attempting to cross, found 
himself just before the omnibus ou which witness was. The 
driver called out to him, and he escaped from one only to 
come in contact with another. Deceased seemed to lose his 
presence of mind ; he slipped aud fell, aud tho wheel of one 
omnibus went over his body, aud that of another over his leg. 
His collar hone, eight or nine ribs, aud his left leg, were 
thus brokeu, and death ensued. Verdict, “Accidental 
death.” It is indeed high time that further accommodation 
Jbr the frightful traffic of this bridge should be afforded. 
Railway Accident. — A respectable aud well-conducted 
officer of the Waterford aud Limerick Railway, named 
Thomas Barry, was decapitated on the ‘22nd by the train, 
while running out to give a signal near the Ballysimon 
station. 
Highway Robbery at Leeds. — On Wednesday last a 
powerful fellow, named Bull, who is known to the Leeds 
police as a desperate character, was charged at Leeds with a 
murderous assault and robbery the previous night. About 
midnight ou Tuesday an elderly farm-servant, named James 
Crossley, called at the Black Bear, and was served with a glass 
of ale. He drauk it at tho door of the bar, and observed 
that Bull and several womeu were iu the tip-room. Not 
liking their appearance ho hastened out quickly, followed by 
Bull and two of the women. Bull knocked him down by a 
heavy blow on the head, seized him by the throat, and beat 
his head against the ground, sweariug that if the poor fellow 
attempted to cry out he should bo murdered. Bull was 
assisted by tho two womeu ; and the three, after beating him 
until he was helpless and bleeding profusely from the ears, 
ley was subsequently found in a sad state, and conveyed to 
the chief police-office. There he described his assailants, 
aud Bull aud a female named Collinson were at once appre- 
hended. None of the stolen property, however, was found 
upon either of them. The evidence against Collinson was 
inconclusive, and she was discharged ; Bull was committed 
for trial at tho York assizes. 
Fatal Railway Accidents.— Alexander White, aged 
about twenty-two years, a stoker on the Edinburgh and 
Glasgow Railway, was lubricating an engine on Friday the 
22ud, at Edinburgh ; and, while doing so, his head and arm 
being through the spokes of the wheel, tho engiuc moved, 
and he was killed on the spot. On Saturday, another 
accident occurred at tho Walsall station of the South 
Staffordshire Railway. About one o’clock a goods train 
arrived from Burton-on-Trent to wait tho departure of a 
passenger train before entering the station. Whilst re- 
maining on the main line in the cutting, another double 
goods train, heavily laden, and drawn by two engines, came 
up on the same side, -and dashed into tho luggago train, 
smashing eight or nine of the waggons, and nearly destroying 
one of the engines. A breaksmau on the train, named 
Strettou, was severely injured, and died on Sunday morning. 
The loss of property by the destruction of the engine and 
waggons is very considerable. 
Mysterious Accident on thh Eastern Counties Rail- 
way. — Mr. Payne held a long inquiry on Wednesday at 
Guy's Hospital, as to the circumstances attending the death 
of Ebenezer Samuel Butler, on tho Woolwich branch of tho 
Eastern Counties Railway. On the night of the 22ud iustaut, 
on the arrival of the uiuo o'clock down train at the Barking- 
road station of the Woolwich branch, the inspector and 
porter went round as usual to collect the tickets. Ou asking 
rifled his pockets of £14. 10s. 10£d„ took his cravat from his 
□cck, aud his hat from his head, and then ran away. Cross- 
the deceased, who was in a second-class carriage, for his 
ticket, he handed a piece of tobacco-paper. Finding 
remonstrance with him unavailing, the man was taken from 
the carriage, removed from the company's premises, and 
placed in the main road. From thenco he proceeded to the 
Railway Hotel, aud left the house with a labourer at tho 
Victoria Docks, and proceeded with him for half a mile, when 
they separated. The next morning, about four o'clock, a 
man, a labourer going to his work, heard the voice of a man 
who was lying on aheap of ballast, on the main road, outside 
the fencing of the railway, imploring assistance, as his foot 
was cut off ; he said it had been done near the Barking-road 
station, and that he had crawled where ho was found ou his 
hands aud knees. The man was conveyed to his home at 
Woolwich. His foot appeared to have been cut off. While 
the deceased was at home he told his wife that he was at the 
station at Barking, waiting on the platform for the train, and 
that whilst talking to a young man lie heard tho whistle for 
the train to start. He ran to catch the train, aud clung to 
the handle of one of the carriages, when he fell down, and 
the wheels of the carriages passed over his foot. He called 
out, “ For God's lake, help me ; have pity on me but no 
one came to him, although persons were ou the platform, 
and the lights were soon after put out. Ho added that after 
that he went on his hands and knees along the line until he 
was exhausted, aud was picked up by a navigator at four 
o'clock in the morning. This statement he repeated to his 
brother whilst dying, in Guy's Hospital. The place where 
he was picked up was a mile and a quarter from the Barking 
station, and fully three-quarters of a mile fr.un the place 
where he parted with the wituess Bartholomew. The 
railway people persisted that he was but once at the Barking 
station, whilst the friends of the deceased, relying on his 
dying declaration, were impressed with the belief that he 
made his way back to Barking after parting with Bartholomew, 
and that ou his second visit he met with the injury i i the 
way he described ; but this remarkable fact was elicited from 
the wife of the deceased, that ou his being taken home after 
the accident she searched his pockets, but found no railway 
ticket. The inspector, with a friend of the deceased, went 
for half a mile down the line, aud no traces of blood could 
be seen, aud no person could have got ou to the line for 
more than half a mile, as it was bouuded by a wall nearly 
eight feet high. It was, however, asserted that below that 
point traces of blood could be seen for three quarters of a 
mile — that statement being made by the friends of the 
deceased only, who are most anxious that the foot of the 
deceased should be restored to tho body. Neither the 
deceased’s foot, boot, or hat, had beeu found, and it was 
therefore supposed by the railway people that the accident 
had not occurred on the line at all. The house surgeon said 
the deceased was brought iu on Saturday morning, being 
then almost in a state of collapse, with tho right foot com- 
pletely fractured, and several other injuries. The jury 
returned a vSrdict of “ Accidental death.” 
Suicide in Bethlehem Hospital.-— On Thursday Mr. 
W. J. Payue held an inquest at Bethlehem Hospital, ou the 
body of Martha Day, an inmate of the asylum, who com 
mitted suicide by hanging herself. Tho deceased was 
admitted ou tho 15th of June last as a maniacal and suicidal 
patient, and was labouring under great depression of 
spirits. She had twice attempted the life of her husband. 
Since her admission she had betrayed no indication of 
making any attempt ou her life, nor had even spoken on 
the subject of the past. On Tuesday night she went to bed 
iu rather better spirits than usual. The nurse, ou going 
into deceased’s room at six o’clock on the Wednesday 
morning, fouud her hanging by the neck from the window 
frame. She had tied one of her stockings aud a silk apron 
together. Verdict, “ Insanity.” 
Extraordinary Suicide. — On Saturday an inquest was 
held at Liverpool on the body of Susannah Hudson. Inspec- 
tor Scott deposed that, about four o'clock ou the morning of 
the 1 2th instant, he was in the neighbourhood of Clnyton- 
square, when he heard the cry of “Murder” from No. 19, 
Cases-street— an eating and lodging-house kept by William 
Court. He perceived a young woman at the fourth storey 
window, with her back towards him, apparently in the act of 
jumping out of the window. He called to her not to jump, 
when she turned round and exclaimed, “ But I will jump 
out.” She threw herself into the street. He tried to break 
her fall, in doing which he was himself severely bruised On. 
lifting the woman up he found that her leg was broken. She 
appeared to be very much in liquor. The owner of the 
lodgiug-house deposed that deceased and a man whom she 
called her husband engaged the lodgings, representing they 
were about to emigrate. They were frequently tipsy, and 
quarrelled much. — Verdict “ Temporary insanity.” 
Highway Robbery by a Soldier.— At the Bury (Lancn- 
gliire) Petty Sessions, ou Tuesday, John Hackett, a soldier in 
the 36th regiment, was charged with highway robbery. On 
the eveniug of Christmas-day he had met a farmer named 
Joseph Jackson, near Bury, upon whom he drew his bayonet 
and demanded his money. Jacks m had only a shilling and 
three sixpences, which, by the soldier’s direction, he threw 
upon the road. The latter then took up tho money and 
cautioned the farmer not to take any steps to follow him, 
but the latter subsequently gave notice at the Bury barracks, 
aud ho was found, about two miles distant, in a public- 
house. The prisoner pleaded that he was druuk. Another 
wituess stated that the prisoner had demanded his money 
the same evening, threatening to blow his brains out. The 
magistrates committed the prisoner for trial at the next 
Assizes at Liverpool. 
Murder in Tipperary. — On Tuesday, a murder was 
committed at Curraduff, Tipperary. The deceased — Patrick 
Hocter, a flue athletic young man, not more than twenty-four, 
and unmarried — came to Pursonstowu, with friends, to 
enjoy the holiday. After enjoying themselves they proceeded 
homewards. They were all seated in a car, driven by 
Carroll. They had some dispute with a party in another 
car. The police interposed, and peace was restored. The 
parties wore conveyed before a magistrate, who, as the affray 
was a vory trivial one, ordered them to bo discharged. 
Nothing further was heard of them until after nine o'clock, 
when a report reached the ltiverstown police-barracks that 
Hocter had beeu murdered, and one or two of his companion* 
nearly beaten to death. Constable Sheahan and i>arty at 
ouce proceeded to the lands of Curr.uluff, whore they found 
Hocter lying dead iu a baru, his brains having been knocked 
out. In au adjoining fann-houae lay his relative Carroll, 
who had received several wounds. The police ascertained 
that Hocter aud his relatives wore waylaid at Curraduff by 
a party of ten men, ono of whom was armed with a stone 
hammer, another with a turnip-hoe, and the remainder with 
sticks aud heavy bludgeons. Some of them seized the horse, 
while the remainder of the gang attacked tho deceased aud 
those who were in tho car. Tho first blow knocked him iuto 
the ditch, where his brains were soon scattered with either 
the hammer or hoe, both of which wero subsequently dis- 
covered by Constable Sheahan. A quantity of the hair and 
blood of the deceased were ou the hoe. When Carroll, who 
was driving, received the first blow, he jumped off the car 
ami rau into a field, whither he was pursued and beaten. The 
woman screamed loudly, and the small boy ran to the next 
house, the owner of which, having got a lantern in readiness, 
proceeded along the road, aud very soon found poor Hocter 
lying iu a pool of blood, a lifeless corpse. Three fellows, 
against whom there are strong grounds of suspicion —one of 
them wa3 fouud iu the act of washing his troussrs — have 
been arrested. 
Horrible Murder in thf. County Down. — A most 
barbarous murder has been perpetrated iu the neighbourhood 
of Warrenpoiut, on the person of au aged aud iuoffeusive 
small farmer, residing in B.ivar, uamed Patrick Oribben. He 
was the only resident of his cottage. The dismal occurrence 
took place on the night of the 9th instant, and was dis- 
I covered during Sunday, the 10th. A neighbouring woman, 
with a married daughter of the deceased man, ou knocking 
at his door received no reply, but heard mount. They 
pushed open the door, when the old uiau was found lying on 
li is bed, with an extensive wound across the upper part of 
his head. On interrogating the old man, he distinctly told 
who the man was who inflicted tho wounds, again denying 
it, and being, from some feeling, disiucliued to admit tho 
fact — the accused being no less than his own son-in-law. He 
liugored until the Friday uiglit following, when he died. 
The injuries he sustained were a long transverse wound 
across the upper part of his temple, which was inflicted by 
a hatchet or chopper, aud which not only divided the 
covering of the skull, but cut also through it, aud uu 
extensive fracture of the arm aud ribs. Au inquest, of three 
days’ duration, wa3 held on the body. The jury were 
divided iu opinion as to who tho murderer was -a legal 
majority not being prepared to make a finding. 
Fatal Dog Bite at Paisley. — We regret to notice the 
suddeu death of Mr. George Lyu’l, wine and spirit merchant, 
Paisley. Mr. Lyall, on Friday Ho’nnight, had beeu assisting 
to separate two of his dogs that were fighting, and in so 
doing received several wounds ou his left hand. No evil 
effects developed themselves till late on Tuesday eveniug 
last, wheu he became rapidly worse, and died at half- past 
one on Thursday morning. The dogs, both of which were 
great favourites of the deceased, have since beeu shot. 
NAVAL AND MILITARY. 
» 
During the week the greatest activity has beeu displayed 
iu our dockyards and naval establishments — iu our ports 
and harbours. Ships are being repaired and refitted ; stores, 
ammunition, aud clothing, are being shipped, aud crews 
organised for tho Beat of war. It would be impossible to 
chronicle all these movements, but the following are some 
of the principal naval and military eveuts of the week. 
On Saturday, another Russian vessel, the Ariel, was 
seized iu the port of Belfast, sailing under false coloura. 
Her crew, six in number, were sent prisoners to Greenock, 
and put on board the Athol troop-ship, to be brought to 
London in her Majesty’s ship Powerful. 
The Clyde steam-transport, on board of which the late 
fatal explosion occurred, has bail her boiler repa-red by the 
engineer establishment of Portsmouth dockyard ; she has 
coaled, and hauled alongside the dockyard-jetty to ship 
troops and stores for the Crimea. 
Thescrew steam-frigate Kuryalus, 51, arrived in Plymouth 
Sound ou Saturday. She left Sheerncss for the Baltic on 
the 12th of March. On the 12th of November, iu thick 
weather, she ran into the Impdrieuse and carried away her 
bowsprit, and when of!' the Scaw a bark ran into her and 
carried away her jury bowsprit, the bark being uninjured. 
In chasing a Russian steamer, the Euryalus grounded two 
hours, but, by throwing shot overboard, was got off again 
without injury. Before leaving the cruisiug-ground, the 27tli 
November, the spray which was washed up in her bows had 
become one muss of ice, and the thermometer was at four- 
teen dogrees below freezing point. From the 12th of March 
to the 29th of November the officers did not set foot ashore, 
and, excepting part of the passage home, the ship has been 
without a pilot during her absence. She is coi sidered one 
of tho best stoam vessels in the Baltic expedition. She 
frequently made twelve knots an hour. 
Tiie Ami'HIoN, now at Sheerness, during her lost voyage 
has beeu underway 200 days. She left the Downs on the 
13th of March, arriving at’ Copenhagen, from whence slio 
began cruising off Courland, to intercept Russian vessels. 
She cut her way through the ice iu the Gulf of Riga, and 
captured the barks Carolina and Gebroders. The Amphiou 
was repeatedly fired on, but escape 1 without serious damage. 
She subsequently captured eight other Russian vessels, and 
