11 DECEMBER 1830, Page 10

REVENGE AND SUICIDE:7-A singular case of revenge and self. murder

occurred on Sunday, at Peckham. The particulars may be beat explained in the words of the principal witness at the Coroner's in- quest. Mrs. Anne Westbrook, wife of Edward Westbrook, of. the Old Kent Road, gentleman, deposed= On Sunday last, about one o'clock, after morning service at Dr. Collyer's chapel, at Peckham, was over, while walking with Mr. Westbrook near the Globe, in Hill Street, the deceased (his name was John Clark) rushed from behind a wall, and. flung a quantity of vitriol from a half-pint. pot in the face of Mr. West- brook, who is now confined to his bed in consequence. A great portion of the liquid (nitric acid) went into Mr. Westbrook 's eyes, and it is feared he will lose the sight of both. After haying treated Mr. West- brook in the manner described,- the -deceased seiZed rne, and; hold- ing me against the wall, he poured a quantity of vitriol into the same pot, with the View of dashing it over me I resisted the attempt, and, when he was abet to throWtIse liquid into my face,1 struck his aim, and 'nearly the whole of -the contents went over him instead of me. The deceased still endeavoured to hold me, but I broke from Nm an4 rushed to the Globe, he following me at the same time; Ire prusued me, up the garden in -front of the .6IJobe,: when .sOnse..persOn Seized him, :- while 1 hurried into the house. The deceset* iisteridfterwards taken - into custody at spree.diateneg froin the *delis - to- p.4 a man, being given to understand that he MIS a Deist. I never saw the deceased before, until the day he attacked me and my husband in the

manner described. I received a letter some time since from the de- ceased, threatening personal violence tonne if • I still refused to accede to his wishes relative to my sister.' Clark was conveyed to the cage ; where he complained much of hia eyes,. but seemed notwithstanding to be asleep along with the other persons confined there for the night at the time that it was locked up. In. the morning, he was, found on the floor, quite dead; and a surgeon, who examined the body, declared that his death was owing to his having swallowed a, quantity of Prussic acid, which it seems he had contrived, notwithstanding a very narrOW search, to conceal about his person. In his pocket was found a long letter, ad- dressed to Sarah Neal, Mrs. Westbrook's sister, in which he professed a very ardent attachment towards her, but declared his intention to mur- der Mrs. Westbrook and her husband, whom it is feared he has maimed for life. Clark, it appeared, was a man of Infidel principles ; he had been a clerk of Carlile's fur three years. The Inquest Jury found a verdict of felo de se.

HUMANITIES OF TILE Gastz-Lsws.—About half-past twelve o'clock on Thursday night, last week, Hurst, 'the head gamekeeper of Earl Gros-

venor, at Eaton Hall, heard the report of fire-arms in one of the plan-

tations. He and, his son James, and two other assistant keepers, went in the direction of the firing, and soon fell in with a gang of ten or

twelve poachers, all armed either with guns or bludgeons. The keepers advanced towards them, upon which the poachers ran off. One of the poachers cried out, "Halt, and face them, for it is death or glory ;" but the son of the gamekeeper dashed at them, and they again ran off. In getting over a gate, he succeeded in seizing the hindmost, who was armed with a gun, and held him fast. One of the gang then turned, and discharged his short gun within less than a yard 4 James Hurst;

but, fortunately, the contents passed between his side and his arm, and he escaped. unhurt. As soon as he recovered his self-possession, Hurst

discharged one barrel of his double gun at the man who shot at him, and

brought him down as he was running away. The others of the gang again cried out, " D--n them, shoot them !' upon which Hurst shot off

his second barrel at two of them in particular, but with what effect he does not know, as they were not taken. The poachers then fired two or three shots, which took effect only upon one of their own party. Upon. the three captured were found no less than seven pheasants The names of the men taken are Ackerley, Jones, and Shone. Shone is dreadfully. wounded, having received the keeper's shot in the back and loins, and one hand and arm ; and the contents of a gun fired by his own party, in the neck and breast. Jones is also shot, but rather slightly. All three were committed for trial at the Assizes. It is probable that the gang of desperate poachers to which they belong will be broken up. [The phea- sants may roost in peace then.]

MURDER AT SOUTIIIVAER ELECTION--AII inquest sat on Menday, at St. Thomas's Hospital, Southwark, on the body of Samuel Ward, a

servant of Messrs. Barclay, who was killed in the row on the .first day of the late election_ The poor man seems to have fallen, a victim to the most deliberately brutal treatment. One of -the witnesses stated, that he was standing, about half-past teneclock in the, morning, at the corner of Counter Street, close to the hustings. The deceased was walking by himself in the middle of the. road ; his arms were down. A man cam- hehind;him with a large aticklitehis.hand, took hold, of it by the smale,: lest end, and struck the deceased ioviolent blow on the right side-of. the head. The deceased fell instantly "on his face. Another witness de- scribed the ruffian as giving a " ho " when he struck the deceased, as is usual with paviours on letting fall theirrammers The. only, exeuselor the act was, that the perpetrator had had mud thrown on him by some, One. The Jury found a verdict of "wilful murder" against the pri-

soner : his name is Casey; he wore Mr. Calvert's ribbons on the occa- sion. Let us remember this fact : it exemplifies the glorious system of

open voting—the bold, manly system of perjury, bribery, drunkenness, riot, murder, so essential to the maintenance of the dignity of the Eng- lish character.

. ALLEGED INFANTICIDE.—A child was SO severely burned on Thurs. day last week, in the neighbourhood of Moorfields, that it expired on

Sunday. It was at first stated that a female named Smith, who had charge of the child, had thrown it behind the fire. The case has since been investigated ; and though the Inquest Jury accuse Smith of great negligence, they have acquitted her of all criminality of motives. Hosx.—On Tuesday night, about eight o'clock„a fellow, mounted on a grey horse, came galloping into Greenwich, from Lewisham, and stated that some incendiaries had set fire to a quantity of hay-ricks, and other property belonging to, Mr. R. Tyler,. at Southend, and that, they were.then burning furiously. Numbers of persons flocked with all speed to Southend, and the.Deptford engine proceeded with post-horses to the spots together With a party of the New Police, to assist in the protection of the adjoining property. Mr. Tyler happened to be, at the moment the alarm was made, in Greenwich, in the zofFeeroom of the Greyhound inn; he rushed out of the house, and, having procured a horse, galloped off towards his farm, fully expecting to meet his total ruin. However, before he entered the village, he met the engine returning with a vast concourse of persons, and was informed, to his great joy, that his pre- mises and property were perfectly safe.