2 MAY 1840, Page 5

On Wednesday, Sergeant-Major Rees, of the Ninth Lancers, shot himself

through the head in Hounslow Barracks, where the regiment is now stationed; and he is not expected to recover. "Family regiment

is the cause assigned for the suicide.

A frightful murder was committed in Huddersfield on Tuesday. A gardener, named Tait, originally from the Highlands of Scotland, went to a florist's stall and asked the price of a shrub, and was told "eighteenpence:" he said, " Would you not take twopence ' and the florist in joke said, " Yes." Tad immediately threw down twopence, and ran off with the plant. The owner got the assistance of a police- man; but 'fait resisted so violently, that three constables—Duke, Daw- son, and Dalton—were required to lodge hint in the Lock-up-house. Re was searched, and a knife taken from him. He had been in &ranee but a short time when he commenced making a great noise. " Duke. unlocking the door, threw it wide open, at the same time saying,' What is all this noise about?'—' I'll let you see,' replied Tait, 4 you damned He sprang forward at the same instant, and plunged a pruning- knife into his body. The attack being so sudden, and Duke taken by surprise he had not the least chance of either warding off or avoiding the blow ; he stepped back, and endeavoured to get away from him but the prisoner pursued and cut at him as a gardener primes a tree, that is to say, upwards ; Danson and Dalton endeavouring in vain to seize him. Very soon Duke fell, and Danson got hold of him the pri- soner immediately assaulted hint in the same savese manner, eis's is an incredibly short time, inflicted nine severe wounds on his head, Lody, and thighs. All the policemen were unarmed, with the exception of Dalton, and he had only his pocket-staff. When this bleehering com- menced, he drew it out of Isis pocket, but never had :m opistrtunity of using it till all the mischief I have now related had occurred : however, he now planted a blow on the hand or arm of Tait, and the fatal knife fell harmless ; with another blow he brought the savage to the ground ; the doors of the prison-yard were thrown open, assistance from the market-people procured, and the murderer was secured. Mr. Wrigley. surgeon, arriving immediately, and attending first to Duke, found hint deluged in his own blood ; a frightful wound within the thigh had divided the femoral artery, and he was evidently fast sinking ; no skill could save hint ; he was dead in fifteen or twenty minutes. Danson was seat to the Infirmary. and great fears are entertained for him. 'I 1le I

% ommst on Duke was held on Wednesday, and the Jury's verdict Wilful Murder; It is remarkable that Duke and Danson were tall, powerfal.

weighing from fourteen to sixteen stone each ; while Daitan, m mere boy to look at, weighs only nine stone. Duke has leA a widow, but fostunately no family; he came front Hull to be Chid Policeman in this town about eight years ago."—Letter in the Times. On Friday night, a mob of several thousand persons ii the tn,rn of Colat, not fur front Blackburn, committed a violent assault on the Police recently introduced into the district. The Blackburn .9,1u4aAlmen- tions seine particulars of the riot— (hi Friday afternoon, it became evident that some moventont was in pro- gress among the lower orders; and before nialit large cr.ovds of tInni had col- lected together. Superintendent 3Iacleod,'at the lo:ad oC his ,Ixieen men. patrolled the streets; and as soon as daylight hail di,tpl,eared. ;o: attack was made upon them by the mob, which now amounted to sow,: III0I!,-711(k. A desperate affray ensued. The insurgeats extinguish, d ia tin' Place ;

and then set to work with large stones, and ti eh they'eould

lay their hands upon, to assault the police. app..reo;1•• ii he intemion ii murdering every man of theta. In this warfare in the•ilark. it is supposed the more numerous party did as meek in their own ranks a, in the ranks of their opponents. At any rate, after a hm;.7 and terrible struLrglo. the police succeeded in routing their as,ailatits and clearing the streets. We are sorry to hear that Superintendent 'Macleod received stone severe injuries 11111'111a the affray ; been struck behind the head Is ith t lar:se stone. and tl:ercliy rendered ins, osible, am). having also met with so hari. a lilow on ore of his arms that it Was completely- disabled, and was supposed to have been lo:oi,eo.

One or the men also had an awkward cut, al»ut throe inch ' - -.• - head."

A reinforcement of police and a detaehm,mt of the from Burnley arrived on Saturday, and prevented further onmges.