The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-03-09 00:00:00

on the ground 0
during her MO,
releised, but r

Majetty's pleasure. In Notlhdler
t prohibited fro—

In ibia two of eildmilar nature Warred-. The
circumstances connected wilm ^rst, on the ;veiling of
May 30th, were thus described in evidehnt by Cplonel
Arbuthnot, one of the Royal Equerries t—" Between inx end
seven o'clock, we were coming deem Constitution-bill. When
about Waif way down I observed the prisoner (named John
Freneis), mid on the earriage reaching him he took a pistol
f rom his side mad hrett it ~41 Thu, dirtalon of the Queen. If e
waa not above Soren feet frurl the tatriage, which by
hmtruction was proceeding at a rapid rit_te thlm ; I Abould
say twelve or thirteen miles an hour. The Queen exhibited
befasital calm demeanour under the outrage. Francis was
Belted by Pilvate Alba), of the Fusilier Quards, and Police-
constable Trower, Wile Was attempting to dash the pistol out
Iti lyis hand when the abet was Il:ed Ile was taken to the
lodge adjoining the palace, whero 7th sse searched, suds
hall, with a little powder, and the still warm Itii•te! were
tak.m from his person. Francis pre,el ved a tioe.eed
sitelte
regarding his motive, and refused to give any explanate.n
at out his antecedents ; but it was soon ascertained that he
was the son of a machieeet in Drury-lane "Illeatnt, and had
for come moeths been out of employment. Re was examined
in the that Instance helote the Privy Council, and then com-
mitted to rewgate. On the news being r,,rveyt,l to the
ILluees of harliainent, the Lords and Commons adjourned in
confusion, as it was found impodeitile to carry un the public
business in the excitement the attentrit 11/Mecca/domed. Con-
gratulatory addresses were voted seat day by both lionises of
Parliament, and many were afterwards forwarded by cor-
porate bodies throughout the kingdom. Iler 11.4,1e54y at-
tended 1111 Italian opera in the evening, and received an en-
thusiastic welcome. On the 17th June, Francis was tried at
the Ceutral Criminal Court for attempting to shoot the
Queen. Ile was found guilty, and sentenced to death, but
the sentence was afterwards commuted to transportatim
for life.

-- ---
On the ard of July, 1842, a deformed youth named Bean
levelled a pistol at her Majesty as she vol mooing from
Buckingham Palace to the Chapel Royal, St. James's. Be
was committed to trial for misdemeanour the capital charge
being abandoned. The pistol was loaded, but it did not
explode. Bean wae not caught at the time—a clrennistance
which led to the apprehension of a large number of deformed
people in the metropolis. Throughout London and Its
suburbs they only were safe who, like Prince Hal, "were
straight enough in the shoulders and cared not who ran their
backs." At hie trial on the 25th Augttst, Bean was sentenced
to to months imprisonment.

On the evening of the 27th of June, 1850, the Queen, aceom-
pooled by three of her children and Viscountess Jocelyn,
was leaving Cambridge House, Piccadilly, for the purpose of
retUrning to fluchnigham Palace. As the royal carriage
passed out of the sates a respectably-dressed man advanced
from the crowd of people at the gateway, and e.lth a mall
Cane struck a sharp blow at the Queen. The blow took eff dct
on her Majesty's head, crushing her bonnet, but without in-
flicting any further injury. The aasailaut in this case proved
to be a retired lieutenant named Hebert Pate, whose
conduct had been somewhat eccentric for some time pre.
ideas. He Was tried on the charge of assaulting her Ma-
'-'sty, mud being tumid guilty, was sentenced to seven years'

festy, -
tnu.portation.