The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-23 00:00:00

ATTEMPTED MURDER AND BURGLARY..

On Wednesday, at St. Alban's Petty Sessions,
before Mr. Page, the mayor, sad a bench of magistrate., a
young man of indifferent character, named Carr, was
brought up in custody of Mr. Superintendent Douglas, of
the borough police, on a charge of burglary and attempt to
murder an aged lady named Broom, the widow of the late
Mr. Bacon, formerly mayor of St. Alban's, the eircunistan-
eel of which had awned mutt sensation throughout that
part of the country. It appears that Mrs. Bacon sines the
death of her husband had lived in a very retired and almost
unprotected style at her residence, in the vicinity of the
town. She kept no account at any of the local hanks,
I owing to a dread that they would fail. She invested the
I greater portion of her income in the Bank of England,
but much of it she hoarded up in the house, and no
less a sum than 1,0271. was discovered in the house after
sh* outrage had been eominitted. lier housekeeper
Freeman), an elderly female, who had been in
the prosecutria's service thirtpfive years, was the prin.
ilndg be
a robbed, be dbe,
co
eipal witness examined. She stated that for a long while
sh
"s'shhoouusrbrweauku
en
committed in the town, and had entreated the prosecutrix
.% apprehended
of
fed othheerr
cues of
for more than a year and a hell' to have another persoa in
the house, but she refused on the ground of expense. She
was aware that Mrs. Bacon had money and valuables in
her possession. On Sunday night week witness left the
prosecutrir, to go to chapel, alone in the house. On her
return, about eight o'clock, she saw her to bed, and
retired herself somewhere about ten, having previ-
ously secured the fastenings to the doors and
shutters. In the course of the night, or early the
following morning, she was awoke by some noise,
what it was she could not tell ; but imagining it must
have been the clock striking, she returned to bed and went
to sleep again, but was very restless during the whole of
the night. She always kept her bedroom dour fastened.
She did so fur protection. Mrs. Bacon never would fasten
her room door. It was not fastened on the night in ques-
tion. Witness rose between six and seven o'clock, and on
going down stairs she was skinned by observing a brass
candlestick on the stairs very greasy, and the candle half
burnt out, which she knew she had left in the cupboard of
the parlour on the previous evening. Ou proceeding to
Mrs. Bacon's room she found the door partly open and the
room in a state of the greatest confusion—the drawers were
opened, and the things turned about in disorder. On the
bed lay Mrs. Bacon, apparently dead and bleeding from
her need, and a potter, which seemed to ha.c bccu
in-
strument that had caused the injuries, rested against the
foot of her bed. She was much alarmed, and caught
hold of her mistress and called to her. Mrs. Bacon opened
her eyes, and appeared in a most dangerous condition.
The witness then went and alarmed the neighbours, who
at once obtained medical assistance, and on returning she
learnt from Mrs. Bacon that a heavy blow over the lies
awoke her, and that she had got out of bed, but never
called to witness. Mrs. Bacon told her she was struck in
the dark, but whether by one or mon persons she had no
recollection. She appeared to have been murderously ill-
used. Witness examined the house afterwards, and found
that the thieves or thief had got in at the back window,
and a number of articles had been stolen, also shout 31. or
41. in silver coin. lier mistress kept money in different parts
of the house. The thieves had ransacked nearly all the
drawers in this house, but the principal bulk of the cash
luckily escaped their observation. The witness added
that, in consequence of the fear she and her mistress
lived in, she had asked the police to look more to their
house, and if they saw anything wrong they were to give
an alarm by get*ing over the wall In trout, about eighteen
feet high. She had on one occasion, by the desire of
Mn. Bacon, given sixpenee to the police between three
of them to keep a watchful guard over the house, as she
considered they were living in a very unprotected state.
Witness had no suspicion of any party in particular, nor
had she seen any persons lurking about the premises.
Mn. Bacon not being able to attend the examination, the
mayor and magistrates proceeded to her residence in St.
Peter street, for the purpose et taking her deposition, the
prisoner being also present. Mrs. Bacon, when questioned
as to the identity of the party, said she had no knowledge
of the accused, or anything to urge against him. She
seemed to have been sadly injured. The magistrates, after
some private conversation with Mr. Superintendent Doug-
las sad Mr. Langley, of the London detective police, said
in the absence of evidence criminating the prisoner, he
must be discharged. The government (on application to
Lord Palmerston) have offered &reward of 1001. for the ap-
prehension of the offenders.

CHLOROFORM IN CHOLERA.

The following letter has been addressed to the
editor of the Scotsman :

Kirkcaldy, Sept. 20, 1853.
Sir,—ln perusing your paper of Saturday last, I hap-
pened to observe an extract referring to the use of chluro-
form in subduing the paroxysms of cramp in cholera ; and
notwithstanding the fatal result of the case therein alluded
to, 1 resolved to try its effect in the next case that should
happen to come under spy superintendence.
On Sunday afternoon I was requested to see
highly respectable young man (aged twenty) of correct
and scrupulously cleanly habits, and also of previous
good health, but recently come from Newcastle. When I
fint visited him .at 5 p.m. he represented big complaint
as diarrhoea ; and not observing acy symptoms to cause
alarm, I prescribed the usual madiciue for diarrhoea, and
left him with an intention to watch the progress of his dis-
order. A distant engagement in the country, however,
prevented me from seeing him again till 8.40 p.m., when,
on entering his bed room, I was horrorstruck at the rapid
change in his ease, which now exhibited a combination of
all the symptoms of confirmed cholera in the most severe
form. The successive paroxysms of cramp were most
fearful to witness, and quite uncontrollable by the usual
remedies.

The experience of the crushing effect of public misap-
prehension upon the reputation of an obscure practitioner
made me for some time hesitate to administer chloro-
form, and after two hours' unsuccessful efforts to
mitigate the cramp, I waited upon my neighbour, Dr. Reid,
who not only kindly volunteered a visit to the patient, but
also satisfied himself as to the identity of tho disease, and
the impoteacy of the remedies being applied to check the
paroxysms of cramp ; and at 12 p.m. the system was put
under the influence of chloroform by inhalation. At 12.30
cm. he awoke from • state of drowsiness, expressing
himself greatly relieved, and desiring to have • fresh
dose. From this period up to 5 cm. the paroxysms of
cramp became less severe in degree, and less frequent
in their recurrence. On each return of the spume,
however, • partial dose of chloroform was administered
with beneficial effect. In the course of five hours the in-
halation was repeated six times, and two ounces of chloro-
form, by measure, were consumed. At 3 p.m. the first
billets evacuation was obtained from the bowels, and, since
then, with the exceptioa of the usual visceral derangements
met within aggravated cases, this one progresses favourably
es yet.
My sole motive, however, in wishing the ease noticed in
your widely circulated paper is to induce others to test the
efficiency of chloroform in arresting cramp in aggravated
cases of cholera, as I suppose that it is generally believed
that, if the exhaustion of the vital powers consequent upon
repeated paroxysms of cramp can be aver .ed. the morbid
condition of the different internal vuseeras affected will be
more successfully combatted by appropriate remedies.
I am, die.,
A. F. SMITH, Surgeon.