The Express.
London, England, 1860-04-19 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE.

One of the moat extraordinary and deliberate
attempts at suicide we have ever heard of is thus recorded
by the Sheffield Telegraph, as having occurred a few days
back :—A man named James Axon, aged 45 years, who de-
scribed himself as a labourer, has been taken into custody
for attempting to hang himself. It appears that the man
went to the cemetery gates, and askol permission to go into
the grounds to see the grave of his mother? but as he wan
not tun fit state to be allowed there the policeman on duty
refused him admission, whereupon he threatened to avenge
himself by committing suicide. The officer, with a feeling
of coldness that would only add to the poor fellow's indig-
nation, told him that he could do re lie pleased, never fear-
ing that he would be so rub as to carry his threat into ex.
ecution. The man, however, did so, for he
went to some lads who were playing a short dis-
tance off, and told them he was going to bang
himself, if be could only find a likely spot fur the job. The
lade, too anxious to see the fun of the thing, helped him to
seek a place for the purpose, and the party adjourned into
• neighbouring greas.field attached to Mr. Wilson's snuff-
mill. A fine strong tree, with a good stout bough, here
rewarded their research, and the man very methodically
proceeded to tie his handkerchief and a cord together and
attached them to the branch above. Previous to taking his
final leave of them he said that he should like to elle his
mind, so that he should have nothing to think of, and to
reward them for their trouble he would make his will, and
divide his little stock among them. He then produced six
or seven pennyworth of copper, and to the delight of the
lads shared it among them, and in order to carry out his
plans niece effectually be told the senior of the party not
to cut him down till he whistled. The lad prormatd to d•
so, and Axon attached the cord to his neck and flung
himself into the aw. He had no sooner done so than
blood gushed from his nose and mouth, and without waiting
for the signal, the lad cut the rope, and the would.be suicide
came sprawling to the earth. Idis first words were a sound
blackguardisg to the boys around him, and an indignant
remonstrance to the eldest of them for not waiting as he
had promised, adding at the finish, as a sort of balm to the
boy's feelings, " I told thee to wait till I whistled, my lad."
" es" says the lad, " but you didn't whistle, and didn't
look like it ;" a very sensible remark. and in order to pre-
vent any further attempt the boy gave information to a
policeman who happened to be claw by. The man was
taken into custody, and locked up at the Town.hall, where
be made a second attempt to kill himself by hanging himself
with a towel. In this he fortunately failed, and should be
not be successful in any further endeavours he may make
before noon, he will be taken before the magistrates.

" POITZEN " HI7NTING IN KING'S COUNTY. —At
the petty sessions of Frankford, in the King's County, •
man named Burke was on Thursday summoned for having
on his premises a quantity of illicit spirits called "potteen."'
The constable who made the seizure stated that he found
two jars of the whisky in the kitchen. In a mom, concealed in
• bed, he found • jar containing " potteen." From the
smell proceeding from, and the appearance which the straw
in the bed presented, he had no doubt but that on his ap-
proach a quantity of the mine liquor had been spilled to
avoid detection and seizure. Outside Burke's house he
found • vat in the ground upwards of four feet in diameter
which contained upwards of one hundred gallons of potale.
Under • kish he ,the constable) also discovered a keg of the
"real native," with which he filled the empty jam and de•
stayed the remainder. The bench awarded a fine, which
Burke said be could not pay, whereupon he was sent to
gaol for three months.
HUNTING ACCIDLIT. —We are sorry to state
that an accident of a very serious nature, and one which
was likely to be attended with serious consequences,
occurred to G. T. Bullock, Esq., of Coker, near Yeovil, on
Thursday morning last. The meet was at Yellowham
Woods; the hounds soots found, and went away towards
Waterson, where the fox was lost. The hounds then
trotted to Elaington willow-bed, which was drawn blank,
and from thence proceeded to Moreton-wood, where • brace
of foxes were discovered ; the hounds were settled upon
one of them, and led the field about seven miles across
the heath—a very dangerous country for hunting—end
it was during this run that Mr. Bullock met with his
unfortunate accident. It appears that his horse put its
foot into a rabbit's hole, and threw Mr. Bullock off, and
the animal then fell sideways on the top of its rider—the
pommel of the saddle pressing heavily upon his chest.
Upon the horse starting up with great fright, it kicked the
unfortunate gentleman on the hind with some force. The
injuries Mr. Bullock sustained entirely deprived him of his
faculties, and upon recoveting his senses the find words he
was beard to utter were, " W here are the hounds ?" He
was immediately conveyed to Coker-wood, near Moreton,
the seat of Henry Frampton, Esq., where he was treated
with every attention that kindness could suggest. A me-
dical gentleman, who was immediately telegraphed for, ar-
rived with all possible speed, and skilfully rendered that
professional aid which the urgent nature of the case re.
Tuned. We are happy to learn that Mr. Bullock is ma-
nounced to be out of danger, and is progressing favourably.
—Slterborme Journal.

WHOLESALE ROBBERIES AT THE FIGHT For. THE
CHAMPIONiSHIP.—The London " swell-molimen" never leee
an opportunity of taking advantage of the slightest excite-
ment to turn tt to account, end a prize-fight affords pecu-
liar advantages to ply their dishonest calling, and that of
Tuesday last was looked forward to with pleasing anticipa-
tions. No amount of money can insure a selection of
respectable persons, or prevent an infusion of swell-mob
thieves from such gatherings ; and if the tickets were
charged at ten instead of titre, guineas, there they would be.
How some of the vagabonds inamigtsl to reach Farnborough
may be judged of by one fact which has come to the know-
ledge of the writer. On Tuesday morning, as the time for
the leaving of the trains from Laudon-bridge approached,
two Leicestershire gentlemen made their appearance, with
tickets in hand, sod iuquired anxiously for the way to
the platform from which the train for the fight
was about to start. Two sharper., on the "look-
out," took the tickets, pretending to look at them,
but they no sooner got posesion of them than they
rushed amongst the crowd, leaving their dupes in a state
of perfect bewilderment; forthough theyliad tmvelledminy
miles to see the fight, they weredeprived of the opportunity,
as it was too late then to olitein other tickets, anal they were
left to sleep off their annoyance. To persona who have any
idea of such scenes, it would be considered an extreme act
of folly to take. a gold watch or other property to a prize
fight; hut, fortunately for the thieves, anal unfortunately for
the American gentlemen, who were their chief victims an
this occasion, many of the hitter hail no conception what-
ever of what they had to encounter end the " roughs" they
laid to meet, and they took their watches with them.
Some ides may be formed of the number of robberies that
took place, when it is stated that not lees than eight
watches of a valuable lescription heal been stolen from eight
gentlemen stopping at the same hotel. Of the number one
was a presentation watch, which the owner would not have
lad for 100 guineas ; and the American gentlemen. in addi-
tion to seeing the tattle snatched from their ecituftry!,.ani
while on the very threshold of victory, had the mortification
of being plundered of their property.
A VOLUNTEER SHOT, AT HUDDERSTIELD.-071
Tuesday morning, at Htuldendiehl, John Brook (son of Mr.
J. Brook, registrar for the Hutlilenifield district), sergeant
la the 2nd company of the Huiltlerafield Rifle %%dente, rs,
was mysteriously shot iu his father's mill, at Aspley,
where he is overlooker. He was found in the engite-
room, at a little past eight in the morning, sitting against
a cheat in a helpless condition. His rifle was lying N'tide
him. A ball had entered his left breast just below the
ribs, and had come out helow his left shoulder
blade. No one was near him, and, as be
is unable to give an account of the occurrence him-
self, it is left to conjecture how he received the wound.
He called upon a friend the night before, and asked for a
few cartridges, raying he was going to practise next morn-
and it is known that on the sane evening he took his
Atli into the engine-room to dry it. He was imnsitFettely
conveyed to his father's house, where lie now hes in a
dangerous condition.—fileneSeeter Usartlion.
GRIIAT NOIRTMERN HOSPITAL, KING'S-CEOSF.--
Number of patients for the week ending April 14, 7,
which 214 were new cases.