The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-07-11 00:00:00

THE COLLISION IN THE RIVER.

In consequence of the indisposition of the coroner, the
adjourned inquest on the bodies of the men who came by
their death in the collision between the Excelsior and the
Mail, was further adjourned to nine o'clock on Saturday
morning, in the Crown Court.

THREATENED ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE

OF A RAILWAY OFFICIAL,

James Woods, a respectahle•looking man, about thirty-five
years of age, dressed in the garb of a London and North
Western Railway porter, was placed before Mr. Mansfield,
yesterday, charged with threatening to shoot Mr. Knox, goods
superintendent, at the Edge-hill station of the London and
North Western Railway. Mr. Retry, one of the solicitors of
the company, appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Campbell attended
on behalf of the prisoner.

Mr. Berry said he appeared, to represent the London and
North Western Railway Company, for the purpose of stating
the facts of this case, which was of an extremely serious charac-
ter, and for the purpose of seeking, at the hands of the magis-
trate, protection to the officers of the company against a very
serious attempt upon one of them. The facts were, that the
prisoner, some years ago, was a tunnel breaksman in the employ
of the company, bus, in consequence of reckless conduct, he
was discharged. He then went into the service of the North
Stafforrish re company, hut, subsequently, left them, for which
reason he (Mr. Berry) did not know. Subsequently, he again
obtained employment from the London and North Western
Company, as a waggon driver, at the Wapping station. He
was in their service at the time of the strike, and was one of
the " turn-outs." Knowing that the company were very
much pressed for hands, he went, a day or two after the strike,
to Mr. Knox, at the Edge hill station, and told that gentleman
that he was just returned from the service of the North
Staffo:dshire Company. lie was taken into the employ upon
the frith nfthqt rppi,Qpnt.ation, but, in a few days, Mr. Knox,
having had time to ascertain the characters of the persons he
had so hurridly taken into employment, discovered that Woods
was one of the "turn-outs," and reported the matter to Mr.
Carter, the general manager, who ordered the prisoner's dis-
charge. Woods was accordingly discharged. On Tuesday ho
went to Mr. Knox and abused him, demanding satisfaction for
his dismissal. On the previous day (Wednesday) he had
gone deliberately to Mr. Bentley's, gun-smith, bought a pistol
and caps, wait-d while bullets were cast for the pistol, and then
went away. Some little time afterwards he wits met, in a very
excited state, by a person in the employ of the company, to
whom he said he was going to blow Knox's brains out. This
being communicated to Mr. Knox, the prisoner was afterwards
apprehended.

Mr. Knox, superintendent at Edge-hill, deposed to the facts
mentioned in Mr. Berry's opening of the case, and added that
on Tuesday morning the prisoner came to Edge-hill, and said
he was determined to have his (Knox's) life, even if he was to
swing for i'. When be left, I determined, said Mr. Knox, to
slight the matter, attributing it to the heat of the moment.
About half past two in the afternoon, however, I was disposed
to take a different view of the case, when I heard that he was
walking about with a pistol in his hand, threatening to shoot
me. I gave information to Mr. Superintendent Quick, and
the prisoner was afterwards taken into custogy,
Crbss-examined by Mr. Campbell : When were those
threats made use of? Witness : On Tuesday morning, at
half past ten o'clock.
_ _

M. Campbell : What are you, sir ? Witness : Goods super-
intendent at Edge bill.

Mr. Campbell : Did you not take him on again after he
was discharged? Witness : No; he was taken on by Mr.
Austin, the engineer.

Mr. Campbell : Were you not the cause of the manes being
discharged? Witness : I was acting under the orders of Mr.
Carter.

Mr. Campbell: Now, has lie not been the means of
instructing a great number of men in the tunnel duties?
Witness ; No doubt he has been the means of instructing many
of the new hands,

Mr. Campbell : You did not fight with him on Tuesday
morning ? Witness : No, and have not seen him since, either,
to fight with. (Laughter.)
Mr. Campbell : You were not very much afraid of him, I
suppose? Witness : No, I was not in much bodily fear, even
when he had his pistol.
William Fielding, clerk at the Crown-street Station,
deposed that he saw the prisoner about half past twelve o'cicck
on Wednesday. Witness asked him what he was after.
Prisoner said he was going home as he had been discharged.
He then pulled out a pistol, and threatened to take Mr.
Knox's life. Witness told him he had better be cautious with
such articles. He said, " Oh, I don't care, I'll take his life
the first opportunity, if I swing for it." With that witness
thought it his duty to return to Mr. Knox to warn him of his
danger.

Mr. Campbell : Was he excited ? Witness : Yes, very
excited, and a little in liquor.
William Bentley, gunsmith, Lime-street, said the prisoner
called at his shop on the previous day, and bought a pistol,
bullets, and caps. Witness had no bullets of that size cast,
and the man stopped while he cast fourteen bullets.
Cross examined : This was between half past eleven and
twelve in the day. The prisoner said nothing as to what they
they were for. The price was 15s. He did not appear to be
in liquor, or they would not have been sold to him.
Thomas Maddox, police officer 632, said : About half past
eight last night I was sent for to go to Olive-street bridewell,
and asked by my superintendent if I knew James Woods. Mr,
Knox was there, and said the man was carrying about fire
arms to shoot him. I said, " Why, I saw him in Smithdown-
lane a short time since, and ho said nothing of the sort to me."
I made enquiries about him, and found him at last. I told
him I wanted him, and he said, " I dare say you do ; I'll
come along with you. I'll have that man's life
before I sleep." I afterwards went to the public
house of James Worrell, in Crown-street, for James
Ashton, a friend of the prisoner's. I found him, and
told him he had something belonging to Woods in his house.
He took me to his house, and gave me the pistol from a place
beside the privy. (The pistol was produced.) Ile said he had
taken it off the prisoner by main force. Woods lived in
Eaton street, Windsor; Ashton in Dale street.
The bridewell keeper. produced the bullets he found upon
the prisoner. Woods said if he waited fifty years he would
take Knox's life, if ho bad to swing for it, He was in liquor,
but not to say very drunk.
Mr. Campbell, on behalf of the prisoner, said t So far as I
am instructed, the prisoner has been in a state of drunkenness
ever since he was discharged. His feelings have been wrought
up by circumstances, and the conviction th.t he will be driven
to seek work in another part of the country, and he has lost all
command of himself. But I may say that any man who
really intended to take the lite of another would not go about
and tell persons of it, and show them the pistol, especially to a
police officer. I ask your worship to look at the case in the
mildest manner. He wishes, through me, to make every ample
apology to Mr Knox, and do all that a man can do to express
his sorrow for what has taken place.
Mr. Mansfield said his duty called upon him to protect the
lives of the officers, and he must bind the prisoner over, in his
own recognisances of £5O, and two sureties of £25 each, to
keep the peace for six months.
In default of bail, the prisoner was removed to gaol. His
wife, a clenent-lonking Woman. -I,mainar'

rr conrt