The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-13 00:00:00

THE EXTRAORDINARY
_AFFRAY IN THE

STRAND.

It appears that the wounds of Mr. Roberts are of
the most serious character. His skull is fractured in no fewer
than three places, while his head and face are covered with
terrible wounds, and one finger is broken. Major
Murray is perfectly coneciota, and has convened with
numerous persons who have visited him at his bed-
side. When admitted into the hospital Mr. Skegg,
the house surgeon, carefully examined his wounds, sad
discovered that a bullet still remained in hie neck. To.
wards evening Mr. Skegg, with the assistance of Mr.
Canton, succeeded in extracting it, and afterwards the
patient seemed to be much easier. His escape from imme.
diate death is regarded as a miracle. One bullet had ac-
tually grazed the temple on the right side, leaving a slight
wound only, the ball penetrating into the wall of the Nom
where the outrage was penetrated.
The occurrence naturally created considerable sensation in
the neighbourhood, and various extraordinary rumours DM
afloat last night as to the cause of the attempted murder.
Major Murray, it is said, has volunteered a statement, and
that his words were substantially as follows :—" Yes-
terday morning, shortly before 12, I was walking
down Northumberland street, Strand, when I was
accosted by • per on whom I had never seen
before. He said, Are you not Major Murray? I re-
plied that I was, and he tn said he wished to make a coin-
municstion to nie, and invited me into the house. Hol-
lowed him upstairs to the first-floor and went into a room,
and almost immediately afterwards Mr. Roberts fired a pistol
at me, the ball of which only grazed my temple. He then
fired another, and I felt I was wounded in the neck. I
thought he had another pistol, and I fell down sod pre-
tended to be dead, trying not to breathe. He mine and
stood over me, carefully scanning my face to see whether I
was alive ; and when be turned from me, believing that be
was going to attack me again, I jumped up, seized the poker,
and struck him down. When he Walt on the flour I made
ray maps through the window, and niade my way into the
mat lease, believing all the people in the house where I
first went were my eoemies."
Then is reason to believe that the above statement is true
with the exception of the part stating Major Murray sod Mr.
Roberta to have been strangers to each other. Upon that
point there are grave doubts, and it is cordidently stated
that they had had many monetary transactions together;
and that in fact an alienation upon money matters tint led
to the hostile position assumed by Mr. Roberta.
About 1 oclock yesterday afternoon, Superintendent
Durkin waited on Mr. Currie, the sitting magistrate at the
Bow-street Police-court, and made a communication, in
consequence of which Mr. Corrie, accompanied by Mr. Ihir-
naby, the chief clerk, proceeded to the Channg.crces Hos-
pital to take the deposition of Major Murray. 1)r. Canton,
however, informed his worship that the patient was not in a
position to make any deposition. In consequence of
this representation Mr. Currie abandoned for the present
the idea of taking the depositions. Mr. Canton, however,
undertook that if Major Murray should appear to be sink-
ing he would communicate with the magistrate, in order
that the deposition might be taken.
It appeared that., though the iumatee of the house (North-
umberland-chambers, 16, Notthumberlandatreet) betel the
sound of pistols, they paid no attention to it, as it was iv,
unusual circumstance. For two months past Mr. Roberts
. ,

bad been in the habit of firing pistols in his rooms. It
would now seem that he must have been practising with
ball, as one of the marble jambe of the chimney-piece is
much disfigured by bullet-marks. There is also a bullet
hole in the wall immediately adjoining. Just uader
the portion of the wall which is thus marked is a pool of
clotted blood, marking the spot where Major Murray fell
from the effect of the first shot. The bullet marks on the
marble and in the wall do not appear to be recent. The
spot where the major fell if close to the escritoire (here-
after alluded to), and diagonally opposite to the window
from which the major ultimately escaped. Under the ;vie.
dow is a heap of books, paper*, fragments of broken funoi.
Lure, and pictures, all saturated with blood and wine.
Among this heap were the remains of two broken wiva
bottles,which Major Murray bad smashed upon the Lead of
Mr. Roberta. Another bottle net broken, but smeared
with blood, had apparently been used in the same manor.
Mr. Roberta' chambers consist of two apartments, a biro
drawing room in front with three windows looking into
Northumberland-street, and ► smaller (back) sitting nom.
with two windows overlooking the yard. A handsome
ormulu writing table, at which Major Murray must have
been sitting, has its baize.eovenal top broken away from
the frame, and pushed all away. The beck of a chair
is wrenched almost away from the seat. The drawer of
another table has been pulled out and dashed to pieces.
though the table itself is untouched. The tongs, with which
the severest injuries had been inflicted on Mr. Roberta
were broken into half-a-dozen pieces. The window from
which Major Murray escaped was nearly 20 feet from the
ground. Close by the window is a wooden water pipe, 11
which he must have descended. At about five feet helve
the window the pipe turns off at an angle, and proceeds
almost perpendicularly by an adjoining wall. On this per-
tion are distinct foot marks. From this point he must bass
leaped or dropped about 15 feet to the ground.

VINT OF THE EX-QUEBN OF THE FRENCH TO
WORTHING. —We (Stimet Exprt fur) have authority fur
stating that her Majesty, with her retinue curie
prising sixty persona, will visit Worthing next wea.
Arrangements have been made at " Fowler's Royal
Sea House Hotel" for the Queen and suite to sojourn
for a fortnight at least. We subjoin the names 4
the principal personages forming the Queen Amelie's fanulY
and household who purpose coming here :—The Queen, the
Infanta Isabella, the two young Princesses of Sale Coburg.
the Count de Paris, the Duke de Chartres, tun
Doke de Mootpensier, the Duchess de Montprusier,
the Princess de Joiuville, the Pnnce de Joinville, Princos
Frances, Ma:chime= de Cela, Baroness de Finguerlia,
the Duke of Saxe Coburg, the Duchess of he"
Coburg, the two young Princes of Sale Colour:.
Duke de Penthievre, General Count Duniss. Cat'
tain Morhaia, the Rev. Chaplain the Abbe
Dr. Serrano, &c. The Duke and the Duchess de Monte,'
sier and the household will arrive on Tuesday. Her Re'
Piety the Queen and the royal family will arrive 011 Thum
day. We trust the public will allow them fully to nil
the beautiful salubrity of our town free from the le,*
annoying gaze, not to say disturbing interruption.
The South Western Railway Company are layilrf
down a double line between Wool and Wareham .1, 11l
Dorchester line, and building a handsome waiting.nanu
the Poole station un the same line.