The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-17 00:00:00

OUTRAGEOUS ATTACK

[From the Yolk Courant of Augnit
By a providential interference we are spared the pales
recording in our columns this week the completion of
tragedy equal in atrocity to the murder of Mr. Carts,,
Beadle, by Leonard Wilkinson, who expiated his mime by
death at our late Assizes. On the night of Wednesdayl4,
Mr. John Smith, of 3lielillehatn, training-groom to the
Marquis of Queensberry and several other Noblemen sail
Gentlemen, was proceeding about half-past ten (Mode on
his return from this city, where he had teen spending the
evening, to Dringhouses; when lie hail got withia about
200 yards of that village, he saw three men loitering br the
side of the road, but not suspecting any thing noise, he
pursued his journey until he came opposite to them, when
one of them suddenly sprung towards him from the right.
Mr. S. avoided this attack by swerving his horse to the left'
where l's was met by a second ruffian, who.aimed a ire,
inendoua blow at his heal with a rail, which he held in
both hands, and which, striking Ha forehead edgeways
with great violence, inflicted a dreadful wound; the form
of the blow broke the rail, and to the strength of Mr.
Smith's hat may be attributed his et c pe with life; the hat
was broken through, and the integuments io the skull were
laid bare, though no fracture was ce a i med. Mr. smith..
horse; which was a very spirited one, immediately sprang
forward ; but Mr. Smith was so stunned by the blow, that
he had been conveyed about seventy yards before he
called out " murder !" which brought some persons to
his assistance. His first impression was, that he heil
been shot ; and when he had somewhat recovered
his senses, the blood was profusely issuing from the
wound. Mr. Dixon, the training groom, was on the
road at a little distance behind Mr. Smith, and taw
the three fellows on the road, whose suspicious ap-
pearance induced him to secrete himself in the hedge to
avoid them ; whilst in this situation he heard the blow in.
fficted, and Mr. Smith's exclamation of 't murder" called
him forth to the assistance of the person attacked, when
he saw two men retreating towards Knavesmire. When
Mr. Smith reached his inn, surgical aid was immediately
procured from this city, and an active search commenced
after the villains, but without success; a part of the rail
was found near the spot where the violence was offered,
and the other part at the entrance of Dringhouses. Two
or three large nails were driven through one end of the rail,
which wcs fiat, and about fourteen feet long. Had not the
blow been inflicted with the edge, the nails would inevi-
tably have penetrated the skull. Mr. Smith had upwards
of lON. in his pockets. The next day Mr. Pardoe was
very active in making search after the offenders; and
the ostler at Mr. Bookless's, Dringhouses, where Mr. Smith
was residing, having seen three suspicious-looking men
lurking about previous to the attack, accompanied Panioe
to Knavesmile, where he challenged three men, who were
taken into custody, and on Friday they underwent an ex.
amination at our Guildhall. Their names are George
Shields, Robert Ibbott, and Thomas Higgins. In conse-
quence of the absence of the person who had identified
the men as being on the spot, they were remanded till Sa-
turday. Nothing, however, transpired to bring the charge
home to them, and a reward of 100 guineas has been
offered for the discovery of the pet petrators of the mur-
derous attempt.