The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-12-24 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRITISH PRESS.

Sta—ln the country when any danger awaits us in turn-
mg oc•t of our road, ►he proprietor gives every traveller a
,lotice that " man-traps and spring-guns are set in.these pre-
mises," and every one may benefit by the admonition. But
Ia Loodoe Tun are laid for the unwary io every street,
sour country fblks arc perpetually canght on passing the
premises of some fraudulent proprietor, and even those who
have lived within the sound of Bow bell all their days, fall as
eadily into the snare as their country cousins who come up
flr the first time to see Westminster Abbey anti to buy bar-
gains. Now, Mr. Editor, in imitation of the notice-boards
above adverted to, I have often wished that the word
" newanz" was written in large capitals in the centre of
.very shop-window which announces any such intelligence
as the following :
" Selling of, miasma reserve, the proprietor going into an-
other tine of business."
I" Selling off, at prime cost, as the whole steel, of this shop
most be sold before Saturday nett."
" Selling of, wader prime cost, retiring from business in a
fcw days."
" Selling off, calmer prices than any in London, the lease of
the house to be sold."
" Selling of, greatly beton, prima cost, quitting this line
•,f basilicas. The lease of the house to be sold, and the ',re-
viles is be cleared by the ►st of next month."
"GREAT Baae►tsss.—Tbc stock of this shop to be sold ott
for the benefit of creditors, considerably under prime cost."
" To be sold, for the benefit of the creditors, the stock of
tl is shop, which must be cleared in cue meek, by direction of the
•aignces."
If the caution I have suggested could be carried into effect,
. ere would be much fewer tricks spew raavELLeas.
I am, Sir, yours, &c.
• A SUFFERER.

:•ORIIID ATTEMPT AT MURDER AT LEWISHAM.

;=nts of Lewi sherd, Blackheath, and the surrounding
were on Monday morning early, thrown into
greatest terror and dismay, at hearing the report of Ire-
arms, which proceeded from a lonely lane leading front Dart-
routh row, at the Lewisham foot of Blackheath, to the road'
'ere the late armoury mills stood. The watchman in Dart-
• nth-row, with all possible haste, repaired to the spot from
..I.ence the report was heard, when oa reaching the cottage of
Jas. Smith, Esq. it was ascertained that it had been attacked by
robbers, who, finding they were discovered, shot at, and
desperately wounded Mr. Smith. From enquiry yesterday,
at :he house of the uniartunate gentle a, we are enabled to
lay before our readers the authentic particulars of this mur-
derous attack. Mr. Smith, about 11 years ago, retired upon an
immense property to the above cottage, which is constructed of 1
wood, and surrounded with a shrubbery, enclosed with wooden
paling, on the top of which are iron spikes. The cottage consists
of six rooms, three on a floor, the front ',axiom and kitchen are
abreast of each other, and the bed-room in which Mr. and Mrs.
Smith slept is over the kitchen, and the dining-room immedi-
ately over the front parlour. The family, consisting of Mr.
Smith, who near sixty, his wife about the same age, a female
seivint, and a little boy, repaired to bed about ten o'clock on
Saturday night, and about three the next morning Mrs.l
Smith was awoke by a noise on the tiles of a shed near her
.bed• 100111, as if some person was treading upon them. She im-
isediately roused Mr. Smith. saying she was sure some person! li
»ere about the house. lie instantly jumped out of bed, put ent
!iis coat, and arming himself with a brace of loaded•pistels
chide he always kept by his bed side, went out of his bed-
-1110111 into the dialog-room, sod opening the window,- Mine+
• '• W11(01 the.e ?" and at that moment one of the robbert
o stood is the garden path, about twenty paces from the
low, shot at him with either a gun or a horse-pistol. The
et entered the muscle of his left arm, perforated his breast
..• otiose the nipple, and passed through his body, lodging
seen the third and fourth rib on the right side. The en-
'o,,unate gentleman could not speak, but as well as he was able
i4gered into his bed-room sweltering in his blood. Doctors
! car, Sheriff, and Rose were immediately sent for, and ia
s w seconds they arrived at the cottage, and found the wound-1
(tutu in a state of the greatest agony, and scarcely able to
ariculate. On examining the premises, it was discovered that
Si., robbers had scaled the palings from the lane• and bad re-
moved a pane of glass from the kitchen w indow, which was bar-
r.radoed by strong iron bars which Made access impossible, they
' therefore endeavoured to gain an entrance by boring holes
• I a centre bit in the panels of the parlour shutter. sad
NIA. at the same moment the robber was thus engaged,
that Mr. Smith opened the window, and received the ball of the
Darr ruffian. The villains are supposed to have made their
nibespe over the plantations of Mr. Greedons, which adjoins
$.. In their hurry to escape they left behind them
the centre bit, millet' appears to have been very little used, and
eitertiot trek bludgeon, knotted• shoat two feet and a half long.
-it is siso conjectured that the perpetrators are persons who
-were well acquainted with the disposition and circumstances of
:Mr. Sni:th, be being a very codrageous man, and once beasts
Mien the cottage wa4 attacked, he fired at a robber who was
Mogra.led in one of the shrubs, but In a manner not to do him
any heury ; it is thought, therefore, that the villains who made
the attach on Sunday morning, were aware of this °ironstones.
led had- armlet themselves. As soon as the affair Weems
4ffiewa„. a meeting of gentlemen residing in the nedghboorbood
• see held, and a reward of lOU/. was offered for the arpesheo-
eleffit of the mnrderous villain and his associates. Large bills
Ism* printed, and posted along the roads leading to the me-
tropolis, and information was forwarded to all the police offices.
Aft Ave o'clock yesterday evening, when our reporter left the
'residence of the onfortunate gentleman, his medical attendants
were thenwith hlm,and gave It as theiropinion,as the ball could
Sek be extracted, that he could not survive mum hours. Two
den are suspected of the deed, but for the ends of justice,
for the present secrecy must be observed. The circumstance
has craned the greatest sensation and alarm throughout the
~rounding villages.

On Monday afternoon a most melancholy accident
occurred at Leicester. A. great number of boys and
girls were sliding on a deep pond near the infirmary,
when, owing to the great pressure, the ice gave way,
an.! precipitated the greater part of them into the wa-
ter • and, although assistance was immediately pro-
cured, several were drowned. The scene was truly
tnumber I , -rending, as a of parents, on the alarm
given, assembled on the spot, and as the bodies
dragged up, viewed them with the most pain-
Thd xiety, fearing they might be those of their owe
et.ildren.