The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-16 00:00:00

ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE.

On Friday evening last the locality of Winshill
and Newton Mount, near Burton-on-Trent, was
thrown into excitement by the report that a mur-
der had been committed, and that the murderer had
committed suicide, under the most painful circum-
stances. On inquiry, it was discovered that a young
woman named Mary Tomlinson. a domestic servant
at J. Drevvry's, Esq., solicitor, Newton Mount, had
been the object of an attempted assassination by a
young man named Joseph Simpson, with whom she
had been on terms of the closest intimacy for some
time. It appears that she had been wounded on the
right side of the head, directly below the ear, and,
although very severely injured, she still survives.
It seem that directly after aiming the deadly shot
at his sweetheart, and hearing her screams, Simp-
son ran across two fields, and discharged the con-
tents of the remaining barrel into his own head.
As far back as last Whitsuntide they were engaged
to be married, and consequently they went in com-
pany to the festivities of Lichfield Bower, and there,
during their stay, he purchased a wedding ring.
On Tuesday last—on the occasion of the rejoic-
ings at the Prince of Walee's marriage—they went
to Burton, and there entered into the enjoyments
provided. At the conclusion of the day's festivi-
ties she left the company of Simpson and joined
another young man, which had the effect of ir-
ritating his temper. He went on Thursday to
Mr. Barrett's, at Burton, and purchased a double-
barrelled rifle pistol, with a quantity of powder and
shot, and on Friday morning Simpson went to the
residence of Mr. Drewry, where he asked a boy,
named Rice, to tell the young woman that he
wished to see her. The boy told her, and she went
to see him, when they bad a short interview in
what is called " the boot-house." During their
conversation there it appears that she gave back to
him the ring he had purchased for their wedding.
This interview was the last they held together, at
about half-past tour o'clock in the evening. The
report of firearms was heard at this time, and on
inquiry being made into the cause, she was found.
lying on the coal-heap in a state of insensibility.
She was picked up, when it was found that she had
been shot. Simpson was then loitering about the
premises of Mr. Drewry during the greater part of
Friday, but from his manner no suspicion was
aroused as to the object he had in view. After
shooting the girl he ran some distance, and shot
himself through the mouth. Several went in pur-
suit of Simpson, but were unable to find him. He
was, however, ultimately discovered by a man,
named Orme, lying on his belly in a ditch, with
blood streaming from the wound he had inflicted by
the pistol shot. He was not dead when found, but
life was extinct before medical aid could be pro-
cured. By his side, close to his right hand, was
found a double-barrelled pistol, which had the
appearance of having been recently discharged, each
nipple bearing an exploded cap. The body of the
young man was conveyed to Mr. Cooper's, the
Traveller's Rest, Winshill, at which house Mr.
Sale, coroner for the district, held an inquest on
Saturday, when evidence corroborative of the
above facts was given, and a verdict in accordance
returned.

The Alleged Robbery by an Officer's Wife at
Preston.

On Friday Mrs. Jessie Black, wife of Capt. Black,
and daughter of a Leicester physician of high
standing, was brought up at the House of Correc-
tion, Preston, on the charge of stealing a quantity
of jewellery from Fulwood Barracks, the property
of Capt. Bluett and Mrs. Crofton, widow of the late
Col. Crofton, who was murdered with another offi-
cer in the barrack-yard in September, 1861.
After the case had been opened for the prosecution,
Capt. Bluett, of the 10th regiment, was examined
—He gave evidence to the effect, that in July last
he missed four valuable gold rings from his quarters
at Fulwood Barracks. Mrs. Black had occasionally
visited his quarters, and was there about the time
when the rings were missing. Or the 2d inst. he
accompanied ono of the police superintendents of
Preston to Leicester, where Mrs. Black was residing
with her family, and after making several inquiries,
the rings were found at the office of Mr. Huxley,
solicitor, of that place. Some of them had been
altered, the stones having been reset.
Margaret Toughey said that she had been a ser-
vant to Capt. Bluett, and that she saw Mrs. Black
and Mrs. Bluett two or three times together in one
of the bedrooms, where the rings were kept.
Thomas Blyth, jeweller, Leicester, deposed that he
altered a serpent ring for Mrs. Black in December
last. _ _

This ring was identified by Capt. Bluett.
Mr. Jones, jeweller, Leicester, proved that he had
altered one of the rings for Mrs. Black, and that
afterwards she had offered at his shop a diamond
ring for sale. She refused the price he offered her.
Mr. Hurley, solicitor, of Leicester, here made a
statement to the effect that the prisoner and her
husband had lived unhappily, and separated ; that
some time ago arrangements were made with the
view of reconciling them; that she had pawned her
husband's plate and a quantity of jewellery in Lon-
don ; that, at her earnest solicitation, he agreed to
redeem the articles for het, and to receive back the
money out of the sum to be realised by the sale of
her husband's commission ; that Property was so
redeemed, and that he had charge a it Capt.
Bluett and the police officer went to Leicester
make inquiries respecting the missing property, and
that the rings were amongst the articles redeemed.
Mrs. Crofton, widow of Coi. Crofton, said that
she lost a 'valuable diamond ring in September,
1861 ; that the ring produced, and iound at the
office of Mr. HaxleV, was her property ; and that
the prisoner had been a frequent visitor of hers.
Mr. W. Stephens, pawnbroker, of Brewer-street,
Golden square, London, said that the prisoner had
pawned the diamond ring named three times at his
shop, having sent it by letter; and that she pawned
the other articles in a similar manner.

She was fully committed to the forthcoming Liver-
pool assizes for trial. The prisoner, who is a rather
handsome, well dressed lady, was remarkably cool
during the whole examination. The defence was
reserved.

ICE-BRIDGE AT NIAGARA.—For the third time !.!),
the history of Canada the Niagara river at itsjune-
tion with Lake Ontario has been bridged with ice. The first
occasion was before the war of 1812 ; the second in the
spring of 1845. In this latter instance the river, with the
exception of very rare and insignificant spots, was bridged
over from its mouth to within a short distance of the Falls,
and at the wharf at Niagara the boulders of ice were packed
on the top of each other to the height of 40 or 50 feet, com-
pletely shutting out the view of the opposite shore, The
third bridging of the river commenced at 2 o'clock on Mon-
day afternoon, Fob. 16th, and at 4 o'clock some persons
crossed. On Tuesday morning a party of 17 or 18, half of
whom were ladle-, came over from Youngstown to Niagara.
The river is bridged with ice from its mouth upwards for a
distance of about 21 miles. The sight is reported as being
one of surpassing beauty and grandeur, and well worth a
journey to see. The cause of the "jam" is the prevalence of
south winds for a few days, and then a sudden change to
the north—the first forcing the ice down the upper lakes
into the river, which is prevented by the north winds from
getting into Lake Ontario,—St. Catharine's Journal.