The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-01 00:00:00

CAPTURE OP TWO NOTORIOUS BURGLARS.

The greatest possible excitement prevails in Birming-
ham at the present time, in consequence of the following
burglary, and diabolical attempt to murder, having been
made by a party of four armed burglars. From the in-
formation obtained, it appears that yesterday morning
(Friday), Mrs. Horton, who lives with her husband, a
gentleman farming his own estate at Tamworth, was
aroused from her slumbers by an unusual noise in the
house. She immediately alarmed her husband, who,
without dressing himself, ran down stairs with a pitch-
fork in his hand, which he had kept in his bed-room ever
since an attempt to rob his house was made about Christ-
mas last. On going into the kitchen, he found a man
busily engaged in packing his goods together. He at
once called him to desist, and leave the house, but he re-
fused, when Mr. Horton made a thrust at him with the
pitchfork. The burglar thereupon drew a large clasp
knife from his pocket, and managing to open it, a life-
for-life struggle ensued, which lasted between a quarter
of an hour and twenty minutes, and during the encounter
.Mr. Horton was frightfully stabbed in the neck, the face,
-the shoulders, and arms, but the blade of the knife sud-
denly closed upon one of the fingers of the burglar, so
-that he was unable to use the weapon any longer. He,
-therefore, went to work with his fists, by means of which
-he knocked out three or four of Mr. Horton's teeth.
The burglar managed to escape, but Mr. Horton, no-
thing daunted by the injuries he had received, and
although still in his night dress, he took down a
gun which was hanging in an adjoining room, and
followed him. At the top of a dark lane, he heard a
cart and horse galloping off, when he fired the gun in
the direction the noise had proceeded from ; but imagin-
ing he had not shot any one, he entered the stable, har-
:nessed a horse, and, having put the animal into a gig,
he started off in search of the intended murderer. At
Hall -green, on the Stratford-road, he fortunately met
with Police-constable Powell,, of the 'Worcestershire
force, a tall, powerful fellow, of much courage and pre-
sena?. of mind. Having taken the officer into the gig,
they made with all possible expedition towards this
town, but, on gaining Sparbrook, about a mile and a
halfdistant, they came up to a light spring cart, contain-
ing four men, one of whom had his clothes torn, and his
person smeared with-blood, whom Mr. Norton at once
identified as having been the one who had so fearfully
stabbed him. As soon as the two vehicles met three of
of the parties in the spring cart jumped out, and made
an attempt to escape, when Powell sprang upon them,
knocked one down with his staff, whom he succeeded
in handcuffing, and in securing the fourth, who was left
in charge of the cart. The other two, however, man-
aged to effect a safe retreat. The two prisoners were
safely lodged in the King's Head tavern, Stratford-road,
when one was identified as a notorious character, named
John Humphries, and the other as Hurst Stevens ;
one was out on bail to answer a charge of felony, com-
mitted a few days since. In the cart were found a
number of articles taken from Mr. Horton's premises ;
and, from the clue already obtained, there is no
doubt that the other two wi' be speedily taken. Mr.
Horton, upon his arrival home, was found to have been
so seriously.injural as to require the attendance of Mr.
Lowe, the surgeon. The prisoners, it was understood,
will be examined on Monday, if the sufferer is able to
give his evidence against them.

A MEDICAL MAN'S EXPERIENCE AT THE
DIGGINGS.

The following is an extract from a letter just received
at Southampton from a gentleman of the medical pro-
fession, who resided a short time in that town, and who
emigrated with several members of his family in the
spring of last year from the north of England :—The
letter is dated " Bendigo Diggings, 100 miles N.W. of
Melbourne, Oct. 29, 1852. My dear
—, You will
have heard of my arrival out, after a • passage of 91
days. I remained at Melbourne about 3 weeks, waiting
the arrival of my goods from the ship at William's Town.
After seeing my family comfortably housed in the
suburbs, in company with a Mr. Lycon, son of a clergy-
man near Durham, I started for the auriferous regions
of the interior. My 'swag' or baggage, consisted of
a pair of blankets, selection of medicines, brace of pistols,
rifled carbine, and a long knife. The first day's march,
at sunset, brought us to Reilor ; here we encamped
under a part of the bridge, with about 30 other diggers,
consiAting of Colonials, Yankees, Germans, Chinamen,
and sailors. The second day we crossed a plain of about
15 miles in length, and rested in a wood for the night.
I was surprised at the readiness with which an old bush-
man knocked up a fire ; no one would think of going
into the bush for a'night without a small tomahawk, and
here I saw its usefulness in lopping off firewood and cutting
-out pegs for the tent bottom. On the third day we passed
through the Black Forest, and at night encamped near the
Bush Inn, 40 miles from town. It is impossible to convey
to you an idea of the roads ; many travellers turned
back in despair of ever reaching Bendigo. The broken
drays, dead horses and bullocks lying in every part
of the forest, reminded you of the retreat of some
discomfited army. Provisions were now charged very
high--bread ss. the 41b. loaf. On the fourth day it
rained without intermission. We dug deep trenches
round the tent, and stayed for the day. Such of us
as had waterproof suits amused ourselves shooting in
the woods, and cutting down hollow gum trees, in
the hope of meeting with an opossum. The ninth
day brought us to Bendigo, and on the tenth day
we removed our tent near the Post-office. I now
bought tools, and took out licences for digging. We sank
five holes without obtaining a speck of gold. The few
pounds I ventured to bring, sewn up in clothes, was at an
end; our party became broken up, and I took the tent. I
was at a loss what to do, however, the goddess with ban-
daged eyes never wholly deserted me. A person living in
a tent close by (in fact every person—even the commis-
sioner—lives under canvas) asked me to see his wife and
mate,' who were ill. Here I made 21., and determined
to commence practice. I exhibited on a yard of white
calico Dr. H—, surgeon, &c.' I soon began to muster
a few pounds. I fortunately met with an emigrant's
large medicine chest for sale at 201. I had not sufficient
means at hand for the purchase, but, nil desperancium,
I applied to my Sunderland friend, who first employed
me, for a loan. He was glad to assist me ; I
secured the chest, and returned him his loan within
a week found my tent too small bought a large
one for 101., which I fitted up with a crimson screen
and a counter. I have had several good cases, for one
of which I was paid 4 ounces of gold, and, to inform you
exactly as to ways and means,' within a month I have
expended .40/., and have now a pound of gold ready for
sending down by escort. Had I been here a year ago I
should have been worth 1,0001. at least this moment.
The large stockholders are making fortunes ; they are
getting 13s. a'head for sheep that could be had for 2s. 6d.
eighteen months ago. A fortnight since a nugget
.28
pounds weight was sent home for the Queen ; it was
found by a ticket-of-leave man. Last week a Chinaman
found a nugget weighing 46 pounds. The Commissioner
offered ,41. an ounce for it. You will by this time know
of the laughable state of legislation in Victoria. A tax
of 2s. 6d. an ounce of gold is talked of, but the diggers
will not stand this. Everything here, topographically
speaking, are rivers," gullies,' and flats.' Your
English acceptation of the term 'gully would not con-
vey to you the diggers' gullies ; for many miles the coun-
try is gently and beautifully undulated, and the little
valleys between two rivers are called gullies.' You
would not recognise me now, my face untouched by a
razor for three months, strong laced-up boots, fustian
trousers fastened with a broad leather belt, blue serge
shirt, and a wide awake cap. Such is the usual dress of
gpgi nt
pistols
andthe dairgeg r.
quite
in Colt'sn o
mr enav onlnv eurssef. etc hA 22501. s abtr
at loiee
odfi
will here bring 51."

The Duke of Brunswick some time ago confided a
ruby, weighing 34 carats, and 18 roses, weighing 5
carats, to M. Bloche, jeweller, in the Passage de
l'Opera, to be fixed in a small watch which M. Bloche
was to supply, and it was agreed in writing that the
price to be paid should be, including the watch, 550 fr.
When M. Bloche delivered the watch, the duke ordered
that some more roses should be added, both on the back
and front. For these extras M. Bloche increased his
demand to 1,169 fr. 80c., but the duke thinking they fell
fairly within the on inal contract, declined to pay more
than 550 fr. M. Bloche, however, refused to give up
the watch before his demand was satisfied. The Duke
of Brunswick accordingly brought an action before the
Civil Tribunal, to obtain the watch on the payment of
550 fr., or, on M. Bloche's refusal, the sum of 21,000 fr.;
the estimated value of the ruby and the roses. But the
tribunal, after hearing explanations on behalf of M.
Bloche, rejected the duke's demand, and condemned him
to pay 1,220 fr. 80c., being the amount of the plaintiff's
claim, and of an item which the duke did not dispute ;
but the right was reserved to the duke of causing the
stones added to the watch to be valued.