The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-06 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY ATTEMPT TO
MURDER AT SALFORD.

-- e -
Yesterday morning information was receiviM at the
Salford police-office of an extraordinary attempt made
to murder a poor woman living in Evan-street, Spring-
field-lane, in that borough. The statement was, that
at two o'clock in the morning her, house had been
entered and her throat cut with some not very sharp
instrument, whilst she was in bed, and that the robbers
had stolen 31. 10s. from her pocket. The police went
to institute the proper inquiries, and found that Mr
Holland, surgeon, and Mr. Storey, druggist, of Green
gate, had attended to the wound, which it is believed
will not prove mortal, the incision having missed the prin-
cipal arteries and the jugular vein. The unfortunate
woman, whose name is Sarah Freel, was found to be a
large opium eater, and it was thought at first that her
story might be an invention, and that she had probably
made an attempt at self-destruction whilst labouring
under the effects of the mental excitement to which such
persons are subject ; but an inquiry into the circum-
stances has removed these suspicions to a great extent.
She has been in the habit of taking opium freely on ac-
count of nervous suffering to which she was subject at
times, and a druggist who has sold her the drug says
that he has known her consume half an ounce whilst in
his shop, and to purchase an ounce per day.
The woman's story is that she was awoke very early
in the morning by a hand being placed upon her
mouth. She was sleeping upon a bed on the floor,
in the only bed-room the cottage contains, and the
room was totally destitute of other furniture. Her
thue children, two boys and a girl, the oldest of
whom is 14 years old, were sleeping in the house below
—the girl on a box, and the two boys on the floor. On
being awoke, she says, and looking up, she saw a man
disguised in female attire, and a boy holding a lantern.
She asked them what they wanted there, and the man
replied " money." She pointed to her miserable room,
and asked what money they expected a poor old woman
in that wretched condition could be likely to have, but
the man said, " Oh, I know you have money, and I
must have it." She says she began to cry for help, but
the man then placed one hand across her mouth, and
with the other drew a knife across her throat, and she
became insensible. The raenason she had for believing her
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husband, she was obliged
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that
Jackson, the banker, at Douglas
before leaving Douglas, a month ago,
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of whom Mr.
Mr. Jackson should advance, her 25 1
subsequently resolved only to have 201 and,
paid her by Mr. Jackson in the shop of Mr. Duff, grocer
gitroweaser
and spirit-dealer, Market-place, Douglas.
The woman states that on going to bed, the previous
night she left her petticoat hanging behind the door,
with 3/. 10s. stitched up in one corner of the pocket.
This was the balance left of the 20/. she had obtained
from Mr. Jackson, banker, at Douglas. On examining
her pocket it was found, yesterday morning, that this
money was gone. The threads had apparently been cut
with a knife.