The Sun.
London, England, 1847-08-27 00:00:00

LONDON,

IRELAND.

THE \!URDERERS OF MR. PIM.-ATTENIPT AT
ESCAPE FROM KILKENNY PRISON.

DUBLIN, AUG. 25.—0 n Monday last the wretched
men at present under sentence of death in Kilkenny
gaol, for the murder of Mr. Pim, attempted to effect
their escape. It appears that some prisoners in a
yard adjacent to the convicts' cells, threw stones over
their wall into the latter places. Soon after the turn-
key had occasion to visit the convicts, the latter im-
mediately armed themselves with stones, with which
they soon laid the poor turnkey prostrate, thereby
making their escape so far as the outer gate, at which
they were captured and again brought back to their
miserable abode. Their execution is fixed for this day.
The following confession of the culprits appears in
the Kilkenny Journal of this day :
" On the evening of the day on which the three
prisoners—Larkin, Daniel, and Walsh—made the
attempt to escape, as detailed above, they, in the pre-
sence of the Governor and several other of the gaol
officers, confessed to having entered into a conspiracy
to which, for atrocity, all the circumstances taken into
consideration, we venture to say the history of this
country affords no parallel. But we will leave our
readers to form their own conclusions from the state-

went of Larkin, the substance of which we now give,
and in the truth of which the other two prisoners
concurred.

He stated, on Tuesdny evening, that he had in-
tended to go as far as he could, until he was either
shot or had made his escape from gaol. The other
two prisoners had entered into a plan of escape with
him, which was to have been carried out in the fol-
lowing manner :—they had agreed to kill Murphy
and Corrigan (two turnkeys), while attending mass
on last Sunday ; and then proceed to the back door,
at which the other turnkey, Lee, was usually sta-
tioned when the prisoners were going to or coming
from mass, and then make their escape. They were,
however, prevented from carrying this scheme into
execution, in consequence of Lee having laid down the
bolt of this door for security. This was a thing not
usually done ; but for the previous week or two the
turnkey had done it, and on this occasion the prisoners
heard him. This bolting disappointed them in their
views. Having been foiled in this attempt, they hit
upon another diabolical contrivance, in which, thank
God, they also failed. This was to drag Lee into
one of the cells, murder him, and conceal his body, on
Monday morning, when he would be engaged in open-
ing thew small apartments. But their infernal ma-
chinations were not to cease here. They calculated that
when the governor would require Lee's services in
some other part of the building, he would ring a bell
for him, and, on receiving no answer, would send
another turnkey for him ; this man was to meet with
the same fate as Lee. If a third turnkey should
come to look for the other two, he was to be murdered,
and his corpse concealed also; and if the Governor him-
self came, he was to be butchered too. The wretches,
however, added—we believe out of a sense of grati-
tude for Mr. Robins's kindness—that they had hoped
the Governor would not come, but that they had re-
solved, if he came, not to spare him. By killing the
officers they had hoped to make their escape. The
wretched culprits were prevented from dealing with
Lee as they had intended, in consequence of his
having been too much out of their reach when they
could have acted together in hauling him into the
cell; but, as will be seen from our account of the
scuffle, given in the preceding paragraph, Larkin
made an attack on Lee when he saw that the turnkey
was about to leave the corridor. Larkin confessed
that he had intended to kill Lee, but Walsh and
Daniel said they had not, and Lee assured us that he
believed them, as even Walsh did not attack him with
a paving-stone, as did Larkin. Our readers know
how the affair enled.

Both Daniel and Walsh said that they had endea-
voired to dissua.ie Larkin from carrying out, the mur-
derous attempt ; but he would not be off of it, and the
other two culprits were induced to persevere in the
conspiracy, by Larkin threatening them that if they
did not he would expose them when going out on the
dray.

Lee asked the culprits had he not been most kind
to them ?

They all admitted that he had; and Daniel even
cried, and said that he would not touch Lee. Daniel
also stated that he had desired the prisoner Walsh,
some days since, to tell Lee that he wished to speak
to him.

Lee said that such a message had been delivered to
him by Walsh.
The prisoners likewise confessed that three of the
convicts, at present confined in the gaol, had pro-
cured them the stones.

This was the prisoners' confession, as it has been
communicated to us.

It is admitted on all hands that the prisoners had
been treated most kindly in gaol, previous to this
conspiracy.
We are happy to say that Lee is able to move
about, though he has two wounds on his head, and
his body is somewhat bruised.
Up to Monday the prisoners ate their full allow-
ance ; and, in answer to the inquiries of the turnkey,
had frequently told him that they slept well.

TIIE LATE ATTEMPT AT MURDER IN MARK-
LANE.—On making inquiries at St. Thomas's Hospital
this (Thursday) morning, we were informed that Mr.
Crawley was going on favourably, but for the last few
days had been suffering considerable pain in consequence
of a portion of the fractured cheek-bone forcing its way
through the skin of the face. Not the least danger,
however, is anticipated ; and it is confidently expected
that this unfortunate gentleman will be able in a few
days to leave the hospital. On inquiry at Guy's we
were told that the assassin Ovenstone was nearly well,
and would in all probability be removed from the hos-
pital the beginning of next week; when he will undergo
a preliminary examination before the Lord Mayor, for
the purpose of authorizing his committal to the Compter,
until such time as Mr. Crawley regains sufficient strength
to attend at the Mansion-house and give evidence.
FATAL ACCIDENT.—RUGBY, AUG. 24.—An acci•
dent, which ended fatally, occurred here yesterday af-
ternoon, under the following circumstances :—,John
Holyoak, an assistant to the plate layers, was employed
between two and three o'clock to clear the line of coke
that had dropped from the several engines traversing
the railway during the morning. Whilst in a stooping
position, engine No. 86 came along the railway, and
before deceased could get out of the road he was
knocked down by the buffer of the engine. His legs,
falling across the rails, were cut off, one a little below
the knee and the other just above the ancle. Deceased
was carried to the Railway lon, where amputation was
performed by Mr. Torance and Mr. Barker, surgeons,
of Rugby. Deceased lingered about two hours and a
half after the operation had been performed, when he
expired. The deceased had been 21 years in the 39th
Regiment of infantry, during which period he was en-
gaged in several battles that took place in India. He
had only obtained his discharge six months, and had
been in the employ of the cooipany a fortnight. It is
somewhat singular that deceased smoked two or three
pipes before the operation, and another pipe after his
limbs were taken off. He was perfectly sensible during
the whole time, but deeply regretted that he had not
been shot in battle, instead of meeting with so miserable
an end.

DARING FEAT.—The American frigate Macedonia,
formerly conquered from this country, and now sent
over here with a gratuitous supply of provisions, was
waiting at the Tail of the Bank on Tuesday when the
Queen arrived in the Clyde. Just when the Queen's
steamer was about to pass the .ssacedonia, and whilst
cannons were roaring from the shore in every direction,
and the atmosphere resounding with the huzzas of the
multitudes, two seamen were observed on board the
American frigate, the one coolly sitting on the summit
of the foretop-royal, and the other of the mizentop-
royal mast. Immediately a third sailor was observed
mounting the mainmast; he also ran up the rigging to
the top-royal mast, which he nimbly ascended, and then
standing on its very top with one foot, he deliberately
took off his hat, waved it three times round his head, and
gave a cheer to her Majesty. A seaman on board one
of the Queen's ships was next seen ascending to the sum-
mit of the top-mast; but when ho had nearly reached
the top, he was to appearance ordered down by an officer,
who very prudently, as we conceive, countermanded the
imitation of a most brave and daring, but certainly a
very foolish feat.
FATAL WRECK OF THE BARQUE WELCOME.—
Letters have been received from the political agent at
Aden (Captain Ilaines, RN.), communicating the me-
lancholy loss of the barque Welcome, of London, 500
tons burden, on the coast of Yambo, with most of her
crew. The vessel had been chartered by the Peninsular
and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, to convey
coals to their depot at Suez. On the 14th of April the
vessel ran on a reef of coral rocks, known as the Shoad
Subad, S.W. of Yambo. There being no appearance of
her having sustained injury the sails were backed, and
the usual means adopted to get her off, which was soon
effected, but at the moment of clearing the reef the
vessel settled down by the bow, and in three minutes
went down in 100 fathoms water. So sudden was the
catastrophe that there was no time to launch a boat.
The master, mate, a seaman, and an Arab, contrived to
save themselves by clinging to the sides of a small boat,
floating bottom upwards, which they cut adrift as the
vessel foundered, and which fortunately was washed back
eventually
in
theg o t wreck,tne boat andngh t
eadl
to the reef. The remainder of the crew—fifteen in
perished.number—were
.The drawn
d
survivors
and made for Yambo, which they reached in the course'
of 48 hours, in a very exhausted state. The vessel and
insured.
A are only partly
A most lamentable event took place last week at
Geneva. The Rev. Edward Auriol, Rector of St. Dan-
stan's in the West, 1 F.eet-street. was on a tour through
Switairland, with his wife and son, a youth of about
seventeen, of the most amiable disposition, their only
They arrived at Geneva at the beginning of last
week, and were planni.g an excursion on the lake. The
orning alter their arrival the youth, with his parents'
consent, went out for a stroll before breakfast. Unaware
of the peculiar dangers of the place, he got into a boat
on the lake, was drawn into the current, hurried down
the rapids of the Rhone, and totally lost. He was a
youth of great promise, and obtained a scholarship and
the theological pri' at the Midsummer examination at
t
Kings College, Loudon, in the present year.
A'rumour is current in Taunton, that Mr. Labon-
cher° will be shortly elevated to the peerage, which would
occasion a vacancy in one of the seats of that borough.—
Bath vrvurna4