The Sun.
London, England, 1841-06-29 00:00:00

HIGHWAY ROBBERY AND

ATTEMPTED MURDER.

A correspondent has furnished us with the particulars of a
deed of intended murder, for the sake of plunder, scarcely se-
cond in villainy to that which occurred in Ludlow last August.
The scene of this new crime was at the foot of Lilleshall Hill,

on the road from Newport to the Ironworks at Donnington
Wood, in the county of Salop, close adjoining the village of
Lilleshall, and the seat of his Grace the Duke of Sutherland, Lord
Lieutenant of Shropshire. Mr. Britain, a respectable grocer
at Newport, has been accustomed for many years to supply
the chartermasters at Donnington with the cash in silver and
copper received by him weekly, varying from 501. to 1001.,
for the purpose of paying the men employed in the ironworks.
This money was usually sent on the Friday, in a light
cart, in the custody of one of Mr. Britain's servants. Some
time ago a married man, named Thomas Simms, was en-
trusted with this charge, but having left Mr. Britain's ser-
vice he commenced the business of selling fruit in the town
and neighbourhood of Newport. Latterly the charge was en-
trusted to a young man, named Benjamin Nicholls, a servant
in th:. employ of 'Mr. Britain ; and with this fact the former
servant, Simms, was perfectly acquainted. On Friday week,
owing to some delay, the money was not forwarded as
usual ; but about eight o'clock on Saturday morning Nicholls
was despatched to the ironworks on horseback, having 10/.
in copper slung across the saddle, and a further sum of Si.
in copper secured on the pommel of the saddle, on the top
of which was placed 50/. in silver, tied up in a shot
bag. He arrived .ae Lilleshall Hill about nine o'clock, and
on passing a stile which terminated a footpath leading from
the top he was accosted by Simms, who crossed over the
stile, and asked Nicholls where he was going ? He re-
plied that he was going to Donnington works. Simms
then crossedthe road from left to right, behind the horse, say-
ing that he was going towards Wellington ; and placing his left
hand on the animal, walked side by side for a short time. On
a sudden Simms exclaimed," Look! what's on the hill?" and
immediately drew forth a hammer, a pound weight, and inflicted
two tremendous blows on Nicholl's head. Fortunately for
the young man he did not turn his head in the direction
of the hill, fearing that the money might fall from the saddle,
otherwise the blows must have fallen on his temple ; as it was,
the blows were received on his forehead, and he became
powerless and stunned, but did not fall. The horse immedi-
ately sprang forward, and the bag of silver, and the Si. in cop-
per placed on the saddle, fell to the ground, and the latter parcel
burst, and its contents were scattered on the road. As soon as
Nicholls recovered his senses he galloped on to Newport, raising
an alarm of " Murder !" In the mean time Simms picked
up the bag of silver, and ran up the hill, but meeting a person
Who had heard the cries of distress, he turned back into the
road, and escaped. In a few minutes afterwards his wife, Har-
riet Simms, was seen by persoris who bad heard the alarm to
descend from the monument at the summit of the hill, which
had been erected by a grateful tenantry to the memory of the
late Duke of Sutherland, and approach the hedge along which
her husband had been seen to run. She was observed to kick
the long grass on the margin of the ditch, as if in search of
something which had been dropped ; but notsueceeding, she de-
parted in the direction of Newport. The intended victim, how-
ever, succeeded in arriving first at Newport, and having raised a
hue and cry, the woman was taken on entering the town. Seve-
ral of theinhabitants and police immediately commenced a pur-
suit after Simms, and about noon he was taken by Mr.
Preston, a publican, within a few miles of Newport. In-
formation was then given to Mr. Baxter, superintendent of
police, who made strict search in the vicinity of the place
where the outrage was committed ; and, after considerable
pains he discoverd the bag of silver concealed in the drain at
the foot of the hill. The hammer was also found near the
spot. Simms and his wife were then taken before Charles
Morris, Esq., a magistrate of the Newport district. In ad-
dition to the above facts, evidence was given to prove that the
prisoners were seen waiting on Lilleshall Hill nearly the whole
of Friday, the day on which the money was usually conveyed
to Donnington. Much astonishment was excited by the fact
of the outrage being committed at such a time on the high-
way, particularly as it was Newport market day. The pri-
soners were fully committed for trial at the next assizes, on the
capital charge of highway robbery, accompanied with violence.
We are happy to state that Nicholls is recovering from his
wounds.—Shrewsbury Paper.

DEATX OF MASTER IHUGHES.—This ta-
lented Welsh boy was known not only in Wales for his
abilities in music, but in London and many provincial
towns in England. He embarked for America, and his
melancholy death by drowning is thus noticed in the
New York Tribune :—" Many of our readers 'must re-
member with delight the musical performances of Master
Hughes, a young native of Wales, who came out to this
country last year, and has since, in company with two
younger brothers, travelled over a good part of the
Middle States of America on a professional tour.
We are now pained to record his sudden death by
drowning ! The three brothers, under the guid-
ance of their father, visited Newburgh last week,
and gave an exhibition of their musical powers on
Tuesday evening. On. Wednesday they were induced to
engage in a sailing excursion on the River to see the
fishermen raise their nets. The wind was blowing quite
fresh itt the time, and just after they reached the stakes the
person before-mentioned, who had command of the helm
—and who knew little of his business as it now appears—
gibed the boat suddenly, instead of wearing her round as
he should have done, and she immediately capsized: Mr.
Hughes grasped his two youngest children and sustained
them on the keel of the boat ; but the- eldest, Joseph T.
Hughes, was carried away by the current and was
drowned. He was about 14 years old, :and was greatly
beloved by all who knew him. Up to Saturday (May 18)
his body had not been recovered. The others of the party
(six) were rescued soon after the accident, greatly ex-
hausted. By this accident an interesting and gifted fa-
mily is plunged into the deepest anguish."
Lord Campbell left London for Dublin on Sa-
turday, to enter on his judicial duties as Lord Chancellor of
Ireland. We perceive by the Dublin Evening Post, that the
reports of Lord Plunkett's retiring address to the bar omitted
the following complimentary passage :—" As to my successor,
he is my political and private friend, and one for whom I en-
tertain the greatest personal respect." We have no doubt that
Lord Campbell will immediately succeed in removing the pre-
judice which has been so causelessly excited against his appoint-
ment. Lord Plunkett and the Tory leaders of the Irish bar did
not complain of the promotion of Lord Redesdale, Lord Man-
ners, Sir A. Hart, or Sir Edward Sugden to the Irish Seals,
four Englishmen ; why, therefore, display so much dissatisfac-
tion at the nomination of a Scotchman? The English barns-
ters of Westminster-hall might have objected with as much,
but no more, justice to Lord Campbell's original appointment
of Solicitor-General in England. When the Irish are striving
to extinguish national prejudices against thew/Ayes, they
should be careful how they raise prejudices against any class of
their common countrymen.—Morning Chronicle.
HENLEY REGATTA, JUNE 26.—This cele-
brated meeting took place on Thursday and yesterday. The
arrangements were on the same scale as on former years. J. D.
Bishop, Esq., the captain of the London Amateur Scullers'
Club, again filled the responsible office of umpire. It will be
remembered that the Leander Club of London won the cele-
brated grand cuplast year; the number of challenges on the pre-
sent occasion were six, but from withdrawals were reduced to
three, the. Trinity College, Oxford, the University College,
Oxford, and the Cambridge Subscription-room Club, Lon-
don. The trial heat between these was decided about four
o'clock, in favour of the Subscription-room, after perhaps
as brilliant a race as had ever been witnessed. The grand race
between the Cambridge and Leander gentlemen, on which so
much excitement prevailed, terminated most disastrously ; the
Leander, after rowing about a quarter of a mile, having un-
fortunately fouled the Cambridge boat, and thereby losing the
race, which otherwise would have doubtless been of the most
exciting nature. There were no entries for the Town and Dis-
trict Cup, and in consequence they will be retained by the
Dreadnought crew, winners of last year. For the medals a
very spirited contest took place between the Midge, Oxford,
Cambridge Room, London, and St. George's, London ; it was
won by the former, Cambridge being second, and the St.
George's third.-- Windsor Express.
Mr. Ducrow has, for the present, disbanded his
theatrical company, but the equestrian corps are about
to appear at Vauxhall for a few nights. The salaries,
'we are happy to hear, have been paid in full, the public
subscriptions havins been sufficiently liberal to do so.