The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-22 00:00:00

ATTEMPTED MURDER.

Yesterday morning a cold-blooded and deliberate
attempt to murder an aged woman, named Wilk", was
made by a man who has absconded.
Mrs. Wilks resides in a small tenement in Nor-
man's-buildings, Cannon-street- road, St. George's-in-
the-East, and her daughter had been keeping com-
pany with a man of the name of Mason, who wished
her to leave her parent, and live with him. At the
instigation of her mother, she refused to cohabit with
Mason, and he repeatedly threatened the most deadly
revenge against Mrs. Wilks and her daughter. At
one u clock yesterday morning the inhabitants of
Norman's-buildings were alarmed by cries of murder
proceeding from the house inhabited by Mrs. Wilks.
Upon Entering a room up stabs an appalling scene
presented itself. Mrs. Wilks lay stretched on her
bed, weltering in her blood, which proceeded from a
deep wound in her throat, and cuts on her arms and
hands, while by her side was a little girl, three years
of age, who appeared the very picture of terror, Bad
was clinging to her grandmother.
Mr. Broadwater, a medical practitioner, was soon
in attendance, and ascertained that she had received
no fewer than eleven wounds. There was one cut
nearly penetrating to the carotid artery on the right
side of the throat, two inches in extent. It appeared
that Mrs. Wilks had received the wounds on her
hands and arms while they were uplifted, and in pro-
tecting her grandchild, whom the villain attempted
to stab. The wound on the neck is the only dan-
gercus one inflicted ; and there is no doubt he
thought it had completed his deadly purpose, for he
immediately afterwards left her and made his escape,
leaving his shoes and hat behind him.
The unfortunate woman now remains with very
little hope of recovery. In the course of the day she
was enabled to describe to the police the murderous
attack made upon her. She stated that she was just
dozing off to sleep, when she was made sensible of a
man being in the room, and at the same instant re-
ceived a " job" with a knife upon her arm. She was
raising herself up in bed and distinctly saw Mason
before her with a knife in his hand, and he re-
peated the blow, and cut her across the hand.
She called out murder, and her grandchild screamed
and clung to her. She was afraid that Mason would
kill her daughter's child, and covered it with the bed
clothes. Mason continued " jobbing" at her with the
knife till she became insensible. The poor creature
bled profusely from the wounds she received; her
grandchild's face and neck were also covered with
blood when the police entered the apartment. Search
was made for the weapon used by Mason, and it was
found upon the floor. It is a common black-handled
table knife. The blade of the knife was covered with
blood up to the hilt. On searching the house the
palice found Mason's hat and shoes in the lower room.
In the course of the day the officers ascertained
that Mason had called at his own lodgings, No. 9,
Felix street, Hackney-road, at an early hour yester-
day morning, and after changing his coat went out
again. The coat he left behind him was seized by the
police. There are stains of blood upon it. The man
did not speak a word during the time he was in the
room, and it is somewhat singular, as he had to walk
from Cannon-street-road to Hackney without hat or
shoes, that he did not attract the notice of the police.

CHLOROFORM.—THE DOCTOR CAUGHT NAPPING.
—A FACT.—A y oung lady, suffering from toothache,
went into a surgeon's shop a few days ago to have a
tooth extracted on the painless principle. Having in-
haled a small quantity of the substance, dropped on a
handerchief, she immediately became insensible ; the
tooth was extracted without the slightest feeling, and
she went away shortly afterwards, highly satisfied at
having so easily got rid of what had caused her so mnoh
suffering. After she was gone, the surgeon and a gen-
tleman who happened to be present during the operation,
were remarking what a pleasant flavour the chloroform
had. The former at the time had the handkerchief in
his hand, and but for the presence of his friend, be
would have fallen to the ground; as it was, he had to
assist him to a chair, where, in spite of all his endeavours,
by shaking and pulling him, he remained unconscious
for fully ten minutes, to the no small astonishment of the
gentleman. The doctor himself, on consciousness re-
turning, was as much surprised as was his friend at whet
bad occurred.—North ,British Mail.