The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-25 00:00:00

ATROCIOUS BURGLARY AND AT-
TEMPTED MURDER.
OLDaUEY, OCT. 24.—The inhabitants of the iron
and mining districts of East Worcestershire and
South Staffordshire have, during yesterday and to-
day, been considerably excited by the occurrence of
a daring burglary and attempt at murder in the
neighbourhood of this town.
A maiden lady, named Nichlie, resides at a small
farm house, situate at Portway, between o!dbury
and Hales Owen, and about taree-quarters of a mile
distant from the former place. The only other resi-
dents in the house are her brother, a bachelor, about
forty-five years of age, and a niece, between thirteen
and fourteen. Miss Nichlin was understood to be a
lady of considerable property, and, as usual at this
period of the year, after the receipt of her Michaelmas
rents, in the possession of large sums of money. Her
brother is in an infirm state of health, and, although
her assistant in the management of her property, not
c -Table of much physical exertion, and, as tray be
conceived, unequal to the efficient resistance of a
daring gang of burglars. The house in which Mr.
Nichlin, Miss Nichlin, and their niece re4de is close
to the turnpike road, and not more than from forty to
fifty yards (if so much) from other houses. It is not
absolutely lonely, nor does its exterior appearance in-
dicate the wealth of its residents.
About two o'clock on Thursday morning, Mr.
David Nichlin, the brother, when in bed, was awoke
by a blow inflicted by a bludgeon, and, so soon as
he could recover himself, saw two men with a dark
lantern standing close to his bedside. One of them
had his face blackened, and both of them were
habited from the shoulder downwards in white over-
dresses. From subsequent examination, it appears
that these over-dresses were the chemises of the elder
Miss Nichlin, which they had taken from the kitchen
before they proceeded upstairs. Mr. Nichlin, upon
the attack being made, rose from his bed with the in -
tent to resist the attempts of the assailants, and an
encounter ensued. It was, however, of short con-
tinuance. One of the burglars almost immediately
drew forth a pistol, or pistols, and shot Mr. Nichlin
in the head. The unfortunate gentleman, who still
lives to tell the tale, says he believes that three shots
were fired, but there is reason to suppose that the
gun or pistol used was a two-barrelled one, and that
two shots only were discharged. Mr. Nichlin re-
ceived the contents in his right cheek, arm, and side,
and fell upon the floor of his bed-room. He became
insensible, and it was supposed that his assassins
deemed him dead, for, without further consideration,
they proceeded to ransack the drawers and boxes
placed in the room. From these they abstracted two
Dudley and West Bromwich bank-notes for Si. each,
six or seven sovereigns, a quantity of silver tea spoons,
an old-fashioned watch, Jac.; but a large sum of
money, of which, it is supposed, they were in search,
escaped their hands.
From Mr. Nichlin's room the robbers proceeded to
that of Miss Nichlin, the entrance to which was
through the former apartment. Miss Nichlin, with
whom her niece slept, states that she heard two or
three blows given, but no discharge of fire-arms; and
upon being first disturbed she supposed that another
brother, who had for some time been absent, had re-
turned home. Her previous ideas were speedily dis-
sipated by the appearance of the burglars in her bed-
room. They demanded her money, and upon her
refusal, threatened to blow out her brains. Miss
Nichlin, in answer to these demands, replied that the
only money of which she was in possession was in her
pocket, on the chair. The pocket was soon rifled, the
contents taken, and the thieves left the apartment.
On returning through Mr. Nichlin's room, that gen-
tleman still lay upon the floor, but they apparently
took no notice of the sanguinary outrage they had
committed. The burglars descended into the lower
rooms of the house, and proceeded to regale themselves
with meat, fruit pies, wine, Sec. Mr. Nichlin, during the
period they remained in the house, managed to crawl
into his bed; but it was not until about five o'clock
in the morning that Miss Nichlin and her mice
ventured to give an alarm to their neighbours. On 1
more than one occasion the burglars shouted out from
below, at the top of their voices, " If you arils%
quiet we'll murder you." The state of terror in
which the inmates were placed for three hours cannot
well be imagined. The burglars entered through a
front parlour window.
So soon as the family were satisfied that the bur-
glars were departed, the young niece ventured out of
the house and communicated with Mr. Morris, a
neighbouring farmer, and by six o'clock Sergeant
Walden and Superintendent Overend, of the Wor-
cestershire police, were on the premises. The bed-
room of Mr. Nichlin presented a dreadful appearance.
The floor of the apartment was deluged with blood,
and the unfortunate gentleman himself 'was com-
pletely exhausted. On the floor of the bed-room
Sergeant Walden picked up fragments of Mr.
Nichlin's jaw and teeth, while the shattered state
(*)f his face showed the desperate and murderous
treatment to which he had been subjected. Slugs,
which apparently had not taken effect, were also found
in the room.
Miss Nichlin, although somewhat nervous, exhibited
great strength of mind, considering the dreadful cir-
cumstances in which she had so recently been placed.
Mr. Cooper, of Oldbury, surgeon, was promptly called
in, and he pronounced the injuries inflicted upon Mr.
Nichlin to be of a highly dangerous character; but
up to this afternoon (Friday) he was still living.
The assistance of the Birmingham police has been
called in, but there is reason to believe that this ex-
traordinary burglary has been committed, not by
" professional" thieves, but by parties residing in the
neighbourhood, who had knowledge of the premises
as well as of the property of Miss Nichlin and her
family. Mr. Glossop, the head of the Birmingham
detective force, has the matter in hand ; and Mr.
Martin, in company with Sergeant Walden, is hourly
engaged in pursuing the strictest inquiries in the
neighbourhood.
Miss Nichlin and her brother are related to highly
respectable families in Birmingham and the neigh-
bourhood. A reward of 501. has been offered by the
family for such information as will lead to the convic-
tion of the guilty parties. Application has also been
made for the assistance of the Horne-office.