The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-21 00:00:00

Attempt to Murder a Police Constable.

Another attempt to murder a police-constable
was made in North Crescent-mews, Burton-crescent,
between two and three o'clock on Sunday morning.
The victim, who at present lies in a most dangerous
state, is Police-constable George Saunders, 153,
belonging to the E Diviion of the Metropolitan
Police Force. lie is about 24 years of age. It
appears that he was discovered in North Crescent-
mews, lying insensible and covered with blood.
He was at once conveyed to the police-station,
where Dr. Paul, the divisional surgeon, examined
him, and found that he was suffering from a
severe gunshot wound in the thigh, and also
from partial concussion of the brain. Several large
and deep wounds were on the back part of his head,
which bore the appearance of having been inflicted
by some heavy blunt instrument. Sergeant Wheeler,
18 E, the acting inspector on duty, immediately pro-
ceeded to the spot where the outrage had been com-
mitted, and instituted a thorough search round the
mews. His efforts were rewarded by finding a
pistol, a ball, some powder, and a sharp-pointed
knife, such as those used by shoemakers in the
course of their business. When Saunders had re-
covered consciousness he said that during his rounds
he observed a man loitering about the mews.
About two o'clock on Sunday morning he felt it to
be his duty to question him. He asked him what
he was loitering there for, and the man at once drew
a pistol and shot him in the thigh, and afterwards
attacked him with some blunt instrument (sup-
posed to be the butt-end of the pistol), striking hi►n
iu a most brutal manner about the head until he was
rendered insensible. It is supposed that the man
was connected with a gang of burglars who were
endeavouring to operate on some house in the
neighbourhood, and had taken the above means of
effecting his escape. He is known by sight by the
injured constable, and several officers in private
clothes are engaged in tracing out the miscreant.

LATEST PARTICULARS— (THIS DAY.)
Upon making inquiries this morning at the Hun-
ter-street Police-station our reporter was informed
that the unfortunate officer, John Saunders, of the
E division, had spent a very restless night, that ho
complained of most excruciating pains in his head
and legs, and also of being excessively weak, accom-
panied by a sensation of sickness. The injuries the
poor fellow received by the knife and pistol shot are
described as being both of a more serious character
than was imagined, and should erysipelas supervene
the recovery of the unfortunate officer will be ex-
tremely doubtful. Every attention is being given
by Dr. Paul, and in addition other surgical assist-
ance has been obtained for the sufferer. The reason
for the constable following the would-be murderer,
it appears, was owing to certain information having
reached the police authorities that private meetings
were being held by the Fenians in the neighbourhoods
of Somers-town and Battle-bridge for organising an
attack upon property in those districts, and simul-
taneously with a rising taking place in the northern
districts the Fenians on the south side of the Thames
were to join the others in a body. This was ascer-
tained by some of the detectives of the A and P
divisions, who have for some time past been secreted
in a garden on the " Freehold" of Camberwell, near
the Wyndham-road, the nucleus of the lowest
Irish. Their proceedings having been made
known to Sir Richard Mayne, every precau-
tion has been made by the police to prevent
anything like a general rising of the Fenians ;
and now that the electric telegraph is attached from
station to station throughout the metropolis, there
would be no difficulty in summoning the police from
each part of London, and, should occasion require
it, the military also. The ruffian who has thus
endangered the life of the officer, it is believed, will
not be long before he is in the hands of the officers
of the law, for it is owing principally to the descrip-
tion given of one of the leaders of Feniauism that
the constable was induced to match him so
closely. It is firmly believed that he is
at present sheltered by his companions in crime in
the district of Somers-town. From what the
wounded man could see of his assailant he bore fully
the description of a man that had long been sus-
pected of working hard in the Fenian cause, and
apparently not more than 30 or 32 years of age, of
very fair complexion, and about sf. 9in. high. Ho
seemed not in the least to disguise what he was, as
he wore a Fenian hat, and a handkerchief round his
neck, in order to let his comrades know what he
was. The mere fact of having two ounces of gun-
powder in his possession leads to the inference that
he expected to be joined by others, in order to have
a desperate struggle, but the noise no doubt alarmed
them, and prevented their appearance.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

FORGING AN ORDER FOR TIIE PAYMENT OF
MONEY BY TILE FOWLER SECRETARY OF A
FORESTERS' LODGE.—Alphonso Griffiths,lof No. 12,
Parker-street, and formerly secretary of Croft's
Lodge, No. 4,561, of the Ancient Order of Foresters,
held at the White Horse public-house, Castle-street,
was charged with forging and uttering an order for
the payment of money.
Mr. Edward Lewis, of Great Marlborough-street,
appeared for the prosecution, and said that he pro-
posed to enter into one case out of many, and then
to ask for a remand. It was necessary by the rules
of the order that before the secretary paid any
money the cheques should be signed not only by him
but by the Chief Ranger of the Lodge. Tho
cheque in question was signed by the prisoner—.
who, in April last, was the secretary—and pur-
ported to be signed by Mr. Cook, the then Chief
ranger, but which Mr. Cook would prove was not
the case.

Mr. Cook was called by Mr. E. Lewis, and said
that he was now the secretary of the society, but in
April last was the chief ranger. It was the duty of
the chief ranger to sign the cheques for the payment
of money. The cheque produced, awl purporting
to be signed by hitn, vas not in his handwriting.
Mr. Gill, the treasurer, said he paid the prisoner

the sum of XI. 83., the amount of the cheque, be-
lieving the signature to it to be that of the chief
ranger, Mr. Cook.
The prisoner was remanded.

Mr. Holman Hunt has almost finished a picture
of considerable sizo, representing " Isabella with the Basil
Pot," from Keats's "Eve of St. Agnes."
_ _ .

TIIE CITY BOUNDAIIIES.—Major-General Baia-
brigge and Mr. Nassau, son., intend holding a court at the
Guildhall, this day, to inquire into the boundaries of the
City of London, under the now Reform Act. It is under-.
stood that no proposition will ha mall to add to the City
boundaries in any way, so that. the labours of the coramiS°
sionerS will be of the lightest possible character.