The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-03 00:00:00

ATTEMPT AT MURDER BY A CONVICT.

PORTSMOUTH, FEE. 2.
A determined attempt to murder one of the warders of
the convict prison in this borough was made this morning
by a prisoner named Johnson. Tha convicts had been to
service, as usual, at the church within the walls of the
prison, and as they were coming out of the sacred edifice,
and falling into their respective gangs, Johnson suddenly
stabbed in the neck on the right side a warder of the name
of James Aston. Two convicts immediately sprang upon
Johnson, and secured him, and he was taken away. Aston
was conveyed to the infirmary of the prison, apparently
with no hopes of his surviving for a minute. The instru-
ment with which the deed was committed was a small clasp
penknife. It is most extraordinary how Johnson became
possessed of it, as he had only just, in common with the
other prisoners, been searched, when nothing was found
upon him. He had always been regarded as a dangerous
prisoner, and therefore extra precautions were taken with
regard to him. It appears that some years since he had
been a convict on board the Stirling Castle, convict hulk,
and that Aston was at that time a warder on board.
Johnson was sent to Gibraltar in due course, and there
stabbed a warder, for which be was sent back to this coun-
try (under sentence of transportation for life) to recom-
mence a probationary course here. It is presumed that he
had on board the Stirling Castle formed some grudge
against Aston. On his being taken to his cell, ho said to
one of the warders, " All I hope is, that I have killed the
; but if I have not done it, tell him I hope be won't
forget the Stirling Castle." It is reported that Johnson
and another convict had determined, one or the other to
is I\a 1-beouatreusoyrreyartsoofsay g
et
,h
aa
nt
don a tmheardrieesdp cal iyn
hardly any hopes were held as to the recovery
of off mu rd rhdsete
or n Aston.
reports t
e.
with two children.

e—stleneingse-rtedr,"helmdoarnaiinngquelsr; aEt
SUDDEN DEATH OP THE SECRETARY OF THE REFORM
etdhleortßi,etfhoermcocrolunbe,r
for
U‘,l3v.
Pall-mall, on the body of Mr. William King Norway,
who has for some years past hell the office of secretary
of that institution. From the evidence adduced on the
inquiry, which lasted only a few minutes, it appeared
that some time since Mr. Norway broke one of his legs,
and from that time bad been in the habit of taking
andanutu to allay the pain %%Web sometimes has been
very severe. On Friday last he suffered acutely in con•
equenoe of the cold, and took more than his usual dose,
circumstanco which. unhappily resulted in his death.
The jury at once returned a verdict of " Accidental
poisoning." The most painful feelings have been excited
in consequence of this most unfortunate occurrence,
Mr. Norway having been greatly esteemed by the mem-
bers of thelclub.
FIRE AT SOUTHWARK.—Yesterday morning, about
half•oast mix o'clock, a fire broke out in the premises
b. longing to Mr. James Powers, known as the Hat and
Feathers Tavern, situate at No. 100. Graveldane, South-
ark: The premises stretched from Zoar-street to Cashes-
gr iunds. The lower part contained a great quantity of
Spirits, which added much to the fury of the flames. The
inmates, to avoid being burnt to death. were compelled
to jump from one of the back windows into the yard.
Fortunately, they sustained no material injury in so
doing. It was feared that three houses at the least, in
Zoar-street, wool I have been consumed, and as it was
they were severely, injured. So intense was the heat that
the front of the King's Head cavern, belonging to Mr.
John Gibbs, on the opposite side of the street, became
ignited, and serious damage was also done to several
houses in Thomas-place. The inmates of the last•narned
rushed out into the street almost naked with their chi],
dren, and carrying with them any article of furniture they
could lay hold of.
The arrangements connected with the organisation of
the War-office are now completed, and the offices of
Clerk of the Ordnance, Deputy-Secretary-at-War, and
Director-General of Army Clothing have been abolished.
Colonel Mundy has been appointed Governor of Jersey,
and Sir Benjamin Hawes, the late Deputy-Secretary-at-
War, becomes the permanent Under-Secretary of State ;
Mr. Godley, the late Director-General of Stores, is
appointed Assistant Under-Secretary of State ; Sir
Henry Storks, K.C.8.,
is appointed Secretary for
Military Correspondence • Captain Catkin, at present
Naval Director-General of Art4llery, is appointed Direc•
for of Stores and Clothing, and the salary attached to
the former office is saved to the public. Mr. Ramsay,
who has hitherto been Assistant-Director-General
of Clothing, will be Assistant-Director of Stores
and Clothing, and will, in consequence of the
amalgamation, undertake other duties connected with
army stores generally in addition to those hitherto
performed by bim. Sir Thomas Troubridge is appointed
Deputy-
Adjutant• General, and will, under the directions
of bis Royal Highness the General Uoraniat.dit g-in-
Chief,
perform the multifarious duties connected with the ar-
rangement for the patterns of clothing, accoutrements,
and necessaries supplied to the troops, and those purely
military duties formerly undertaken by the Board of
General Mom.