The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-06 00:00:00

DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO MURDER

TWO POLICEMEN.

MARLBOROUGII-STREET.—THIS DAY.
This morning a desperate-looking young man, who
gave the name of Charles Melbourne, was placed at the
bar ()barged with attempting to murder two policemen
last night in the Haymarket. The prisoner, whose right
name is Beard, it is stated is the chief of a gang of
the most desperate burglars in the metropolis. n°
has been already transported, but bad ob-
tained a ticket of leave, which, in consequence of a
retort made to the Home Secretary, bad been revoked.
The prisoner has for a long time been a suspected person,
and the police, from inforrnat;on received, believed that
he was one of the parties concerned in the extensive bur-
glaries that had recently been committed at the house of
Monsel', Esq., of Chesterfield-creet, and also at Lord
Paumure's, from whose house, it will be recollected, a
large quantity of jewellery, including several of his lord.
ship's orders of knighthood, bad been carried off.

The prisoner, who bore the appearance of having
made a desperate resistance, is about twenty-five years
of age. He has dark hair and eyes, pale complexion,
and is pitted with the small-pox. He was dressed in a
black Oxonian coat and dark trousers, and was brought
into court handcuffed and strongly guarded by the
paice. The unfortunate man Murrell appeared with
his face and head enveloped in bandages, and it was
with the greatest difficulty he gave his evidence.
Police sergeant 9 0 said, at about 20 minutes past
this morning I was on duty in the Haymarket. I saw the
prisoner, in company with another man not in custodlt
going down the Haymarket. Believing him to be a
man who was wanted for a burglary, I sent to the
Ed, lice-station for constable Murrell, who was acquainted
with prisoner, who came to the Haymarket. After
waiting at the corner of Panton-street for a few minutes
I saw the prisoner in company with three women. I
said to Murrell, 4. here they are," and they
immediately ran away down James-street. They
separated, and I pursued Melbourne. When 136
got some distance up the street he turned round and
faced me. He had both hands in his pockets. I told him
he must go with me as I wanted him for an attempted
burglary. Murrell came up and said, " That's the
man." Murrea took hold of one side of the prisoner and
I the other, and we proceeded along James-street to
Vine-street station. I asked Murrell what had become
of the second party, and I afterwards said to him, "Yell
take charge of Melbourne and I'll go in pursuit of the
other man." I accordingly left Murrell with the pri-
soner. I had scarcely got into the Haymarket when
I heard the report of fire arms, and sombody crying for
assistance. I ran back and found Murrell who still bad
hold of the prisoner, but there were three or four women
round him. Murrell said, lay hold of him for God'e
sake, for ho has shot me." At the same instant a second
pistol was fired close to my head. I saw the pri'
soner's right hand raised and I also saw the smoke
coming from the direction. The women were
so close to me that I could not BOQ the pis'
It was fired so close to my ear that I was deaf
for three hours afterwards. I seized hold of the pri"
soner, and with Murrell conveyed him to the station'
house. I searched the prisoner there, and found a large
bowie knife (a most murderous-looking weapon), four
round pebbles which fitted the pistols, 45 small shots
loose in his pocket, 11 copper caps, and a ramrod. Ile
o
made no answer to the charge when it was read over t -
him.

Mr. Beadon—Then you were taking him into cue•
tody on suspicion of having committed a burglary!
Witness—Yes ; at Lord Panmure's.
Mr. Beedon—Do you wish to ask the witness 01
questions;

Prisoner—No ; nothing.
William Murrell, 80 0, said about half-past tic°
was fetched from the station to go to the Haymarket t°
see Sergeant Crocker. I met the sergeant, and he 51'1,1
"I think the man is near who we want for the burg'
lary." The first time I saw the prisoner pay
at the corner of James-street, in company vliut.
another man. As soon as he saw US be
ran no James-street towards Leicester-squ&re
Sergeant Crocker ran up Oxenden-street in. Or.
suit. I told Sergeant Crocker that that was thel
man we wanted, and I told him to by hold of hint. h
took hold of his right wrist. Crocker asked me vibic`;
way the little one went, but I could not tell, and Crocker
then left me with the prisoner in the Haymarket.
soon as the sergeant was gone the prisoner said to de
what does the sergeant want mes for ?" and I °a;
" you bad better ask him." He then deliberatelJ
drew his left band from his coat pocket, and 013'1),
:
me in the mouth. I was very much hurt, but
kept hold of him notwithstanding the shock I bad
received. I called for assistance, and Sergeant Crocker
came up, and I heard a second report of firearms, and
saw the prisoner fire a second pistol at Sergeant
Crocker. One of the pistols was taken from the Pry
saner, the other has not been found. I went to CbarigE
Cross Hospital to have my wounds dressed, and theretu-
stone produced was cut out of the low part of the
There was a bole right through the cheek into the rait`..
The stone took an oblique direction.
Mark Loom, a sergeant of the E division, said--1
present at the Central Criminal Court in January, 13°.,:e
when the prisoner was tried for a burglary in the oa'..
of Charles Russell, when he was sentenced to seivn
:
years' transportation. He was now on a ticket of leiti:;
The house surgeon of Charing-cross Hospital said this
morning the wounded man Murrell was brought t° b
hospital about 3 o'clock. He was suffering greatly 11."--j
a wound in the chin. It was a round wound. I Pr°b;et
it, and eventually extracted the stone produced from
The wound was evidently a gunshot wound. -
Mr. Beadon—lf the stone had penetrated fur'
would it have caused death I
Witness—Certainly,
Mr. Beadon—Prisoner—You have heard the evidel to
against you. Do you wish to say anything in answer -
the charge ? f,
The prisoner sullenly replied, "Nothing at presenter
The depositions were then read over, and the pris°l3lo
having been fully committed for trial, was conveyed e,
Newgate in a cab by Welsh the gaoler and two P°P-
men.
Inspector Cumming said he was,quite prepared t°
on with a charge of burglary against the prisoner
Lord Panmure's. ri•
Mr. Beadon said such a course was useless, as tbel)
soner had been committed for trial on a much higbeil
charge. If he was acquitted at the Central Criivili"
Conrt, then be could be charged with the burglary.

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER IN
DRURY-LANE.

BOW-STREET---(THIS DAY). re
James Geary wr.s this morning placed at the bar be'°
Mr. Henry, charged with attempting to murder his ill
to whom he had been married little more than We
weeks. The charge against the prisoner had been °leech!!
proved, but in order that the injured woman might wa-
in attendance to give evidence, the prisoner, who ba,
previously been remanded on the charge, was 001
brought up to-day.
of
Mr. Henry asked the inspector who had charge
the case whether the injared woman was in attendee.
The inspector. Raid she was not, but the h°tl26:
surgeon of King's College Hospital stated that she bit
in a condition to give her evidence, if required, t'
day.
Mr. Henry said the effort the unfortunate Well:
would have to undergo in giving her evidence might
attended with unfavourable consequences ; therefore,
order that she might be better able to appear and gilt%
evidence against the prisoner, he should remand
prisoner for another week.

FATAL ASSAULT.
„ stl
Frederick Hildebrand, a person engaged at Eva
singing-room es an Ethiopian serenader, was plaeed;ori
f me Mr. Henry, charged with having violently assatw-
a man named Roviland White.
From information received, the police last night ff,c;
ceded to Evans's Hotel and arrested the prisoner' -
suspicion of having committed the assault in questioe'
The evidence went to show, that about a week age
White was retiring home at rather an advlitic-6
hour in the night and hal proceeded as far
Waterloo-bridge, when, in consequence of an alter:
tion, he received a violent blow from a party ue"°.n
to him which felled him to the ground. While he vot9
this position he was kicked and so violently ill-treatifr„'
Oat on recovering himself he hired a cab and droc°
the hospital. After being there two or Our%
days, the symptoms became so alarming tvi'oo
it was judged necessary to inform the 13("1,,,
of the circumstances. An inspector attended t"t
hospital, and in his presence White made a stater '3
which was to the effect that he had been violently
saulted in the Strand, but be could not tell by wb°nic,
Inspector Mitchell, from the information he bad ra
ceived, caused Hildebrand to be taken into custody, 313
charged with "1.. e offence.
i le
hthoectaasiit Whiteetwinae
proceeding,expir ed at half-past informaaitti.opnagwt easiceveo/1:
from‘ While
the hospital
this morning.
thepHenrye t ,
result ho said,b
o ghoul
u as
a coroner's inquest..
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ao sus arts.