The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-01 00:00:00

ATTEMPTED MURDER.

An atrocious attempt at murder was made at Barling
a village between Rochford and Wakering, about mid-
night on Tuesday last, the assassin firing through the
window at his victim as be was kneeling in bed,
and wounding him so dangerously about the
upper part of his body that little hopes are enter-
tained of his life. The name of the wounded man is
Daniel Cunningham, a labourer, who resides in a cot-
tage with his wife and step-daughter,. and it appears
they all went to bed about half-past nine; at half-past
twelve Cunningham got up for a certain purpose, and
was kneeling on the bed when a gun was fired through
the cottage window, and about forty shots entered his
chest, neck, and left arm; one shot also struck the
wife, who was lying in the bed, above the eye. An
alarm was immediately given to the neighbours.
Mr. Miller, surgeon, of Wakering was called to the
wounded man; and information was given to the police,
who on inspecting the premises found the glass of the
window broken, and the lead riddled with large shot, ap-
parently No. 1, and that the party who fired the gun ap-
peared to have stood upon a bank about 12 yards off.
Suspicion at once attached to a man named Rison, who had
lodged in the house, and had been heard to make use of
threats towards the party. It appears that Mrs. Cun-
ningham was formerly married to a man named Webb,
and that after her husband's death Cunningham and
Rison lodged with her ; Cunningham married her
about two years since, thus, it is believed, thwarting
the intentions of Rison, who, however, continued to
lodge there till about a month ago, when Cunningham
compelled him to go. Since then he had repeatedly
declared that he would shoot the woman. In conse-
quence of this the police proceeded to his lodgings at
Wakericg, two miles off, at four o'clock the same morn-
ing, where they found him in bed with his clothes on,
and his trousers and shoes wet. A formidable duck
gun, which he had borrowed, was found behind the door,
and had recently been discharged, and it was also dis-
covered that he had bought powder, shot, and gun caps
the previous night. He was therefore at once taken into
custody.
On Wednesday, the depositions of Cunningham were
taken before the Rev. T. S. Stratton, at the man's house,
he being considered in danger of death; the prisoner
was taken to the room of the wounded man. His evi-
dence was confined to the fact, that he was on the night
of Tuesday last, shot whilst in a kneeling position in
bed, and that the prisoner well knew the situation of the
bed, as he helped him (Cunningham) to put it up.
On Saturday last, the prisoner was fully committed
'or trial.—Essex Herald.

'YOUNG HENS' CHRISTIAN
FfaßstlwEaNsDgivSeOnCyleEstTerlCd.a
morning
aykern, in Great Queen-street,y in aid of the
public breakfast g at the
Freemasons'-tavern,
funds of the Young Mens' Christian Friend
Upwards of a thousand young people of both sexes Society.
eat
don to a very substantial repast, over which thell
Arthur Kinnaird presided, the chair being taken as earolny.
as six o'clock. On the withdrawal of the cloth the Rev.
C. Jackson invoked the Divine blessing upon the pro-
ceedings, and the company having sang a hymn to the
praise and glory of the Deity,
The CHAIRMAN briefly addressed them on the objects
of the association which they had met to support, and
which was established some years ago for the purpose
of uniting young men in the bonds of Christianity. Its
career had been highly prosperous, thousands of the
youth of this great country having been morally and re-
ligiously benefited by the labours and exertions of its
officers, to whom too much credit could not be given for
the untiring zeal and devotion which they dedicated to
the interest of the association.—(Cheers.) Knowing that
time was precious, and that the majority of those pre-
sent were anxious soon to return to their daily avoca-
tions, he should not detain them with any lengthened
remarks, but simply assure them that at all times his
heart, hands, and voice were at the service of the asso-
ciation.—(Laughter and cheers.)
The Rev. Mr.
CHAPLIN next addressed the meeting,
observing that the magnificent hall in which they were
assembled was somewhat typical of the purposes of this
association. It was the Freemasons'-hall, and although
they were not masons in a worldly, they were at least
brothers in a moral sense. They practised masonry of
the highest order
welfare of the you,
nalways looking after the religious
evil. The main object of
and protecting them from
of this society was to attach
induce . young men to each oher, to there, by a commu-
nity of interest, to relieve each others' moral and physi-
cal destitution, and he warejoiced to know that the as-
sociation was daily becomingpurposes better understood.—(Cheers.)
ole appreciated, and its
Several other Rev. Gentlemen addressed the society
in a similar strain, after which a
which it appeared that during the past
year the total
receipts had been 2,1511., being
an
year
previous cf 1,5421. While increase over the
the
x
amounted to 2,1201., leaving a balance of 301,epiennditure
hand.
The average weekly attendance of members at lectures
bad been 200, the total number of young men attached
to the association being upwards of 2,000, for whose use
250/. had been devoted to the formation of a library and
reading-room in Gresham-street, City. No less than
50,000 book 3 bad been circulated gratis since the society
first commenced its operations.
A cordial vote of thanks was then passed to the chair-
man, and the meeting separated.
-------,-...........—,

THE BIACKENEL FISLIERY.—The catches during
the week have not been large, but there has been a fair
supply on each day. One smack on Monday brought in
5,U00 fish, which has been the largest catch during the week.
The boats have been fishing throughout the " light" nights,
and the mackerel caught have
.been of an inferior quality,
owing, as the men allege, to this cause. Many of the boats
have proceeded homewards, in the impression that the
fishery is drawing to a close. Prices during the week have
raled as follows :—Saturday, from Bs. to 102. per six score;
Sun,Jay, from 11s. to 13s. ; Monday, from 10s. to 12s. ;
Tuesday, from 9s. to Ils. ; Wednesday, from 7s. to 10s.;
Thursday, Si. to lls. ; and Friday, from 9s. to 12s. About
100 tons have been sent out by railway since our last. A
week or two since the mackerel boat Eight Sisters, while
fishing off this port, made a curious " haul," and secured in
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