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 he 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 lac 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 t..) the
wounded man; and information was given to the police,
who on inspecting the premises found the glass cf the
window broken, and the lead riddled with large shot, ap-
rarently No. 1, and that the party who fired the gun ap-
peared to have stood upon a bank about 12 yards off.
S•ispicion 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,
anti that after her husband's death Cunningham and
Rison lodged with her ; Cunningham married her
about two years since, thus, it is belie►ed, 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
Wa,kering, 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 ho 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 onca 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
for trial.—Essex Herald.

YOUNG MENS' CHRISTIAN
FRIEND SOCIETY.
A public breakfast was given yesterday morning at the
Freemasons'-tavern, in Great Queen-street, in aid of the
funds of the Young wens' Christian Friend Society.
Upwards of a thousand young people of both sexes sat
down to a very substantial repast, over which the Hon.
Arthur Kinnaird presided, the chair being taken as early
as six o'clock. On the withdrawal of the cloth the Rev.
C. Jackson invoked the Divine blessing upon the pro-
ceadings, 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-
ligiou,ly 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 preJious, and that the majority of those pre-
ath atn)a•liletninttehaenhe.da
sent were anxious soon to return to their daily avoca-
tions,remarks, but simply assure them
of
them
mthwai
he should not detain th
ciation.— (Laughter and cheers.)
heart, hands, and voice were at the service the asso-
ciation.—(Laughter
Rev. Mr. —HAPLIN addressed the meeting,
next
ll in which they were
assembled was somewhat typical of the
observing
purposes of this
that the magnificent ha
association. It was the Freemasons'-hall, and although
they were not masons in a worldly, they
were at least
masonry of
brothers in a moral sense. They practised
the highest order, always looking
welfare of the young men, and protecting
them
after the religiousrom
evil. The main object of this society was to attach
young men to each other, to induce them, by a commu-
nity of interest, to relieve each others' moral and physi-
cal destitution, and he was rejoiced to know that the as-
sociation was daily becoming more appreciated, and its
purposes better understood.—(Cheers.)
Several other Rev. Gentlemen addressed the society
in a similar strain, after which a report was read, from
which it appeared that during the past year the total
receipts had been 2,1511., being an increase over the
previous year of 1,542/. While the expenditure
amounted to 2,1201, leaving a balance of 301. in hand.
The average weekly attendance of members at lectures
had been 200, the total munber of young men attached
to the association being upwards of 2,000, for whose use
2no/. had been devoted to the formation of a library and
reading-room in Gresham-street, City. No less than
50,000 books had 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 MACKEREL Fisiiii------'-----Ry.—The a t 11e a during
the week have not been large, but therecehasben
supply on each day. One smack on Monday broeughlt in
fair
5,000 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
ruled as follows ;—Saturday, from Ss. to 10s. per six score;
Sunday, from 1 Is. to 13s. ; Monday, from 10s. to 12s. ;
Tuesday, from 9s. to Ils. ' • Wednesday, from is. to 10s. ;
Thursday, Ba. to lls. ; and Friday, from 9s. to 12g. 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
the nets, which had sunk to the bottom from the immense
quantity of fish, a fine pair of deer's augers, auclthe greater
Pan of the 41gt11,--Plymouth Times.