The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-02 00:00:00

ATTEMPT TO MURDER.

On Wednesday last Matthew Waldron, shoemaker,
applied at the shop of Mr. Egginton, ironmonger,
Ludlow, for a brace of pistols, stating they were for
his brother-in-law, Mr. Mackey, head gardener at
Sir William Rouse Boughton's, Bart. He was asked
what they were for ; in reply he said the vinery had
been broken open and the grapes stalen. He was then
shown three odd ones and a brace, but the brace was
recommended as the best, which he agreed to take.
He then bought.some powder, balls, and caps. On
Thursday he went to an acquaintance, and
told him he would make a job with the
pistols that night. On the same night he
went to his , sister's (Mrs. Harley), at the bottom
of Old-street, where his mother resided. On going
into the house, the old lady was in a room—he en-
tered, the door of which he bolted, and began quarrel-
ling with her about assisting his wife with money to
pay her expenses to Birmingham, to which place she
was gone. He then drew one of his pistols from his
Docket, and presented it at his mother. Her sister
( Ars. Harley) immediately jumped up and caught
hold of it (not knowing exactly what it was) just over
the nipple of the lock. At the same time he pulled
the trigger, the cock fell upon that part of the hand
between the thumb and forfinger, and was prevented
going off, where it remained fast. A younger sister
immediately sprang to the window and called for help,
when Waldron unbolted the door, and made .his es-
cape. Waldron went to his lodgings in Raven-lane,
to which place Fox, the policeman, followed him.
On entering, 'Waldron said, " Ah, Fox, is it you ?"
To which Fox replied, " Yes, Matthew, it is me ; this
is a bad job." Waldron said it was, and immediately
presented a pistol at Fox, which he struck down, and
the cap snapped ; fortunately the powder was not high
enough in the nipple to ignite from the cap, or the
consequences might have been of a serious nature to
Fox. He was then secured, and taken to the Tower.
Ile has had two examinations, and was remanded. It
is said that he has attempted to stab his wife on two
former occasions. The prisoner says it was his inten-
tion to' destroy his mother and child, about two years
old, and then put an end to his own existence. He
had a shoemaker's knife, the edge of which had been
made very keen, under his bolster, when he was taken.
—Salopian Journal.

ROYAL SAPPERS AND MINERS.—The half-yearly
inspection of the Royal Sappers and Miners, stationed
at Woolwich, took place yesterday by Colonel Sir
George Host, C. 8., of the Royal Engineers. The
cleanliness of the men, their fine military appearance,
steadiness under arms, and the excellency of the drill
and discipline, highly pleased the gallant Colonel.
TILE POLICE AND THEIR WHISKERS.--A consi-
derable sensation has been created amongst the Me-
tropolitan Police, by a general order on the subject of
whiskers. Various conjectures have been hazarded
as to the cause for the resolution which has been come
to by the Commissioners, and several of the force have
revolted against a measure involving the loss of that
which they emphatically declare to 'be dearer than
life—their personability. Considering that the
greater part of a policeman's occupation when on duty
is to ogle the servant girls, it is equivalent to a down-
right disqualification to call upon them to sacrifice all
that many of them have to depend upon for success in
that particular branch of their profession which we
have just now alluded to. "If we are tobe disfigured,"
say some of them, " let the figures be taken from our
collars, but let not the disfiguring process be put in
practice upon our visages." Such has been the panic
in the force,that the Commissioners have been induced
to reconsider the matter, and a return of the state of
the whisker crops throughout the Metropolitan Police
has been 'ordered. It would seem that 5 in 20 have
sandy whiskers ; '2 in 40 have none at all.; 1 in 90 is
sure to cut himself whenever lie shaves; and 3 in 30
have their whiskers almost meeting under their noses.
It is expected that there will be a modification of the
recent order, and that six square inches of whisker
will in future be allowed to every member
of the police force. A public meeting of the body
has been called, and the chair is to be taken by A 1,
who has shown considerable spirit in resisting the
order, and is cultivating mustachios under the very
nose—not of hiMself alone—but the Commissioners.—
Punch. •
ONE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED BALES OF COT-
TON AND A STEAM-BOAT BURNT.—This morning, the
steam-boat Maid of Arkansas, bound from Yazoo to
New Orleans, took fire below Carrollton, when so ra-
pid was the progress of the flames, that the crew and
passengers had barely time to save themselves. The
cargo of cotton, and the boat, down the water's edge,
were burnt. Bad luck to 1842.—New Orleans
Courier, Nov. 3.
We are told by a person who has lately been
through the greater part of the Weald of Sussex,
that the appearance of the young wheat is better than
it has been for many years : though we have had a
considerable quantity of rain, it has not been at all too,
much for the wheat-sowing on the Downs ; and the
beasts and sheep are doing well in the pastures without
any need of hay as yet.—Brighton Gazette.
HAwKcnuncu.—A serious accident occurred last
week to a son of Mr. Hull, of Wylde Court, near this
place, a tenant of Lorde
placed in h
Bridport. Itis appearseovers hisfor
Lordship has caused these dangerous weapons, mis-
called dog-spears, to be
the protection of his game. The young man
occurred,
to whom the accident has urred' having
occasion to change sonic sheep, went into one of these
beingthe
e nearest
then
way to the part of the farm
feeding ; in his progress
cohv'eliveeenrresC
encountered
ii
sheep w
tered one of these spears, which, entering
his leg a little above the ancle, came out above the
calf, inflicting a most dangerous and painful wound.—
Sherborne Journal,

A SIGN OF THE TlmEs.—A correspondent informs
u 3 that an auctioneer in this neighbourhood is under
engagement to sell up 26 farmers on as many conse-
cutive days.—Bolton Free Press.
YARAIOUTIL—On Thursday morning a fishing-boat,
containing four men, was upset near the Haven's
mouthland all, we regret to say, perished.