The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-02-18

On Friday night last a most singular attempt was
made TO assassnate Doctor Mcdonald, OF the
Bloomingdale Lunatc Asylum, while he was re-
turning to his house through Twenty-tirst street,
in the vicinity of Gramarcy Park. The Doctor
had been in attendance at the sick bed of a
child in Chelsea village, and was returning home
about dark, when, as he passed the board fence on
the north side of Twenty-first street and Abing-
don Avenue, he was fired at from the opposite side,
the ball striking the right cheek Immediately at
the jaw bone, and traversing downwards it lodged
in the frontal bone of the mouth, Immediately un-
der the nose, where il remains, the physicians not
wishing TO extract it. The Doctor states that
as the ball struck him, he reared murder, and
dropped on his knees; but recovering himself
quickly, he turned and two men run hastily to-
wards the Harlem Railroad. He was aided by a
black man and white woman, who were coming
In cart in the direction in which the
two men were running, and hearing the cry
ct murder fastened up to him and conveyed
him home. They cay that they saw the two men
run, but could not tell whether they had gun or
any thing in their hands The Mayor Immediately
on information being conveyed to him. FASTENED to
the house where the Doctor lay, and made inquiries
No one could tell any thing about the matter. The
Doctor had no quarrel with any one, nor could his
family account in any way for such a murderous
attempt upon the life of their protector. All the in
formation obtained by the Mayor he placed in the
hands OF the active Police Magistrate, Justice Tay-
lor, who is pursuing every means to detect the
rufiians, who unfortunately are yet undiscovered
The suppostion is two-fold-either that the ruians
had mistaken their victim, as DIR. Med. had only
moved into that neighborhood a day or two before
from Fourteenth street, and few knew of the change;
again, it was an unusual hour for him to be abroad.
The other suppostion is that it was the act of foot
pads, who had been driven to desperation, and had
adopted this desperate means to procure money.
This is strengthened by the fact that there were two
engaged In the deed. third supposition is, that
among the fire companies in that district there have
arisen some deadly grudge, and possibly this was
attempt to get rid of some member of the body who
was especially obnoxious. But, for the sake of the
character of our firemen, who as body are as re-
spectacle and honorable any in the world though
now and then the conduct of some rowdy volun-
teer brings disgrace upon the department-we cam
not for moment entertain this suspicion.
Here then is another signal instance of the de-
feet of our police and watch system System
Bah it is nothing more than political engine IN
the hands of rotten and corrupt city government,
who are unwilling, and dare not, advocate its over
throw, matter how many hundreds Of lives of our
peaceable tax-paylng citizens may be sacrificed
how many prowling burglars and robbers may enter
our dwellings, and rob and plumber at will without
fear of detection or Of conviction. When shall we
have an end of this curse of our city-the present
police and watch department Members of the
Common Council, what do you intend to do in
this case? Will you dare to pass either Of the po-
lice bills which are before you, it isbeyond
your power to act? Tomorrow night you meet,
and we will mark the man who in either Board
hesitates TO act, by chicanery retards the pro-
gress of the passage of the police reform BILL Doctor
Mcdonald, at the last accounts, was doing we'll
fha wound 10 mt mortal