The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-03-09
Firing at the Queen,

A Windsor England) dispatch Gays that,
as Queen Victoria was entering her car
riuge about P. NJ at the railway station,
man in the station-yard deliberately fired
pistol at her. The queen had been in London
since Tueaday where she gave q drawing
room reception on Wednesday in honor of the
Princess Helena, OF Waldeck, who is to marry
Prince Leopold. She arrived at Windsor at
about 5 P. NJ, and walked across the platform
of the depot to her carriage, which was
waiting to take her TO the castle. John Brown
had already ascended to his seat behind the
carriage, when man standing at the entrance
to the station-yard among number of specta-
tors pointed pistol at the carriage and fireI.
To judge from the report the pistol was not
heavily loaded The que.n who was probably
not aware what had happened was Immediate
ly driven to the castle, but before she passed,
the man had been seized by the superintend-
ent of the borough police, who was standing
near by. He was also violently seized by the
crowd, and was only rescued from them when
three or four policemen came to the superin-
tendent's assistance. The pistol was captured
by one of the crowd. The man gave his name
as Roderick MacLean. He owas taken into High
street, and thence to the police station in cab,
followed by large crowd of p ople.
The queen arrived at the castle at 5:25 p IL,
where a large number of people awaited her.
She Immediately ordered an equerry to pro-
ceed to the depot to inquire if any one had
but not loud. MacLean apparently intended
firing again, when the revolver, which seemed
to be new one, was knocked from his hand by
bystander and handed to the police Eaton
scholars were prominent in the attempt to
lynch MacLean. The Right Hon. Sir Henry F.
Ponsonby, the queens secretary, proceeded to
the police station, and, after obtaining all the
information possible, telcgaphed to Mr.. Glad
stone the facts Of the assault.
The woull-be murderer, Roderick MacLean,
a grocer's assistant, said that hunger prompted
HIM to commit the crime. He was roughly
handled by the crowd before he was arrested.
lie was miserably dressed, and is described as
Notwithstanding object. He was prevented
from firing second shot by bystsnier. The
queen is said not to have been alarmed. The
doctors pronounced the would-be murderer
sAne
From later accounts it appears that MacLean
fired the SHOT at the queen after the carriage
was in motion. Princess Beatrice and John
Brown saw him point the pistol at the carriage.
He was exactly thirty PAGES distant when he
fired. Two of he four loaded chambers of the
revolver contained only ank cartridges. Mac
Lean had walked from Por smouth to London a
week ago. Upon his person was found purse
| containing penny and three farthin - and a
pocketbonk CON aiming the following entries:
Fourth Path a novel, by MacLean," and
''ReynoldS' NtlrSprper gives as correct an
idea OF the wide difference that divides the
people Of England as any newspaper in
The word. l venerate the free and
outspoken principles of an unbiased
| thinker" MacLean was charged at the police
station with shooting at the queen with intent
to do grievuus bodily harm. He asked whether
any one was hurt bnt the police refused to
| give him any information. After searching
the yard at the railway station for an hour the
police found a small bullet imbedded in the
| Hound 1t bore marks of having first struck
some other object. 1t was right in the direc-
tion of the spot over which the queens carriage
was passing, having probably passed over the
| horses heads.
Congratulations poured in upon Queen Vic
| toria from all parts of the world for her escape
| from would-be assassin's bullet. United
| States Minister Lowell has rendered to the
| queen the congratulations of the American
nation. Minister Lowelrs telegram to Genera
| Sir Frederick Ponsonby says: 81 be- you tt
convey to her majesty my heartfelt conSratu
lations on her escape" kilograms expressing
similar sentiments were arriving at Windsor
throughout the night.
| The London Times SAYS: eff no more car
| be said for MacLean, the would-be assassin o
| the queen, than could be said for Guiteau, thu
assassin of President Garfield or LEROY thu
murderer of Mr.. Gold, he can as little expec
to escape punishment"
The queen drove through Windsor on th
day following the attempt on her life, and wa
welcomed with indescribable enthusiasm.
When the prisoner left the town hall after tn
examination twenty men endeavored to over
turn the carriage containing him.
AT the examination of the prisoner MacLeal
two letters written by him were read. In on
he said that he had been compelled to commi
crime against "bloated aristocracy' becaus
| of the insuficiency of relief offered him
In tho other he said that he did no
intend to hit the queen. The evi
dence, however, was to the opposite effect
He was remanded for week. The bulle
which he fired was found. 1t is said that Mac
Leans antecedents show that he is eccentri
and addicted to drink. 1t has been learne
that recently he has been an inmate of seyera
lunatic asylums.