The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1884-09-19 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

FRIDA-Y, SEPTEMBER 19, 1884  TEE HOXTON BURGLARTES AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.  At the Central Criminal Court, on Tuesday, James Wright (38), tailor, and William Wheatley (25), labourer, were charged with having shot William Chamberlain, David Garner, and William Snell, with intent to murder them. Wright was further oLarged with having committed a burglary, and Wheatley with havAig received the stolen property. Both the prisoners pleaded not guilty of the attempt to murder; but guilty on the second charge. Mr. Poland and Mr. Mont ag_u Williams appeared for the prosecution; the pridoners were not defended.—Mr. Poland, in opening the gage, said it was one of considerable importance, because the offence imputed to the prisoners was that they had attempted to murder a police-constable while he was engaged in the act of endeavouring to apprehend them after they had committed a burglary. He then proceeded to state the facts. On the night of the 18th July the house of a gentleman named Elsbatch, at Horton, was broken open, and a quantity of property stolen. Garner saw the prisoners standing together with the proceeds of the burglary in their possession, and when he endeavoured to apprehend them, the prisoner Wright discharged a revolver at him, and wounded him and injured him very seriously. The learned counsel then narrated some of the other facts in the case, and the following evidence was adduced.—Police- constable David Garner said that about five o'clock on the morning of the 16th of July, white he was on duty in Church Street, Islington, he saw the two prisoners in a recess in the school-house, with some property lying beside them. Wright had a revolver in his hand. The witness said, "1, know you; what's that you have?" Wright fired once at him, and missed. Wheatley also had a revolver, which witness succeeded in wresting from him. Wright fired a mead shot, which took effect in the witness's thigh. The witness presented Wheatley's revolver at Wright and milled the trigger, but it did not go off. Inspector Maynard and Mr. Price, having heard the shots, came up, and the prisoners were apprehended. He suffered much from lose of blood, and was taken to a hospital, where lie remained under treatment for a month.—Heitry Price deposed that he saw Wright presenting a pistol at some object inside the school railings. On going up he was fired at by Wright. Inspector Maynard and a fireman came up, and they succeeded in throwing Wheatley,who was in company with Wright, on his back, and securing him. Police-constable Garner called to him through the railing, " Come here ; I am shot; " and he did what be could to help him until a doctor came.—lnspector Maynard said he was in the neighbourhood of Church Street when he heard four shots fired, and, proceeding in the direction of the sound, he saw the two prisoners. Wright ran away, but with assistance he arrested Wheatley. Police-constable Michael Walsh deposed to having arrested Wright on the roof of a house in Nile Street. He had a pistol in one hand and a jemmy in the other. Several persons were on the roof trying to arrest him. The witness succeeded in getting behind him, and while he was keeping off others in front the witness secured him. He found on him a pair of false whiskers, an open kite, a belt made to carry a chisel, knife, and other things of the kind used by burglars. The prisoner cross-examined the witness with a view to show that he made no serious resistance when attempts were being made to arrest him on the roof of the house in Nile Street, and that he had been used in an unnecessarily violent manner.—lnspector Henry Parker, who took part in the arrest of Wright, gave corroborative evidence.—David Elshach, residing in New North Road, Horton, having given evidence as to his house having been broken into; and Charles Teller, house surgeon, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, having stated the nature of Garner's wound, the statement by the prisoner Wright was read, and this closed the case for the prosecution. Both the prisoners then addressed the court.—The jury, after consulting for about a quarter of an hour, found James Wright guilty of wounding with intent to murder, and Wheatley guilty of wounding with intent to resist his lawful apprehension. —Wright addressed the Court again at some length, and said he would rather die than undergo another term of penal servitude. Penal servitude was simply horrible. Mr. Justice Hawkins sentenced Wright to penal servitude for life, whereupon Wright exclaimed, " Then I shall not do it," and used an offensive remark to the judge. He was immediately removed by three warders. Wheatley was sentenced to twenty years' penal servitude.