The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1835-10-13 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

ROBBERY AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.  On Thursday night, as the patrol, Robert Shaughnessy, was going his rounds in the district called Windsor, he found a poor man lying upon the ground in a state of insensibility and nearly covered with blood. From ail appearances, he had been robbed, and an attempt had been made to murder him, we fear the sequel will prove too successfully. On Friday Mr. Parlour stood up before his Worship the Mayor, and said that, from some circumstances which had come to his knowledge, he caused a person, named John Maginnis, to he apprehended. The injured man, who is called James Hurst, he had caused to be sent to the Infirmary. The prisoner, Juhn Maginnis, was then placed at the bar. Shaughnessy, the patrol, stated that he was going his rounds, when he met a lady and gentleman who told him that they had heard faint moans proceeding from a certain spot, which they directed him to, and they requested that he would go and examine into the cause. Ile went, and found Hurst lying on his back, beaten ha a most horrible way, and covered with blood. lime jaw was broken, and he: was beaten out of all resemblance to humanity, so that witness was doubtful as to whether he would live till he arrived at the Station-house. Witness searched him at the last-named place, and found on him a watch, a snuff-box, and one shilling. His right-hand pocket had been cut entirely away. tie (Hurst) was incapable of speaking, and no hope was entertained of his recovery. He examined the place. where he found him, hut' coulckdiscever no marks of a struggle having taken place there. Ann Hurst, the wife of the injured man, mounted the witness-box, absoibcd in grief; she said that her husband and herself bad conic from Bristol about two months ago, with the intem ion of proceeding to America. They had for some time lodged at. the house of Mr. M'Kerin, in ltedcross-street, where,also,the prisoner lodged. She and her husband had subsequently taken a cellar opposite, where they resided.. At about seven o'clock on the preceding evening the prisoner had called upon her husband, and induced him to go out with him, by saying that he wished to show him some cheap furniture in Vauxhall-road. They went out together, and she did not see her husband again till that morning. Her husband had eleven pounds and one shilling about him when he went out, and two watches in his pocket. Her husband had with great difficulty spoken to her on that morning, and had told her, in direct terms, that it was the prisoner at the bar who was " his murderer." The prisoner said that he had been in his lodgings at eight o'clock, and hail, with his wife, gone to bed at nine. Jane Brown testified that she knew Hurst, and that he was in the habit of showing his purse very frequently, on which subject she had remonstrated with him. He did not come in on the preceding evening until near ten o'clock. The scratch now aisible on his face was not there on the preceding day. Eliza M`Kcan, Redcross-street, said the prisoner and his wile bad lodged with them for the last six weeks. On the preceding evening he had not arrived at home till some time after nine o'clock. The prisoner said that he had met Hurst in Redcress-street on the preceding evening, but that he parted with him .almost immediately. The scratch had been given to him by his wife. Margaret Reece stated that she had passed for the prisoner's wife, but she was not so. The prisoner lett her at a quarter past six o'clock on the preceding evening, saying that he was going to see his brother. lie returned home at a quarter past nine. • Had not seen any scratch on his face till that morning. He had not told her where he got the scratch. On Satuidav, his Worship the Mayor, accompanied by 'Aar. Parlour, visited Hurst at the Infirmary, where he still is in great danger. -As he was capable of speaking, though faintly, his information was taken in presence of the prisoner. It was to the effect., that the latter had called upon hiin with a request that he would go with him to look at some furniture in Vauxhall-road. Hellion led him to a lonely part of the town, which he was unacquainted with, and asked him (deponent) to lend him some money. This he refused, when he hninediately received a blow from the prisdner which stunned him, and he fell insensible The prisoner was remanded.