The Express. — 1862-12-09 (London, England)

GROSS ATTEMPT TO MURDER.  A penal servitudeconWct, named Ed ward Parlor, described in the calendar as 17 ears of age, but apparently a mast desperate young b was indicted for felonioualy stabbing and wounding Charles Clarke, with intent to kill and murder him, at Carisbiook, on the sth of July last.  Mr. H. T. Cole appeared for the prosecution ; the prisoner was undefended. The facts of the case were briefly these. The prisoner was, on the day stated, serving hie time as • convict in the probationary ward of the Parkhurst Prison, Isle of Wight. The prosecutor was one of the chief warders of the prison, and on that day be was going to visit some sick patients in the infirmary, when he had to per by the staircase leading to the chapeL At that place the prisoner was engaged in sweeping with a broom, and Clarke seeing • great dust asked him to stop while he passed by. The prisoner ceased sweeping, and Clarke went by him, but had hardly done so when be received 'violent blow on the back part of the head, which took away his senses. He came to again, and found the prisoner striking him rapidly about the bead and face. The prisoner, he then saw, had a knife in his hand, and attacked Clarke with it in a maniacal manner. They closed, and • fearful struggle ensued, and after receiving eight or nine stabs, Clarke succeeded in wresting the knife from the prisoner and getting away to an adjoining room, and when assistance came, in consequence of the alarm, he was found bleeding profusely, and in a sad state. The prisoner was I found partly concealed behind some green baize, and was taken into coatody after some difficulty, he being still very violent. In answer to the chief warder the prisoner said he attacked Mr. Clarke he. cause he wanted to get away; and when questioned subsequently by Mr. Hall, the governor of the prison, he said " I thought if I killed Mr. Clarke I should be able to make my escape from the prison :" and he added that be bad resolved to make the attempt from the moment he entered the place. The prisoner also said he found the knife in the exercise-yard, and bad sharpened it on • piece of stone, whichthefsaid he had concealed in the chapel, and where it was sought and found. Clarke was very seriously injured, and some time under medical attendance. The surgeon said he found him stabbed in nine places, and the hemorrhage was very great. There was one wound in the forehead, one in the cheek, and one on the lip, a severe one over the collar-bone, two on the left shoulder, one over the ridge of the heart, and two on the right shoulder. The prisoner exhibited great keenness. He denied the evidence in that part where it had been said he intended to kill Mr. Clarke, and said the witnesses did not even ask him why he attempted to kill Mr. Clarke. He said he hit Clarke with his brush in order to stun him and get his keys, but that when Clarke closed on him with his keys he was obliged to use the knife in self-defence. Clarke was called, and denied using his keys to strike the prisoner. He only had two keys, and those not large ones. The jury considered • few minutes, and then found the prisoner Guilty of maliciously wounding with intent to murder. _ . . . . . .  Hu Lordship rid, if the prisoner's blows had taken effect, as intended, ha would now have been left for execution. The guilt was just the same. The sentence of the court was that the prisoner be kept in penal servitude for life.