The Sun. — 1818-09-15 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER AND ROBBERY.  A most atrocious attempt was made upon the life and property of Mr. JAMES BAKER, a small farmer residing near Brentford, in the night between Friday and Saturday. Mr. Baker had*retired to rest with his wife about 10 o'clock, and was awoke between twelve and one by the noise of several persons on the stairs leading to his chamber. At the same moment, he heard the -door of his room tried. It Was fastened with a spring-latch ; but, before he had time to get out of bed and arm himself, it was. violently burst open, and a man entered the room armed with a pitchfork, and calling to his companions to come on. Mr. Baker instantly sprung upon the villain, driving him backward with all his force against the door, with a view to prevent those it, the -passage from entering. In this object he succeeded, notwithstanding he received in the first onset the prong of the pitchfork between 'the thumb and fingers of his right band, to the depth of nearly two incites. The handle of the weapon was cut short, so as to render it more manageable; and immediately after they had closed, Mr. Baker received another thrust in the lower part of the groin, but he still contrived to keep his hold of the villain, and after a deadly struggle, they fell together against the door, the latter continually calling upon his accomplices, with horrible imprecations, to force themselves in. Mr. Baker, however, being a powerful man, prevented this, by keeping himself and the assr_ssin close against the door, and his ors❑ foot against the bedstead, which stood near it. During the first moments of this dreadful contest, Mrs. Baker was too much terrified to render any assistance to her husbtind; but when he tell to the ground, in the grasp of the murderer, she sprung from the bed, and reached down an old spring-bayonet blunderbuss, which hung over the fire-place. Mr. Baker held out his hand for the weapon, and during the temporary relasation of his bold in so. doing, the villain gave him two other stabs in the abdomen, and with a desperate effort sprung upon his feet, and forced himself through the now partly-open door, and followed his companions, who had fled on hearing the blunderbuss mentioned. Mr. Baker was too much wounded to attempt a pursuit, and the villains escaped. The only other person in the house, besides Mr. Baker and his wife, ,was a Mr. Kell, landlord of the Waggon and Horses public-house near Kew-bridge, who being in a very infiian state of health, had retired some weeks before from the bustle of his own house to occupy apartments in that of Mr. Baker's; It is supposed that it was the knowledge of this circumstance which instigated the robbers to this attack, it being generally understood that Mr. Kell had a considerable sum of money by him, and the cash taken F.t his house in the course of each day being taken to him every night at Mr. Baker's, with too little caution and secrecy. It is remarkable that Mr. Kell, though usually very restless in the night, was on this occasion in so deep a sleep, that he heard nothing at all of the matter till Mr. Baker repaired to his chamber, after the robbers departed, under the horrible impression that he should find him murdered; and this doubtless would have been the case, bad the villains known the room in which he slept ; but being ignorant of this, they fortunately first attempted that of Mr. Baker.;