The Poole Telegram. — 1881-07-01 (Poole, Dorset, England)

MYSTERIOUS OCCURRENCE ON THE BRIGHTON  RAILWAY.  An extraordinary affair occurred on the Loudon and Brighton lialiwayl on Muuday atteruoun. via the arrival at Preston P.trk, the station next liiighton, of a train from Loudon, a wall of respectable appearance was found by the officials, in a first-clans carriage, covered with blood, and apparently having been snot. tie gave hie name as vefroy, and described himself as a journalist, stating that after the train had left Croydon, and was anout to enter the tunnel, a shot was tired, whicu struck aim, and he became insinoib.e. At that time there were two other kersous in the earriage; but when the train reached PI 0,1 Para, .Lairoy was aloue, aLhutigia the train had liOlo stopped since leaving Croydon. The deleriptiori which Ltfroy gave ut his 1,11,w-passengers true, Croyuou was that one was an old gentleman, alai t.e ether had the appealance of a couutrynian. Subs..quent.y the dead body of a maa was found on the railway hoe at Balcombs tunnel. It was identified as that et a gentleman named Gould, living at Preston, and it is unueratousi that he was in the habit of travelliug by the train in question, and it is believed that he left Croydon on alonday afternoon in the carriage in which Lefroy was fouler. Tnere were mares of shots having been fired, such as splashes of bleal, as well as some .lianovtriau tokens, vu thess latter being shown to .Lefroy, he denied any knowledge oi them, out others similar were found.ou hun. _  On reaching Brighton Lefroy was taken to the station superintendent's (Mies, whero, in presence of two detectives belonging to tha Metropolitan who are employed by the railway company, he repeated with a few variations the account 01 the affair he had already given, accounting tor the discrepancies in his story by Ms injuries. He was taken in a cab to the hospital, and his wounds were there dressed by the assistant-surgeon, Dr. B. Hall. These wounds consisted chiefly of five or sir superficial or slight cuts on the head and a few bruises or scratches. The doctor is of opinion that they bled freely, and the man lost a considerable quantity of blood. The wounds which might from Weir appearance bave been made with the barrel of a pistol were bandaged with sticking piaster, the blood having been washed off his face. Lefroy was taken to the police-station, where he made formal complaint of having been assaulted by two men. He then ncoompanied the detectives back to the railway station, purchasing on his way a collar, necktie' and other articles, saying the scoundrels had robbed him of these things. In the superintendent's office an informal search was made of his p-rson, and it was found he had a single first-class ticket, about six shilling in money, a gold watch, and a pocket-book. He said he had 275. when he left London, and that his must have been rubbed of the remainder, but why he watch and the rest of his cash were not taken he could not say. Two Hanoverian counters were also found whilst in his pocketbook were a number of coloured betting cards and pawn-tickets. The book, however, was not closely examined, as on the detective taking it up Lefroy tlharply said, "That is private property, and does not concern you." It was at once put down. He further added that he was an author and journalist, and he had written a good many plays. Throughout Tuesday the greatest excitement prevailed, which was intensified by a report that Lefroy had been lost sight of by the metropolitan officers who had undertaken to investigate the truth of the story he gave of himself. Rightly or wrongly, it is considered that Lefioy could give fuller information about the matter than he did, there being a disposition to connect the alleged assault on him with the terrible death of Mr. Gould,.  ---- ---- -BRIGHTON, Thursday. Up to the time of telegraphing, Lefroy, wanted in connection with the Brighton railway murder, had not been arrested.