The Sun. — 1844-12-04 (London, England)

ATROCIOUS ATTEMPT AT ASSASSINATION. (From the Kelso Chronicle.) This neighbourhood, long remarkable fur the quiet and peaceable character of its inhabitants, became, on Friday, the 22d inst., the scene of dastardly and atrocious bloodshed, under circumstances of a very painful nature. The victim of this cowardly and cold-blooded attempt at assassination is James Cockburn, a farmservant at Quixwood, in the parish of Abbey St. Bathans, who was on that night to have been married to Jean Steel, or Rankin, widow of the late John Rankin, and residing at Lintlaw, in the adjoining parish of Bunch'. The bride and bridegroom were to have met at Dunse in the evening, in order to have had their nuptials celebrated by the Rev. C. Miller, of the Second Secession Church. The bridegroom, with an acquaintance, of the name of James Youl, was proceeding to the place of meeting in Dunse, from his residence at Quixwood, and when at a place call( d Preston Clough, about half a mile to the north of Preston, at about halt-past five o'clock in the afternoon, was fired at with a gun or pistol from the plantation adjoining the cast side of the road, or from behind a whin-bush on the road-side next the plantation. The shot took effect in the hack, and the piece being heavily charged, he instantly fell. Youl also received some of the shots in his arm ; and being stunned by the murderous attack, and seeing Cock burn fall, he fled to Preston fur assistance and protection to himself and Cockburn—having procured which, and returning immediately to the spot, Cockburn was found as he fell, but there was no trace of the murderer. He was now conveyed to the nearest house at Preston, and medical assistance and the proper authorities sent for from Dunse. On an examination of his wounds, he was f ,und to have received about 160 slug and round shot in the back, which was dreadfully lacerated. On recovering sensation, he was heard to say " that it was a poor revenge ;" and when asked if he suspected any one to have done the deed, he said that he thought it would be Jo:.n Johnston, who presently resides with Jean Rankin, as hind to her, the bride to whom he was to have been married. Johnston was at that time in the room, and was then apprehended, but was then thought to be innocent, as some came forward and said they knew him to have been elsewhere when the shot was tired. Since then he has been placed under examination, and remanded for some days until further evidence be produced. The bride and bridesmaid had arrived previously in Dunse, and were waiting the arrival of the bridegroom and his friends, when intelligence of the deed reached them. The friends of the bride, on hearing it, saw the propriety of being cautious at such a time in communicating it abruptly to her; they, therefore, sent for the Rev. Mr. Riddell, who, in a calm and suitable manner, made her ware- of what had befallen her intended husband: The poor woman, on learning it, was sorely distressed. It is not our business to surmise who may be the guilty party at the present' time. Johnston is in the hands of the authorities, and if there be evidence at all against him, he must stand at the bar of his country to answer for the deed. We understand that up to this time James Cockburn is in a very dangerous condition, and not expected . to, survive. Some of the shots have been extracted, but there are still above 100 lodged in his body. A, further examination of Johnston took place on Wednesday, when he was committed for trial. From what can be learned, he had borrowed a gun from some person in Chirnside about three weeks ago, which he denies. The person from whom he got the gun is to be examined. A large concourse of people turned out to see him pass from the Town-hall to the prison. When he made his appearance, he looked unconcerned, and turned round and gave a stare.