The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1843-05-12 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

DESPERATE ATTEMPTS AT MURDER.—On the morning of the Ist of May, at Oxfold, within one mile of Kiltemaugh, a deabolical fellow named Canavan attempted to murder the servant girl of Martin •M'Dona;h, who, with his wife and family, happened to be at the fair of Balla. The fellow entered M'Donagh's house with a view of committing robbery, but, finding the servant unexpectedly present, lie set about murdering her in the most brutal manner. On her neck he inflicted with a sharp knife no less than 18 wounds, and cut off one of her fingers. He then jumped on her body repeatedly, having first struck her head three or four blows with a heavy iron spado. Conceiving that be had deprived his victim of life, Canavan walked up to M'Donagh's bedroom, intending to plunder every thing he could lay his hands on. The girl crawled out on the road, gave the alarm, and through the exertions of that active magistrate, Mr. Deane, and constable M'Guinness, succeeded after a short time in having her ruffian assailant arrested. He is now in gaol. On the night of Thursday last as a servant boy named Mulligan, in the service of Mr. I'. Boyd, of Mount-Gordon, was returning home from this town with some commands for his master, he was met at or near the Pigeonhole, on the Westport road, by a boy named AndrewDuett, who accosted him saying, " Why did you laugh at me as I passed you on the road ?" Mulligan denied having done so, when Duett replied, " You lie, you did, and I will put you from humbugging me," at the same time making a thrust at his breast with a knife. Mulligan warded Off the deadly blow by throwing up his arm across his body, when he received a desperate and dangerous wound on the under part of his arm above the elbow, cutting in two the artery. The poor boy was conveyed to the County infirmary, where he now lies without a hope of recovery.—Castlebar Telegraph. A plan of considerable magnitude has been set on foot, and will soon be carried out, on the Birmingham Railway, for the improvement of the men employed upon it. A library is being formed, consisting of works of a moral, historical, and religious nature, for the use of the porters, policemen, &c., upon that extensive line. There are about twenty-two stations, and forty volumes will be assigned to each station, to be changed as soon as they have been read through. The plan has been made, and is being carried into execution, by the company's chaplain at Wolverton, the central station of the line, where a great number of workmen are congregated, and where considerable improvement hasalready been effected. This is the more interesting as it will probably be followed by other railway companies and public bodies employing many labourers. The directors of the Grand Junction Railway have already appointed a chaplain at their station at Crewe, and may be induced, in this respect, to follow so good an example. We hear, too, that a library has been established in the workhouse of St. Matthew, Beth.nell Green, The re, lieving officer, from a desire to afford instruction as well as amusement to the inmates, has succeeded in inducing the Board of Guardians to allow a small circulating library to be placed in the institution, consisting of such book present 500 volumes, consisting of books upon religious. subjects, history, &c., the reading of which by the aged and .infirm has afforded to them great relief during their abode in.the workhouse. We announced, some time since, that libraries had been established at the several London police stations ,• the home works s either to be read at the station-houses, or taken restrictions ; also among the servants at the Athenaeum Club. Time considerate attention to the amusement and instruction of the humbler classes, which.has markiu become lastdfaerfyymeaorrae, has already borne its good &tuts, and w manifest.