The Sun. — 1844-03-18 (London, England)

BURGLARY AND ATTEMPT TO  MURDER.  On Saturday information was received at the different police-stations of a burglary and robbery being 'committed on the previous evening near Gravesend, zunder The following circumstances : It appeared that Mr. Peter Aspinall, a farmer, in :an extensive business at West Tilbury, near Gravesend, had a lot of sheep driven into that town where he sold them to a butcher, and in addition to other unonoy he received a 51. Bank of England note, with the name " Newham" written in blue ink on the back, which on his return home he deposited in a store-room in his dwelling-house. In the course of the evening he paid a visit to his father, who also resides in the neighbourhood, and during his absence, about eight o'clock, a knock being heard at the outward door, the housekeeper asked who was there, when she receivei for answer, that it was no person who intended any harm, and it was only a poor man asking for a drink of beer. She then opened the door to peep out, which enabled the visitor to place his foot on the threshold and prevent her closing it again. A second man next made his appearance, and fearing something wrong was intended the housekeeper directed a workman, who happened to be in the house, to go to the brewhouse, and bring some beer, whioh he did, hut the moment he entered the door he received a blow over the eye, which felled him to the ground, where he .was left with the door locked upon him. The first man then returned to the dwelling-house, where he had left his companion, and having armed the er mselves with a poker and tongs seized hkeep by the throat, and compelled her, under the most determined threats, to convey them thiough every part of the house, and although she assured them she could not tell where her master usually deposited his money, they broke into every apartment without obtaining any plunder, until they entered the store-room, the door of which they forced with the poker, and from a drawer they took 301. and two 51. notes, one of which was that already mentioned. One of them then demanded something to eat, which the other objected to, as they had delayed long enough, and after using the most dreadful threats towards the housekeeper, if she attempted to give any alarm, they went away, having been in the house upwards of half an hour.  On Thursday Mr. William. Forster, a cheesemonger and grocer, &c., at Kensington Gravel-pits, appeared at the Hammersmith Police-office, to answer a summons for assaulting a fe. male, named Mary Tuckwell. On the evening of Saturday last, between the hours of eight and nine o'clock, the complainant went .to the defendant's shop, and ordered half a pound of butter, the like quantity of lump sugar, an ounce of tea, and a quarter of a hundredweight of coals, to her lodgings, as she had done before, " laying down on the counter at the same time 25., the articles amounting to is. 9d, Shortly after she had returned tome the defendant's boy brought the things, and threepence change. Presently he returned again, saying his master had sent him for the 21., which had not been paid. The complainant sent word back that she had paid it, and put on her bonnet to go to the shop, but was met by the defendant, who forced her into the room, and demanded the money or the goods, and on the complainant persisting that she had paid, he forcibly took the articles from a cupboard in which they had been placed, and the threepence from the table; and on the complainant endeavouring to prevent him, he struck her, and knocked her over &table, and quitted the house. The defendant denied both the 4sYsalW/ t4b.effacS cAlte money having been paid, and he calledie%sess crifhjprAMat the time, to prove that the money as ThWitei T. The witness, however, admitted t od ead when the complain. ant put it '43crWte.taiel,kl,44l ver might be the truth as to the ~ .1 11;5 the fact of the assault. The dere .r, • costs ; but on its being represent of*tiburiat circumstances, it was re. ducld !) -,54,41-Ctk Ar s