The Sun. — 1850-07-09 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER.— George Frederick Masterman, a young man about seventeen years of age, an apprentice to Mr. William Finer, surgeon, in North-place, Kingsland-road, was placed at the bar before Mr. Hammill, charged with having attempted to murder his waster, who had sustained such serious injuries that his life was placed in danger. Mr. Ashley, a solicitor, attended to conduct the prosecution, and briefly stated' the facts of the case, as detailed in the following evidence:— Catherine Kelly, the prosecutor's housemaid, said— Yesterday evening, between five and six o'clock, while engaged in the kitchen, I suddenly heard loud cries of " Murder," in my master's voice, and which appeared to proceed from the prisoner's bed-room. I instantly hastened up stairs, and, on reaching the second landing, observed my master coming nu, of the prisoner's room with both his hands up to his throat, and making convulsive efforts to unfasten his neckcloth. He was bleeding profusely from the nose, and was quite black in the face, but managed to stagger into his bed-room, into which I followed him, and after another unsuccessful attempt to unloosen his neckerchief he exclaimed, in a faint voice, that he was choked, and dropped down upon the bed. I succeeded, with some difficulty, in removing the kerchief from his neck, which was twisted tightly round and secured with two knots; but while doing so he rolled off the bed and fell senseless to the floor. I raised his hand which felt perfectly cold, and immediately ran to the door and called my mistress to his assistance. While I was raising the alarm the prisoner passed me into the room, and looked down at my master, but made noobservation, and went out again without offering him the slightest assistance. My mistress, who was dreadfully agitated, entered the room soon after, and shaking my master, implored him to tell her what was the matter; but he appeared totally unconscious, and was unable to. return any answer. I was then sent in search of a policeman, and returned with one in a few minutes, but found that the prisoner had absconded. Mr. William lieges, a timber-merchant, of Kings. land-road, said—At the time in question I was hastily summoned to proceed to the house of Mr. Finer, with whom I am on terms of intimacy, on reaching which I was showed into his bed-room, where I found bim lying upon the floor at the foot of the bed in a state of insensibility. He appeared perfectly lifeless, and observing on raising his head that his bce was black and swollen, I immediately sent for a surgeon, who arrived in a few minutes. I then went down to the surgery, where found- the prisoner, and said to him, " I fear you have done something serious this tiene-I am afraid he is dead." To which he merely answered, "He struck me first." I then directed a servant to procure the attendance of a policeman, but on turning round perceived that the prisoner had left the place. Sergeant Dubois, N 14, stated that he apprehended the prisoner at the house of his brolser in Hoxton, shortly after six o'clock on the preceding evening, and on telling him that he was charged with an attempt to strangle his master, he replied that the latter had assaulted him first. Witness was in the act of removing him from the house, when the prisoner ste altbily passed something to his brother, which witness at once secured, and f nind it to be a small phi.' containing prussic acid. He was subsequently searched at the statier, and a letter, addressed to his father, was found upon him to the following effect:— " Dear Father.—l swear most solemnly that Mr. Finer struck me first, and that I only returned it in self-defence. I ask pardon of Gad, and swear that this is the whole truth.  " G. F.