The Potteries Examiner : — 1878-11-23 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

ATTEMPTED BURGLARY AT EN VILLE HALL.  THREATENED MURDER OF THE COUNTESS OF STAMFORD.  On Sunday evening three burglars were fond in the room of the Countess of Stamford and Warrington, at Enville Hall, near Stourbridge. The men threatened to murder ber ladyship and a maid and then affected their escape. No details of the occurrence have yet been made public. The police have been informed of the event, and are making diligent endeavours to apprehend the offenders.  Another account says ,---About 7.20 on Sunday night a man made kis way into the house of the Earl of Stamford, at Enville, and on being dieturbed by the valet he presented a pistol at him. The valet rushed into another room to get the assistance of other servants, and on returning the would-be burglar had decsinped. It was afterwards found that a ladder had been raised against the balcony window. A telegram received this morning states that nothing has yet been missed.  From the latest authentic account published, it appears that his lordship's valet was passing along one of the upper corridors when he was suddenly accosted by a man, who held a revolver in his face and threatened to blow out his brains if he raised an alarm. The valet sprang into a room, closed the door, and shouted for assistance, but before any Of the inmates could respond the intruder had escaped. The entrance was effected by an ingeniously constructed ladder, which the burglar had placed against the north side of the house. By mounting it he reached the balcony of a window which opened into Lady Stamford's boudoir, and from thence he emerged into the corridor, evidently with the intention of making his way to that portion of the house where the jewellery and valuables wort kept. After leaving the house the burglar ran across the grounds, and by bursting open a door got into tho road, where he joined some companions who awaited him with a trap. The men were seen driving away at a furious rate, and nothing has yet been heard of them. This is the second attempt of the kind that has occurred at Lord Stamford's this year. A reward of MO has been offered by Lord Stamford for the apprehension of the thieves.  On Tuesday thi police wese making enquiries in a new direction, whioh it is possible the burglars took. The vehicle they drove, it may be mentioned, was apparently lightly built, of some dark colour, and with high wheels. There was only one lamp lit at the time it was noticed, and this was on the off side. It was of square shape. The burglar who threatened to shoot Cluloe, Lord Stamford's valet, is described as a man about twenty-eight years of age, 5 feet 7 or 8 inches high, dark whiskers and moustache, of dark sallow complexion, long thin face, and slender I build. Ile wore a dark suit of clothes. Another man in the gang, who was seen near the hall, was taken to be about thirty years of age, 5 feet 7 or 8 inches high, black hair and moustache, no whiskers, thin face, and of slender build. He was drei.sed in a long dark coat, dark trousers, high box hat, low shoes, and white stockings. A discovery has been made of part of the burglar's equipment. A dog was noticed giving his attention to something he had found, and this turned out to be a bunch of skeleton keys. They had some tallow-grease on them, and the finding of these keys perhaps indicates that the burglars threw away other housebreaking plant in making their escape, so that there should be no telltale tools upon them if they were run down. The speed with which they drove from Enville shows they anticipated immediate pursuit. In addition to tho burglary at Enville Hall two caeca of housebreaking have occurred in the district. Ou Saturday night the house of Mr. Geot ge Canning, of Shottery, was entered by a man who e swiped before being able to secure any plunder; while at Barbourne, near Worcester, on the following day, the residence of Mr. Richard Sinith-Carringtpn was broken open, jewellery and other property, to the value of .2200, being abstracted