The Sun. — 1844-06-07 (London, England)

MURDER  NEAR LOUTH. On Thursday evening (30th ult.), about nine o'clock, the utmost consternation was created in Louth, from the galloping into the town of a mounted messenger, who sought the assistance of the police in endeavouring to discover the retreat of a ruffian who had' made an attempt to murder an old man, named Jacob Gainsley; and his wife, who keep the toll-bar on the Spilsby -road, about two miles from Louth. About eight o'clock on the above evening, a. tall, stout, banker-looking fellow called at the bar, and asked for a biscuit and a cup of water, which were supplied to him by old Gainsley, and of which he sat down and partook. When he had finished he went out, and on his return said be would have another biscuit and a bottle of ginger beer. These were also supplied, and soon afterwards he -rose from his chair, went up to the fire, and taking down a brace of loaded pistols which were hanging over the mantelpiece, said to the old man, " What do you keep these for?" to which he replied, "To protect myself from robbers." The ruffian instantaneously levelled a pistol at Gainsley, and fired. Providentially the ball missed, and lodged in the opposite wall. He then pulled from his pocket a heavy hammer, with which he began to beat the poor old man on the head. The noise brought out Gainsley's wife, who was in a little parlour, who seized the assailant by the neckerchief, when, to release himself, he took hold of the forefinger of her hand with his teeth, and completely bit off the first. joint. He then began beating the old woman on the head with the hammer until she was nearly insensible. All this was but the work of a moment, and at this stage Gainsley's son, a stout young man, who was in bed in another part of the house, rushed into the room in his shirt, when the villain fired at him with the second pistol, the ball of which must inevitably have proved fatal, had it not entered the thick part of his right arm, where it lodged. The poor fellow grappled with the wretch, and in the struggle he was severely, cut about his right hand with a razor, which his opponent pulled from his pocket. He succeeded, however, in wresting from him the hammer with which he gave him several severe blows on the head, its shaft being broken in the struggle. At this time, also, the old man recollected that he had a sword stick, with a stiff square sword (four edged), about a foot and a half long, and with this weapon he several times stabbed the fellow, and it was subsequently found stained with blood ! The father and son then rushed into the parlour for a loaded gun, which was hung up there, when the fellow followed them and seized it ; but the cap having been lost, it was rendered useless. The struggle in this little parlour was severe, and so much blood was lost by the whole party, that the walls were literally besmeared with it. The old woman escaped by the window to give an alarm, when the other three returned to the room in which the attempt at murder was first made, each too faint from exhaustion and loss of blood to struggle any more. The ruffian then (having unebservedly locked the door inside, and put the key in his pocket), finding the old woman was gone to give an alarm, took out his razor and swore he would cut his own throat, drawing the razor across it as he spoke, if they would not let him go. Whether from fear or otherwise, he was then suffered to make his escape, and took a direction towards the woods on the Spilsby