The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1871-05-26 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

MURDEROUS ASSAULT IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.  The Leicester Police on Monday succeeded in apprehending at the railway station in that town, a young man named John Henry Sheldon, alias Henfry on the charge of committing a murderous outrage on M. Emile Devilliers, a marble merchant, of Brussels, in a railway carriage on the Peterborough and Leicester line, in October last. On the Ist October, M. Devilliers left Peterboro by the 7.45 p.m. train for Nottingham via Leicester. He was the only occupant of a second class carriage until the train reached Manton, near Melton Mowbray, when, as the train was on the move, a young man entered with a stick and a small carpet hag. M. Devilliers, being drowsy, went into a corner, covered his face with his hand, and nearly went to sleep. Shortly afterwards he was aroused by a switching across the hand and face, and the accused aimed at him another blow, which roused him. The fellow was then asked what he meant that for, when his assailtaut denied the assault, but immediately pounced on Devillers, and a struggle ensued. The latter, however, being more powerful than his antagonist, he secured and held him down on the floor of the carriage. The fellow, however, succeeded in getting out of his pocket something which appeared like a pistol, which he threw out of the carriage window. Devilliers was about to search him, when he assured him he had nothing else, and the hold upon him was relaxed. He then gave Devillime, who was kneeling over him, a kick in the groin, and while the latter was suffering from the severity of the pain, opened the carriage door, got on to the step boaid, and alighted on to the line, as the train commenced to slacken speed on its approaching Brooksby, exclaiming, •• You may catch me if you cam" In his flight he left behind him his carpet bag, containing dirty linen, and his stick, which had been broken in the scuffle. On the train arriving at Brooksby, Mr. Devilliers communicated with the station-master, and search was made along the line. Prisoner, of course, was nowhere to be Been. Next morning, bowie, or clasp dagger knife, was found further down the line, about the spot indicated by the prosecutor where something was thrown out of the carriage window. From the way the prisoner alighted from the train he was suspected to have been connected with the railway, and eventually he was found to have been employed as a railway porter on the Great Northern Railway at Peterborough, and to have broken into a farm-house and stolen a watch at Wyfeedby, this being pledged at Melton Mowbray on the day of the above outrage. The police were for some time on his track, but gave up the chase. On Monday, however, from suspicion, the eon of Inspector Clarke was set to watch the accused's brother, who works for a shoe manufacturing firm, and about nine o'clock he was seen to meet the accused. The latter was in charge of a sergeant of the Royal Marines, with whom he had enlisted, and who was going to take him to Derby. Police-constable John Newell, of the borough police, being communicated with, he was followed to the railway station, where he was apprehended on the formal charge of being a deserter from the 14th Regiment of Foot about two years ago. He has since been removed to Melton Mowbray, the offence Ihaving taken place in that division of the county.