The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-02-29 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

EXTRAORDINARY ATTACK ON A  LIVERPOOL MERCHANT.  One of the most extraordinary and dazing attempts at murder and robbery that has ever come under the cognizance of the police of Liverpool (and such offences are by no means rare in that town) was committed on Monday morning. About half-past eleven &clock, Mr. Adolphe Kusel, a wine merchant, who has an office in Tower-buildings, Water-street, was : alone there, his clerks happening to be all out on business at the time, when two persons entered. One of them appeared to be a woman, and the other, seemingly a middle-aged man, had a large beard and moustache. The latter holding in his and an &leertisentent cut from a newspaper, made an inquiry of Mr. Kneel concerning some wines he had on sale, saying he wished to sample them. Mr. Kugel was going into the outer office to show the wines, when his interrogator jumped upon his back, and began beating him in a furious manner upon the head with a life preserver or loaded cane. The other person then joined his corn. pardon in the attack upon the helpless merchant, and the latter was felled to the ground, the two beating hint savagely. Ilia cries of "Murder!" were heard by Mr. Hoppe, a merchant, who occupies adjoining rooms, and he and his clerks rushed to the assistance of Mr. Kusel. They found, howee Cr, that the door of his office seas locked, the ruffians having turned the key when they entered. The door was forced open with an adze, and they found Mr. Kusel npon the floor covered with I hiod :mil most seriously injered. Near hint were standing his assailants, who treated the matter in a very cool eff-liand manner. They were of course detained, and the polic, sent for. Mr. Kugel was taken to the nearest hospital, where it was found that he was fearfully cut about the head and face his right arm broken, and other severe injuries. an the prisoners being examined, the supposed female turned out to be a young fellow named John Wilson, a clerk in the establishment of Mr. Wood. confectioner. Boldstreet, who hail obtained leave of isbsence for an hoar or two, and borrowed his "get up" from a girl if his mipusintance. The man with the moustache and beard (which were false) was David Harris. a clerk in the office of Mr. IL S. Williams, attorney, Moorfields. They are beardless boys, neither of them seeming more than eighteen or nineteen years of age. Mr. Kugel was known to keep large sums of money in the safe in his office, and the object of the young miscreants in attacking him no doubt was, if not to murder him, to maim hint to such an extent that he would be unable to prevent them robbing the place. It is expected that , there must have been some collusion between the ' would-be thieves and some one on the premises, as the young men hail obtained a key of the office door, and it is singular that they should have made their appearance when the whole of the clerks were absent.  The young men Wilson and Harris were brought up before the magistrates on Tuesday, and, Mr. Kesel not being able to attend, they were remanded for a week. A clerk of Mr. Kasel is in custody charged with collusion with the prisoners. A room in which the prisoner Wilson was confined for a short time had a floor covered with sawdust. and on his being removed it Nvas found that he hail written with his Luger in the sawdust the words, "Forsake us not, 0 Lord, in this our hour of sorrow."