The Sun. — 1863-04-15 (London, England)

DESPERATE ENCOUNTER.  On Friday morning early, Leaves-house, the residence of Mr. John Elenderson, one of the principal partners in the firm of Messrs. Henderson and Co., carpet manufacturers, Durham, was broken into by burglars, evidently adepts in the profession, and a quantity of silver plate was taken out of the drawing room, with some wine and brandy. A terrier dog that had been allowed to go at large in the house was found half stupefied in the kitchen in the morning, having been drugged. There have been several burglaries committed in the neighbourhood of Newcastle, Durham, and Shields during the winter months, and the police of the district have for some time suspected a ticket-of-leave convict named ' Daglish of being concerned in them. A party of notorious thieves, among whom was Daglish, had taken up their residence in Gateshead, but they had been so closely watched by the police that they betook themselves to Newcastle, taking up their residence in Hindhaugh-street, near the barracks. With a view to satisfying himself that Daglish was staying in Hindhaugh-street, Detective Leitch, of the Gateshead police force, along with Detectives Parker and Thorburn, of the Newcastle force, proceeded to the house on Sunday afternoon. On knocking at the door it was opened by a woman, who on seeing them appeared to be much alarmed. The officers pushed past her, and she made off into the street with considerable alacrity. They proceeded upstairs, and on entering the room found Daglish, the man they were looking for, and another ticketof-leave man, who afterwards gave his name as Brown, two other men, and two women. The two latter-mentioned men and the two women made their escape while the conflict that immediately took place was going on. One of the men got out of a back window, slid down a spout into a backyard, and so got off. As soon as Daglish saw the officers, he seized a poker, which at that time was in the fire, and aimed a murderous blow at the head of Leitch. Parker, however, was too quick for him, for he caught the poker before it could reach Leitch'S head, though he burnt his hands severely thereby. Daglish let go his hold, but seized a brace and bit, with which he struck Leitch over the head, inflicting a severe wound, and the blood flowed in streams. Leitch closed with him, Daglish resisting his apprehension with tremendous strength; but Parker assisted Leitch. In the desperate affray that ensued Leitch got hold of the brace and bit, and in dieted some severe blows upon the burglar, whose face was covered with blood. The struggle was most desperate, both the officers and Daglish being covered with blood, but Parker at last got the latter by the neck and completely overpowered him. Thorburn in the meantime had been engaged with Brown, a big powerful man, who, like Daglish, resisted his apprehension with much desperation. Thorburn, however, was helped by a civilian who looked in, and bis man was overcome. The two prisoners were shortly after removed to the West gate police station, followed by a large crowd, and both burglars and policemen had to be immediately attended by a surgeon. Upon searching the house in Hindhaugh-street, the silver plate stolen on Friday from Leaves-house, Durham, Mr. Hewderson's mansion, together with a quantity of other valuables evidently the proceeds of former robberies, and some pick-locks were discovered by the police. The prisoners were brought up yesterday before the Newcastle magistrates, and were remanded. The capture of Daglish has given great satisfaction in the northern towns, for he was known to be a most desperate fellow, and the fact that he had been liberated upon a ticket-of-leave in the early part of the winter caused very great dissatisAiction. There appears to be little doubt that immediately upon reaching the north he had resumed his old ways, for coincident with his appearance in his former haunts the police began to receive information of burglaries committed in detached houses.