Blandford, Wimborne and Poole Telegram. — 1876-12-08 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE MURDEROUS ASSAULT IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE PRISONER.  Thomas Holmes, labourer, Garston, the supposed lunatic who committed a murderous outrage last Friday on a lithographer named, John Ellis, of Liverpool, in the fast express train between Liverpool and Chester, was brought before the Fredshatu (Cheshire) magistrates Friday. The prosecutor appeared with both hands bandaged. The prisoner, who was exceedingly weak, and sat during a portion of the hearing as if asleep, had also one hand bandaged, as, after his arrest, it became necessary to amputate one of the fthgers in consequence of glass in it.— The Prosecutor deposed how prisoner and his father got into the compartment with him at Edgeshill Station, and that they proceeded quietly until they came to the great curve on the Liverpool side of Frodsham, when he perceived the prisoner to make a start and draw his hand carefully across the blade. of a white-handled knife, which he held menacingly in itis hand. The prisoner said, "This will have to go into sonic —," lie was on his feet in an instant, and, rushing at witness, said, "You ----, this will have to go into you." His father tried to stop him ; but, pitching him aside like a child, he made a plunge at witness's throat: but the latter moved his head, and the weapon only grazed his cheek. He then seized prisoner's hands, and both rolled over and over in the compartment till the knife dropped, and witness sank back exhausted. The prisoner knelt down and searched the carriage for the knife, and failing to find it, got up and sezied witness, pinned him helpless in a corner, and then, taking his right hand in both his to secure it, with a great effort prisoner bit the thumb clear off, spat it in witness's hand, and going to the carriage window threw it out. Witness thought the inan's object was robbery and he handed him his watch and purse containing ..£.3 10s., which he made a grab at and threw out of the window the same:side as he pitched his thumb. lie returned to the prosecutor, and taking the left hand in the same way, endeavouring to bite that off, but he hanpenel to lse wearing a thick winter glove on that hand, which prisoner consequently failed to penetrate. The prisoner's father, who seemed stupitied with horror, and sat powerless to assist, said "Let the poor man alone, he's done thee no harm," but prisoner, jumping over the seat, and forcing his head clean through the window, smashing the remainder of the glass with his fist, said "You —. yon will have to go through." At the same time he flung both his arms around Mr. Ellis's waist, and hurdled him violently against the window. The prisoner rebounded and fell with the effort to get witness through. But he immediately got up, and flung prosecutor's carpet hag through the window, and with a cry " Here goes," made a clean leap through the window himself. Prosecutor seized him by the heels, and held him till he fainted, after which he recollected no more.—The prisoner's father said his son seemed to get mad all at once in a most unaccountable manner. He said he attempted to leap through the window as a man would tlive into a pit —Samuel Weston, guard of • the morning express train on Friday morning week, between Liverpool and Chester, said he was alarmed by the bell in his van, ringing violently, and he at once screwed his break down tight. On looking out, the prisoner was on the splash board of his van, holding on ; but when then train was pulling up witness jumped off and prisoner with him, and a desperate struggle ensued between them, as Holmes thrice threw himself under the moving train and once witness dragged him back by the hair of his head. Each titne prisoner got on the rails he screamed " murder " and "flight aketd ; full speed." Three platelayers then Caine up and secured him.—Medical evidence was called to prove that prosecutor's thumb had to be amputated lower down, and that prisoner's fourth finger had to be taken off as it was cut all to peices with the glass of the windew.—The Prisoner, who said he recollected nothing of the matter, was committed to take his trial at next Chester Assizes on a charge of attempted murder.  THREE PERSuNS