The Sun. — 1834-10-23 (London, England)

DESPERATE HIGHWAY ROBBERY AND ATTEMPTED MURDER AT WHETSTONE.  The following is a more full app ani,l precise account of the deperate attempt at murder an'j highway robbery upon the persons of an elderly man named James Giff Thursby, between Whetstone and ;carnet, on the evening of Monday week last. The unfortunate sufferer, however, is not dead as stated, but still remains in a most deplorable and precarious condition in Barnet workhouse. The statement of his having died on Monday night of the injuries he received arose from such a report having reached the constabulary of Finchley. on Tuesday, but on personal inquiry at Barnet workhouse yesterday (Wednesday) Thursby was still alive, although his dissolution was momentarily expected. It appears that the old man, who is in his 63d year, was recommended to a gentleman named Crawley, residing at East Barnet, as a proper person to take charge of a large dwelling at Whetstone, the property of the same person, for the purpose of showing it to palties who might be desirous of renting it. The house is situated a little out of the Main road, being surrounded by a paddock and garden. It contained no furniture, with the exception of one room occupied by Thursby. On the evening of Monday week last the old man left the house, accompanied by a dog, for the purpose of delivering a message from his employer, Mr. Crawley, at a neighbouring residence. Having done so, be was on his return home, when he was accosted by five men, who in the first instance stripped him of his hat and wig, and struck him over the shins and hands with their sticks. The victim of their attack fled for refuge into a beer-shop, which is lonely situated on the road side, and kept by a poor woman named Grinds. The five ruffians gained ingress into the shop by jumping through the windows, and by menaces obtained a quantity of beer : the woman being without any protection could not prevent the robbery. In the beer-shop the villains beat the old man Thursby severely, and as there was no hope of succour for him, he fled backwards into a field, for the purpose of endeavouring to reach his home, which was absut .500 or 600 yards distant. The, whole of the villains pursued their helpless victim, and having overtaken him knocked him down, and beat him, about the head with their bludgeons, as well as kicked him violently. Having robbed him of the little property he had about him, which was a few shillings, and some other trifles, they left him for dead. In this condition he was discovered, weltering in his blood, by Buckthorp, overseer of East Barnet, aneAbingdon, a constable of the same place : these persons, with the assistance of Collard, one of the Bow-street mounted police, who came up shortly afterwards., removed the sufferer to the room which he occupied in Mr. Crawley's house ; and Mr. Morrison, a medical gentleman residing at Barnet, promptly attended, and dre,ssed the wounds on the old man's head, which were a most dangerous and extensive nature. He had also; received severe injuries of the spine and other parts of the body. Collard, the patrol, succeeded in apprehending two of the men the same evening at Barnet, of the names of Peat and Abraham Banks alias Hamshanks. They are two of a most desperate gang who infest and are the terror of Whetstone, Barnet, and adjacent places. Two days after the outrage they underwent an examination before Dr. Loudon, the magistrate of Totteridge, when Thursby, the victim of their brutality, identified them as two of the five men who had treated him in the manner de.. scribed. They subsequently underwent at► examination before the magistrates at St. Alban's, hnd are now in Hertford gaol. No hopes are entertailied of the ultimate recovery of Thursby, from thc so?;ere injuries he has received. —Morning Paper,