The Express. — 1867-12-24 (London, England)

THE RF.FORN LEAGUE.—An announcement made by 14. • ' Inspector Potter to Mr. Woodward, the landlord of dm . Nag's Head, Leather-lane, the house of meeting of Oa' Holborn Bram* of the Reform League, that if munig.t.r, ' were permitted in the house, it would endanger license, has mused some excitement among the m On Sunday no attempt was made to hold the usual weelerf meeting. It is probable that the government bee bow: induced to take this step owing to the proceedings at the branch on the Sunday following the outrage at Clerkateir well. On that occasion, at the conclusion of a lecture met the past, present, and future of England, some t strong reflection, were made upon the govern. , mad in commotion with the late outrage. After • the intimation given by the police • few of the, members of the branch and their friends met together W f. consider what should be done; Mr. Merriman, Mr. Man. Mr. Osborne, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Coffey, Mr. tialbraid, la. Holland, and others were present. Mr. Finleu said the . Holborn branch of the League was now defunct, as be had carried out the funeral procession alone by himself.. He should again act independently of the branch, end' should next Sunday convene a meeting on Clerkenwear, green, and he ventured to say he would have 20,000 people' there. Mr. Osborne and Mr. Coffey repudiated say Ole: tempts to call meetings on the green, as it would eel. lead to disturbances. Mr. Merriman suggested that a' would be better to refer the whole matter to the League,: which had fends sad machinery to take it up. Mr. Flirt len was asked to reconsider his 'reject and abandon the , meeting next Sunday, but be Nall he should carry it oat. ' Eventual] y it was derided to submit the point of the: closing of the branch to the committee of the Reform' Intim% ATTEMPT TO MURDER A SWEISTREAR7'.—At Stafford assizes, on Saturday, before Mr. Justice Keating, Samuel Lee, a young man, 19 years of age, was indicMl• for feloniously wounding Emma Ackley, on the 29th et August, at Langton, with intent to kill and murder her. Mr. Young conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Motterana • defended theprisoner. The evidence showed that the pd. ironer and the proseoatrix were " keeping company" and ' were engaged to be married. On the evening of the ' 28th of August—the day prcoeding the outrage—. they went to • ball together; and it appeared that while there the prosecutrix showed more attention to another young man than was agreeable to the prisoner. The prosecutrix and the pet.. caner met on the following morning, and some words passed between them. The prisoner, who was Gelb, a pear, had a knife in his hind. He said to the pme seeutril, in a reproachful manner, " You bad a line talk during last night," to which she replied, " Yes, and ' I've had a fine talk this morning as well." This rejoinder • seems to have enraged the prisoner, who instantly raised the knife and struck the prosecutrix a fearful backhanded blow in the breast. Immediately after perpetrating the crime the prisoner handed the knife to • person stis ing near. A surgeon was sent for, end Mr. Lane, of ton, was promptly in attendance upon the injured who was bleeding profusely from the frightful woun in. p. dieted by the prisoner. Mr. Lane described the wound, which was an incised punctured one, and of • most dab. serous character. The prosecutrix was still under his earn, suffering from consumption, which be believed wee brought on, or accelerated by, the injuries inflicted by the prisoner. The jury found him guilty and the learned judge, after remarking that the prisoner had been convicted of on, of the most brutal and coaardly attacks upon a defenceless girl he had ever known, sentenced him to ten years' penal servitude. '