The Sun. — 1831-01-04 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY ATTEMPT AT MURDER AND ROBBERY-A ROBBER SHOT.  Yesterday a highly respectable gentleman, whose father is known to Sir Richard B rode, appeared at Bow-street office, to give information of a most serious attack that had been made on his person. He resided at St. Alban's, but his profession obliged him to travel to town and back very frequently at night. On Wednesday night last, between seven and eight o'clock, he was returning in a tall buggy drawn by one horse, whe❑ he observed, close by Woodham Park, near the Ridgeway-road, which is the seat of Mr. Baines, M.P., a chaise cal t and horse standing on the turf by the side of the road. Two men, dressed in great coats, with handkerchiefs tied in such a manner round their faces as to defy all observation or knowledge of them, were seated in it, and their appearance, combined with the smoking hard-run condition of the horse, caused some suspicion in his mind that all was not right. As he was directing his horse's head to the other side of the road, in order to avoid coming into contact with them, the men set their horse in motion, and appeared as if coming towards him. He dodged about for half a minute, thinking to elude them, but all his endeavours were rendered fruitless by their driving their wheel at a very furious pace right against the step of his vehicle—so locking them both together. The taller man in the cart then rose up with a horse pistol in his hand, which, after putting his foot upon the wheel of the buggy, he pointed at his (applicant's) right side, about a foot or two distant from it. He however, was prepared in some measure for him, as, from the suspicious proceedings of the parties, he had taken care to grasp one of the brace of pistols which he always kept loaded upon the seat on his left-band side. The man had no sooner pointed his pistol towards him and cried out " stop," than he placed his at his stomach. This fellow, probably frightened from this act, or his pistol going off before he intended it, fired almost:immediately after at him. The ball passed through three great coats, and most probably against a pair of thick gloves and some halfpence, which he had in his pocket ; the consequence of which was, that the ball turned off, and did no serious injury to him. His own pistol, from the suddenness of the blow which he received from the other weapon, went off immediately after, and shot the fellow right through the stomach. His left hand fell at the instant by his side, and he tumbled backwards into the chaise, apparently lifeless ; although, from the short space of time which the affair occupied, and the somewhat fright which he received, he would not distinctly say that such was the case. When he saw this, he laid hold of his other pistol, apprehensive of an attack from the remaining robber, and was about to present it at hire, when the fellow whipped the horse violently, and galloped away down the Ridgeway-read. He then mask his way home to St. Alban's, which was about three miles from the place where he was attacked, and gave information to a resident Magistrate. He had given information of it to the patrol; but although search had been made, not the slightest trace of the fellows could be discovered.  Sir R. 13xiostE and Mr. HALLS, who had listened to this recital with the greatest attention and interes', pressed their astonishment at the attack, and asked vari ,us questions of the gentleman, who stated in answer the following particulars :—His box-coat was set on fire by the powder, and completely spoiled, although he had as quickly as possible torn the part on fire from it. The gentleman then showed a round hole, apparently burnt on the edge, which was in the front of his frock-coat, a little below the last button-hole. He said that he was unable to divine where the ball had lodged until he got home, when his father, on examining his person, found at the bottom of the lining of the coat ; it was a large ball, flatted by the concussion with the coppers, and had turned down the lining very quietly after burning the hole. Sir RICHARD inquired why he had not given information sooner. The gentleman certainly should have so acted, bad he not been compelled to stay at St Alban's the following morning. He, however, told a Magistrate, as he said before.