Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1880-11-20 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE ATTEMPT TO MURDER MR R. H. APPLETON. At half-past two on Tuesday afternoon a special sitting of the South Stockton Magistrates was held, when John Thnrlow was brought up, on remand from Wednesday last, charged with attempting to murder Mr R. H. Appleton by shooting him with a revolver at his office on Tuesday week. The case had been adjourned in the hope that Mr Appleton would have sufficiently recovered to enable him to attend and give evidence. The unfortunate gentleman, however, unable to appear. Mr Theodore Ward, of Middlesbrough, again appeared to conduct the prosecution, and explained that he should be obliged to ask for a further remand of the accused, in consequence of being unable to complete the whole of the evidence on the present occasion. The first witness called was Geo. Benson Hunter, clerk in the prosecutor's employ. He said be heard a pistol fired three times in Mr Appleton's private office, and on going into the office he found Mr Kirkpatrick, the manager of the mill, struggling with the prisoner, and holding his right hand, in which he had a revolver. Witness knelt upon prisoner till another clerk came to his assistance. In the evening he examined the private office, and found a , bullet which had apparently been fired at Mr Appleton's head, but, missing its mark, struck a map and slightly penetrated the Dr. Farquharson produced a bullet which he extracted from the back of Mr Appleton's neck. Dr. Pearson said that on visiting Mr Appleton last night, Mrs Appleton handed him a bullet which was found to have passed through prosecutor's coat on the breast, and being "spent," fell down between the cloth and the lining. Anthony Mudd, a labourer, living at Yarm, said that he was in the Lord Nelson publichouse, rat Yarm, on 21st of October, when the Prisoner came in and had a bottle of ginger beer. In the course of conversation the prisoner told witness that he had been working at Mr Appleton's mill, and had had his wages lowered, and had been afterwards discharged. Prisoner said "Mr Appleton is ad— thief. Mr Wren would have shot him if he had seen him; and I will do it." Witness replied—" You should not say that they could hang you for it." Prisoner said, " I will do it as sure as I Bit here." Warrington Husband, butcher, Hutton Rudby, said he met the prisoner near Yarm Bridge on Saturday, October 23rd, and gave him a lift in bit cart to Stockton. On passing Woodside Hall prisoner remarked, "Appleton is a damned thief, and behaved very badly to me. I was in his employ seven years, and made thousands of pounds for him.'' In further conversation prisoner said something about back money due to him, ad added, "I have not much in my pocket now, and if Appleton does not do something for me in a fortnight I will have him." Lydia Brown Flockton, wife of the engineer at the mill, said she met prisoner about three o'clock near %Irk's Brewery in Bridgeroad on Tuesday afternoon last. Prisoner, who seemed to be in a low despondent state, and, in reply to a remark, said, "I don't care if I have only one more day to live." He was carrying a gun, and he said, "D— it, it won't do for my purl'. fig," Witness said, " Surely you don't intend to attempt your own life." To this he • replied, "1 will not mention anything to you to trouble your feelings; but you will hear more by and by." The prisoner was then remanded till • two o'clock on Friday, when Mr Appleton is expected to be sufficiently recovered to attend the Court and give evidence. I When the prisoner was asked if he had any reaswn to give why ' he should not be remanded be merely replied that he had nothing to say against it, but would reserve his remarks till Mr • Appleton was present. The Court was crowded during the proceedings.