The Sun. — 1859-05-09 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED 11,1U.RDER THROUGH  JEALOUS'Y.  A young man, named Charles Peek, was taken before Sir P. H. Dyke, chairman, and Messrs. Dashwood, Smith, and Lewen, the presiding magistrates at the Town-hall, Dartford, on Saturday, on the charge of stabbing another young man named Charles May, on Good Friday last, with intent to murder him, or to do him some grievous bodily harm. The prisoner was brought up from Maidstone gaol, in custody of Mr. Brandon, a superintendent of the county constabulary, where he has been remanded since the unfortunate occurrence, the prosecutor being so dangerously injured as to be unable to attend to give evidence—indeed, for some time his life was despaired of. Mr. Gibson, a solicitor, of Dartford, attended on behalf of the prisoner. The charge appeared to be made under the following circumstances :—The prisoner, who is not more than 23 years of age, is very respectably connected, his father being a shipowner, residing at Guernsey, and he himself being captain of a brig called the Anne, belonging to his father. It seemed that on the day in question the prisoner's vessel was lying off Greenhithe, and the prisoner was at the Hull Trader public-house, at Greenhithe, which is kept by a person named Minter, to whose eldest .daughter the prisoner was paying his attention, and it is said they were going to -be married. The prosecutor May, and another young man named Webb, both of whom belong to Dartford, were also at the Hull Trader on this day, and it would seem that the former paid a good deal of attention to Miss Minter, which annoyed the prisoner, and he' made some observations to that effect. Nothing, however, took place at this time, and in the course of the afternoon the prisoner invited the two young men and Miss Minter and another young woman to go on board his vessel, and they did so, and afterwards rowed about the river, 'and then returned to Greenhithe, where they drank together, and during the evening an altercation took place between the prisoner and May, and a scuffle ensued, during which blows were struck. The prisoner, it appeared, left the public-house about half-past nine o'clock at night to go to his vessel, and he was followed by May and Webb, and they began joking him upon the subject of his sweetheart; and the prisoner, being somewhat the worse for liquor, answered him angrily, and at length a fight took place between him and May, but the struggle had only lasted a short time, when the latter put his hand to his breast and exclaimed, " I am stabbed," and instantly fell to the ground. Assistance was procured, and he was carried back to the public-house, and Dr. Seccomb, a medical gentleman ,trhwa t easi rniesgdehnttthbarfe breast, andr,sht e,a:hdudptrhoenece exiavmd ma. npvgrear ytcht eids ainpnrggoes ear oteuusGtowrreoehunn he di as t n twinhhjeueprr where weapon.shh ao endweAraafm ast eptpradakterheenent hticlenoyt into ebmseetu siesonstfioodih innyflsooifwnc inflicted actby ai t sahapplpedointhteadt atyheonfonboowarindghmisovrnesinsegl: and on his being taken irito the room where the prosecutor was lying, he at once identified him as the man who had stabbed him. A search was afterwards made for the knife, but for some time no trace of it could be found, but at length Sergeant Hill, of the Kent constabulary, upon mak. ing a close search in the prisoner's berth, found a knife concealed in the wood work, completely covered with blood, and with which no doubt the fatal injury had been inflicted. The prisoner was on the same day taken before Sir P. H. Dyke, a magistrate for the county of Kent, at Dartford, and upon evidence being given that the prosecutor was in too dangerous a state to attend and give evidence, he was remanded to Maidstone gaol, and on Saturday was brought up for further examination., Upon the prisoner being placed at the bar, Mr. Brandon, the superintendent, put in a certificate, which represented that the prosecutor was still too All to -attend, but was progressing favourably, and would probably be able to attend in a few days and give evidence, and upon this the superintendent asked for a further remand. Sir P. Dyke observed that he was glad to hear the prosecutor was likely to recover, but he had a most narrow escape, and, under the circumstances, the only course that could be taken by the Bench was again to remand the prisoner. Mr. Gibson said he did not feel that he was in a position to offer any opposition to'this proceeding on behalf of the prisoner, and, The Bench then directed that he should be brought up again iin a week.