The St. Helens Examiner, and Prescot Weekly News. — 1905-03-04 (Saint Helens, Merseyside, England)

HELENS OUTRAGES.  Murderous Attacks on two Policeman.  A dastardly attempt to murder a St. Helens policeman was made just before midnight on Monday night About 11.30 shots were heard in the somewhat lonely locality of Boundary-road and Knowsley-road. Several persons rushed in the direction, and found Police-constable Adams badly wounded. Medical aid was summoned, a T' . Cotton quickly attended. He found that the 0.,,,t had been shot in the left shoulder, and several pellets were lodged in the body. The constable was removed in the horse ambulance , to St. Helens Hospital, and was followed by the doctor. It is supposed that Adams was shot by a poacher or poachers, several of whom are known in that district. The officer has been responsible for the appearance of several game trespassers at the police court recently. A much more serious affair happened shortly after this at the village of Eccleston, about two miles on the Knowsley side of St. Helens, where a man shot at Police-constable Howells, of the county constabulary, hitting him in the breast, The incident took place at a point between the Eccleston police station and the village, and when he , was found the constable, besides being shot, had been stabbed in the head and behind the ear. Assistance was rendered, but Howell is in a critical state. Howell is a well-known officer and previous to about two years ago was stationed at Bold Heath for some years. He has been in the force sixteen years. Constable Howell lives at Rainford-road, just outside St. Helens, and a Press representative called at his station on Tuesday morning, and saw Mrs. Howell, who gave her husband's account of the terrible affair. It appears that about a quarter to twelve o'clock on Monday night, Constable Howell was walking along from Eccleston Village in the direction of the police station at the corner of Mill-lane. When he was about forty yards from the police station, and walking slowly, he saw a flash, and he thought his coat was on fire. After recovering from the surprise he found that he was injured, and said, "Lord help me. lam shot." He walked across the road and found a man crouching under the high hedge on the opposite side. The man said, "I am sorry I missed you." Howell said, " Very likely ; but you have not missed me." He then closed with the man, and they went into it " ding-dong," and the constable put the man down, and durina the struggle he recognised him. After struggling for some time, the constable was obliged to relax his hold, owing to his left arm failing him. He found that he was getting weak from loss of blood, and the man then drew his knife, and the struggle recommenced. It was very dark, and no one came to the rescue, and the strugglewent on for over twenty minutes. The officer lost his lamp, whistle, and truncheon, and he was stabbed three times on the left side of the head,and once on the back of the neck.ln the struggle the poacher drew his knife right through the constable's wrist, over the ball of his hand, and up his finger. The assailant was determined to do mischief, and in defending his throat the constable was cut several times on the mouth and chin.  After they had wrestled for about twenty minutes the constable became quite exhausted and the poacher said to him, "I have done you." Howells said "No, you have not done me. lam able to do a bit yet." The man then said, "Go on your knees," and the officer although never giving up, felt that it was highly probable that the man was going to load his gun again and shoot him dead. He seemed to think better of this however, and went away in the direction of Eccleston. Dr. Wilde, of Prescot, was brought to Howell, who presented a most terrible sight, being covered sith blood horn head to foot.