The Sun. — 1867-07-10 (London, England)

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER AT BLICKHURST-HILL.  Frederick Ale:_ander Watkins was indicted for maliciously attempting to kill and murder a young ,om an named Matilda Griggs on the 23rd April last.  pleaded appeared 11 o tf guilty.or h e prosecution, and, The psrtirsaoingehrt having stated the case to the jury, said that although he was unable to place before them the young woman who had been so seriously injured, he thought that the confession the prisoner himself made to the police would be sufficient to enable them to arrive at a just verdict. The prisoner had been paying his attentions to the young woman, Matilda Griggs, and on the night of the 23d of April she left her mother's home quite well, and was not seen again until she was brought home covered with blood. Mrs. Sarah Griggs, mother the young woman, having repeated her evidence, which has been already published, was Cross-examined by Mr. Ribton. She said she had known the prisoner three years, and he had been for a couple of years on intimate terms with her daughter, and was to have been married to her. He treated her very affectionately. They used frequently to walk out together. The prisoner lived in London, and he used to return to London frequently the same evening when he arrived in the afternoon. He had shown her a dagger about six months agd, which he said he carried toprotect himself from garrotters. She bad not seen her daughter since she had gone away with Mrs. Walker, the mother of the prisoner, in the last day of May. Baron Bramwell—Have you inquired after her? Witness—Yes. Mr. Ribton—And the police have made inquiry after her, also without success? Witness—Yes.  Mr. Ribton—Don't you know that your daughter has, since her recovery, expressed a wish to marry the defendant ? I don't know whether the answer would be worth as evidence, my lord ? Baron Bramwell—No, it would not. The question was not entertained, and the witness left the box. Inspector Pattison, inspector of the Epping police, said the prisoner came to him on the morning of the 24th of April, and told him he had stabbed a young woman named Matilda Griggs, and the reason he had done it was because he loved her so, and some oue else had seen her. He detained him in custody. Sergeant Fry said he took the prisoner to Loughton, and on his way there he told him he walked to London after he had stabbed the young woman. wtohnelaup,risoner said and found He also said he had taken poison. Ile was directed tostabtbhced he to hadgoptlhaec ()awhereng the dagger produced with the sheath on it, just as ilthen appeared. The metal covering of the point oWe blade, which protruded about an inch beyond the sheath, was missing. lle afterwards received that covering from the surgeon. Ho found a piece of lead weighing about a pound and a piece of string. The prisoner said be struck the young woman twice with the lead, but it then came off the string. Prisoner also told him that he heard the girl hallooing, and he was about to go back, but as he thought she would not halloo long he did not return. The prisoner asked him (witness) whether he had ever felt jealous ? Mr. Home, surgeon, of Buckhurst-hill, described the nature of the wounds inflicted on the body of Matilda Griggs. The dagger and the piece of lead would produce the 15 wounds the young woman had sustained.  The case was not concluded when we went to press. Mr. Ribton made an eloquent speech on behalf of the prisoner. • The jury returned a verdict of guilty of unlawfully wounding, with intent, &C. Previous to passing sentence a letter was handed to the judge, which the prisoner had received from Miss Griggs. It stated •the writer's anxiety as to the result of the trial, that she consideied her absence would be best for both parties, that she loved him the same as ever, that she hoped he would got free, and that they should be happy united, never to part again, and that the past should be buried in oblivion." The learned judge said that he did not know but that ho ought to inflict upon him the extreme penalty of the law, but after a consultation with the learned Recorder he had come to the determination of sentencing him to 20 years' penal servitude. The prisoner seemed perfectly unmoved by the result of the trial.