The Sun. — 1849-12-25 (London, England)

TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 25, 1849,  ALLEGED MURDER.  BRISTOL, DEC. 24.—Considerable excitement was created in this city last night by a report that a man had been shot at Devonshire-buildings, Bed minster. It appears that the deceased was a young man named William Braund, and that yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, about half-past four o'clock, he was taking a walk in company with two other persons named Edward Horgan and Henry Coggan. As they were passing over Bedminster-bridge they saw two boys, named Collins and Dauncy jumping, over some iron posts. Denney was in the act of leaping, when Horgan exclaimed, " Oirer it." Both Denney and Collins immediately began abusing the deceased and his companions in a most outrageous manner. Horgan ran after them, when Collins began to spar at him, and then ran off down Coronation road closely pursued by Horgan, who caught him by the railings of Zion Chapel, and struck him twice. Whilst he was doing this Dauncy came behind him and struck him in the face, and on his letting go of Collins and running after him, Dauncy pulled out a brass barrelled pistol and presented it at him. Collins likewise pulled out a large life-preserver, and waved it about in a very threatening manner. Denney kept exclaiming, "Come on; I'm not afraid of you. I'm ready for you. I'll have you." Horgan, the deceased, and Coggan, not wishing to create a disturbance in the streets on a Sunday, went on, and Collins and Denney fhllowed, jeering and abusing them. They stopped at the top of Brown's-row, and as Collins and Denney stopped too, Horgan looked round at them and said, I will give it to you by-and bye." The deceased also said to Collins, "I'll let your mother know that you have got a life-preserver, and get something done to you." Collins drew out the life-preserver, and the deceased then rushed at him and laid hold of it. Denney then tried to lay hold of the deceased to make him let go. Coggan and Horgan stocd before him and prevented his doing so. Denney then pulled out the pistol again and presented it at the deceased, and said, "If he doesn't let Collins alone shoot him." Horgan said, " Will you ?" and he replied, " Yes' and you too." Denney then put down the pistol between his legs and cocked it, got up, rushed past Horgan close to the deceased, and fired the pistol at him. The deceased man Braund instantly put his hand to his breast, staggered and fell to the ground. A quantity of blood poured from his mouth, and some persons who were passing at some little distance ran up and endeavoured to support him in their arms, but it was found that he was quite dead. Dauncy, who in the meantime had endeavoured to run away, was pursued, and shortly afterwards captured. On his way to the stationhouse he said, " That he supposed he should be scragged ;" and afterwards he said, " That the pistol was not loaded with ball, but shot." On being searched, at the station-house, there were found in his possession seven bullets, a bullet mould, four percussion caps, 3/. ls. 6d. in money, and three pieces of lead. The unfortunate deceased was as soon as possible, by direction of Mr. Samuel Browne, one of our city magistrates, who witnessed the latter part of the occurrence from his dining-room window, conveyed to the infirmary, where on examination it was found that a bullet had passed through the lungs in a slanting upward direction, passing through a part of the windpipe and dividing a large artery. It was extracted from the back of the opposite shoulder, having lodged there. The bullet hal carried a piece of the coat with it the whole of the way. The deceased was in the employ of Mr. Gillett, wine-merchant, Redcliff-street. He never spoke aftex he had received the fatal shot. The prisoner is fourteen years of age; he is the son of a journeymara miller, and was in the employ of Mr. Prowse, surgeon. He is apparently of a most hardened character, not having betrayed the slightest emotion at the situation in which he is placed, or expressed the least commiseration for the fate of the unfortunate deceased. The coroner has impannelled a jury to investigate the whole circumstances of the case, and a post mortem examination will take place.