Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1852-10-27 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

FOURPENCE.  ATTEMPT TO MURDER BY ~ BURKING" AT YARMOUTH.  This portion of the county has been the scene of an at. tempted murder a a female, under circumstances peculiarly revolting, and winch have excited a feeling of horror throughout this and all parts adjacent. The case underwent strict investigation on Tu e sit a y The person implicated is Samuel Ilowth, a corn porter, about 40 years of age, and a married man, who was charged with having, on die night of Thursday week, by means of " pitch plaster," attempted to suffocate and murder a lemale named Proudtbot. .  ..... The victim of the prisoner's revolting violence was directed to be conducted to the witness-box. Iler head and race were swollen to nearly twice their original size; the lestures appeared to he completely destroyed, the face pre-ended a blackened pulpy mass, produced by the fearful heavy blows inflicted by some blunt instrument while on the ground. She said : I am a single woman, 36 years of age, a servant in the service of Mr. Bunn, corn merchant, near Yarmouth. The prisoner was also in Mr. Bonn's service, as corn porter, believes some ten or eleven years. II is wife is living, and they have several children. Between four and five months past an improper intimacy has existed between us, and I fell pregnant. Some time after I spoke to loin for money to get me over my confinement, but lie made no reply. Last Thursday was my day out, and meeting the prisoner early in the morning, begged of him again for money. Ile answered, "Meet me to-night at eight o'clock." I said, " Whereabouts ?" Ile replied, "At the Pudding Gate." I said, " Very well." [Pudding-gate is a secluded spot on the North Wanes.] Shortly after two o'clock in the day, I left ley master's house, and went to see my child at my sister's house. I then went to meet the prisoner at the place lie had named. I got there about eight o'clock, and saw him coming towards Inc. After some conversation he said," How much money do you want?" I replied, " It would take three or four pounds to get me over it." I was then in the act of raising myself over the sands, when he rushed on me, and thrust a sticking-plaster over my head and face, and at the same time grasped my throat with his hand tightly. I got away from him a few yards distant, and tore the plaster away from my face and shrieked out. Ile instantly closed and felled me with his fist, and commenced striking me in the face with all his might. I screamed " Murder" as loud as I could, and struggled to get away from him. Ile, however, kept me down with his knees, and placed one of his hands on my mouth, and with the other beat me over the face and head until I lost all recollection. I cannot remember what lie did to me afterwards. On returning to my senses, I found myst If in a room, on a chair, and several persons attending on me. I distinctly recollect tearing the plaster from my face, and throwing it away. The prisoner never quarrelled with me, nor I with him; he always treated me with kindness. Ana Julin, R widow, gave corroboratory evidence. The plaster was here produced by the police, and handed to the witness, who identified it as being the same she pulled off. It was very large, evidently Mimed to emer the face, head, and neck ; the coating in plaster was a composition of Stockholm and coal tar, very thickly laid out 11" Several witnesses spoke of seeing the prosecutrix's face and head eovered with pitch, proving that the plaster had completely enveloped her. Mr. J. W. Crow, a surgeon of Yarmouth, gave evidence of the extent of injuries that had been inflicted on the prosecutrix, proving they, to be of a MOS/ serious character.  -