Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1882-11-04 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

ATTEMPT TO MURDER A LONDON POLICE CONSTABLE.  Considerable eacitement was recently caused at Hempstead, a suburb of London, when it became known that sib at appears to have been a determined attempt to murder a poliee-constable had been made during the night. The facts of the case afford one more illustration of the danger of allowing, in these days of armed burglars, solitary and unarmed police-conetablee, hoses er brave, to patrol the lonely and secluded private grounds of gentlemen's 'muses is the co rntry and suburbs. It appears that just after midnight Police-constable Charles Effingham, 221 S. was, in E e course of his beat, going round the grounds surrounding he house of Mr. Reg nald H. Prance, of Frognal, Hampstead—a gentleman we I known in City circles—when he heard a noise behind some carols on the lawn. The constable at once went up to the spot from whence the sound proceeded hr ider to amertain its origin, when a man rose up awl straightway pointe I a revolver at the constable's head and fired at him, raying I. Take that., you —. This is not the Erst time you have didurbel me to-night." The bullet entered Ell ngham's helmet about two or three Inches from the top on the right-hand aide, clwe to his head, and passed out, slanting upwaeds, on the left-hand side, fortunately just miming the constable's head. With mat eeara:eithe sflflthffile then made for his assailant, who immediately fired again at him, this time taking a lower aim. The bullet thus discharged passed through the policeurin's greatcoat, his tunic, trowers, and drawers, and entered his Ict t thigh, lodging in the flesh. The constable fell, as a natural consequence of this wound, ant the man runoff, getting over the fence into the Redington-road. The constable quickly regained his feet, and without waiting to find his helmet, which had fallen from his head, started in pursuit of Ms assailant and chased him through the Redington-road into the fields at the rear of Oak-hill-park. The constable succeeded in getting almost up to him, when lie dodged back into the Redington-rwid, still pursued by the officer. Here Effingham turned giddy and fell again, but, recovering himself, once more started in pursuit, his ill within view. The man now made  man being siil  towards frainpstead parish church, situated close to Mr. l'rance's house, and then, unfortunately, was lost sight of by the gallant officer, who sprang his rattle for a,sistance. A gentleman coming up, and learning something of what had taken place, proceeded to the lligh-street, where he found Police-constables Starling, 256 8, and Longhurst, 3188, on duty. These officers proceeded immecrately to the aid of their wounded comra le, and all three thoroughly searched the churchyard, but without finding any trace of the man wanted. Effingham then returned, with his two bro her officers, to Mr. Prance's premises, and examined the exterior of the house, hut could not find that any attempt had been made to enter it. It is said that the footman heard the shots fired. The constable, it is understood, will be able to identify his amailant should he be apprehended. The following is said to be his description of the offender: Age, 26; height, 5f t. Sin.; fair; light moustache; dress, long ...  dark overcoat, 14;14 MU/fere: and black felt hat. The. injured constable is confined to his bed.