Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1891-04-11 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO MURDER.  Before Mr. Horace Smith, at North London Police-court, on .Tuesday, William Hopkins, 57, described as a cordwainer, was charged with attempting to murder William Ward by cutting him on the head and neck with a weaver's knife. The injured man was not in attendance, he lying in Homerton infirmary.—Constable Wilson (384 J) deposed thatat 1 o'clock that morning he was called by Susan Ward to No. 12, Bradstock-road ; and, in a second-floor back bedroom, found William Ward bleeding profusely from a number of wounds on the neck and head. Ward pointed out the prisoner as having committed the injuries, and the prisoner replied, "I will murder him." Witness then took him into custody. Susan Ward gave witness the weapon (produced) a weaver's velvet shaving knife. —Dr. James Turtle, divisional police-surgeon, said he saw the injured man at the Victoria Park Police-station. One of the wounds was an incised cut, extending from the angle of the jaw backwards and upwards under the ear. There was another incised wound, 2in. long and half an inch deep, across the neck, and just below the first mentioned wound. The third wound was of a superficial character—an incised wound on the scalp, an inch long and 2in. above and backwards from the right car. On the left side of the head was an incised wound on the scalp, penetrating and exposed, extending half an inch from the front part of the left ear, upwards and backwards for 3in. The hemorrhage from this was considerable, a small artery having been divided. The fifth wound was of an incised character, 2±in. above the left eye brow, penetrating and exposed, extending backwards 2in. The sixth was an incised wound running parallel with the last-mentioned, running upwards and backwards 2in. The two middle fingers of .both hands were cut. —ln reply to the magistrate, witness said the two wounds on the head were severe, and required stitching. Could not say when the man would be able to attend the Court.— From inquiries, it appears that the prisoner and the injured man stand in the respective relationships of uncle and nephew, and live together in the same house. It is said there were frequent quarrels about money matters, one of which culminated in the attack above recited.—lnspector Collette asked for legal aid, as the niece, Susan Ward, who saw the whole affair, had declined to say what she saw; in fact, she said she saw nothing.—The request was granted, and the prisoner removed.  Lord Dufferin, in delivering his rectorial address at St. Andrew's University on Monday, said he would give the students some hints which would affect their start in life. He urged them to acquire a practical conception both of the length and shortness of life, and of the careers they were determined to follow, being careful at the same time to get a right knowledge of their individual aptitude, and of the extent of their powers; for he was convinced that their usefulness as well as their happiness depended upon their work being done in a congenial atmosphere.  It is a curious thing that glycerine, which is now Used by the ton, was practically unknown 40 years ago, it being first produced by distillation during the Crimean War under the patent taken out by Price's Patent Candle Company. Soon after this, medical men, finding that the product could be relied on as pure, began to recommend it as an emollient, and in the course of years the Faculty became convinced of its worth as an internal remedy. During the months of March and April, more glycerine is used for diseases brought about by variable weather than at any other season of the year, and where not supplied direct front a surgery it is well to make sure of its purity, since there is great danger of common qualities containing lead. The public are to some extent protected by Price's pure product being invariably sold in capsuled bottles, but the public are unfortunately too often thoughtless and negligent of their own interests.