The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-11-20 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE ATTEMPT TO MORDEII  MR R. H. APPLETON.  At half-past two on Tuesday afternocu special sitting of the South St,ckton Magistrates was held, when John Ihurlow was brought up, on remand from Wed Desday last, charged with attempting to murder Mr R. H. Appleton by shooting him with a revolver at his office on Tuesday week. The case had been adjourned in the hope that Mr Appleton would have sufficiently recovered to enable him to attend and give evidence. The unfortunate gentleman, however, unable to appear. Mr Theodore Ward, of Middlesbrough, again appeared to conduct the presecutipn, and explained that be should be obligeato ask for a further remand of the accused, in consequence of being unable to complete the whole of the evidence on the pres€ntc.ccasion.  The first witness called Wai4 Geo. Benson Hunter, clerk in the prosecut r's employ. He said be heard & pistol fired three times in Mr Appleton's private office, aud on going into the office he found Mr Kirkpatrick, the manager of the mill, etragvling with the prismer, aud bolding his right hand, in whicri he had a revolver. Witness knelt upon Iris ,ner till another clerk came to his assistance. In the evening he examined the private office, and found a bullet which had apparently been tired at Mr Appletou'a head, but, missing its mark, struck a map and slightly penetrated the wall.  Dr. Farquharson produced a bullet which he extracted from the back of Mr Appleton'. neck.  Dr. Pearson said that on visiting Mr Appleton last night, Mrs Appleton handed him a bullet which was found to have passed through prosecutor's cost on the breast, and being "spent," fell down between the cloth and the lining. Anthony Mudd, a labourer, living at Yarm, said that he was in the Lord Nelson publichouse, at Yarm, on 21st of 03tAer, when the prisoner came in and had a bottle of ginger be r. In the course of conversation the prisoner tau witness that he had been working at Mr Appleton's mill, and had bad his wages lowered, and had been afterwards discharged. Prisoner said "Mr Appleton is a d thief. Mr Wren would have shot him if he had seen him; and I will do it." Witness replied—" You should ut-t say that they could hang you br it." Prisoner said, "I will do it as sure as I sit here."l  Warrington liisband, butcher,isrHntton Radby, said he met the prisoner n Yarm Bridge.on Saturday, October 23rd, and gave him a lift in his cart to Stockton. On pa.ssingWoodside Rail prisoner remarked. "Appleton is a damned thief, awl behaved very badly to me. I was in his employ seven years. and made thousands of pounds for him.' Inifarther couversiaion pi leerier said something about back money doe to him, and added. "I have not mw h ia my pocket now, and if Appleton does nin do something for me in a fortnight I will have him." Lydia Brown Flockion, wife of thie engineer at the mill, said she met prisoner ahoutthree o'clock near Kirk's Brewery in Bridgeroad on Tuesday afternoon last. Prisoner, who seemed to be in a low despondent state, and, in reply to a remark, said, "I don't care if I have only oue more day to live., He was carrying a gun, and he sail, " Di— it, it won't do for my purp se." Witness said, " Surely •y ou don't intend to attempt your own life." To this he replied, "I will not mention anytling to you to trouble your feelings; but you will hear more by and by." The prisoner wigs then remanded till two o'clock on Friday, when Mr Ap• pleton is expected tt be sufficiently recovered to attend the Court and give evidence. When the prisoner was asked if he had any reas.n to give hy he should not be remanded he me ly replied that he had not bins to say agains it, but would reserve his remarks till Mr Appleton was present. The Court was crowded during the roceedings.