The Sun. — 1847-01-21 (London, England)

JAN. 18.—A most unprovoked and cold-blooded murder has been, within the last tew days, committed upon Mr. John Riley, a respectable tobacconist of this town, the inquest upon whose remains was opened on Saturday night, before Mr. Badger, one of the coroners for the West Riding f Yorkshire. The facts are these:—Mr. Riley, after closing his place of business, which is in Waingate, went on Monday evening last to spend an hour or two with some friends at the New Market Hotel, in the Cattle Market, which place he left perfectly sober soon after twelve o'clock, in order to proceed to his residence, which is situated a short distance from the town. On the road leading to a village named Grimesthorpe, it would appear that he had proceeded in safety until he reached a somewhat lonely place, about 300 yards from the last line of houses, on what is called Spital-hill. At this place he was attacked by two for three men, who, after one of them had exclaimed, " D—n lint, here lie is," struck him so violently in the forehead with a life-preserver or other bludgeon as to produce instant insensibility; for, although he so far recovered at a subsequent period as to be enabled to crawl home, a distance of about R quarter of a mile, he was incapable of giving any other account of his assailants than that they had taken from him about 30s. in money, his silver watch, his hat, and his walk,ing-stick. After being insensible for upwards of an hour on the ground where he had been knocked down, and in a complete -pool of blood, he reached his house about twenty minutes to two o'clock. His face at that time was covered with blood and dirt, his right hand pocket was turned out, and his braces were broken. Each eye was fearfully blackened, to the extent of nearly an inch all round ; he had a large lump on the centre of his forehead; and his nose was smashed, and covered with coagulated blood. His hands also were covered ',frith blood; and there were severe abrasions and bruises on both his knees. There were likewise serious bruises on various pa.'as of his person, all of which sufficiently indicated thahe must, although perhaps unconsciously to himself, , struggled violently with his assailants. Oat reaching home his first words uttered to his wife were *4. Mary, they batted nearly ultic killed me." His Wounds and bruisea were and poed by his wife, arid medical and surgical aid were called in in a few hours afterwards, but notwithstanding their skill, the unfortunate gentleman lingered until two o'clock on Saturday morning, when he died Itom the effects of the barbarous usage to which he had been lluNected. 'There seems little reason to doubt that the murderous assailants had been in ambush, awaiting the arrival of their victim; the entrance to a narrow lane immediately opposite to the place of attack affording ready shel-er and concealment. It is somewhat singular, that a!th,ugh the fatal Spot was on a public footpath, and within thirty yards of one of the public gas lamps, that the watchman, whose duty it was to pass and repass the place once in every hour, should not have seen the unfortunate gentleman whilst he aid in this insensible state. The only information at all bearing upon the matter which this official is capable of giving is, that shortly before the time at which the assault is sapposed to have occurred he had a conversation with two men, at one part of his beat, who said they were going to Grimesthorpe, and who then went in the direction of the place where the robbery and violence were committed. This may be considered in some degree confirmatory of a statement made by the dying man, that he thought he knew the voice of one of the men, and that he came from Grimesthorpe. Hitherto. however, the affair is involved in mysiery, although the police are making every exertion to eiscover the perpetrators of the diabolical outrage. The circumstances, of which the above is only an outline, were detailed by various witnesses before the coroner on Saturday evening, but to give time ter further evidence, and to allow a post mortem examination of the deceased to be 1114(1q the inquiry was adjourned to Thursday next.  " SBCRET POISONINGS . APP antz AT