Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1861-02-01 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DESPERATE AT'T*MP TO MURDER A WARDEN IN CHESTER CASTLE.  On Saturday last, Thomas O'Brien, an ill looking fellow, who is imprisoned in the Chester Castle, was brought up before the county magistrates, in the chaplain's room at the Castle, upon the charge of attempting to kill a warden named Thomas Dunning. It appeared that im Tuesday morning, Dunning was in charge of the prisoners at exercise in No. 6 yard. After t..ey had walked once round, the prisoner (Thomas O'Br.en) and another prisoner named Thomas Koster. commenced talking and laughing Dunning called them to order, but no attenion wa paid to him, and he told Kastor to fall out of the ranks awl go to his cell. O'Brien immediately stepped forward and said, " the man is not in fault, I caused him to laugh." Kaster then went to his cell, awl 0' itti.n joined the men at exercise. Having gone round the yard a second time, O'Brien said: " You may as well send me to my cell" Dunning said, "I shall do nothing of the kind ;" but he went out of the yard towards his cell. About eleven o'clock the saine morning. Mr. tlanuing went to the bottom of the stairs of N.. 6 word, and told Dunning to bring 0'Brett and Kaister to the governor. 'Dunning then opened O'Brien's cell and said, "Now, O'Brien, this way." He then turned round to unlock the door of Kaster's cell, which is nearly opposite that in which O'Brien was cofined, and he had no sooner done so then he was struck from behind on the left side of the head with a piece of iron, which was hurled at him with great force by O'Brien. Dunning turned quickly round, when he saw that O'Brien had something in his hand (a stone), and was in the act of picking up the piece of iron, which had hounded towards where he stood. Dunning with great presence of mind, shouted, "Mr. Manning," and ran in the direction where he had seen him standing. O'Brien followed after with the iron and stone, threating to knock hie brains out, saying he would not be content until he had his life Dunning, at this time was quite giddy, through loss of blood. Mr. Manning called to O'Brien to desist, and desired him not to commit himself. The prisoner raised the iron, stood in a menacing attitude, and said, "Only I have some respect for you I would knock your brains out." Koster, who was in the passage, said "Don't strike him ;" when O'Brien called him "a skulk," and ran him along the passage for the purpose of striking him. Mr. Manning followed and seized the prisoner by both arms from behind ; some of the officers came to his assistance, and the prisoner was safely secured. When the governer charged him with wounding the officer he said, " I did it, and I'll not deal it ;" he then turned towards Dunning and said, "Whether it is here or after I am discharged, your sacred life I will have." Dunning is still under medical treatment. The iron the prison.  er used for his murderous design is the "catch" belonging to the loom in his cell, which weighs 211 b. Upon being asked if be had anything to state, he replied that there was no mistake about his wanting to take Dunning's life, and if he could do it, he would at that moment. Committed to the assizes. At the last assizes he was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for commiting burglaries in Birkenhead and Liverpool, previous to which he has been commited fol. four years' penal servitude.  THE hosiery and lase trades of Nottingham are in an exceedingly depressed state, and privationdit of a most painful character are being sustained by the operatives. There are 1,061 persons in the bmse, and 6,806 reeeirios our-door relief, main o total of 7,947,