Blandford, Wimborne and Poole Telegram. — 1877-08-17 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

TERRIBLE STRUGGLE WITH A DESPERADO.  At a special sitting of the Derby Magistrates, on Thursday afternoon, a desperate ease of attempt to murder was heard. It appears that on June Nth a man named John Johnson arrive! at Derby station in a train from the west, and when he was in the town his movements were so suspicious that Detective Hessey determined to watch him. In following out this resolution the officer watched his conduct amongst the country people who were in the market, and ultimately followed him into the shop of a newsagent in Nottingham-road. lie there inquired the man's business, am* what was his trade : bum he persistently declined to answer him, and endeavonred to leave the shop. The officer, however, detained him, and the prisoner then became greatly exasperated, and said that he would blow the officers brains out, if he did nut let hint go. At the same instant he produced a pistol from his coat pocket, and after assuring the officer that it was loaded and capped, pointed it at his forehead and pulled the trigger. Fortunately, the cap snapped, and the pistol did not to off. A desperate encounter ensue,, for the officer rushed at him and Sel7Ad him by the collar, while he determinedly tried to free himself. He afterwards pulled an open knife out of his pocket, and drew it across the officer's left hand twice, inflicting such ininries that the hand fell powerless to his side. The officer still maintained his hold, and directly afterwards the priermer stabbed him in the throat. This dreadful scene was witnessed by a young woman, who ran for assistance, and • man went to the officer's aid, hut prisoner inflicted is wound en his hand with the knife, and threatened to murder anyone who came near, At length he was secured and taken to the lock-up, where a pistol, a powder-flask, with bullets and gunpowder, where foam' in his possession. He-sey was so badly wounded and lost such a quantity of Nisei that his life was despaired of for sonic time, and he had been unable to give evidence until Thursday. The prisoner made an unsuccessful attempt to induce the magistrates to believe he WM insane, and they committed him for  The Court of Appeal has cenfirmeil the judgment of Vice-Chancellor Bum. who ordered the money reeeived by Mr. Albert Grant, Mr. James Carlton, and others, amounting to L 55,1100, for promoting the formation of the colliery company of Bagnall and Sons (Limited) to be returned to the comp,ny. The Court assessed the reasonable commission on the purchase of the works to he paid to the defendants at ilt,teto.Noiie of appeal to the House of Lords was given. For ,everal days the house of an old man, named William Harvey, living at nradford-on-Avon, was not!ced to be shut, and on Tuesday the police got a ladder, effected an entrance, and found the old man dead in bed, in an emaciated state, and a little dog nestle() up at the side if the corpse. The insnector had great difficulty in beating the animal off to get at the &ad man. Everything was in a nand filthy state, and there was about £5 in cash in the room. Several title deeds, showing the 111411 to be possessed if house property in various parts, were discovered by the police. Death ia said to have been accelerated by the want id nourishment. At an inquest held at New Swindon, Wilt-, • very painful story was told. Twc.children named D ivies, aged ten and seven years, were walking along the banks of a canal (rem :wheel to dinner. and, as it was raining hard, the younger owe put up her handlterehief to keep her head awl face dry. Unable to soothe path she walked into the canal. Her elder sister at 01100. went in to rescue her, but the water being deep both Wee, &owned.