The Sun. — 1861-08-10 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY ATTE3IPT TO MURDER A FATHER.  A frightful attempt at parricide formed the subjectest, e or ni a I Thursday tGreatappeared G r i mfsr bo yin, e that a young man, about 28a shoemaker, named Benjamin Betts, living wtLhien c eeo fvl nimds evidence ngi rei 'ith his father, John Betts, the sexton of the parish, having received some religious " impression" at the baptist chapel on Sunday, laboured under a highly nervous state of excitement, betraying evident symptoms a deranged mind, but from which his family did not apprehend any serious results. However, on Friday night, he told his father that he would not sleep in the same chamber with Hollingshead, a lodger, for he was a "fiend," but would sleep with him, to which the father assented, and about eleven he retired to his father's chamber, leaving the latter up reading, At one o'clock the son came down stairs to his father, who was still sitting up, and said he was hungary. After eating something both went to bed, the son taking with him two of his shoemaker's knives. The father, not fearing any danger to himself, did not oiefferiroenttuoorftehadkis n take oithem f away. Both then undressed, and got into bed. The du r son did not betray any ill-feeling towards his father, anythinging a to leasdhotrotatismuesp, the son got out obed, locked the chamber door, and a He afterwards got out twice, and intention. say After on getting into bed the last time, which was about _ three o'clock and quite dark, the father being awake, he seized upon the old man, and began stabbing him with one of the knives. A closed stre, ggle ensued, in which both fell out of bed, and the struggle was continued on the, floor, the son making his stabs at randoth. The father, at last, getting the uppermost, obtained a mastery,by seizing his son's arm and wrenchinc, thr knife out of his hand. Both then got up and ' p and sat on the bed. The old man opened the chamber door as soon. as Possible, and ran down stairs to a neighbour's house, John Mumby's, for assistance. There being no light in Bett's house, Mumby obtained one from his own, when a fearful spectacle presented itself, the house being like a slaughterhouse and the old man being literally covered with blood, which was running down from several severe wounds in his side and legs. Seeing that he was beginning to faint from loss of blood, Mr. Mumby asked forsome brandy, which the son (who had come down stairs) got, ana gave to his father, showing every anxiety to render him assistance. There being a frightful cut in the thigh, from which the blood was flowing rather fist; Mr. Mumby took off his garter and tied it tightly above the wound, which stopped the hemorrhage. Mr. Cupiss, surgeon, was then sent for, who shortly arrived and dressed the wound. on examination he found several stabs in the side, which, taking an oblique direction along ti ae ribs, were fortunately not of a dangerous characiter, and also several stabs in the thighs and legs. The old man lost a great quantity of blood, and is in a very weak condition, but is now progressing favourably. The son, whilst attending to his father said he had let the devil out of him, and if he hadnoth done so e would have gone to hell • ,but if he had only killed that " fiend," pointing to the would have been cat, he saved. Mr. Mumby took road, and walked about to . him into the calm him until the arrival of two policemen, into being locked up he commenced whistling and singing hymns. He was remanded.