The Sun. — 1854-09-06 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY ATTEMPT TO MURDER AT SALFORD.  Yesterday morning information was received at the Salford police-office of an extraordinary attempt made to murder a poor woman living in Evan-street, Spring. field-lane, in that borough. The statement was, that at two o'clock in the morning her house had been entered and her throat cut with some not very sharp instrument, whilst she was in bed, and that the robbers had stolen 31. 10s. from her pocket. The police went to institute the proper inquiries, and found that Mr Holland, surgeon, and Mr. Storey, druggist, of Green gate, had attended to the wound, which it is believed will not prove mortal, the incision having missed the principal arteries and the jugular vein. The unfortunate woman, whose name is, Sarah Freel, was found to be a large opium eater, and it was thought at first that her story might be an invention, and that she had probably made an attempt at self-destruction whilst labouring under the effects of the mental excitement to which such persons are subject ; but an inquiry into the circumstances has removed these suspicions to a great extent. She has been in the habit of taking opium freely on ac. count of nervous suffering to which she was subject at times, and a druggist who has sold her the drug says that he has known her consume half an ounce whilst in his shop, and to purchase an ounce per day. The woman's story is that she was awoke very early in the morning by a hand being placed upon her mouth. She was sleeping upon a bed on the floor, in the only bed-room the cottage contains, and the room was totaily destitute of other furniture. Her three children, two boys and a girl, the oldest of whom is 14 years old, were sleeping in the house below —the girl on a box, and the two boys on the floor. On being awoke, she says, and looking up. she saw a man disguised in female attire, and a boy holding a lantern. She asked them what' they wanted there, and the man replied " money." She pointed to her miserable room, and asked what money they expected a poor old woman the man said, " Oh, that wretched condition could be likely to have, but ut the man then placed oyne must have it." She ea s sheacross baabncedrgaossnhtoer I know you have money, and I with the other drew a knife he becamehe • insensible. The reason she 13ad for believing her assai:ant not to be a woman crtyhrrfooartl month,eal npd, and that his hand smelt stronglywas his masculine voice, and A deed relating to propertyof in Chancery wax. have been found in her bedroom Chancery is said to states that it relates to property left the police, sad she relative, but that subsequently,yin her in Dublin by a order to relieve herself from debts incurred by her husband, she was obliged to make the property over to trustees, whomofg Jackson, the banker, at Douglas, was on Mr. e ; and before leaving Douglas, a month ago, it was a that just Mr. Jackson should advance her 251. more, but thatthat s subsequently resolved only to have 201., and that it paid her by Mr. Jackson in the shop of Mr. Duff,was grocer and spirit-dealer, Market-place, Douglas. The woman states that on going to bed, the previous night she left her petticoat hanging behind the dooft with 31. 10s. stitched up in one corner of the pocket. This was the balance left of the 201. she had obtained from Mr. Jackson, banker, at Douglas. On examining her pocket it was found, yesterday morning, that this money was gone. The threads had apparently been cut with a knife.