The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-04-04 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

FEARFUL ENCOUNTER WITH A CHINAMAN.  The Bendigo Advertieer of the 25th January gives the following account of an attempted murder and bank robbery that had taken place there :  The Inhabitants of Epsom township were thrown Into a state of great excitement on Thursday by the discovery that a Chinaman had attempted to rob the Bank of Victoria there, and to murder the servant girl, who happened to be the only inmate, except a child, at the time. About eight o'clock at night, Mr. Morcott, manager of the bank, and his wife, went out for a walk across the flat to visit Mr. Ill'Cutcheon, and were away an hour and a half. Shortly after they left a Chinaman knocked at the aide-gate, the eutrance to the private house, adjoining the rear of the bank, and on the servant, Recluse 51•Cullock, a girl seventeen years of age, opening the dm,r, he asked change for some bank notea. She said he could not get change, as Mr. Morcott was out, and then shut the door and went Into the kitchen, which is detached from the house. In a few minutes alter this, hearing a slight noise in the bank, she went into the house, and on getting into the sitting-room, a door from which leads into the bank, she saw a Chinaman sitting on a stool in front of the iron safes, which are under the hank counter, the lamp being lighted on the floor beside him. and he apparently considering how to get at the contents of the safes. Instead of having the presence of mind to shut the door and lock him in, and call for assistance, she demanded what he was doing there. Ile rushed at her with a sharp butcher's knife la his hand, the blade being about a foot long, knocked her down, and attempted to cut her throat. A fearful struggle took place between them. As often as she caught the handle of the knife, he drew the keen edge through her clenched fingers, anti out and hacked at her head and neck. Unable to effect his murderous purpose, and fearing detection owing to the serrates of the girl he ran off and meal ed. Almost Immediately afterwarde several of the neighbours came running in, and found the girl covered with blood. Dr. Cheyne was sent for, mid found a large cut along the top of the head to the temple, another gash across the arm, and a third cutting the elbow joint, while there was a fourth large cut across the back of the neck. A search was made, and ill the bank was found a tomahawk and a pair of shies. flue Chinaman, as far as the girl could recognise him, was about 5 feet 7 inches in height, full-faced, and wore a brown juniper and wideawake hat. Early on Wednesday morning Mr. Fogarty, Mr. Giles, Mr Capewell, and several others traced the tracks of Irate feet in the dint from the bank to the railway crossing, the small gate at a hich was stained with blood. The party same...led in tracing the footsteps to the tgainese camp at Thomas's machine, a distance of a mile, when they were lost opposite one of the Chinese twits, and could not be traced across the hard gronnd 'cue CCU tree. ad anti the teat. Oaly uric 01'1110.11Rn was ii the tent. And he could not ' sant c;' all his mates were away. The gatekeeper at the railway crossing said lie new a Chinaman leave the camp with his swag about five o'clock in the morning, and th!e Is supposed to have been the man that in wanted.