The Sun. — 1867-07-10 (London, England)

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER AT BUCKIIURST-HILL.  Frederick Ale/ander Watkins was indicted for maliciously attempting to kill and murder a young woman named Matilda Griggs, on the 23rd April last.  The prisoner pleaded not guilty.  Mr. Straight appeared for the prosecution, and, having stated the case to the jury, said that although he was unable to place before them the young woman who had been so seriously injured, he thought that the confession the prisoner himself made to the police would be sufficient to enable them to arrive at a just verdict. The prisoner had been paying his attentions to the young woman, Matilda Griggs, and on the night of the 23d of April she left her mother's house quite well, and was not seen again until she was brought home covered with blood. MrS. Sarah Griggs, mother of the young woman, having repeated her evidence, which has been already published, was Cross-examined by Mr.. Ribton. She said she had known the prisoner three years, and he had been for a couple of years on intimate terms with her daughter, and was to have been married to her. lle treated her very affectionately. z They used frequently to walk out together. The prisoner lived in London, and he used to return to London frequently the same evening when he arrived in the afternoon. Ile had shown. her,a, dagger' about six months ago, which he said he carried to protect himself from garrotters. She bad not seen her daughter since she had gone away with Mrs. Walker, the mother of the prisoner, in the last day of May. Baron Bramwell—Have you inquired after her? Witness—Yes. Mr. Ribton—And the police have made inquiry after her, also without success? Witness—Yes.  Mr. Ribton—Don't you know that your daughter has, since her recovery, expressed a wish to marry the defendant ? I don't know whether the answer would be worth as evidence, my lord ? Baron Bramwell—No, it would not. The question was not entertained, and the witness left tl:e box. _ .  Inspector Pattison, inspector of the Epping polies-)' said the prisoner came to him on the morning of the 24th of April, and told him he had stabbed a young woman named Matilda Griggs, and the reason he had done it was because be loved her so, and some one else had seen her. He detained him in custody. Sergeant Fry said he took the prisoner to Loughton, and on his way there he told him he walked to London after he had stabbed the young woman. He also said he had taken poison. He was directed to go to the place where the prisoner said he had stabbed the young woman, and found the dagger produced with the sheath on it, just as it then appeared. The metal covering of the point of the blade, which protruded about an inch beyond the sheath, was missing. He afterwards received that covering from the surgeon. He found a piece of lead weighing about a pound and a .piece of string. The prisoner said he struck the young woman twice with the lead, but it then came off the string. Prisoner also told him that he heard the girl hallooing, and be was about to go back, but as he thought shei would not halloo long he did not return. The prisoner asked him (witness) whether he had ever felt jealous ? Mr. Home, surgeon, of Buekhurst-hill, described the nature of the wounds inflicted on the body of Matilda Griggs. The dagger and the piece of lead would produce the 1.5 wounds the young woman had sustained.  Mr. Ribton made an eloquent speech on behalf of the prisoner. The jury returned a verdict of guilty of unlawfully wounding, with intent, &c. Previous to passing sentence a letter was handed to the judge, which the prisoner had received from Miss Griggs.  It stated the writer's anxiqty p to, the result of the trial, that she considered her absence would be best for both parties, that she loved him the same as ever, that she. Loped he would gut free, and that they should be happy united, never to part again, and that the past should be buried in oblivion." The learned judge said that he did not Recorderto he had come inflict upon him but after a consultationkt eo we tbrue with thattpenaltyhthhe e i aoorfungethdhte law, to the determination of sentencing him to 20 years' penal servitude. The prisoner seemed perfectly result of the trial. unmoved by the