The Sun. — 1850-09-23 (London, England)

ROBBERY AND ATTEMPT TO MURDER. We doubt whether the :annals of critne' present a case more atrocious, more ingeniously :planned and coolly executed, than a robbery and attempt at murder perpetrated in Aldersgate-street on Friday afternoon. For a considerible time a gentleman' named Cureton, has lodged in the house of Mr. Wilson. a tailor, 81, Aldersgate-street. . Cureton is connected with the British Museum, and buys coins and medals for that establishment. He has been in the habit of keeping a quantity of easily-convertible property at his lodgings, and 'this fact appears from the event to have become known to some of the higher class of London thieves. On Friday afternoon three men, dressed in the first rate style, entered Mr. Wilson's shop, and inquired for Mr. Cureton. Mr. Wilson- admitted them, and directed them to the second floor. In about a quarter of an hour afterwards they came down stairs, without showing the least sign of hurry, and loft the house. Shortly after their departure Mrs. Wilson had occasion to go up to Mr. Cureton's rooms, and she found him lying on the floor, insensible, his face black, and blood running from a wound in his forehead. She thought he had fallen in an apoplectic fit, and senti at once for a surgeon. It was many hours before Mr. Cureton was restored to consciousness, and, as soon as his strength permitted, he gave the following account of the attack made upon him :—The three supposed gentlemen pretended that they had called to inquire whether he had a crown of William and Mary. He replied in the affirmative, and asked them to be seated. As he was in the act of handing a chair to one of the men, the other two got behind him and quickly placed some instrument round his neck, which squeezed him like a vice. Almost at the same moment ono of them struck him a blow over the right eye, and he remembered nothing more. Mr. Cureton saw the movement of the instrument towards his neck, and attempted to throw a small box at the window, hoping in that way to give an alarm. The thieves probably thought they had murdered Mr. Cureton. They removed the instrument from his neck, and carried off coins and medals valued at 3001. The surgeon who was called in is of opinion that if Mrs. Wilson had not providentially gone up to Mr. Cureton so soon, he would have died, as re-action had just commenced. Upon making inquiries at the residence of Mr. Careton, last night, we learned that he was much better, and more collected than he was on Saturday morning. He is now able to give a more clear account of the manner in which he was treated, and the amount of property taken away by the thieves. He states that two or three men appeared deeply engaged together, and after minutely examining the coin which-they had inquired about, they desired to be shown a half-crown of the same reign. At that moment Mr. Cureton noticed that one of the men did not enter beyond the step of the door. There is now no doubt that that party was watching to see whether any one came up or went down the stairs. Mr. Cureton, thinking that probably he was a friend of the others, and not interested in the purchase o" antiquities, asked him to be seated, and at the same time he turned round to hand him the chair he had been sitting on a few minutes previously.. The instrument was at that juncture passed round his neck. It was formed by lashing two life-preservers together. The property taken away was deposited -in sundry cabinets, and consisted of crown and half...crown pieces of Oliver Crom well, King Alfred, and numerous AngloSaxon coins, as well as a diamond pia, .a silver capped and jewelled watch, and a box of cigars. A reward of 501. was yesterday (Sunday) offered for the apprehension of the villains. Should the parties offer the coins for sale there is.no doubt that they will be .apprehended ; and although the property is worth from 300/. to 4001. to Mr. Cureton, yet, should, it be transferred to the melting pot, it will probably not realise as many shillings for old silver. The police, up to last night, had been unable to obtain any tidings of the guilty parties.  ty