The Cannock Chase Examiner. — 1877-07-13 (Cannock, Staffordshire, England)

IZIUI ... 440 :150 9-11/ D. 5.5 016 13000 1015 11 0 1290 1 55 ... _.5.50 440 _. 845 _. 850 1020 11 6 1235 2 0 ... 250 355 445 548 650 748 8 5 1025 11101240 2 5 ... 255 4 0 450 545 855 745 910  Walsall 155 830 9 10 9 45 1035 Bescot Junction 759 ... 8359 149 50 1040  Bi2ll 7 840'1111 8451116 8501122 8581130 9 31135  Newtrn liol  litunsttt& G B Ferry EMIT Bl5 Aston Junction 825  5450 23 P 509 af 9 59 1049 858 1097  iiii 1150 1255 1158  2303 5 410455550 7 07509 0 9 1510209 45 12203 25 5 0 8 5 9 50 3104155 05537 5 755 ... .9 20 10259 50 1225 330 810 955 .. 315 420 556 0 .8 0 925 10309 55 12303 35510 815 .. 820425 5106 5 ... 0 5 . . 9 30 103510 0 1235 3 40515820 10 3 245325 ... 515610 810915 9 35104010 5 12403 45520 825 10 8 323 4:33 510 610 ... 0189199 43 104+013 1248 3 53524 833 1012 337 .. 523622 947 1017 1252 3 57532 837 t 3 0345 45 535 620 7,0 830330 9 55 11 0 1025 1 04 5540845 1025  person who made the attempt to murder was John Griffiths, 31 years of age, and of unsound mind, the son of the late Mr Griffiths, who up to the time of his death, owned and kept the Britannia beerhouse, Temple-street, Bilston. The person he made the attack upon WS John Lewis, his landlord, with whom he had lodged for some time. Lewis is 61 years of age, and keeps the Golden Fleece beerhouse, Priestfield. He is also a chain maker by trade, and has been for many years foreman for Messrs. G. E. Lambert and Co., of the Priestfield Chain Works. The history of the tragic affair is as follows Griffiths when a mere child suffered intensely fpm convulsions, and as he advanced to boyhood he was severely troubled with fits. As he grew up to manhood and still further advanced in years, it became evident to his friends that his mind was affected, and from symptoms exhibited be him it was deemed prudent that he should be made an inmate of an asylum. At this time his father had been dead some years, and he (the son) was then living with his mother, who carried on the business of beerseller, at the Britannia, as above mentioned. Accordingly an order was obtained, and Griffiths was taken to the County Lunatic Asylum, at Colton Hill. After remaining there some time he was removed to Burntwood Asylum, near Lichfield, where lie remained about four years until he was liberated on the 16th of April this year. His liberty was granted him upon the urgent request of his sister, as between the two property had been left by their parents, and sinister rumours having been current to the effect that he was kept incarcerated to deprive him of the rights of his property, Mrs Riley, (wife of Mr George Riley, the Hen and Chickens) New Village, (the sister referred to) thought that if she obtained his release that it would at once show how groundless the base rumours had been. The question may be readily asked how came Griffiths to be lodging at the house of John Lewis, when his sister lived but a few hundred yards away? This is accounted for by the fact that whereas the Hen and Chickens, kept by Mr Riley, is an alehouse, the Golden Fleece, by John Lewis, is but a beerhouse, and Griffiths always having shown a craving for whiskey, which only made his affliction worse, and consequently himself more unmanageable, Mr Lewis being an intimate friend of Griffiths's sister, kindly undertook his charge, thereby hoping to keep him from the spirit which had proved so baneful to him. Notwithstanding all these precautions Griffiths would sometimes obtain whiskey, and on the night of the tragic affair it is said that he had had some to drink. On Monday Mr Lewis was absent from home part of the evening, and Mrs Lewis thinking that on her husband's return he may be the worse for drink, and fearing that he may excite Griffiths when he arrived, persuaded the latter to go to bed. After he had been in bed some THE PRISONER BEFORE THE time Lewis returned home the worse for liquor,