The Sun. — 1842-09-10 (London, England)

TIE ACTUAL LEAP. About six o'clock in the evening of the same day, determined not to be diverted from his purpose, Smith went privately on to the bridge, and dispatched his companions to apprise certain parties, who had befriended him, of his determination to leap; several were, however, disappointed, having, before they arrived, perched himself on the summit of the lamp. frame, from whence, waving his sap gallantly he sprang into the river Wear—a height of upwards of 110 feet! On reaching the water he struck out, and swam " like a sea-bird," to a keel or badgerom whence he saluted the spectators on theand. on the heights, in the style of a true Jack Tar, which was immediately returned by a round of hearty cheers from the astonished multitude. It is almost unnecessary to inform our distant readers (for there are few but must have heard of the far-famed iron bridge at Sunderland) that it is so constructed that large vessels of 400 tons sail underneath it without striking their masts. • Nearly two years ago a man visited the town, and announced his intention of performing ate same feat. Immense crowds were attracted to the F,pot, but when the hour for this display of courage mad skill arrived, he was non est inventus, to the mortification and chagrin of the spectators. It was, therefore, left for Smith to do what no man ever did before ; and what, very probably, no other man will dare to attempt again. Smith is an active, brave, jolly-hearted fellow, short-made, and about twenty-three years of age. Ha has frequently leaped from the highest yards and masts of ships into, the sea ; and, in several instances, has been instrumental saving the lives of his fellowmea at great peril. The poor-fellow, who has proved - that thepublic his object not to impose on the credulity of promised to repeat the act publicly, if not aga• in prevented by the authorities. we do think that the police, or the Magistrates, have been guilty of a reaching the shore yesterda after And we must here remark that great stretch of authority in their conduct to that,. having achieved little poor fellow. On less than him, who Cheerfully prea miracle, a number when the soeflipteeodpilieimgait,hiethredtrifirioniginsdurns of nionom police immediately interfered and dragged him off to a reason that he was as -we think, little less than a t2lbee station-house, subterfuge; and we do not see that the Magistrates had Any more right to prevent the man leaping from the bridge, than they would have to Mr. Green, or any other aeronaut,, performinp g the revent more dangerous feat of ascending in a balloon. Certain of the police appear lately to have been taking special pains to make themselves unpopular. We trust the superintendent and inspectors will curb their imper-. tinence, and not allow them to exceed their duty ir, the slightest degree. A  .TTEMPT TO MURDER A TRADESMAN'S SON IN tOLBORN.—The following daring and murderous attack was made on the son of Mr. William Howell, china and glass warehouseman, of Holborn Hill, a boy of 11 years old :—Last night, about 1 o'clock, he was minding the, shop, when a young man entered with a mug in his hand and asked him to drink a drop of beer, which he did, a small quantity, not liking i ; the man then left the shop, and went across the road, and joined another man. Ms sister having providentially returned (not having left him alone more than 10 minutes) when he fell down in the shop among the goods, but got up. again and went to the door, when he became violently sick aid insensible. The policeman on the heat carrie:i him home to Mr. Howell's house in Stonecutter-street, when he and others thought the boy dead. Mr. the surgeon, immediately came, who eonsidere6 the boy in a dangerous state, and administered remedies to bring off his stomach what he had taken, and he, remained insensible for two or three hours. He is novi out of danger, but the doctor has no doubt that laudenum was given to the boy, andt had he not been sick wlJen his sister returned, he would have been a corpse, the object of the party no doubt. being to rob the shr,p.