The Sun. — 1868-02-26 (London, England)

TEMPI .ED MURDER.  The Maidstone Journal has the following account of the burglary and attempted murder at Linton Park :—" Early on Tuesday morning the watchman employed at Linton Park, on going his rounds, discovered a light in owed the lower passages of the mansion, and on going to the other side of house found one of the winskws on the ground floor open. He at once entered, and encountered two men either with masks on or their faces blackened. A struggle took place which awakened the household, consisting mostly of maid-servants and the housekeeper. The latter with great presence of mind immediately rang the bell connected with her bedroom ; and that hanging immediately over where the scuffle was going on, at once gave an alarm. The burglars seem to have been well armed for a close encounter ; the watchman had only an ordinary walking-stick, but he did not succumb to the fearful odds against him until he was sadly injured on the head, and a pistol shot fired at him ; fortunately, however, the shot did not take effect. After disabling the watch man the thieves ran along a passage leading to the outer door, but that being fast they turned into another passage, and up a flight of stairs, at the top of Which is the housekeeper's bedroom. This being fast, they prowled along another passage, and entered a room where two maid-servants slept, locking the door behind them, and threatening the terrified yourig women with instant death if they made any alarm ; the thieves, however, quickly made to the window, which they at once opened, and jumped out into the kitchen yard below, a depth of fourteen feet, and at once made their escape. Being disturbed in their operations they had not been able to secure any booty, but several rooms appear to have been entered, and the manner in which the fellows got into the house, their desperate struggle with the watchman, and  their final daring leap from an upstair window upon a stone pavement below, she; that they are no novices in their calling.. The attempt at murder also by firing the pistol proves they came prepared to commit any crime that was needful in the accomplishment of their purpose. The affair took place betweeh three and four o'clock, or very shortly after the fillt-named hour. The wounded man had strength to crayil along twards the housekeeper's and maid-servants' bedioams, and the large dinner-bell of the mansion having been rung by the housekeeper and maids, alarmed the villagers, and assistance arrived. Lord and Lady Holmesdale and the bulk of the household (as is known) being in London, there was only one of the stablemen at home, and he quickly carried the news to Maidstone, informing the Kent County Constabulary, and, what was equally important, summoning Dr. Joy to the assistance of the wounded man. Mr. Superintendent Ovenden was quickly on the spot, and directed his men and others to scour the neighbourhood, he himself gaining what information he could froili those present. Dr. Joy also dressed the injured man's wounds, which were several severe ones on various parts of the head, and we are sorry to hear the poor sufferer is still in considerable danger. Lord Holmesdale, who was in London, lost no time in visiting Linton during the day, and gave directions that everything that could be of service to alleviate the sufferings of the injured man was to be done, and Dr. Joy, at his lordship's request, has attended him daily. A painter, of Boughton, was taken before Mr. Charles Whitehead, at the magistrates' clerk's office, charged with the offence, and remanded till Saturday.