The Sun. — 1840-09-29 (London, England)

ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE A GENTLEMAN--CAPTURE AND EXAMINATION OF HIS NEPHEW.  On Saturday morning last, upon the arrival of the mail train at the Paddington terminus of the Great Western Railway, considerable excitement was created by two persons of highly respectable appearance desiring the conductor, immediately on their alighting upon the platform, to open the door-of one of the first-class carriages, which they asserted contained a man who had shot at and wounded his uncle, a wealthy gentleman, residing at Dorchester, in Oxfordshire. The request was speedily complied with, and on the suspected person leaving the vehicle slith the rest of the passengers, he was rushed upon by his two pursuers, who held him until the arrival of some constables, when a desperate struggle ensued ; the accused was overpowered and properly secured, and on being searched by Collard, the chief cfficer of the Company's police, there were found in his possession two horse pistols heavily loaded with powder and ball, a sword stick, and about 30s. in gold and slyer. Canard explained to him the nature of the charge preferred, and after cautioning him with regard to anything which he might say, he in a few words asserted his innocence. He was handcuffed, and shortly afterwards conveyed away in custody. The facts of the attempted assassination. are these : The prisoner, whose appearance is that of a military officer, has, since attaining his majority (he is now only twenty-three years of age), squandered away a fortune, and has constantly been living at a fashionable hotel. About a fortnight ago, he arrived at Dorchester, and after importuning his uncle for money, the latter presented him with 401, at the same time giving him some good advice as to his future conduct. On Friday evening last, between eight and nine o'clock, as the uncle alluded to, who is a Guardian of the Poor of his parish, was returning to his house through his own garden, having attended a vestry meeting a short distance off, he heard what he imagined to be the explosion of a percussion cap, and almost at the same moment a pistol, or some other description of fire-arm, was discharged at him, and some hard substance struck with great force on his breast. He was not wounded, although severely bruised ; but had he been walking with his face towards 9 large laurel-tree, behind which his intended assassin was, to the best of his belief, concealed, he would in all probability have been killed upon the spot. In a state of great fright, and im gining at the moment that he had received some serious injury, he ran in doors, crying " Murder ! help!" and on the circumstances being detailed by him to his brother and a' neighbour, the most di'igent inquiry was promptly instituted by them, from which they learned that a person answering the description of the prisoner had, on the same evening, been seen to come from the direction of the premises. Suspecting that he would make his way up to London by the railway, they went in pursuit, and on their arrival at Reading found him in the act of step. ping into one of the first-class carriages, his boots and trousers indicating by their dirty condition that he had walked many miles. Deeming it prudent not to capture him then, owing to the confusion and bustle that prevailed, they touk their seats in another carriage, and on reaching Paddington gave the prisoner into custody as previously stated. Collard conveyed him away by the next down train ; and on the same evening he (prisoner) underwent an examination upon the charge of "shooting with intent to kill," before Mr. Ashfol, chairman of the Oxford quarter sessions, at the residence of the intended victim, and after an inquiry which lasted several hours, he was remanded till Saturday next. At ten 'o'clock on the same night Collard. lodged him in Oxford-castle gaol. 'rho prisoner is hen.-at-law of the uncle, at whose decease he would be entitled to considerable property.