The Sun. — 1827-08-02 (London, England)

ATTEMPT AT ASSASSINATION.  Bishop, the old and active officer of Bowstreet, returned a,few days since from assisting in a long and laborious investigation in which the Magistrates of Canterbury have been engaged, in endeavouring to bring to justice the authors of a daring and deliberate attempt to assassinate a respectable individual some dine ago in the neighbourhood of that city. There is a place about two miles from Canterbury; on the road to the village of Chartham, called Cocker- , ine.b -bottom, situated between two hills, and bordered partially by a wood—a spot, perhaps, of all others, most peculiarly calculated for the commission of an act of the kind we are recording, from its very retired situation, and the facility afforded for escape by the wood. Cockeringbottom, when highway-robberies were more frequent than they are now, was famous as the scene of acts of violence, and several murders have been committed there many years ago. On the evening of Saturday, the 12th of May, about half-past nine o'clock, Mr. James Ashenden, a miller at Chartham, and an overseer of that place, was returning home on horseback from Canterbury market, and as he approached Cockeringbottom, he saw two men standing by the bankside of the turnpike-road. Feeling somewhat apprehensive that they were there for some evil purpose, he spurred his horse into a -brisk pace, a circumstance which, perhaps, saved his life, for, as he was passing them, one of them presented a shed gun or blunderbuss at him, fired, and wounded him in the left arm, which Mr. Ashenden had instinctively raised when he saw the piece levelled. In a moment after the other villain fired a pistol at him, but without effect. Such an atrocious act of course created a great sensation in the neighbourhood, and an investigation commenced immediately before the Canterbury Magistrates. Several persons were apprehended on suspicion at different times, but no decisive proof could be obtained, and they were discharged. After a lapse of some weeks Bishop was sent for from Bow-street, and he, in the course of his inquiries, came to a eonelusion that murder only must have been the intention of the villains, as he was informed by Mr. Ashenden that one of the men was near enough to him to have seized his bridle, and could easily have stopped him without firing.--• The officer learned that two men named Smith, father and son, labourers, and men of loose and daring character, at Chartham, had quarrelled. with Mr. A sliendcii, in his capacity of overseer of the poor. He went t o their house, and found a short gun concealed in a curious place, seemingly made on purpose, and that gun was pronounced 'by Mr. Ashenden to resemble closely the one discharged at him. Upon further inquiry it was ascertained that the barrel of the gun had been shortened not long before the act, and that subsequent to it one of the Smiths went to a gunsmith and wanted him to lengthen the barrel again, and to endeavour to do it so that it would not be easily perceived.— Bishop apprehended these two men, and they underwent several examinations, in the course of' which suspicion strengthened materially against them. They were remanded to St. Augustin's gaol fior a week, on the last occasion, and in the course of that week the father put an end to his life, by hanging himself to a bolt in his cell. No decisive evidence could be obtained against the son, and he was discharged. On Friday last Sir Richard Birnie received a letter from the Canterbury magistrates, thanking him for sending Bishop to their aid, and speaking in high terms of the exertions of that officer. The occurrence has had such an effect•upon Mr. Ashenden, that he has, expressed his determination to sell his property, •and retire altogether from that part of the country.