The Sun. — 1851-10-27 (London, England)

KEN WELL. A. man named Jeffrey was brought before Mr. Tyrwhitt by Withers, the active detective officer of the N division, charged with being concerned in the following desperate outrage and attempt with others to murder police-constable Healy of the same division.  The circumstances of the case, which is altogether of a diabolical character, exposing a system of terror and plunder which has been carried on now for more than four years, requires the most stringent and active measures to put down an evil of such daring and magnitude. During the period mentioned hundreds of thieves, and more particularly on a Sunday, have congregated daily about the once celebrated Shepherd and Shepherdess-fields, Islington, to gamble, plunder, and concoct offences probably of greater magnitude, and it has been dangerous either morning, noon, or night for any respectable persons to pass in the immediate vicinity as evidenced too truly by the number of open robberies attended with violence about there, the vagabonds concerned with the desperate gang finding a speedy and ready shelter among the numerous halffinished houses on the spot, and more especially at a coffee-shop resorted to by thieves and other abandoned characters at all hours. The police of the district have ever been on the alert to afford assistance, but the ruffians, knowing their strength, have hitherto succeeded in bidding defiance to the tew officers that could be spared on that dangerous duty ; and no doubt matters would have continued in this awful and alarming state but for the frightful nature of the present charge, whereby the life of a very respectable officer has nearly been sacrificed, and even should he partially recover, it will be to remain afflicted, in all human probability, the remainder of his days through these injuries. The offence now charged took place between two and three o'clock in the afternoon, when the wounded man saw from 60 to 80 thieves, from the ages of 12 to 25, gambling and quarrelling at the back of some very old almshouses on the spot alluded to, belonging to the Clothworkers' Company. Having unawares pounced on them single-banded, be was immediately knocked down and his truncheon taken from him; it was banded from one to another of the vagabonds and be was beaten with it and other weapons until he was left for dead, with frightful wounds on his head and different parts of his person; and all this was done in view of numerous persons, who knowing the villains dust not interfere for fear of a similar or worse fate. Information of this murderous and unprovoked attack was soon made known at the district station-house, whither the policeman was soon conveyed, and thence to an hospital, where be is at present receiving that assistance which his sad condition requires. Only two witnesses have at present been induced to  MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 27, lB5l.  come forward to give evidence for the prosecution— Mr. Pankhurst, a gardener, and the coachman to Mr. Bass, the brewer. They, however, would not undertake to say that the prisoner actually struck the sufferer.  The worthy MAGISTRATE said it was a sad affair, and adjourned it for a further investigation, hoping tho ruffians, who ought to be identified, would be brought to that punishment they so richly deserved.  Hamburgh; Australasian Packet, for the Cape of Good Hope; Letitia, for Newport; Bosphorus, for Constantinople; Liebe, for Shields; Creole, for Dominica; Lady Charlotte Guest, for AscenFion; North Star, for Liamburgh; John Bull and San Francisco, for Ilarohurgh; Venus, for Cape Palmas; Joshua, for Port Philip; Arena, for Jamaica; Julia y Pepati, for Bilbna; Concordia, for Rotterdam; Triton, for Ostend; Elbe, for Flatnburgh; Dart, for Ostend; Fame, for Calais. VESSELS SPOKEN Vv'