Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1866-11-09 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DETERMINED ATTEUPT TO MURDER. - A most determined attempt at murder was made at Stafford. on Snnday. Enoch Murphin, a carpenter, aged 23. had been paying his attentions to a young woman named Sarah Perry, who lived with her lather and sister, Elizabeth Corcoran, a widow, in Browningstreet. Lately, the rune woman. by the advice of her sister, resolved to discontinue Murphin's acquaintance, as he was of bad character and drunken habits. After being informed of the young woman's determination, Murphin more than once threatened her life, and on Sunday afternoon he resolved to carry out his fiendish purpose. Putting into his pocket a large hammer and a newly sharpened razor, which he tied open with a piece of string, he left his lodgings and went to Perry's house. On his entering, the young woman, who appears of late to have been afraid of him, went out, but he continued to wait, thinking that she would return in a few minutes. Perry, the father, and Mrs Corcoran requested him to leave, but he refused, saying that he had not come there for nothing, and, using a threat to Mrs Corcoran, he rushed upon her pulled the hammer out of his pocket, and struck her a most violent blow with the sharp end which Cu' right through her upper lip, and knocked out two of her teeth. He then took out the razur and made a most desperate attempt to cut her throat, but her father seized him and held him until assistance arrived. On the way to the police station he intimated that it was his intention to have murdered both young women and then commit suicide. Mrs Corcoran's injuries, though severe, are not expected to prove fatal. MR BRIGFIT AND MS WINDSOR CASTLE STORY —The Bishop of Oxford writes that when he read, in the report of Mr Bright's speech at Glasgow, his example of the "helpless poverty and ignorance" of the southern labourers, taken from a parish "within six miles of the Royal Castle," be wrote to him and requested that, as the scene of this ignorance must be in his diocese, he would give him such information as would enable him to follow up the case, This he did that he might learn—first, whether the alleged ignoran existed; and, secondly, if it did, whether it was attn. butable to any neglect of the labourers, or at " Windsor Castle," or by the "swarming lords and squires and Established clergy," or in any way to the "miserable failure of the ruling class which revels in power and wealth, while at its feet lies a multitude which it has neglected." He appends a letter which he thinks gives complete answers to these insinuations; and perhaps it might be found that a close search into the many allegations which England, Scotland, and Ireland have recently heard from the same lips would as utterly expose them as Mr Pearse's letter seems to expose the "Windsor Castle" story. If truth is stranger, perverted truths are often more ii isleading, than fiction. The letter in question is signed " Beauchchamp Pearse," and it supplies three facts—that so late as the year 1850 this heath was a desolate region, very thinly populated, and without school or church: that both these buildings have been subsequently erected on lands freely granted by the Crown; and that they are mainly supported by the "lords, squires, and Established clergy," who "swarm" in this neighbourhood.  The Dutch and Belgian washerwomen, who get up their linen so beautifully white, use refined  - . borax as a washing powder.  The Government standard of penetration for the Enfield rifle ball is twelve half•inch elm planks which have been snaked forty-eight hours in water; distance thirty yards. The foundation stone of the tenth Primitive Methodist Chapel in Sunderland was laid on Monday, . . .  by Mr John Halero. The new chapel, situate near the Midfield Railway Station, will accomodate about 220 persons, and cost £3OO A