Denton Examiner, Audenshaw, Hooley Hill and Dukinfield Advertiser. — 1877-12-15 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE AT HYDE.  HORRIBLE INJURIES TO A CHILD.  Early on Monday morning Hyde was in a state of great excitement on a statement becoming current that " murder most foul" had been committed in the town, and that the murderer had himself committed suicide. On the principle that ill news travels quickly but what's good walkti on crutches, the rumour also soon had currency in Stockport, Ashton, Ne :r ton, anti the neighbouring districts, but upon enquiry we are glad to learn that the statement, horrible as it was, was not altogether correct Still the cat on which the statement was founded is one very nearly approacling murder and suicide, and indeed both of these alleged occurrences may yet be realized. It appears that a man na ”et.l Joseph Shepley, residing in Mary's' court, Union-street, Hyde, has been in a desponding state of mind for some time, and on Monday morning he inflicted serious injury on . .  . his youngest child, a boy three mouths old. , Between eight and nine o'clock in the morning Mrs Shepley rose as usual, and went downstairs to light the fire, leaving her husband and the child in question in bed. She hail ',not been downstairs long when her attention was again called upstairs, and on going into her bedroom she found her husband out of bed, and subsequently she discovered that lie bad been Blueing the child. She immediately took the poor little creature into her arms, when she found that it had been fearfully cut and stabbed, ap• parently with a knife which her husband had in his possession. N, sooner did Mrs Shepley find this out than she made a rush downstairs, followed very closely by her enraged husband. The latter on getting into the kitchen took a razor, and made an a3empt to cut his throat, which be would have done had not his brother happened to come into the house just as ha was about to commit the rash act, and taken the razor from him. So determined however, did he appear to commit self injury that be ran upstairs and took a pocketknife which he drew across his throat, and ifterwards across his stomach. Fortunately the injury to the latter WM not very considerable, the cut being of very little depth. The throat, however, was so severely gashed that it was deemed de•irable to send the poor fellow to the Stock! ort Infirmary Meantime Mr Sidebottom, assistant to Dr. Beecrtft, of Hyde, had been called in, and he made an examination of the infant. It was  found that it had been gabbed so badly in the abdomen that the intestines protruded, and also that the head had been seriously injured. Chloroform having been givsn the child, Mr Sidebottom at once returned the bowels to their proper place, and stitched up the body. The child had the appearance of having undergone considerable pain, and on Monday evening it was feared that peritonitis would follow the operation.. .„  -Shepley'a illness, and consequent depression of spirits account in a very great measure for his rash conduct on Monday. Concerning his antecedents we learn that he is a self-actor and that abut five years ago he emigrated to America. Disease of the lungs, hew• ever, compelled him to return to England about eight mouths ago in rather straitened circurn • stances. With his wife and family he then fool, up his abode iu Mary's-court, a place which, judging from the exterior and interior of the houses, is the scene of much poverty and want. Here Mrs Shepley has ever since struggled hard to maintain the fimily by taking in washing, which she has succeeded in doing with the aid 'of parochial relief. Soon after his return from abr.mii,Shepley was placed under the care of Dr. Beecrott as an out-door pauper, and then he went to Ashton and Manchester Infirmaries successively, in each of which he was for same time as an in palieut, He came home to Hyde from the Manchester Infirmary only a few weeks aince. He is between 30 and 40 years of age.  The latest accounts are that both the father and baby are still alive. The father is still in the Stockport Workhouse, and his condition is very low, not no much from hi. wooed. as from general debility and depression of spirits. There is little hope that be will live long. With re gard to the baby he is better than might be expected, and although at first there was little hope of his recovery, yet now that he has so long survived it is possible that he may get over his injuries, but the chances are Rot so much , in his favour.  Why lose your keys, umbrellas, dogs, /so. 7—Your name and address embossed on plate f,r ls., or any tvro for Is Od post fro, 13 and 19 5155mpe.-8. W. Norton, Engraver, Tumer's Steps, Stockport