The Sun. — 1865-10-25 (London, England)

BYRNE."  Mrs. Blakeney at once returned his presents, and all intercourse was broken off for tho time. Mr. Byrne's mother died on the 11th of January, 1864, and the great alleged obstacle to the match was thus removed. Defendant then renewed his attentions to plaintiff, but again cooled.  After this tho legal proceedings were commenced.  Mrs. Margaret Blakeney, the mother of the plaintiff, having been examined, Sergeant Armstrong addressed the jury for the defendant, and said that the defendant's mother had always been opposed to the marriage, thinking that he should get money, and that his income was not at all such as it was represented.  After a brief deliberation the jury returned into court with a verdict for the plaintiff of .£5OO damages and Gd. costs.  Wholesale Attempt at Murder and Suicide.  The magistrates at Tavistock were engaged on Monday in the investigation of one of the most determined attempts at the murder of a whole household that has ever been recorded. The prisoner, John Medland, fired at no less than four persons, and then cut his own throat. The complainant is Elizabeth Blatchford, and is one of three extremely handsome daughters of Mr. James Blatchford, of Moortown. The prisoner, who had formerly assisted on the farm, was spending the day there on Tuesday, and about 5 o'clock, when Miss Blatchford was blowing the kitchen fire, the prisoner stepped up behind her and deliberately shot at her from a six-barrelled revolver. Mrs. Blatchford, hearing the report, rushed into the kitchen, and found the prisoner standing near her daughter, who had fallen to the floor, with a pistol close to her ear. She said, " You villain, what are you about ?" and prisoner replied, "I'll have you too," and put the muzzle to her face. At this moment Selina, another daughter who had heard the report, came in, and clasped her arms firmly round Medland, thereby saving her mother's life, for the ball passed close by her mother's face and entered the wall beyond her. Medland, Lewever, managed to get his hand partially freed froin Selina also the embrace, and fired over his shoulder, but, strange a missed, t enoughaisnt her t ro desperate man hctooisulssdahyonuoltdtheir. get sshot hiseot ali n armßlatchford, frtiakhe aimreleasoveedr Medland, and rushed out of the kitchen with her mother. The third sister, Jane, however, hurried in and raised her sister Elizabeth, who lay bleeding on the ground. They both tried to escape, but both fell when near the door, for Medland had fired off a fourth barrel. The young ladies, however, sprang from the floor, and hurried into an adjoining field, where their sinters and mother were detaining their father lest he too might be shot at. While alone in the kitchen, however, Medland secured a butcher's knife, and with it cut his throat, dividing the small arteries and the windpipe in two places. Ile rushed out with his bleeding throat, and when the gashes, after his capture by Mr. Blatchford and his son, had been dressed, he tore open the stitches and tried to bleed himself to death. At the hearing before the magistrates a most painful scene took place. The prisoner declared that Elizabeth Blatchford loved him and that he should have been happy but for the pride of her family. The young lady gave her evidence with reluctance, and when at its close she was led out of court, the prisoner piteously and frantically b egged that f she might remain, so that he could see her if but for a o v minutes. Mr. The surgaon, W.C. Northey, deposed to the fact that Miss Elizabeth Blatchford had been shot on the left side of her head by a conical bullet. Three of the bullets had boon found, but the fourth was missing, and he Was not certain that it was not still lodged in her head. There was also a hole through her dress,• and a severe contusion upon her side, occasioned, he believed, by another bullet. The prisoner, after being cautioned, said that he loved his " dear Elizabeth ;" that she and he were watched, and finding that she cried about it, he could bear it no longer. Four shots were fired, he said, but two were intended for her and the remaining two for himself. lie wished that Elizabeth was dead, for then he should die happy. The prisoner was then committed for trial at the Easter Assizes.