The Express. — 1863-12-04 (London, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER IN BERKSHIRE, AND SUICIDE.  MAIDENHEAD, Teeastur. This town hes just been the scene of au attempted murder of the most atrocious description, which, though happily Dot terminating in the death of the intended victim, has been followed by the suicide of the intsoding murderer. The circumstances are briefly these :—A young man, 22 years of age, named George Hooper, a native of Burnham, in Buckinghamshire, about three miles from this place, was employed as coachman end groom to the Rev. Mr. Greeley, incumbent of AU Sainte Church, Boyne-hill, whose name will be remembered in connexion with certain charges brought against him of alleged den-tractarian practime • year or inc e/004 This young man was attached to a girl named Lydia Elsa Baker, a housemaid io the service of Captain Fyfe, adjutant of the Berke Rifle Volunteers, who resides at Folly Hall, immediately contiguous to this town, bat his passion we by DO means recipreasted, the young woman having repeatedly told him that she was determined Dot to have soything to do with him. This seems to have determined him to take revenge upon the unfortunate girl, and on Tuesday last, between eleven end twelve cerbiel., he went to the shop of Mr. Edward Thomas, gunsmith. in Maidenhead, and requested to look at some He selected one, and bevies asked the price, which 'Wow!: told was leis., took it away with him, saying it was not for himself but for • friend, whose approval he must have before purchasing it. Bevies promised Mr. Thomas that be would call again in the evening to let him know whether hie friend would have the pistol or not, he went to another shop, kept by Mr. Gurney, and bought some percussion caps. He then returned to hie situation, at Boyne-bill, where be asked the butler for snore powder and shot, observing that he wanted to try a pistol. The butler said if be wanted to try a pistol he should have bullets, but nevertheless supplied him with the powder and shot as requested. The same evening, between 9 and 10 o'clock, he welt to the house of Captain Fyfe, and obtained au interview at the back door with the object of his alfectiooe in the preemie* of her fellow-servant, the cook. Some conversation took between them. and Hooper begged her to reconsider her refusal of him, bat she repeatedly declared that she would have so more to do with him. He thee asked her to accompany him to the front gate. This she refused, however, and wished him "Good night." She was about to go iota the bodes, when Hooper exclaiming. "Then take that," discharged the contents of the pistol into her neck, and she immediately fell back into the conk's arms, crying out, "I shall die Hooper decamped instantly, and went to the Red Lies Hotel, where he asked the landlord for a bed, which, however, he was usable to obtain, the house being full. In the meantime Mr. 31`Graw, superinteodeist of the Maidenhead borough police, bail been apprised of the cinema and he at once proceeded to Burnham, the residence :I Hooper's father. thiokirg to find him there. Not succeed. inn to doing so, he returned to Maidenhead, and there learned that the body of the murderer had been found on the moor, a piece of waste ground near the town, he having literally blown out bin brains. lie. Plumtre had in the interval been summoned to attend the unfortunate young womau, who it was at first thought could DO! possibly survive, but she has since regained her senses, sod hopes are entertained that she will recover. The coroner's inquest on Hooper will be held this day (Friday). when it is expected DOWD important additional evidence will be gives.  ARRIVAL OF THE kWIf4A