Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1866-05-19 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF COUNT BISIVIARK.  The friends and admirers of Count Bismark recently offered him a serenade on the occasion of a happy escape from the assassin's hands. Count Bismark, stepping nut upon the balcony of the Foreign-office, his official residence, returned thanks for the ovation in the following words : Gentlemen and beloved countrymen,—My thanks for your kindly offering me this mark of sympathy, slier such a signal delivery from buminent danger of death. 1 sin sure every one of us would only be too happy to die for King sod conntry, whether in the street or on the battle-field. 1, for one, should regard it as a cpecial favour of God Almighty were lie to accord me such a death Let us give a short yet comprehensive expression to our feelings by the cry of "Long life to William 1 Mr. Blind, the assassin, is dead. He must have been a most resolute character. He not only made the attempt in one of the most frequented thoroughfares of the capital, but, as appears from the more explicit particulars which have but now transpired, fired the last four shots while struggling with several persons, who actively endeavoured to seize him. The first ball he fired when the Count was walking directly in front of him. Before he could discharge his revolvrr a second time a tradesman of the name of Ella had caught hold of it. While trying to shake him off he fired his second and third balls. Then Count Bismark threw himself upon him, holding down his right arm. Blind taking his pistol in his left and pressing it against the chest of his intended victim fired for the fourth and fifth time. It seems, however, that in the tussle the pistol was turned aside so that the balls only grazed the skin. One of the last two balls wounded a journeyman bookbinder of the name of Bernewitz, who happened to be passing. At this moment a number of soldiers came up, and disarmed Blind, who had , still one ball left. He had not been many hours in prison, when, eluding the vigilance of the constable , sitting by his side, he managed to commit suicide. It , is said he feigned to wipe off the perspiration from his I face, and hohling a knife concealed in his pockethandkerchief, with one sweeping cut drew it from ear to ear. As the attempt was unsuccessful, the penalty • for his crime would have been imprisonmeat with hard labour for 15 years. He had been studying at the e Agricultural Academy of Hohenheim, near Stuttzard, r and had only been two days in Berlin. There is no . doubt he came hither on purpose to commit the deed.  Karl Blind, the step-father of the unfortunate young man who perished in his attack upcn Count Bismarck, has sent the following letter for publication:— Sir—With bleeding heart and bowed down with grief I place the palm of martyrdom on the grave of him who has been his mother's pride and delight, and whom I will ever ' regard as my tree son. A nobler, a more loving nature than his it would be impossible to imagine. From love of country and freedom he was carried away to sacrifice himself, In order to spare to his fatherland the miseries of a wicked war. His was a heart full of devotion, full of filial kindness, foil of the most generous aspirations. If others blame him, let it ha he expected that I, to whom he looked as to a father, should give the right to any one of saying that I reprobate him whose inspirations have been the purest, and who has enthnsiastically—although to the deepest sorrow of my disconsolate wife, of myself, and my family—given up his young and promising life in his country's cause—l am, Sir, yours obediently, KARL BLIND,