THE LATE ATTEMPTED MURDER NEAR REDHILL.
On Friday, Inspector Silver and Sergeant Coppin attended at Camberwell Workhouse, to take down the account given of himself by a pauper there, who was suspected to be the individual who had fired a pistol at, and seriously wounded, Mr. Ovenden, a tradesman at Redhill, Surrey, and rifled his pockets of about 5l. in gold and silver, and for whose apprehension and conviction a reward of 200l. has been offered. It appears that the man in question had been found on Tuesday morning at about eleven o’clock, in a shed, in a field opposite to Camden Chapel, in a state of insensibility, and the police at once removed him to the workhouse. Stimulants were administered, and, under the direction of the medical attendant and the humane attention of Mr. Smithers, the master of the workhouse, he gradually recovered, and became perfectly restored to health. When questioned by Mr. Smithers as to who and what he was, his account of himself was anything but satisfactory. He said his name was Robert Bray, that he was a native of Montreal, was twenty-three years of age, and had been a sailor all his life. That about four weeks ago he shipped on board an emigrant ship at Gravesend, and went with her to Southampton to take 250 Government emigrants on board, and that while on shore drunk, the vessel sailed, leaving him behind. Three or four days after he started from Southampton to come to London, passing on his way through Petersfield, Godalming, Guildford, and, he thought, Reigate, and as well as could be learned from him, must have been at the latter place about Thursday, the day of the attempted murder. He was without a coat or a farthing of money when found, and in his statement he said he disposed of a reefing outside coat at Petersfield, and had been obliged to beg at Godalming. The only article found about him was a large clasp knife, such as that usually carried by sailors, and which was slung from his neck by a piece of cord. His appearance when brought to the workhouse, and during his recovery, was that of a person who had recently drank exceedingly hard, and symptoms of delirium tremens were quite evident. Mr. Smithers observing that his appearance in all particulars except one, and that was in his height, resembled the description given of the assailant of Mr. Ovenden, at once communicated with Mr. Superintendent Lund, and Mr. Silver and Sergeant Coppin, in consequence, proceeded to the workhouse. These officers questioned the man, when many of his statements differed widely from those he had made to Mr. Smithers, and though his height is only 5 feet 6, while that of the highway robber is described as 6 feet, yet, from the fact of his admission of having been near the place about the time of the outrage and robbery, it was recommended that he should be detained, to give time to make the necessary inquiries, and bring forward a person who had seen the highway robber a short time after he had fired at Mr. Ovenden. Mr. Smithers promised to comply with their request.