Daring Burglary and Attempt to Murder

Chelmsford, Friday

Yesterday between the hours of one and two, a.m., a most daring outrage was committed in the dwelling-house of Mrs Christiana Waters, in the parish of Stanford Rivers, in this county. It appears that, at the hour above named, Mr Charles Clarke (brother to Mrs Waters, residing with her), was awoke by hearing some person in his bed-room. On asking who was there, he received no reply, and on attempting to get out of bed, he saw a man standing in the room, in the act of pointing a gun at him, at the same time saying, "If he didn't lie still be would blow his brains out," the fellow almost immediately fired, severely wounding Mr Clarke in the left arm and face, and the shot tearing away a large portion of the flesh of the upper part of the arm. Not withstanding this Mr Clarke courageously grappled with the ruffian, and held him until the arrival of his (Mr Clarke's) two nephews, who slept in another part of the house, who had previously been aroused by the report of the gun.

The robber proved to be a young man named Wm. Green, a loose character from Ongar, who was convicted of felony at the quarter sessions in January last, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. The gun used by green was the property of Mr Clarke, and had been placed in one of the lower rooms through which the fellow passed on his way upstairs. The prisoner was shortly after given into the custody of Superintendent Flood, by whom he was taken before J.F. Wright, Esq., and Mr Clarke, being unable to appear against him, he was remanded to Epping till Saturday next.¹⁸