MARFLEET Including variants e.g. MERFLET(T); MARFLETE; MARFLIT(T); MARFLIGHT, etc. Family History



Extract from:
The Times
16th January 1852





ATTEMPTED MURDER. - On Saturday night last [10 January 1852], the inhabitants of Wainfleet, Thorpe, and the neighbourhood, were shocked by the intelligence that a most deliberate attempt at murder had been made, under these circumstances:- It appears that about 5 o'clock on Saturday evening, Mr. John Marfleet, landlord of the Three Tuns Inn, in Thorpe, a man of about 28 or 30 years of age, left his house with the intention of going to Wainfleet-market. He met a young man, about 20 years of age, named Thornally, the son of the keeper of an adjoining beerhouse; they walked on the road together, conversing on business matters, both of them being engaged in the carrying of grain. Nothing of an angry nature passed between them. Suddenly Thornally stooped down to do something to his boot, and Marfleet had gone on about three or four yards, when he heard a pistol shot, and felt himself wounded at the back of the head. He turned round and exclaimed that he was shot; and Thornally replied, "Yes, I had a pistol in my pocket, and it has gone off by accident." As, however, he did not make any attempt to render assistance, Marfleet set off running towards a cottage close by, when Thornally pulled a second pistol out of his pocket, and fired it at his companion. The shot also took effect in the head. With difficulty Marfleet gained the cottage, and fell exhausted into the arms of the occupant. Thornally made off in another direction. Having at length explained what had taken place, assistance was procured, and the wounded man was conveyed to Wainfleet, where his injuries were attended to by Mr. Dawson, surgeon, assisted by Mr. Grantham, of Burgh, who happened to be present. A great quantity of shot were extracted, and Marfleet is in a fair way for recovery, unless more serious symptoms supervene. A hue and cry was in the mean time raised, and the local police scoured the country in all directions, giving notice at all the railway station; and at length, late at night, Superintendent Chambers discovered Thornally at Whyley's beershop, near Firsby station, where he was playing cards with a number of loose characters. He was at once taken to Burgh lock-up, and was on Monday conveyed to Spilsby, where he underwent an examination before the magistrates, previous to his committal to Lincoln, to take his trial on this grave charge. A variety of rumours, assigning the motives for this diabolical attempt, have reached us, but they are contradictory. The pistols have not been found.
© Marfleet Family History 2000
John's Homepage
 Newspaper Extract
This page was last updated
Go to Contents
This page contains links to other web-sites. If you experience problems with an onward link, please e-mail me with details so that the problem can be rectified. Thank you.

Family History Banner Exchange