LYTTELTON.

Press, Volume V, Issue 560, 16 August 1864, Page 2

LYTTELTON.

A NOCTURNAL DISTURBANCE. Yesterday morning at 4 o'clock the inhabitants of the north side of London street were much alarmed by loud and continuous cries of Murder .' and Thieves ! which were found to proceed from the back entrance to Mr. D'Oyly's office, adjoining to Dr. Rouse's residence. On proceeding thither our reporter found a man named Samuel M'Carthy lying on his back in the lean-to, with fearful wounds on liis face and temples (his nose being completely divided), from which blood was issuing very profusely, also a wound in the right side. Upon enquiry it was ascertained that tho man had forced open the door by breaking the lock and hasp, and had made an entry into tho house, the noise of which awoke Mr. DOyly, sen., who was the only person in the house. After some delay in getting a light, he armed himself with a sword,and proceeded down stairs with a candle in one hand and the sword in the other. Upon going into the room he found the man behind the door. Mr. DOyly ordered him to stand or he would run him through. The man remained quiet at first, but on hearing Mr. DOyly call out for the police he sprang towards him, when he received the wounds in his face from the sword. Mr. DOyly fell backwards over some empty cases ; M'Carthy fell on him, and laid hold of the hilt of the sword and endeavoured to get it away, but did not succeed, Mr. DOyly keeping a tight hold of the handle. After struggling together for about three minutes the man let go ; he then received the wound in the side, and fainting from loss of blood, fell insensible on the floor. Mr. DOyly still continued to call loudly for assistance. Two men came up, named Burns and Toomey, and in about 15 minutes the police made their appearance; a stretcher was then procured, and the man was taken in an insensible state to the police barracks, where medical assistance was procured at once, and Drs. Rouse and Donald sewed up the wounds. It appears that this man was formerly master of the schooner Thetis, and had been working lately in the steamer Eleanor. The night previous he went to Toomev's, and talked in such a rambling style as to lead to'the conclusion that he was not right in his head. Toomey persuaded him to remain, and sat up with him for some time, but a few minutes previous to the above occurrence he left Toomey's house, running down Oxford street, round the Queen's Hotel into London street, where Toomey and Burns, who had followed him, lost sight of him for some minutes till they heard Mr. DOyly calling for help and found him as above described. He evidently was encleaaoring to find either the Wheatsheaf or the Tictoria for the purpose of getting drink. He was suffering under delirium tremens, having been drinking hard for the last fortnight. BESIDEXT MAGISTRATE'S COUET. August 15, 1864, [Before Wm. Donald, Esq., E.M.] George Sands was charged by the Police with being found, on Saturday afternoon, between three and four o'clock, half-way up the Bridle path, drunk and incapable. The Court fined him 10s. Mr. DOyly, sen., laid a formal information against Samuel M'Carthy for breaking into his house. Dr. Rouse was examined respecting the state of the accused, from which it appeared he had a flesh wound in the side, over the false ribs, and a severe cut down the brow of the temples and nose, which was divided downwards ; also, cuts on the cheek, and was also suffering from the effects of hard drinking. The Court ordered a warrant to be made out for his detention, and to be brought before tire Court in a week, to answer the charge.