ATTEMPTED MURDER IN A DIVING-BELL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 33, 8 February 1881, Page 4

ATTEMPTED MURDER IN A DIVING-BELL.

A rather good hint for novelists of the Jules Verne type (observes the Globe) was provided recently by an incident, which occmred on the ' Seine near Choisy-le-Eoi. The river is here abpHt tp be cf psßed by tbp new etrste-

gical railway to be destined to run through the environs of Paris and connect the outlying forts, and workmen are being busily employed in sinking the foundations of the new bridge. Amongst the men enrolled for service are a number of ill-conditioned ..vagabonds of Italian nationality, and it was a band of these last which was engaged in the escapade in question. Five of them were cent down in a diving-bell under the command of an inspector of works, who, after a while, found it necessary to object, strongly to the style in which his subordinates did their work. These men, however instead of attending to the observations made to them, took it into their heads to resent all such advice, and bethinking themselves that the time and plaea were fa- ; yorable, suddenly formed a design of making away with the obnoxious inspector. They attacked him, accordingly, with their knives, but met with a strenuous resistance, and apparently showed as much cowardice as could well be expected from any five men, even in a diving-bell. The inspector, having discomfited them in their first opset, managed to make good his escape from the si ene of conflict, and getting hold of the chain attached to the bell, climbed up to the surface of the water, where he shouted for assistance, and was soon gratified by the sight of a boat pulling off to his aid. On getting to .shore he naturally sent for the police, who arrived in due course, and secured the five unsuccessful desperadoes as they came oufc from the bell when it was hauled up. They had probably been counting upon the certain death of their intended victim, and congratulating themselves upon having got rid ot him without the necessity of more violent proceedings ; and they, therefore, were Boraewhat disagreeably surprised to see him alive and well, with the policeman at his back. As for the inspector, the masterly manner in which he effected a difficult retreating movement, and turned the table upon his adversaries, Beems to show that the contractors knew pretty well what they were about when they appointed him to superintend works of a strategical nature.