THREATENING TO SHOOT THE QUEEN.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3120, 17 February 1879, Page 1

THREATENING TO SHOOT THE QUEEN.

A t Bow street, on December 12, a nan ! named Edward Byrne Madden, described as an "interpreter of languages," was \ brought before Sir James logham, on a warrant, charged with Bending letters to the Home Office containing threats to. kill Her Majesty the Queen. Mr Gabriel R. Moran, of the Home Office, produced two" letters which had been addressed to the Bight Horn B; A. Cross, the first dated May 26 and the other December 10, and a third letter, in the same hand* writing, dated December 9, and addressed to the Hon. Adolphus Frederick Ootaviua Liddell. They were written in French, and arrived at the Home Office, in due course, by post. An Inspector of Scotland yard stated that he arrested the prisoner on the night of Dec. 10 at Duke street, Aidgate, upon a warrant granted the same afternoon by Sir James Ingham. He showed the three letters deposed to by the last witnessi to the prisoner, who at once admitted that he had written them, observing With reference to the third letter (a copy of, which was shown him), "that he had written it in French." Nothing wa» found on the prisoner but some memoranda. The letters were not read in Court, but the allegtd threat was understood to be conveyed in the words that "he would go to Balmoral and change the form of the English Government," if his demand for £1000 was not immediately complied with. Sir James Ingham said it was usual to have such letters translated to the court by a professional interpreter, and ha would therefore remand the prisoner for that purpose. The prisoner said he did not wish to put any question to the witnesses. He was then remanded for a week for further inquiries. From subsequent inquiries concerning the prisoner it appears that his first advent in London, dates from last autumn, and at that time he stayed at the house in Aldgate above mentioned. For along time it was con* sidered that he was not responsible for, his actions, and at length the relieving officer of the district came to the house and removed him to the infirmary of the workhouse, with a view to his being confined in the workhouse lunatic wards. This seems to have been done; but after some time the prisoner went to France, and it was in that country that he seems to have made up his mind to threaten her -■ majesty, as his first letter is directed to the British Ambassador in Paris, Lord Lyons, and is dated May last. Nothing more seems to have come of this assertion, save • communication to the Foreign Office by Lord Lyons, until a few days ago, when the prisoner, who bad arrived in England, took upon himself to write to the Hon. A. F. O. Liddell, permanent Undersecretary for the Home Department. Ai above stated,, the ,case was put in the hands of Chief Superintendent Williamson, who at once issued orders for a thorough investigation of the ante*' cedents of Madden, while precautions were taken, for fear that the charge should, be more than idle gossip, for protecting the person of Her Majesty by doubling the police, force at Windsor Castle. At first the authorities were of opinion that no reliance could be placed upon the statements of Madden, who, it was discovered, had been for the past twenty years in an unsound state of mind, had threatened to commit suicide, and bad more than once been placed under restraint. But considerable coloring was given to the threats in the possession of the police from the fact that when Her Majesty was pasting through an intermediate station on her way from Scotland to Windsor, the report of a pistol was heard. Whether there was any intention at the royal carriage or not of course does not appear; but the fact of a discharge being beard lends considerable importance to the charge. The case again came before the magistrate last week, hating been adjourned for the production of some letters which the prisoner had written to various important persons. The defendant was originally apprehended on a warrant issued by the chief magistrate, in consequence of certain language issued by the prisoner in letters addressed to the Hon. Adolphus Liddell, to the Bight Hon. B. A. Cross, and to Lord Lyni. Translations of the letters were read by the chief clerk. The prisoner, in reply to the magistrate, said he had nothing to say, and he was then committed for trial.