Star. — London, England, 1813-08-21 00:00:00

MUADIIIt Of MIL 41ND MO. BONA.. •... afterwards Mr. initlee Haiflt entered the tA.0... The doors fbc the admission of mown were then 11111 AL 1311' thrown open. mid scarce a Moment elapsed 'ere the •• ..: Court was literally crammed with people, many.of Meledrees the perpetrator of those foul and-afro- • whom Were efterwards tornesd out, .in order to make cious murders, was., as we have already stated, coll o room for the Counsel: A 'east. number of Ladieie *eyed from the Cold Bath Fields Prison to Maid- had arrived in the town, in •the hope of being pre: stone, on Wednesday lad. He quitted his cell, sent during the trial, but akw only were able to ob-, doubly ironed, with ; flreat cheetfulness, and seemed tarn places, and those paid dearly by the incorave to regard his approaching trial es a source of peat- nienoe which they suffered, for the gratifization of liar satisfaction. He was dressed in a complete suit their curiosity. .. • of black, and took his seat in a poseschei s e tend pa i r Silence having been obtained, the Court was ' with perfect compostire. Two of the jailors got into -.opened with the usualforms, after which Nicholson, the chaise with him ; they sat back, and le 'sat st who had been brought down from the prison on foot. , little toterard, so that all his motions could' be closely along with some other prisoners, escorted by a num watched. Mr. Boner, whose attention to the Prisoner her of police officers, was called. He advanced from has been almost incessant since )xis commitment, was the lower end of the court-house, with a step as film . upon the spot, and regarded with great minuteness as his heavy irons would permit. Around his body every motion and action of the man who had so un. was an iron hoop, from the sides of which sprang two accountably and so cruelly` deprived him - of those handcuffs ; and - in these were his hands confined, so parents for whom he entertained so warm an afFec- that he could not by possibility lift them above his tion. An immense concourse of spectators were also breast. He was dressed in a plain suit of black ; and assembled, and as the murderer passedthent they while he seemealbperfectly sensible of the awful situa could not withhold a natural expression of their' .ab- Lion in which he stood, he did not evince any marks horrence of such a monster. Mr. Bomar, accom- of fear or horror; on the contrary, he apparently felt partied by two friends, proceeded in his own travel- all the blackness of his crime, and seemed happy that ling chariot after the chaise in which the prisoner - sat, he bad now an opportunity, by. the sacrifice of his and accompanied . him all the way to Maidstone.— life, of making some atonement. to the outraged feel- The intelligence of the intended removal of Nichol- introf his country, for his atrocious offence. son had spread along. the road, and in eh the towns n stature he is short, being about five feet six, bis - , through which he passed a number of•individuals , complexion rather approaches• to dark, his eyes are were amen - deed to take a transient view ~of a Man. full and expressive, his countenance round, his hair whose .crimes had excited such extraordinary, sea, dark broad, and, upon the whole, his physiognomy' sations. As he moved along, he seemed to be air- does not possess any of those 'characteristic traits sorbed in deep thought,. and paid little attention to which would denote the midnight assassin ; so fart outward object& . He was, pale, the natural cone - from this, his appearance i n general was interesting quence Of his indisposition, and close confinement, and engaging, and would certainly be the list maul but did not shew any symptoms of apprehension or we should consider likely to perpetrate acts so foulas uneasiness et his approaching ordeal. .Whe hearses,' those imputed to him., both of the post-chaise, and MrJ Bonar's chariot, Having taken his station at the Bar, attended by a were changed at Famingharn, where .sonte wine was considerable number ofo ffi cers,the Court proceededto given to the Prisoner. He took it with pleasure, end THE TRIAL. pledged his companionso . Mr. KNAPP, the Clerk of the Court, read the in , While the unfortunate wretch was thus approach- dictrnent, which charged the prisoner with felony and ing that bourne from which he was not destined to petty treason. It stated t at, on the 91st of May return, - the strongest sensations of curiosity were ob- lest, he being servant to Mr. Thompson Boner, of servable in the neighbourhood of Maidstone.—The the parish of Chislehorse did, whilst he was so a ser , towns-people, and the inhabitants of the surrounding vent, moved. by the instigation of the devil, and of country tor miles distant, anxious to get A glimpse his malice aforethought, with a certain poker, value of his person, assembled in prodigious crowds on the one shilling, held in both his hands, inflict. divers road within tab miles of the town, which was lined mortal wounds on the head and body of the said for that -distance nearly- three deep, and every chaise Thompson Boiler, of which the said Thompson Boner which approsibt4 was pronounced to be that in did die. which the object of general solicitude was seated.— The prisonei was then asked.• whether he was Unfortunately, hOwever, , disappointment attended Guilty or Not Guilty of the crimes* imputed to him? their hopes, for Mr. Bom ar and his friends foreseeing To which he replied as follows v in a tone of voice evi. unpleasant consequences from' a public entry into dently affected by the wound which he had inflicted Maidstone by the natal route, prudently turned off on his throat, as his words were very inarticulate : the main road at Aylmford, and taking the Roches? I am most anxious to confirm the confession ter road * thus took a circuitous course, and avoided which I have already made, but as it, is the general the throat( who awaited their arrival in the other di- wish of the friends of Mr. Bonas k .l. will plead Not rectiou. May entered the town, at a place in which Guilty.' they Were atit expected, and were thus enabled to The following Jurymen were then sworn : mach the jail without interruption. James White Richard Moat Nicholson. on stopping at the portal of the ja7, John Addield William Baker S","=:eCaruir Wilhun Wanstall seemed to sbucidei; but immediately recovering him- . Junes Barnes ' William Barker self, resumed his wonted &rimless, and stepped out &mutt Squire W4ham Weeks of the chaise with appareuefirmness. He was taken John Brandford James Smites by each arm by his companions, end was forthwith The Jury were next charged, and conducted to .a room Which bad been reamed ,for . Mr. Roseate. opened the case on the part of the his reception, and to whiCh he was followed by Mr: prosecution. • Sonar and his friends. He was asked how he telt , Mr. Serjeant SInthIERD then addressed the Court after his journey, and briefly replied, " Very well." and Jury. He observed, that the indictment against As.the usual 'hour for locking up the prisoners had the prisoner charged him with petty ireasoss, which then arrived, strangers were requested to quit the consisted in his having murdere3 his master, with prison, and he was left, after being supplied with whom, at the time of the murder, he lived as, servant. a slight repast. to the care of those persons who had The law in its wisdom had made that crime subject been deputed_ to remain up with him the whole of the to heavier punishrhent, and he apprehended the o t:tight. licy of that law was to secure the safety and comfort The exemplary and amiable characters of Mr. and of man in domestic life ; for by vigilance and caution Mrs. Boner were so universally known and esteemed ; a man might guard against external violence, yet no throughout the county of Kent, and' t h e i r loss was ' degree of human prudence could guard against do. so sincerely deplored, that it was not wonderful many mestic treachery. The law, therefore, bad declared should feel desirous of being preserit at the trial of all such violations of duty on the part of a 'servant the man, who. without any apparent cause, or ac.' petty treason, thereby saying it was a crime of such tuating motive, had deprfved them of an existence magnitude that it was inferior only to crimes against which was a blessing to all those within the reach of -the State. And most necessary was it that such a their benevolence; and hence our Readers will not pro'rision should be made; if it were not so, human be surplice-4 to hear that , the town of Maidstone -was life would never be safe, and existence would scarce literally crowd e d , to 4 an overflow, " with persons possels any value. For if those who were entrusted drawn thither fo r that purpose. Beds, in many in- in our houses, made our coifldents, and those who stances-could not be' procured at any price, and those should be the first to protect us, turned upon us, who were fortunate enough to obtain such accom- , and slew Us, what safety had we, or what pledge niodtticm, had to pay a most exorbitant price.' The could we have, for the eneiyment:of those blessings Bell, Star, and other inns were filled with parties destined by Puovioexce for our happiness ? The who sat up the whole of the fright,' from their inabi. facts which were imputed to the Pi isoner would be lay to obtain lodgings; and - rhany temporaryoaws. proved by evidence of the - most unimpeachable de ings were erected for the horses, who,-like their mas- scription, and of such a nature as would not leave Lers, were doomed to pass a night of restlessness 2nd a doubt of his guilt. The transaction took place •• on the morning of the 31st of May last. The Pri kr. scar and his friends took up their residence soner lived servant with the gentlemen . whose name at the house or a Gentleniite thaLtQWEI ; and, in had been' mentioned, and who was the unfertueate fact, there was not a private house whiCh . ".` 23 not object of his wretched crime. He had lived with filled with visitors. --; eee . - eeeeesed only three weeks or a month before Yesterday morning, as early as six o'clock, the the murder was committed. He was the only man multitude began to assertible opposite the Gaol and servant who slept in Mr. Boner's house, the other Court-house;, some-in the hope of gaining admission:. male servants sleeping in rooms over the stables. to the Court, ;and *then, who despaired of that ad-. The Learned Serjeant then detailed all the facts, vantage, with the view of obtaining a glimpse of the' which afterwards appeared in evidence. He that murderer. The streets knit the Gaol to the Court- adverted to the circumstance of the anxiety of the house were lined, anti the windows and Ceps of the Prisoner to go to London after the murder bad been houses were filled with spectators. • I committed, to fetch , Mr. Astley Cooper—to the un. About half-past seven, Mr. Bomar, accompanied natural perturbation which he then displayed—to his by Mr. Dodlow, the Under Sheriff, proceeded to the inability, from that perturbation, to saddle his own Court, and tooklats toot on one of the benches beside horse—to the circumstance of he windows of his the Judges' chain Suva afterwards several of the room being open at an unusual hour in the morning, eradistrates of the county took their places near and to a variety of other facts, whiCh all went cir. a ns. .• 1 cumstantially to prove the guilt of the Prisoner.— 'iThe Pimnelbseie Inederstellik passed a tranquil And if, after all these had been considered by the ight; be slept saludly, and on-rising 'at six o'clock - Jury, and they were deemed unsatisfactory, he said, .poke with comperotive cheerfulness to his attend- he had that in his•possession which would remove all cats. Mr. Hanson, who was liberally engaged by doubt, and at once ' clearly and inevitably confirm 'hr. Bona: to conduct the defence of the prisoner, the guilt of the unfortunate man. That to which he 4 "TOY afterwards visited him, but he had nothing alluded was his voluntary confession, which he made new to communicate. He had exprested a wish to at a moment when he supposed himself to be dying, . Plead guilty, and thus relieve the Court of the trouble j having made an attempt on his life, by cutting his and pain of li sten i ng to t h e d eta il ef the circum- • throat. The wound which he th usl inflicted was' stances attending the dreadful scene in which he was , sewed up ; but having broken out afresh, apprehend engaged. From thi4 - Sowever, he was dissuaded,' ing a speedy dissolution, he desired that Mr. Boner, aid submitted to take his trial in the usual way. . I the son of the deceased, should be sent for ; and to As the hour approached for opening the Court, him, in the presence of a Magistrate, and divers the crowd in its vicinity became excessive, and it re- other persons, uninfluenced by any threat or promise, !lulled the utmost efforts of Mr. Dudlow, and the he made a confession of his enormous guilt, and thus Javelin-men, to prevent them from forcing their way made the only retribution which he could while in, At eight o'clock the sound of the trumpet an-, this world, for his unparalleled wickedness. This i ' l4 aaced 'the appeoach of the. Judges, and shortly confession was read over•to him twice, and he sub- ,- • . seethed his nanse'to it in the presence of the Gentle- 'lent into his nester's roots.—(Mr. Justice Haient 1 Mee already alluded - to, and atitnOwledged it to be bee remarked, that it was in evidence the peireer la full and candid statetbent of the whisk transaction. wasquite dressed when he went up to his mashes —The Learned , &leant concluded by exhorting room i and consequently had not his night cap on.) the Jury to listen with calmness and impartiality ' ELEANOR Taos es examined. to the evidence which he should Submit to their , Was cook in Mr. Boner's family—was in the habit consideration, and to come to that conclusion which, of making the servants' beds. On the night of the tinder all the circumstances, their consciences might 31st of Isley she made the bed of the prisoner. She dictate. The first witness was then called. put on two coarse sheets—saw the bloody sheets SUSANNAU CURNICE examined. which were brought down from her late master' s ,:She lived servant with "the late Mr. Thompson r oom, and believed one of them to be the sheet whic h Don_ ar ;—be lived at Chisliburs . t; in the county of she h ad p u t on the prisoner's bed. `Lent. The Prisoner at the bar wits a servant to Mr.. Bonar ; had been In his serviee about three . Mawr Swerremi examined. Went to Mr. Bonar's house oat the morning of the weeks or a month before her master's death. Wit. 31st of May, at eight o'clock. Went up into Mr. seas was housemaid ; the prisoner slept in what was Boner's room ; saw the dreadful scene there exhibi. termed. the servants' hall ; no other man servant ted ; afterwards went into the servants' hall, saw the `slept in the house. Witness got up on Monday bundle of bloody sheets lying on the floor; Mr. Smith morning, the 31st of May, shortly after six o'clock; - told her to take them up stairs; she did so, and lift *she went to the anti-chamber of her master's room ; them io Mr. Boner's chamber ; they were wrapped found the door locked on the outside; was surprised, up in a coarse sheet ; these she afterwards gave to Foy lt unlocked it, and went in. Saw some footmarks t h e o ffi cer. eading from her master's bed-reom, and observed Mr. Justice HEATH. asked Susannah Curnick wile. that the rush-light, which usually burnt in the end- then her master and mistress's watches remained tin. room, was gone. Shortly afterwards saw the Pri- touched ? and she answered, that they were bush at goner in a passage near the housekeeper's room ; he the beads of the beds. vas dressed,. all but his coat, and looked clean and ; STEPHEN LAVENDER examined. neat. He looked after her as . she went down the. Is an officer of Bow.street ; was sent down to Chisle passage. Called M ary Cl ar k e , h er m i stress ' s ma id, horst ; found a coarse sheet at the foot of the i rise at harf!past seven : told her what she had observed ner's bed, on the ground. There was a small spot of near hes master's bed-chamber, and went with her to blood upon ID.--Elieri he produced the sheet, and examine the footsteps; kneltdown, and saw thatit was Eleanor Thomas recogoited it as one which sht• had blood which was on the floor ; was dreadfully alarm- p ut on the prisoner's bed the night le;fore.l—Saw ed, as was Mary Clatt ; ran down to the laundry, the body of Mr. Bouar. It appeared to him, that and called Penelope F . SH returned with them, Mr. Bonar had been killed 'by the blow of some and went into her master's apartment; the window heavy instrument on the head.- His skull was fr., e was opened, and witness saw her master lying dead tiered. He found near the body a kitchen poker, upon the floor, in a stream of blood ;he was covered which he believed to be the instrument with which over with a counterpane. The other servants of the the blows mere inflicted.—[Here the poker was pro house all• came in—she did not see the prisoner duced. ]—lt appealed to be newly bitted, and was among them—this was at half-past seven—a surge:n bent about the centre ; k retained the marks of blood. was sent for. Witness was afterwards standing at He also found a japanned candlestick by the side of the door, when the prisoner said he would go for Mr. Bonar, which appeared to be trampled on. it was hltiady, as if the foot which trampled upon it had Mr. Astley Cooper. Saw him previously bring down out of her master's room some sheets wrapped up in been bloody. Saw the prisoner brought down in something which was extremely bloody. He said custod y from London ;he was in the care of Adkins his mistress yet breathed, and advised them to go to ; and Forrester . ; knew that the Coroner's Jury was her, and endeavour to render her some assistance.— sitting in the evening ; while they were sitting .(be- After this the Prisoner went to London. Witness tween eleven and twelve o'clock) heard that the pri. found a japanned candlestick in her master's chain- j soner had cut his throat ; weut to him, and found ber, such as was used by the servants. It was not that lie had so done ; a surgeon, was sent for, and the such a candlestick is her master male use of. wound was sewed up ; witness remained with die pri soner constantly for several days afterwards • on the Cross-examined by Mr. POOLEY. 'Saw prisoner bring the sheets down from Mr. Bo- Bth of June the wound broke mit afresh ; Prisoner seemed alarmed, and desired to see Mr. Bonar's son; nar's bed-room, which was at ,a great distance from the servant's-hall. It was not uncommon for the Pl4' and witne-s heard the prisoner, wi Mr th . o i rt n p a r r om ca ise me Or threat, make a confession, which toner to look round after her when he passed her in a ' l was reduced to writing by Mr. Astley Cooper; this passage. was afterwards read over to the prisoner. and he MARY CLARKE examined. signed it; it was also signed by Mr. Bonar, Mr. A. Was Mrs. Boner's maid ; she last saw Mr. Bonar i Cooper, Mr. Eylett, the surgeon, and other . persons _about ten o'clock on the night previous to his mut.- who were present. Mr. Wells, the Magistrate, was der. He was in his dressing-room at prayers. She t hen sent for, and, in his presence, it was again read went to bed at twenty miqutes before two, and rose over to the prisoner, and he again approved of it, and at half-past-seven the next morning. -She was called went over his name with a dry peg. by the house-maid, who told her what a dreadful smell Mr. HENRY WELLS examined. proceeded -from her master's room. and mentioned I . ,„ the circumstance of the door beirg locked outside. lam a Magistrate ef the ceuety of Kent. I was sent for to receive . the confession of the prisoner. Witness was very much agitated, - had a dread of paper was shewn to me, which was WI itten befo r e some great evil having happened. Went doeni Main' I came , an d w hi c h I was i n f ormed was t h e cnntrs. and looked first at the marks on the floor, in,..d the ' light, and went down to the laund r y, an d beg- 4 :.osen: of Nicholson. I had it .read distinctly to th rushtoner; and, having asked him if he assented to • igel the laundry-maid to go with them to their ails- all the: was therein contained, he answered in the uess's chamber. They returned together, the laun- affirmative, :ad went Over his name again with a t. ' dry maid entered, and opened the window shutter, dry pen." and, on looking round, screamed out. Witness ran : i . A paper was then she:7g to Mr. Wells, which he to alarm the men servants, and lost her recollection said was the confession to whicii !le alluded. when she recovered she und herself supported l4 THE PRISONER'S CONFE3qON. the coachman in the servants hall. She then saw I The paper was then handed to Mr. KNAPP. the the prisoner coming in with the bldody sheets in his i Clerk of the Court, and read. arms. He pulled a sheet off the bed and wrapped"' It was to the following effect : Them in it. He begged her to go up, as her mistress I was alive—she did so; and saw her master lying dead "I, Philip Nkholson, in order to clear all persons from sus • on the floor, and her mistress in bed, with signs of life &ion, confess that I committed Lim murders" yet remaining. i The following questions were put by Mr. Bonar : I Q. Hadyou any accomplices ?—A. No: 1 would [Here the witness was so much affected that she could proceed no further ; and the-Counsel for the prosecution not wishing to put to her any further questions, she retired.] • PENELOPZ FOLKS examined. Was laundry maid to the late Mrs. Sonar: on the morning in question, the house maid and Mrs. Clarke came to her, and begged her to go to her mistress's room • she did so, and opened the shutter in part. The first thing she observed was the body of her master, lying on the floor, covered with blood. Went down to the servants' hall ; saw the prisoner bring down the sheets, and wrap them in a sheet off his own bed. He said Mrs. Boner was still living, and advised them to go to her; did so; he followed them; he went into the room before them—when she en tered he was picking up a blanket to cover the body Of his master—he wok the blanket from the floor and put it over the body. THOMAS FOY examined. Is an Officer of Marlborough-street Police Office. On Tuesday, the Ist of June, he went down to Chas lehurst ; went to Mr. Bonaes house to search it.— Found a pair of shoes in a wood closet, near the ser vants' hall. (Here he produced the shoes.) When be first found "them there was blood on the upper lea thers and soles. These stains he could now distin guish. He compared these shoes with the impres-1 mons on the floor near the bed chamber of the deb ceased ; they corresponded exactly. The shoes were right and left. One was a spring heel, and the other a flat_heel, and one of them was %torn at the toe. The impressions were evidently made with such shoes, and the impression made by the shoe which was worn at the toe was more apparent than the other, from its having absorbed a greater quantity of blood. Tt:e prisoner was brought down in custody from London—he saw huts at eleven o'clock on that night—Chewed him the shoes, and asked him if they were his—he at first denied that they were, bit after. wards said they were. Received from Susannah Curnick a pair of sheets—they were wrapped up.— One was fine, and the other was coarse—they were much stained with blood. (Witness produced the coarse sheet.) It was more stained with blood than the tine one. Examined the prisoner's bed ; found a night cap, which bore marks of blood. Shewed it to the prisoner—he at first did not recognise it to be Ihis, but afterwards acknowledged it was. He asked him how it come to have the marks of bloody fingers on it, and he said, he supposed be did it when he 4' tell you if I had. Q. I do not mean accomplices in the ro..m—l mean, bad you any accomplices at all ?—A. I neither had accomplices in the ream nor elsewhere. I did not know of it myself five minutes before. Q. Explain how it happened ? —A. .I was asleep on a form in the servants-hall; I waked about three o'clock; I was dressed, and took some of my clotties off; I then took the sheet off my bed :and put it round me, and took the poker from the hall-grate. and se creted it under the sheet ; after :which, I took a lighted candle in my hand from the hall, andentered the town of my master ; I looked around me when I entered; I saw mistress and master in bed; I gave mistress two blows; she never moved ; 1 kit her. ' and went round to my.masta—gave him two w Omit blows.. He said. " Come to bed, my le ve 1" aid then sprung out of bed, and wised Itild of me, and nearly overpowered me ; I struck him on the arms and legs with the poker. He struggled for IS minutes; I at length got him down, and struck him on the head; I left him groaning, and went down [stairs i I washed my hands at the sink in the butl er 's I pantry, opened the house-door and the drawing.. room windows. Q. What.motive had you for this conduct ?—A. I had no bad intention; I did not know what provoked me to do it any more thanyou. Q. You were heard to complain of going so much ' behind the !carriage ; was that the ground of your *proceeding ?—A. I did complain about the carriage, but'never thought of that when I committed 'befoul deed. Q. Did you not feel resentment at going so muc h 1 behind the carriage ?—A. No, Sir; I had no thought about it. • Q. Had you thought or talked about the murder when you were drinking with the groom on the night i heft:4e in the ball ?—A. No, never; L. had never an? idea of it. Q. How long was k after you waked before yon went up stairs?—A. I waked up from sleeping on the form. I undressed myself, and put the sheet about me. and went up stairs immediately. Q. Why did yon put the sheet about you ?—.A. That they might not know me. Q. When did you drop the sheet ?—A. In the struggle which I had with my master after 1 gave him the first blow. Q. Did Dale, the Butler, know any thing about it ?—A. NO. [Tyra oster.3