The National Register. — London, England, 1818-10-26 00:00:00

or:T. In ,1 1U111)k,li. r" In our last Monday's Edition of LIE NATIONAL RE -01 iTEIt, which always contains the latest news, ho h Foreign and Domestic, together w i t h t h e P r i ce o f St icks, mat the State of the Markets, it was our painful duty to give a brief account of ANOTHER BARBAROUS MURDER which Wag commit ted late on Friday evening, in the Kent Road, on the person of Mary Halbert, an interesting little girl four years and a half old. A man, named Robert Doan, was in the habit of occasionally visiting the parents of the siad, who was much attached to hint, and of whom he Sys appeared remarkably fond. lie took the cfeildiont Os buy some apples ut a neighbouring shop ; l a L i retuFM- ure immediately Mrs. Williams, th e mo ther Mrs. Halb al arst out to look tbr the child, and obsoOving ht.:* in - -;•, 1 . 1 4 4 , 71 with an apple in her hand, she was about to re... ;ittWtm Dean requested her tolo to a shop a few doors off and purchase some arti cites for hint. She did as he had requested, but had *a been in the shop more than two minutes when she ]Heard a cry of murder, and saw a great number of persons run towards her daughter's house. She made all passible haste to the same place, and upon arriving there saw the child being supported by her fathar, and the blood streaming from a dreadful wound in the throat. The unthrtnnate infant languished about half an hour and expired. In the mean time, Dean had absconded. Many reports were in circulation iu the neighbourhood—of his having been seen in the Regency Park, at Poplar, and other places ; bnt all without the slightest foundation, as appears from the following full particulars of this horrible transaction. SURRENDER OF THE MURDERER. Abont five o'clock on Tuesday mor o n ng, a young man ac coated Joseph Myatt, constable and watch-Imese keeper of St. Andrews, limber', staling that he was u murderer, arid was desirous of surreuilering himself into the halide of livier) ; the constable was astonished at the application, and for a few inomente hesitated how to act. lie requested the apple caw to be inare explicit; Ilse yOllll2 !WM then said, that on Friday evening he murdered a child at Newington. Your name is Dean, said the watchman ; I am that unfortunate man he replied. He was then taken into the watch-house and properly secured. Daring his coniiimance theta he mss asked by Myatt, whether at the time of the ',nude' being cool_ milted he was in a state o* intoxication, to which he answered he was never more softer in liis life. At Boson he was taken to Giltspur-street, Co:miter, and informal ion of his surrender was Stott to May, the officer, who had been particularly active in hi. endeavours to apprehend him. May matted upon the Lord Mayor about 11 o'clock, and received direction rim his Lordship to take the prisoner to Union Hall, in order that the prisoner might be investigated by the Magistrates of the &afflict. C. Jeminett, Esq. the Coroner amid Jury, had in the mean time assembled at the Rockingham Arms, New ington, to take an inquisition on the body of the murdered child, and the Sitting Magistrate being inflamed that the prisoner did not deny having committed the 'der. consi dered that the most expeditious and satisfastory mode of pro ceeding would be to send lino immediately before the Coroner in order that be might be committed for trial upon the evi. deuce adduced to that gentleman and the jury. It was also thought that the public mind would be more speedily tran quilized, and the crowd of persons would disperse, and the parties retire peaceably to their respective homes, when it was known that his final commitment had taken place. At noon the coach arrived at Union Hall office (where an inn surmise crowd had assembled, under the expectation of seeing the prisoner, and the public road was so excessively thronged in flout that many lives were hazarded 'by the attempts of drivers of coaches and carts to to; ce a passage for the vein. cles,) containing May, the prisoner Dean, and Myatt the con. stable, who, receiving the eider of the Magistrates as suttee stated, proceeded, with the addition to the party of Hail the officer, to the Rockingham Arms, followed by about 2000 per sons. It was not observed by the officers that the untiappy parent of the murdered child was standing at the door of the Rockingham Arms when the prisoner descended from the coach, but he soon became known ; the moment his eyes were fixed upon the prison of the prisoner, his countenance grew pale with rage, his eyes flashed Airy, with the rapidity, of lightning he darted olio's the culprit, and but for the timely interference of the offieris would have avenged op the spot the illialolalioll of his child. One hand of the prisoner was fastened toMay's, and with the other he coveted his eyes, uor• once dared to meet the glacee or the wretched father. The following is the evidence taken before tire Coroner, Charles Jennuett, Esq. 'tars, Mary Helbert, wife of Edmund Halbert, rind another of the deceased, being swum, stated, idler a great deal of irrelevant evidence, that her mother weld into the street, and saw the deeetuted in Demi! alms at the top of the court in Thoma's-street ; Dean asked witness's mother, if she would go to a chandler's shop, and purchase I mane tobacco, which she consented to du ; and while she was gone of the errand, something impelled witness to rise 1. Om the chair , she felt a kind of inset oil alarm, and she without any motive, ran into the court, and met the deceased near the house door; aloe reeled towards her, and appeared to have a red hasolkei- Chief rowel her neck. Witness took the deceased into her inns, and the blood gushed from her throat ell over her clothes; the deceased put out her arms, and then dropped ' down as if she lied expired or fainted; witness awoke liar husband, and said '• Our child is murdered!" the 11113644 rd replied, " You are read sorely." He took hold of the de ceased, and arcing that she was dying ran into the court elid said" Who did it i" Witness told her husband that " Drama had done it, she was sloe ;" and elle diet' ilitOrined him that Dean Caine its %bile he was asleep, and went out with the professed inteution of buying her an apple. A surgeon was sent for, who came and attended fhb deceased until she was quite dead. [At this period the murderer arrived from Union Hall Police-office; several thousands of persons had collected round the house where the jury were sitting, and bewail have torn the delitiqueut to piece., but for the blinded intervention of the Pollee. The above witness eau to the win dow of the Jun-room, from whence she lush a vb..% of the prisOli of Dean, as hr was sitting in the hat Ailey amok ; she sett mired, woad luudty and terailicelly, Titer is the liteldeler CI my Tut: NATros - Af. ituGtsTrat dear child ; Oh, Ili villain ! the murderer !"&c. and 111 into an le,stei ie lit ; she was removed into another room bye %II rgruat who Nits precut, as site had nu•o. tuning ly .get 11,1 01111 of iho %,iatlwas, and vs as vety nine', cut about her hands anti at ins. Dean was played in a room adjoinilig the jury roam.") Joseph WIIhAIIN, the brother of the last witness, tieing sv , orn, gave a keg statement which hose no further upon the q lestion doss to show that Dean was in unsettled and dis_ t.escd el; emu,latice3. Mrs. Small William?. the mother of the abeue witne4‘eg, and grandmother to the deceased, deposed to the same effect. ai, Roby Ifegtun, surgeon, Brighton - pi/tee, New Kent road, b in k sworu, stated, that the wound was sufficient to inflict d ath. Joieph .siyatt, an oflicer of St. Andrew's, Holborn, sworn. About a quarter of au hour 'refine r) o'clock that morning, a man, who said his name was Robert Dean, came to the watch. house of St. Andrew's Holborn; he said that " he rime to surrender himself, for he was a murderer, mud could not hold out any longer ;" witness asked hull what murder he lead dime and lie said, " lie had murdered a child over in the B114'01101; lie seemed very mulch agitated, and asked leave to W 4 1 .111 1111113!If t witness told him he might it' he thought pro per: witness took Itim thence to the Compter ; on the way witness conversed with Dean, and asked him how he came to rUllllllit the dreadful act ? Dean replied, " Why, the devil was oser him." Dean begged that he might be well used in prison; witness promked he should; Deau said that lie was, letting the whole of Monday last, lurking about 1;0w-street Police-office, in hopes that some one would recognize him, but as no one did, he had not courage to resign himself up; he had been wandering about ever since he committed them hoe; and lie went to a chapel in Moorfields, and heard a sermon preached, whirl' so affected his mind, that lie resolved to de liver Itimselt op to justice: he said lie was quite sober when he conitnitted the act; Dian appeared perfectly composed when he gave the above relation. The Coroner having said a few words, the jury returned a verdict of—Wilful Murder agai st Robert Dean. The WitllCAAel were bound o er, and the Coronerissited his warrant for his committal to Porsenionger-latie gaol. Before Dean WJlttlllloVell om the Rockingham Arms, the Coroner ordered the constables to bring him (Dean) into the jory.room. lie was brought in handcuffed to May, the officer, of Union hall.. Mr...Jetnalrtt asked which Will Robert Dean. Dean burst into tears, and iu great agitation said, " I am that unfortunate 111311." Coroner.—l aut sorry to see you charged with such a horrid crime. Dean (beating his forehead in great arony withltis right hand) said, '• It is a dreadful thing sorely." Coroner.—lt is Iny duty to commit you; I have issued my warrant, and I hope you will think of your awful situation, and may God have Merry upon you. Prisoner (writhing with agony).—" I hope he will." The prisoner was thou conveyed in a hackney eoach to Horst-monger : lane-gaol. _ . . A lase was - liniud in the rottrt where the murder was conunittedt it is about eight inches long, with a white handle, and is in the possession of Alay the officer. CONFESSION. Daring the time the inquest was being held at the Rocking. ham Anus, Deals was placed in a private room with May and several other officers. Dean whispered to May, that if he were left alone with I' he would relate to hiss, the whole particulars of the dreadful transactiou. Ma) requested every person present to leave the room, and the prisoner then wade the following confession, which we give verbatim —" On Friday evening last. 1 suet a young man named Joseph Wil liams, with whom I had long been intimate at Mrs. Halbert's house, in Jacques-court, Thomas-street. I had long been acquainted with a young woman, 'tamed Sarah Longman, daughter of Mr. Longman, at the Grape., Church-row, A Id. gate ; my affection for her was extremely great ; I had for some time corresponded with her. A dispute unhappily arose; I wrote to her upon the subject, expressing my regret at the unfortunate rupture; described the very great regard which I entertained for her ; implored her to consent to a reconciliation; and, begged that site would write use an early answer. She never replied to my letter. Her father called upon one, and wished that the connexion might be discontinued. These circumstances had an indescribable effect upon my mind; I was misseralsly unhappy, was incapa ble of attending to any business, and gave myself up entirely to despair. I endeavoured to prevail upon her to renew the correspondence. I felt that I never could be happy in this world without her, and determined to leave it. Thiiiights •f a dreadful description entered my mind, and must have proceeded from the devil. I felt that I should leave the world in a state of happiness if I could murder her, and de termined to perpetrate the deed. I had been from home Mu days, business nut being very brisk ; and on Friday eveniug I called to see Williams. at Mrs. Halberts, and we both came nut together, and walked in company as far as the Surrey Theatre ; we did not go in. I told Williams that I wanted to see a gentleman iu the Borough, and should go that way.— We parted, and I returned to Mrs. Halberts. After talking in a very friendly manner with the family, I asked for a knife, and they. supposing that I es auted to cm some bread, gave me a case knife. I took an opportunity of concealing it un perceived in my pocket. I shortly after went out with the child to buy her some apples, which having dune I returned to the court. A sudden thought came over my mind that if I murdered the child, who was innocent, I should not commit so great a crime as in murdering Sarah Longman, who was older ; and as I imagined had sow to answer for. In a mo ment I pulled the knife out of my pocket, put the child out 01 my arms, held her head back, and eat her throat; in an in►tant I imagined that I was in the tuidst of flaming fire, and the count appeared to me like the entrance of hell. I ran assay, nut knowing where I went, or what I did : I wandered about in a state of distraction, until I surrendered myself up at the watch-how." Dean has been ever since his commitment entirely ab sorbed in meditatioe. Ile regnested that a I3ible and prayer book, which were foierd et los lodgings, and had been taken po-ve , sion of by Mai, the (unstable, might he given to him ; the books were delivered. and he has incessantly employed himself in the perusal of them. He weeps wee) much, and speaks in terms of great affection of the child which was sac( liked by his hand. It appears that atter Dean had committed the atrocious crime, he walked about until tan o'clock at night, and then he crossed the water. and entered a public house in Westminster, and on the following day he enlisted in the Atli Regiment, RIM passed the doctor the same day, and was In have been 4%0111 in on the morning that he sur:eudertd himself. It :i•. I tsah UUllcvd by t,te 3uitafer woii wll•wt iie chiL.ti.(l, that he appealed At times el eatly co.,11%.•"1, a 6.1 w.aild "tart f. 114111.111 as toltr rbr persons emthl not elicit Ir..:11 him the •:aasr of his maim: nholy. 0.. the ‘l,llday Dean state a lottat At t h .• public ttrioaa ii , dlr. 1 - 11Jibert, thy. Pattie' t.t the decea...dolekt,,,wleilgit.g Chet h.• %%Ws th.• deem, acid aka lip. aormor 6,1. what 1,, had d eeee lite Ivo 6.1. way, 11.1 rued WI Monday by 31 r. lalbet t, and is stow its ais ',obsession. MUID)FIit AT BROMIPTON, KENT. Far a week past the welt, lu the well of the Doke of York piildird:a.tisio, at Br 1111 l p ten, Kew, hall been atlerted with so n ,alsomis a taste and smelt, that it became unfit for use. The - servant, when &rah% found something hindered the liiitlact front ; the in, p , dive id wrs stopposed to be the lid of the wall, which had faUcot iii, and is Inch was thought to have comoitimicated die , ottensive 111.4htle, to the water. Thr however, lately thought that she percei vood soma Whig like a hotly, and on moving the rope bark %tarok and forwards to till the biteket, she found pieces of took n mil aitional substance adhering to it when it was drawn %IF an I ss Ohio Ute 1 4 ,/ new days the smell at the mouth ill the u, II had beco m e so exceedingly offensive that uu one would go heat it , On Sa turday morning the eireamsiances b.v,og lot come a matter of conversation among some soldiers w!ni ..re drinking at the Duke of Ye rk, one of them otlei..l for a tritiioig reward to go down the well, which is of great depth, :nod clear it of its impurity. He was accordingly boa ert ol doss r, but before lie arrived at the bottom Ile was 4111/11•1 110 S% I' 8111 by the lattiol effluvia, and called ton to the 1111'11 win/ were lusvr ring him to stop. Paving waited for a few seconds :stet rueovereil himself, lie proceeded till the bucket touched the witei. ss ben leaning over its side, lie with infinite honor and dismay, dis. covered a naked Inman body floating on its back. To be certain, he took hold of the hair, when the body rolled over, and the air and scalp became detached trout the skull, :it'd remained in his hand. Terrified in the extreme, amid almost reduced to insensibility at the horrid sight, lie caned to the 'nett at the brink of the well to draw him tip. One of his comrades then went down with a sheet, and having rolled it round the dead body, it was drawn up ; thriolrlirr . however, nearly fell a sacrifice to his exertions; lie was so affected by the foul ale, that he lost his senses just as he came within the reach of the bystanders, who caught hold-of him, and pre vented him from falling headlong ions the well. The body proved to be that of a woman about 37 years of age, named Donnelly, the wife of a soldier lately discharged from the (18th regiment. She was far advanced• in pregnancy, and being completely naked, it was immediately suspected that the woman had been murdered. A Coroner's Jury was suranioned, and an inquisition taken at 12 o'clock on Saturday last, which continned investigating this mvsterions affair until 7 at night, when the evidence read by the Coroner, and the Jury not agreeing unanimously in their verdict, au adj minent teok place till 1 o'clock ou Monday: fresh evidence :laving been obtained, they con tinned their investtgation till r o'clock in the evening. The following particulars came out In the early pant of September, the 38th regiment, to which the husband of the deceased belonged, armed from Halifax. Donnelly was then quartered at the Duke of York, at lituinitton ; lie came there accompanied by his wife and two children, and was lodged in a room at the hack of the house, the window of which isaliout five feet from the well in which the deceased person was found. The unfortunate woman was about twelve years older than Donut Ily ; she was very much attached to him ; but was extremely jealon,, and frequently evinced that passion when lie stoke to another fe male ; their quarrels conseqneutly were Il (-fluent, and at times particularly violent. On the :debtor the 17th of September they quarrelled, and from violeut words proceeded to blows ; their conduct became desperate ; Donnelly forced his wife towards the well, and threatened to throw her into it ; her screams brought persons to Ler assistance, and she was re leased from his violent efforts to force her toward* the well's mouth. The whole ofticat night, however, ,he lay in the open air, with her head resting on the steps leading into the public house where she, wet found next morning with her elothesvet through with dew and rain. She was advised to go to her apartment and change her apparel, which she did at itr some time, and in the coarse of the day the became rt etotiriled to her husband. On tae . following Saturday night she was ut the club room at the Duke of York in apparent heatili and spirits ; after that time she was nut seen alive by auy-oni in the house. On Sunday morning the 20th Sept. Donnelly came do w n from his apartment and sat in the tap room with his two children but without his wife; inquiries were made alter, /ler, and he said that she had gone the preceding night on a visit to her trim!. ; lie did not know when she would return : that she had taken 31. to defray her capebe( s, &e. To other inquiries, he said that she 1441/1 gone off with another man. A female, who went into his apartment on the day Mira Don nelly's wife disappeared, stated, that she saw every thing abut the room in the greatest disorder ; the clothes of the deceased scattered about in all directions, and she observed marks of blood upon the bed linen. Yet,witli all these strong evidences of guilt, together with the violent conduct towards the deceased on the Thursday preceding, no ample:ion ad. pears to have been entertained of tho murder until ••aturdity week, after the body had been lying in the well fur name than a month. Donnelly remained at the Duke of York after the deceased was missing for more than a fortnight, an d t cial• versed about his absent wife without the least emotion or con fusion at the time. He said she was gone off with as fellow, and %cold not trouble him again, and since that period he has cohabited ith another woman. The Coroner siitimi;tl tip the „evidence to the Jiffy ; he was glad they adjourned, because more evidence or great impor tance had been adduced, and tram that and the evidence taken oat the first day they assembled, lie had no doubt but that they would be :init. to conic to a sal isfactory conclusion upun the subject. 'I he Jury, without hesitation, returned a verdict of" wilful nun der against the liusbiiiiil of the deceased," and a t‘ari a nt has since hero issued lot his apprehension and committal to the County Gaol. A lettrr dated Manch% ',tea - , the 19til. !lays :—" Two of the principal ifonso. in this toli si rf•eeivi.d. on Sal II ralay, sr erg! extein.it e orda I'S for ditierent desei iptianis of u.miiifimthred gootfh, for South A11)(3 ledll lliJrik Vitt i 11.t.t.e /Haters a awe from Balled and Rio Juneau ; Iwo Mein ate to e ruu.i it ratite amount ; and the kilt r., %%Inch urcott.puttiell Harm, field tilt the cheering ussuranee that Lit y would fol.aka d by other , of equal otiguit wit. This iutulligenee has intpntt.j coniiiilera sati,l.ici ion ,as. d %%dl, in some n•au re coon ft vdil the gloomy accouuts as to our hide with the Uoittd Stntri.*