The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-07-27 00:00:00

By Mr. Stock: The front-doore of the cottages were
on the bridle side. Cornick's garden hedge was 24 feet
from the front door of Seal's cottage, where deceased
lived.

liebecca Guppy, the mother of deoeased, examined by
Mr. Stook, laid; I am a single woman living in the
parish of Stoke Abbott, in the cottage of James Seal, at
Puckshorn. I have lived with James heel there 6 years
Last Christinu. Sarah Ann, my daughter, lived with
me there all the time. She we. three and twenty when
she came to her death. I get my living by labouring
out of doors, Janie' deal also labouni out of doors.
My daughter did not do anything save bide at home.
She had been unhealthy, but she was in her health
then. She did not go into the fields and work any-
where. I recollect going to work on Friday the 30th of
April. I went to work in • field about a nilie away, for
Mr. Hasoombe. I came home to dinner and left again at
one. I left my daughter in the house and no one else.
She was very well at that time, and there was nothing
remarkable about her. I did not stay long out when I
was called, and there was an alarm of fire; obout 4 I
thin it was. A man called me. When I reached
Puokshorn I saw James Seal's house all in • flame and
Hutoliingies house too. I then went to the Anchor Inn,
in the village of Stoke Abbott, where I saw my daughter
with her throat out—dead. I know the prisoner, and
knew him before this happened. He lived • quarter of
r mile away, they say. He was in the habit of coming
to John Hutchings' house very often. The last time I
saw him there was the day before my daughter's death,
and lie caine into my house then and brought • knife
with him, which lie asked if it was mine.
By Mr. Cole: I knew the boy ; always spoke to him.
I was friendly with him, but I did not like him. He
used to come into our house sometimes. There was
only Jeanne Seal, my daughter and me lived in our
house, and John Hutchings and his wife lived next door.
We used to get our tea at nine eometiines when we had
dons ; and d I came home in the middle of the day I
had tea.
_ _ _

John Hointriaga, labourer, examined by Mr. Compton :
I live at tie next house to Seal's. My house
and Seal's are ell onager one roof. I left my how* at a
quarter past Ave on the morning of the 90th of April ang
returned near upon half-past one at noon. I was waft-
ing about half a mile from my house at • quarry. On
coming home Sarah Ann Guppy oame into my house. She
was ss uaul. I left my house again about 20 ininutu
put two.
By the Judge : Sarah Ann Guppy came into the
house but for a few minutes and spoke • few words.
By Mr. Compton: When I left my wife left the key
at Sarah Ann Guppy's. flomeldrus my wife left the
key in one plane and sometimes in another, so that I
mild find it when I mine home sometimes in • bush and
sometlines with Sarah Ann Guppy. Later in the after-
noon I found my house was on fire—neat upon 4 o'clook
I found out the are. I went it ones to my house.
When I first saw my house the linhay or lean-to was on
fire. I saw it plainly on the bill.
By his Lordship: The linhay was on the west end
of Seal's house. It is all under one roof. The linhay
was at the end of the house, not where the doors were
at the back.

By Mr. Compton : The linhay was at Seal's end, and
the fireplace in Seal's house was against the linhay. The
are was on the outside of the linhay.
By His Lordship: The fire wee outside the roof
altogether, and had not touched Soars house, only the
linhay,
By Mr. Compton: We had about 6 or 7 ton of wood
in the linhay' we put there all the things we wanted to.
The door of Seal's was open and I poised on to my house.
I saw the body, and after I had taken out some of my
things I saw the deceased brought out into the orchard.
The prisoner's father brought the body out. There was
plenty there ; the orchard was full of people. James
Steal holloa'd out that Sarah Ann WWI died. A man
gave me the key of my house about half an hoar after I
gut home. I found my door forced open when I got
there. I don't moonset who the man was, but he mid
" here's a key." I was then in the orchard where my
goods were—about Ave or six yards from my house. On
the Sunday morning after the fire I was on the scene and
sonic one gave me • knife wh oh had been found mar to
where I had seen the body; it ul4ht be two feet from
it. I gave that knife to Sept. Mseaele,
Sept. MacHrde produced the knife which was Meng-
lied by the witness. It consisted of the worn blade of a
table knife, rubbed down to a point at the end.
By Mr. Cole There were three knives found. Supt.
HAOHIIIe having displayed the three knives,
His Lordship said it was done not at the »quell but
rather in defiance of the learned counsel's suggestion.
A wafer wee then placed upon on* pointed bladed knife,
at the desire of his Lordship.
By Mr, Cole : The second knife was found • foot from
the shoulder of the deceased, and the third was found
about three feet from the body. [The two knivee in
question were merely blades, apparently of table knives,
dams* by fire, and one of them very rusty.l Numbers
of persons had been over the premises, but I found
Chic knives. A great many persons had been amongst
the ruins—for the walls of the ootteges only reinained—
between the Friday and Sunday, I knew is wee 20
minutes past 2 because I have a olook which I looked at.
A dairyman at the hilltop celled my attention to the fire.
It had then hardly come to • flame. The roof was
thatched. The thatched roof and linhay communicated.
I and my ;nate on the hill ran down at once. There
were a great many there then.
Re-examined by Mr. Stock : There were two knives
with sharp points. The two other knives not found on
Sunday were picked up by me directly after the firs.
The fire began about 4 and bnrned rapidly for an hour,
there being • strong wind.
Mr. Oliver, the surveyor, we.recalled by his Lord-
ship. He referred to his plan, and said that the points
of the compao: were not exactly right,
His Lordship said there were two rules for map-
making—either to place tee north at the top, or the
points of the oompus must be marked. The linbay, it
appeared, was hardly to the westward of the cottages.
Hutchings was recalled. In reply to Mr. Cole he said.
Seal's house was cell d all above the chimney, bat the
room below was not ailed. My house was not celled at
all.

By His Lordship : There wu one room upstairs and
one room
_Allow. . . . . .

Rachel Hutchings, wife of the lest witness, examined
by Mr. Stock: I was out keeping cows on the 30th of
April. I was home at dinner tune with iny husband.
He went out first after dinner; it was then about 20
minutes after two. I only stayed to look the door end
followed him. I left the key with Sarah Ann Guppy.
She was in the kitohen. I often left the key with her.
I knew the prisoner very well ; he called in sometimea
as he went by. He wail there the day week before the
murder happened. He oaine to ask for 2s. for his
mother. I said if his mother wanted it and would come
herself for it I would let her have It; but I did not
choose to let him have it. He went away then. His
father is • labouring man who has teed in regular mu.
ploy. Saturday afternoon as I wee going a-field to see
my cows he was lying under the hedge. I CAMS back
to my house and he followed and asked me for the
money again. He did not say what he wanted it for,
but I did not let him have it. He went away then.
The day before the death, the 29th, he was at my house.
Rebecca Guppy gave me • knife which she said AM
mine, and that Jim (the prisoner) had brought it in, and
said he had taken it out of the thatch. The knife was
mine. I told him it was my knife and lie was not to
come there any more if lie could not come without
taking things. I never saw him afterwards. My hus-
band keeps • cow or two, and occasionally fattens a pig
and sells it. He mold one the week before the death of
the girl. I had the money. The prisoner was not there
when the pig was sold. I kept the money—about 24
till the death.
By Mr. Cole: I was neither before the coroner nor
the justices. This is the first time I have told the story
about the pig. I used to leave the key nowetimes in the
back house. I mostly left it in with Sarah Guppy when
she was in.
John H•itchings, recalled by His Lordship: I saw the
young woman's body as I paned the door going to my
house to save the things. I cent as fast OS I could go
and did not see anybody with her or by.
Jane Cornick, en old woman, examined by Mr. Comp-
ton : I was working in 017 garden on the 30th of April
at Puckshorn where Seal and Hutehinge lived. About
20 yards from Seal's is where I was at work. I was
stood near the gap. It WAS about of three o'clock when
I went to work there. I live about • quarter of • mile
from my garden, at Stoke Abbott, and am • widow.
When working there I heard Sarah Guppy screech,
about three o'clock.
By His Lordship : Iw.. stood up top of the gap when
I heard the screech.
By Mr. Coin:eon : Ibis 20 yards from the gap to the
door of Seal's house. I amid see the door as plain as I
can see you (Mr. Compton). When I heard the screech
I called "Serail Guppy" twice. I called as loud as I
could, so that anybody could hear that was handy.
There was no sneerer, but about • minute after, I saw
the prisoner come out of James Seal's house. There
was a poet by tha door an" he hid down by it. He shut
the door after him. Then he came straight down over

the hedge into the garden to me.
By his Lordship: I was still at the gap.
By Mr. Compton: I asked the prisoner what did
Ssrah Guppy scream for. He said, nothing. I said I
thought he had been making work with her. He said
he had not been doing anythlag_llith her. I asked of
him what she was about. Ha odd "A o' tatein."
And then I asked him if Beebe was at home (Mrs.
Hutchings). He said she was not. We then went a
few yards Irons the gap, and I asked, what have you
done to your auger.
His Lordship : Why did ask ?
Witness : I saw the dropping from his finger.
Coinpton : How war* dropping?
Witness: Dropping. Sir, just the same as off of any-
body's nose. I saw little sprinkles where his hand bad
been on his clothes. I milked him what he had done to
his linger, and he told me he had out it with grass I
am sure, I said, if you ont it with grass I should out mine
all to pieces, for ru:iniira often doing such things. Then
we went rotted the en and stopped, after that dis-
-00,,m, &bout aa hour. I put iny hand into '
my pocket but had no rag there. I had a bit of paper in
the other one. I did not wrap it round his linger. I
asked him to but lie would not let me. I never saw him
wrap it round. We went out of the garden both toge-
ther as far as Broad Close gate, where his father and
mother dwell. He said nothing. He went into Broad
Close to and I went my way to soy eon's house.
The Judge hers asked*e prisoner if he would
have • eliair, but the prisoner declined.
By His Lordship: My eon'. house is near about the
same distance as the prisoner's father's house from
Broad Close gate.
[A man was here removed from Court in a state of
hysteric.]
By Mr. Compton: I had been in my son's house about
minuteewhen I heard of the Are. I went to Puck/horn
Immediately , and there I saw Sarah Gimpy lying
deed. The body was in the orchard. It was shout half
an hour, as I oould guess, from going war with the li-
sonar to going back.
Mr. Cola: I•Toiv, Yrs. Carsick, jest essorsr ins • few
questions and don't. talk (Emirs d lodeMd, be which
his Lordship ned.) •
The loanedjoi lodge eaplatned to the Wltnees, who
1100 d in astoniskoistit, MOW* bee "mit,, that
nobody was WOW( st lew 110-1110,,,
_lllelolllmi_ coon-
eel .6510 age 19 sosswd, ig;111811"a6
,_ ,
Cola: 410 pp when said the
I bad * so* Muse. Any one in Sears
eMuM attaY 1101 NW webs they looked out of the
7,407 f. He did WS eee PI Won ha came out of the
• home: There wail a mood seise very shadow and
hardly to be heart I thopglit he had been having too»
tun with bee. 'We laud acne tiMs. He did not help
** 7WI punt bassi Ws wand along °hotting
tallethor hot did moot I* rey bldg. He went over
die spabi towsrds Mei baba&