The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-12-15 00:00:00

MURDER OF

HAWKER.

On Thursday, Kingrwood and the asighbollthrid
"re Painfully agitated by the rumour that a asei
hawker named Luc Kendall, aged about 30, hot
been, in • most cowardly and cold-blooded upssosr,
murdered on the herders of Gloucestershire rad
Wiltahire. The summation was considerably env
manta by the rumour that the brutal deed hied blot
done by neighbours of his, and men of his own ad.
ing, who owed him a grudge, and who had been kir
some time on unfriendly terms with him. The
parents of the murdered man are respeolable
persons, though of humble rank, and reside
at Hopewell Hill, Kingswood ; Immo, who Mg
unmarried, lived with than. He has see
brother, a respectable married man. The sada.
mentioned particulars of the horrible affair transpired
on Thursday at the inquest, which was 00018110001
before Mr. Whitmarsb, one of the compere fee
Wiltshire, it being just within that county that the
barbarous deed was committed. The discovery si
the frightfully mangled bead of the poor man sent *
• thrill of horror through the mare district, and
when it became known that the assailants must hare.
In the most dastardly way, attacked their dada
while he was asleep, with a deadly weapon, Il
aroused such indignation that Lynch law WWI pro.
nounced too good for the murderers. A reepeolekie
jury, of whom Mr. J. Comly was foreman, wee
empannelled, and having viewed the body, with&
had been pissed in a stable at Kington Wick, uhor
proceeded to the Shoe Ina, North Wraxall, awl
commenced the investigation. The fleet witness wee
John Kendall, of Kinpwood, near Bristol, wins
stated that the deceased was his son, that his name
was Isaac, and that he was between 30 and 31 years
old. He left home on Monday morning bohemia
eight and nine o'clock, with six donkeys and limey
and cart, all laden with coals, which he was
to Castle Coombe, which he was in the habit of
whiting on a similar errand twice a-week, taking the
coal from the pit's mouth at Pucklecharch, and
selling it at • profit at place, distant from. =dray*
William Prosper, • vendor of watercress at Bathe
stated that on Wednesday morning, at half-pale
nine o'clock, as he was walking from Bath toward
the Gib near Castle Coombe, he passed Braglesd
Bottom, near West Kington, and there ear the
dead body lying on the grass on the left aide of the
road. He called to his assistance David Drew, a
shepherd in the employ of Mr. Hooper, of North
Wraxall, who was attending his mortar's sheep In
the neighbourhood. They then got the aid of P.C.
Dixon, of the Wilts Constabulary, Oath:mod at
North Wraxall. On examining the body they were
horrified at the fearfully-mutilated state of the heed
and face. The following were among the injurise
the poor fellow strained s—His upper lip and noes
were severed in twain, his chin was dreadfully
gashed in two places, and there was aho a
punctured wound on the side of the mouth. On his
head were seven cuts, one extending seven inches, by
one and a half inches broad, and severing one of the
ears. The three men intelligently and carefully
noted the appearance presented on the scene of this
diabolical outrage. It seems that the poor fellow's
journeys generally extended over two days sad a
night, and that he was in the habit, when his
" neddiss," or himself, required rest, of "
tip," as he called it, gimpy fashion, !Von anyVel
waste land by the hedgeside. base Kendall,
small of stature, mast have had • hardy iromlitittithelli
for be has been known to sleep on the snort Ana
very frequently, in the winter time, to wake ta the
morning with frost glistening upon his hair. It
ores that on Tuesday evening be selected • spot on
Bragbuid Bottom. Having released the donkeys
from their pals and trappings he availed himself of
a permission that had been given him, and drove
them into • ploughed field hard by to rest
themselves, or to nibble around the hedge. The
pony he took from the cart, unharnessed it,
and allowed it to ramble along the road. He
then, it seemed, tilted up his empty cart, care-
fully hung the harness upon it, and arranged
the pads, kc., in as comfortable a fashion as might
be to serve him as • bed on the leeward of thlis .ma
and then, reclining on his rough couch, re
himself to sleep. The terrible onslaught, It is
supposed, must have been made upon him very
soon afterwards. It is thought the ...-
must have watched his movements., have
given him time to lose his coruicioneneas in sleep,
and then assailed him. There was • great quantity
of blood about the pads and around them. It
that the first blows from the instrument must hays
aroused the poor fellow, and that be got up fronj
his recumbent position, perhaps with the hope
making his escape, but he must have again bee*
instantly struck down. lie ultimately expired
about ten yards from the cart, across
a ditch, which is noticeable from being
the boundary between the parishes of North
Wraxall and West Kington. Tb e deceased's bead
was in the one parieh and his heels in the other.
There was • great deal of blood about, and it dose noll
appear at all likely that poor Kendall had the km*
power or chance of defending himsolL In lie
pockets only • few coppers were found, with hie
knife, and some other trivial articles. His
which was empty, was lying on the ground
him. There is no ration to suppose that hie
murderers had robbed him from the appearance
presented ; but it is wondered at that he was with-
out money, as it is supposed that be should hays
had at least 235. in his possession. The lest true
of him alive was given by William Chapel, a/
Castle Coombe, who stated that he saw the pear
fellow on his road, to the point whore he was
found dead, at /Oven O'OIOCS On USD
evening. The body had been
externally by two surgeons, Mr. H , of
Wreath, and by.
Ludlow, of Cr&
and they have both given it as their opinion
that the cuts above described were given by a bill-
hook. The police are making most strenuous exer-
tions to apprehend the murderer or murderers, and
there is great reason to hope that they may be suc-
cessful. It is said that two ladies gong to • bell
were frightened at seeing what they thought were
two men fighting, this being • very lonely spot, ins
most thinly-populated neighbourhood. It is also
stated that about the time when the murder WM
supposed to have been committed some workmen
spoke to two men, who came from the direction of
the scene of the tragedy. Throe statements will be
carefully tested by the officers in the charge of the
came. It is believed that they are in pommies of
other information likely to afford them a clue to the
much desired detection of the murderers. The pre-
valent opinion in the neighbourhood is that it was
not the hope of plunder that actuated them, bsti
rather a desire to gratify a villanons revenge they
had spinet their compeer.. It is suggested tag, ••
he was involved in a criminal charge, prone more
guilty than himself, in all probability fearingiathatale
might" peach" upon them, had taken this •
mode of effectually silencing him. Certain it is that
the inhabitants of Kingwood and nagb
_boariscrod
heartily sympathise with the bereaved may, and
that the residents of the potion of Glotiosslongibre
and Wiltshire near to the Keno of the crime will do
all that in them lies to bring the csdprit to *don

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117
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