The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-05-17 00:00:00

CONFESSION OF MURDER.

in London on the 9th inst.yat the Lambeth Police-
court, Sohn Bolton, 22, a conNTht, was charged on his
own confession with the niurde2r of William Ilcury
Day on the 18th December at Portland -street,
Walworthe Mr. Barnard Thomas, from the deice of
the Solicitorsfothe Treasury, prosecuted'; the prisoner
was undefeagett Shortly after twel-te o'clock the
prisoner, attired' in the convict dress, with handcuffs
on, was brought t 4 the court from Pentonvillo Prisoa.
in a cab.

William Wigley,. living at Smyrk's-roa4 carman,.
said that on the 18th December last he sa‘,,r the.
deceased in South-street. Walworth, with a -nn.-
man took a parcel from the van, and afterwards.
threw it away. Witnesz told the deceased, ad he'
ran after the man, and they had a struggle. He cord&
not say positively the prisoner was the man.

Henry Cooley, South-street, Camberwell, labourer,'.
said on December 18 he VMS in Smyth-street when he•
heard a call of " Murder ! " several times. He heard;
someone call out, "For God's sake come; I am being'
murdered ! " A few minutes afterwards witness saw a
young man come out of a shed and run away. When
he heard the cries he did not think it was anything
serious. He afterwards saw the deceased brought out
of the shed.

Dr. Costerton,lla-street, Walworth, said the de-
ceased was brought to the surgery, and upon exami-
nation witness found two wounds on either side of the
abdomen, the largest being on the right side. Finding
the condition the deceased was in he directed the
removal of deceased to the hospital.

Dr. Dandy said he saw the deceased when brought
into the hospital. He was in a partial state of col-
lapse. 'Witness examined him, and found severe
wounds on each side of the abdomen. The wounds
were clean cut. The knife produced would have
caused the wounds, but considerable violence must
have been used. Deceased was told he was in a
dangerous condition, and he signed a statement which
he had made to the police. Witness made a post
mortem, and found that the wounds caused death.
Inspector Hunt, of the Criminal Investigation
Department, stated that the deceased signed a state-
ment with regard to the alleged stabbing, giving a
description of the attack made upon him by a man.
A reward had been offered. On the 23rd April, in
company with Inspector Roots, he went to Pentonville
Prison,, and asked the prisoner if he knew him. He
gam be dm", hoicmghig nc.rter-street Witness
cautioned him that what he said might be used in
evidence against him, and asked if he still adhered to
the statement he had made to the governor of the
gaol. liesaid he did, and witness wrote down that
statement and read it over to him, and he signed it.
Witness also read over to him the statement made by
the deceased, and he said, "It's all right; but I don't
remember going into a public-house.' That was the
only thing he objected to with regard to Day's state-
ment.. Witness produced three pocket knives, and
the prisoner picked out one which he said was the
knife he had stabbed the deceased with. That knife
was found upon the prisoner when he was charged at
this court upon a charge of felony and sent to the
sessions for trial.

-------
Mr. Chance: Do you wish to say anything with
regard to the evidence? Prisoner: No; it's all
correct.

Sergeant Tones proved taking the prisoner into
custody upon a charge of felony in February. The
knife produced he could not swear to, but a knife
was found on the prisoner. The prisoner here rose
from his seat, and shook hifist at the witness, and
said, "I only wish it had been you instead of Day."

The Chief Warder at Pentenville Prison said the
prisoner had remarked. that he could not sleep, as he
had committed a murder; and: he afterwards made a
confession.

Inspector Hunt produced: the following copy of the
confession made' by the prisoner:. -" I, John Bolton,
a convict undergoing penal servitude, having been
duly cautioned by Inspector Mint (whom I know)
that all I say will be used in evidence against me, do
solemnly declare that onthe 18th of December last,
about a quarter past four otcloek, I was in South
street, Walworth, where T saw a, van containing
parcels, one of which I took, out and' ran away with
it. The man who was driving the-van-ran after me
through several streets, and, findingl could not get
away, I ran into a coal shed; and. hid in a water-
closet, where the man found me and caught me by the
throat. We had a struggle; abd finding I could not
get away, I took out my knife and.stabbed him two
or three times-in the stomach. He. then, let go, and
I ran away. The knife I did it with Rf the one
produced, and taken from me when. I was- taken for
the offence-lam now convicted. I never told any-
one I did it' until the 12th, of last, month, when I
wrote the particulars on a.slate. I didnot intend to
kill the man., I did notimow the man, but I after-
wards saw it was Day in the bill offering,the reward.
I make this-confession well knowing the consequence;
but I wish to be brought to. judgment, because I can-
not rest with it on my mind. It has- troubled me
ever since, and Pcannot sleep at. night,—(Signed)
JOHN BoLTON',"
Mr. Thomas -said that was all the evidence.
Mr. Chanee, addressing the prisoner, said: You
v o,ln
now say. anything in defence if,you mish, but you can
reserve your-defence.
Prisoner: No; I have got-nothing-to.say. Its all
right what's-been said.
The prisoner was then fully. oommitted to. take his
trial at the next session of' the Central Criminal
Court.