The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-06-04 00:00:00

THE DENHAM MURDERS.
ADJOURNED EXAMINATION OF THE
PRISONER.
AYLESBURY, Tuesday.

John Jones, alias John Jenkins, alias Reynolds, alias
Owen, who at.ide charged with the wilful murders of the
Marshall family at Denham, underwent a further examina-
tion this morning in the County Gaol, Aylesbury. On
Tuesday last, it will be remembered Jones was taken before
the magistrates at Slough, and after the examination of
several witnesses, he was remanded to Aylesbury Gaol till
to-day. During the examination the populace, who congre-
gated outside the court, expressed the utmost indignation
against the prisoner, and threatened that if they could get
the opportunity, they would lynch him. The police,
having already experienced great difficulty the night
before in preserving the safety of the prisoner, waited
many hours in the hope that the people would disperse.
They however, increased in number arid grew loud and furious
in threats. Something like an opportunity, however, offered
Itself to get the prisoner to the train, and the police seizing
It succeeded in getting their charge down as tar as the station.
Here the crowd forced the doors open, and but for the ready
ruse of the police and the railway authorities Jones would
not have reached Aylesbury without feeling as well as seeing
the indignation of the people. Ultimately the man was got
elf in a carriage 01 ,06 of the trains and lodged safely in
Aylesbury Gaol. Once there It was deemed advisable not to
remove him, and hence the examination in the gaol to-day.
The prisoner was brought into the magistrates' room in the
County Prison in the custody of two officers. He had in his
hand a roll of foolscap paper, which is said to be a written
' statement. The depositions were then read, during the
reading of which the prisoner appeared to pay marked at-
' tention, hot exhibited no signs whatever of emotion.
After a few observations by the Chairman,
Superintendent Dunham added to the evidence which he
gave lest week—When examining the body of Emanuel
Marshall I found both of his trousers pockets turned inside
out. 1 also examined the bottoms of his stockings, and I
found them quite clean, which proved that he had not
walked across the shop without his shoes
• .

The Niagistrate (to the prisoner): Now, John Jones, do
you wish to ask this witness any question?
The Prisoner (in a husky tone of voice) No, sir.
The depositions of the man Coombs were then read, after
which the prisoner, addressing the witness, said—
How long did it take you to walk from the turnpike gate
to the lodging house?
Witness: About ten minutes:

Magistrate: Any more questions?
Prisoner No, sir. I don't know of any other questions.
I can only say that Just as I passed through the turnpike It
was ball-past five, so that it must have been six before I got
to the house, for I walked very slow.
Witness (to prisoner): Well, John, I could not tell exactly
what time it was.
Henry Salter was then Called, and deposed: I am a car-
man. I WU driving from Acton to Uxbridge In Middle-
sex on Saturday, the Slat of May, and I picked up the
prisoner near Hartwell-gate. He overtook me, and asked me
to give him a ride to Uxbridge. After begot up he said that
he had not any money. I set him down at the Green Man,
Uxbridge, at ten minutes to six in the evening. lie rode about
six miles with me. The prisoner said that he had not any motley
about him, hulks should have some ruoney,and that he had a
brother residing near Uxbridge who had got some money, and
he the prisoner) would have some of it. 1 asked his brothees
name and where he lived, and he made a laugh, and said,
" That to a question? I don't answer that. Ile said, "I shall
not go and see my brother WI after dark." lie then said he
had been roving about the country, and that he had spent a
lot of money in his thne. Another man got up after the pri-
soner had ridden about two miles, and then he spoke chiefly
to him. _

Do you know who he was 2—Yea
Did you put him down at the same place 2—Yes.
What is the name of the other men I—Sidney.
Did the prisoner tell you he had ever been out of the
country 2—No, sM.
Clerk (to the witness) : Should you know the man
again
Witness: lies. (Witness looked round but could not gay
for some time;.
The Prisoner, smiling: Look again and see whether I am
the

man
Witneea (looking at him): Ye', you nee the man. Are you
cit

-- •
Prisoner : Of course I am.

it—ne-e's. iiier.e'cre—scsch;eale man, and how he was dressed,
which corresponded in every particular to that already de-
scribed. . .

Charles Trevener, the poliewconstable who saw the pri-
soner at three o'clock In the morning, and who directed him
on hie way to oxford, repeated the evidence he gave before
the magistrates last week.
The clothes which the prisoner !elf in the cottage were
produced, as were also the three hammers, the broken poker.
and the axe, which were found covered with blood.
As the witness held up the different implements to show
the magistrates, the prisoner looked on with something like
an expression of feeling, but without the movement of a
single muscle indicative of emotion.
Mr. Moore, one of the magistrates :to witness' : Is the
handle of that hammer the usual length—it looks to me very
short.

—Witness : Yes, sir, it Is a sledge hammer, and I have often
seen the deceased using it.
Superintendent Dunham I have frequently seen Marshall
working with it. He could not afford to keep a man, so that
he no doubt shortened the handle in orderthat he might use
it himself, lie was a very hard-working, industrious man.
In answer to a question from the bench,
The witness Trevener said that the road he directed the
prisoner would not have taken him past Marshall's house.
Mrs. Simpson, who met a man whose description cor-
responded with that of the prisoner, close to the scene
of the murder, early on the Sunday morning, was then
examined. Her evidence was fully reported at the time of
the Inquest. Being asked to look round the room and
see if the man whom she had seen was in the court, she
remarked, "I should know him by his side face and
whiskers." She then scanned the faces of several persons
in the room, and before her eyes rested on the prisoner
she pointed to the representative of a local paper, and said,
" Ills whiskers were like that man's." She was then asked
to make a more careful scrutiny, and having done so she at
once pointed to the misery:, and said, "Thai's like the
man, but I shouldn't like to swear to him..
Prisoner (referring to statements of detail in the evi-
dence of the witness) : Did I say I knocked a man down?
Witness: You dbl.
Prisoner : No, I did not.
Witness Yon said there was another man there.
, Prlioner : I said there was three other men there.
Witness : Not tome,
Prisoner You did. Remember my life depends upon this.
Mind, I might have said it, and you not hear me.
Witness: I don't think so. You said also when you knocked
the man down that his wife laughed.
Prisoner I never knocked the man down. Didn't I say
there was two other women there besides the little lad who
was standing by?
Witness: No.
Prisoner : Well, it don't matter.
Witness: It does matter, because m telling nothing but
the truth.

Yes, you are.
Dr. Ferris was then examined, and repeated the evidence
which he gave before the coroner at the adjounied inquest
on Friday. xr

- -
John Smith, examined: I am a coal dealer, and live at the
Denham l'urmoke. That is about a rade from Marshall's
house. 317 house is between Deihain and abridge.
on Sunday morning, the 2.1i,d of May, at a little before
eight o'clock, I was sitting at the side of the road,
minding my horse. The prisoner came up and pulled
a purse out of his pocket. lie said he had been to see
his brother, who was to let him up in business. He
added that his brother had given him £2O, and that his
sister had presented him with a watch, telling him at the
same time that he was to take care of it, and not sell it. He
said he would sell it as soon as he could, and spend the
money. lie then told me that the day before he had not
the price of his bed. Ile showed me a watch and chain
like those produced. There was a locket on the chain. It
was ten minutes to eight by the watch. The prisoner
said, " I cannot tell the time now that I have it." He
asked me to give him £2 for the watch and chain. I re-
hind, and told him I had enough of watches. He then
wanted me to go to Uxbridge and drink with him. He said
he had plenty of money. Be pulled out a purse, and it
seemed to be full. Ile told me he had £l9 19s. 9d. He pulled
a Is. piece and 3d. out of his waistcoat pocket. I did not see
any gold in his possession. I was talking to him ten minutes.
Ile went to Uxbridge, and I returned home. Ile did not
tell me where his brother and sister lived.
Clerk to prisoner): Have yott any questions to ask this
witness ?

Prisoner: No, sir.
Clerk to witness t DM you notice the prisoner's clothing?
Witness: I did, sir. Ilis boots were cracked at the sides,
nil he bad on a grey waistcoat and grey coat.

_
Margaret Lyons My husband's name is Martin Lyons.
Ile keeps a second-hand clothes shop in I'oleo-street, Reading.
I bought the dark coat and light waistcoat produced from
the prisoner on Tuesday, the 24th May, about three o'clock
in the afternoon. The prisoner came into my shop, in corn-
pimp with another man, who is a witness here. The prisoner
was wearing the coat, and the other man had the
waistcoat under his coat. The prisoner said, "I want a
slop." 1 sob?! had not any; and he then asked me to
buy the coat and waistcoat for ?fa I told him I could not
give that ; but that I would give 4s. Ile said, "Give me
another ;" and! gave him 45. 61. He took the coat off,
and the other man handed me the waistcoat. I gave the 4s.
6d. to the prisoner. They left the shop together. I asked
prisoner his name, and he replied, "John Groves, from
Uxbridge." About an hour afterwards Superintendent
Dunham called, and I gave him the clothes.
The prisoner, in reply to the clerk, said he had no question
to put to the witness.
Harriet Willis, an eccentric-looking old woman, being next
examined, said lam a widow. I work at the Oxford Arms,
driver-street, Reading. On Tuesday a man came in, and
holding up a key laid, "Who owns this?" No one answered.
The Clerk : Should you know the man?
INitness Yes, sir.
Clerk—Look around the room and see if he is here.
The witness turned round, and on seeing the prisoner said,
"flat's he—l sees him fast enough."
James Jervis : I am one of the s uperintendents of the Back
police. I produce the key sworn to by the last witness. On
Sunday last I tried it In the lock on the door of the front
room of Marshall's house, and found that It fitted exactly.
Mary Anne Sparks, sister to Mrs. Marshall, identified
the coat sold by the prisoner to Mrs. Lyons as belonging to
the murdered man. She also identified a pair of black striped
trousers and a black silk necktie, which the prisoner wore
at the time of his arrest, as Marshall'. property, and she
recognised a white handled knife found in one of the pri-
soner's pockets as having been in Marshall's possession.
She said that the pistol found with the prisoner was like one
which Marshall had, but she would not swear to it. She also
declined to swear to the watch and chain as Mary Anne
Marshall's, although she had a strong impression that the
chain was the same. The shirt worn by the prisoner when
arrested was like some which she assisted to make for
Marshall. . . .

Ellza Spnoner, sister to Marshall, Identlged the chain ae
Mary Ant! Marslup's, but she declined to swear to the watch.

She inlded that when 'she last saw her sister wearing the chain
there was a gold locket attached to It. She did not remem-
ber ever to have seen the prisoner.
Beach: Did not a brother of you.' go to Australia some
ears ago?
Witness: Yes.
Bench : Is there any resemblance between him and the
?
~teP
Alper
taller

Ye.!

prfs-o.per •

iiitnees : Not any.
Superintendent Dunham : I believe your brother Is a much
Iler and thinner man than the prisoner?
Vitness lie Is.

iaWeS-We5t.0..1;,-assistant to Mr. Butcher, pawnbroker, at
Uxbridge, proved the pledging of the watch and chain by the
prisoner on Tuesday, the 24th of May, for 15s.
The evidence being completed,
The Clerk formally asked the prisoner if he had anything
to say In reply to the charge of haring murdered Marshall
and his family.
The prisoner calmly answered: Not a word sir. Atidre,ing
the Bench, after a snort pause, be maid : Gentlemen, can't I
claim the A. bd. that was took from me.

The Bench did not take notice of the request, and the pri-
soner was then committed to take Ili. trial for the murder of
the seven persons.

The prisoner employed himself all day on Monday In writing
out what he called a statement ,if facts, which were to the
effect that he himself was entirely Innocent of the murder,
but that he knew alio had committed it. He describes the
murderer minutely even to the clothing worn by him, and
admits that he accepted bOs. and the clothes which he wore
when arrested not to betray the perpetrator of the crime.

The morbid desire to possess some memento of the
horrible crime has, it appears, shown itself very proud.
nently among the visitors to the cottage of the mur-
dered family at Denham. A fir-tree has been nearly
stripped, and many loose articles abstracted in spite of
the precautions of the police. On Sunday the scene of
the murder was visited by great numbers of people.
'Busses and pleastire.vans from different parts of the
metropolis, with the announcement, printed in large
letters, "To Uxbridge, to Denham" pasted on them
in the most conspicuous parts, found plenty of passen-
gers. Waggonettes, pony-chaises, and traps of all
sizes and shapes made the road in some places inn
paesable ; in fact, near the scene of the murder the
few police had the greatest difficulty in keeping the
numerous conveyances moving. Bicycle-riders to the
number of perhaps fifty, managed to find their way to
the spot.

The Rev. C. Joyce, curate of Denham, delivered a
touching sermon in the old church onthe subject, taking
for his text v. 9, xii. chap. of the bookof Deuteronomy,
"For ye are not," &c. He mentioned that only the
last Sunday a member of the murdered family was
asked for a third time in that church; how little the
congregation then knew that the one, the called, was
numbered with the dead; how on the morning the bells
which were to have pealed merrily rang a funeral
knell ; the doors which were open to receive a bride
received instead a corpse! During the whole of the
sermon scarcely a dry eye could be seen, everyone pre-
sent being deeply overcome by the excellent sermon
delivered.

It may be remembered that Mary Ann Marshall,
who was among the victims of the Denham murderer,
was engaged to be married; indeed, the wedding-day
had been fixed for Tuesday, the 17th instant. The
banns of marriage had been read twice, and on Sunday,
the 15th, that is, on the very day of the murder, they
were read "for the third and last time "—the young
woman lying dead in her brother's house while the
clergyman was proclaiming her name. Old legends tell
of betrothals with a corpse; but, surely, never before
was the intruded marriage of a living man and a dead
woman proclaimed solemnly in the face of a congrega-
tion ! Of course the usual formulas were r ,ad : the
ininieter asked anybody who knew of " rauhe or just
inlooliment " to conic forward and declare it. A
terrible impediment there was ; but the only man who
knew of it, though actually still in the neighbourhood,
was certain to "hold his peace."