The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-07-01 00:00:00

FORDINGBRIDGE

BRUTAL MURDER.

On Sundayaftemoon the town and neighbourhood
of Fordingbridge was thrown into the greatest ex-
citement, on its becoming known that a young
woman, named Mary Ann Hall, had been found
_murdered in a most brutal oaanner, lying in • muddy
watercourse about half a nide from Fordiugbridge,
near a footpath leading to Midgimin Form The
unfortunate young woman in the only daughter of Mr.
Hall, farmer. She left hums on Sunday morning about
10 o'clock to go to church, sod on her way mot with
her untimely end at the hands of is ruffian, or rather
• Hera It appears that a fellow, named George
Jacob Gilbert, satins Phi'pod, ban lately returned
horn transportation, on a tieket-of.leave. Between
3 and foot o'clock on Sunday he informed his brother
that he had fonnd a young woman lying dead in a
field, and asked him to go to the policeman which
be (the brother) or some boys did. P.C. ItUdaway,
with a number of people, went immediately to the
spot, where they found the body. It appears from
questions put to the prisoner, that be found a parastol
blowing Meat in the wind. lie then went and
searched about, and found the body of the young
woman. The constable observed wino diecrepanmen
in his statements, and, learning from a man named
John Holland, that be saw Gilbert about 11 o'clock
In the morning near the spot where the body was
found, stooping down and rubbing his Monsen with
both his hands, as if cleaning off dirt; and that when
he saw Neiland approaching he went in another
direction, the constable charged him with committing
the crisne. On the poor girl's bosom was found her
Chinch Service, and by her Mkt her hymn book and
handkerchief. It appears front the marks around
;that the poor creature was attacked between two
' stiles, where the watercourse is crossed, and • severe
struggle appears to have Laken place. She matt
have been thrown down e.gainst the bank, with the
intention, it is presumed, to violate her pets a. AU
this took place within 800 yards of her father's
house. The body was then &Awn doom the ditch
through mud and water, for about 140 yards, and
there left. The banks of the ditch is covered with
brambles and bughwood. The body was removed
to her fitt's house, which is on the borders of
Dorset msspicion soon timed upon Gilbert, for
everything seemed to point bin: out as the murderer,
and it was fortunate for bun that the crowd couki
not reach -bins, er they would soon have ended his
miserable eseganoei
On Monday a lemma was held before Mr. Brown,
depery coronse.end-a reepettatils jury. Although she
had to them, 111 life, been perfectly well known yet
now was her fee so swollen and disaloured,- that: her
features were scarcely recognisable. After vewing tlie
body the jury returned to the Greyhound Inn. The
first wither:called Was Mr. Thomas Balks, wargeon. Hs
, sail: on neatly afternoon about four o'clock I was
, exiled* P.C. Rodaway, add eecompsuied him tu the
Held, where I saw the bad; of the deceased- liar heed
, we in the suet, her knees ..Were raised, and her ,egm
, closed. Upon opening AU ?friend the pupils dilded.
and the eyeballs ,eariettulleig; the hands clenched;
1 the head and face were °ore cd with mud.
1 Her mouth was open, and the body bold,
hut not rigid. Some marks were perceptible on the
frost of the throat, but were mostly obeoryd by
dirt Her clothes were much dicarderal and Seamed
with mud and water. The hoed rested re elely beak in the
neck. Her lower garments were shove one, or both
knees. Her stockings and boots wet and they, let I
should thi,ile less completely corered with mud than the
head dress and the other garments. She had not been
. dead more than 7 holm. I have since made • 'pot'
',torrent e'lentlaatloo. I believe the marks I saw of
mumpression sullicient to coon ettringolatise. I fouled
eitreme lividity and oongestion of the features. All
the argue were licdthy, with the exeeption of alighs
rdeistretie adhesion. I believe death resulted partly
from strangulation, ant parly from homeridon in the
water. On examining the throat I found spots of
magulated blood on
.eisik aide, oorreeponding With the
iq external mark* of elknee. With the exception .of a.
theist octet:edam the until Marks of viohtion wen
abeentl-By • juror: The Marks were slight and
might be awed by dragging the body. Could not say
there had been aay Mittesple at violation.- A juror:
Could the defendant have placed herself is the position It
' which you sew her? Witness: Certainly not. A jurw :
I What caused the 'fight excoriation of whieh yob hate
11 'Token ? Witness : It is impossible to may. It was
I a very slight oscuriatioss pf the mocom membrane and
the marks WWII 0 slight tabLey.thers Yes Dng otti
elstracteristio about then. were undoubtedly
1 hash; and I think it right to mention here that, on
, undressing the body, We found portions of grim sod
lierbee gemmed between the thighs. This might
, hate arisen from the body being dregged along. Hr.
Wisher" la Memento) : Wm there no poethility of a
r sow doing it 3-Witness: I sew no reason to suppose is,
1 taking all this circumstances into oonederation. Mr.
, withers! Yoe' •• • . , then, that the body was drawn
by the legs? `.., 4 • : / think se. The Foreman:
I Was ere , • ty of. mud ,n the husk part of
l heret ? • ' ...,' • 'le Tog. The whole ef the under-
sells k wit 7-7' mpookilly the bsk a part. Met
it
11.
John Weiss eridbion: Imo a member of the Royal
Cienege of gorgeous, mil • liesntiote of the Royal
Carlee et l'hysissidnat I smoke at ktinprood. I boos
waisted Me.
the . / fluke morale" in los examtnation of
the boat ofhem heard Mr. isiltil'el
, evidence, nod half vrithUm re to the coedited,'
both Of the external. mull Wad organs, and as to thi '
mom nf Venellt-o-ir-tunnrumerreid. the enuesser or the,
*owe* logl Ike Me eitileettot OM? need 1e01741.. if ,
been Setik,prisissat what they ere.. There is no me,
eiiima of porimaiag skall. tete yiplaties. Om Ari.i•Ann l
is. asgeima Thee may have bemm. violation. although
there 1110 41110 t evidence. at I. Mtme was nothing to
.lesdeste the eentiorr.-41ie Censer, addresing .the
' , mid-Getsgo Jacob °Albert, you are in the
el the poliserl *link- ?rimier: Yes, sit -
'The : Do Ain know the charge against you
' :' Ten, Mr -TIM Coroner: What is 11?--
zer
' ::Tlye. WhlnYel‘rdlikil!derof w' hothme Paligiaollianserte:llldimssecallT.ll4
- The neer: Well, tbe. jury are assemblod here 'tit
inquiri sloths ell* et the, timth,of aup tun, And is
you are charged with the eturder,Yon oes brought up is
ender that you may have as ooptuinudry if trisiltiog any
statement gbh:* you it thusk, proper. , &member,
boonseir, tket whaisysr Mitenient yott'do ones will
be. taken dome in writing. aid MAy'he used against you
at (10.0 henry time. . Ton willtheri fore use your owe
rniad, Whether you milieu stiteiiient ur not.-Ptisoner :
All I :hove te say is that i tikes" nothing about It,
meeptl that Yesterday I found the body lying is. the
lane. Tbe tlprerter : Is that RR Het yeeshays ts Me-
' : Tis; ilk-The 'Garimerd Db. yet whit te
Aga the statement width you have anslllegrinsir?
• No, 81-Th. primal' was thou
arissed a . ' the
came "Iflre'defl that the igleir,. sh lte'ssijoureed
until .ft,., mi elide or elm neni ri fiveastignfieu„-
Ka. Ppassl Oh not xes:dtgflis y shoeld not. at 01109
1 . 01014 that the 'tense I4J evidence to 0060
the prltoiuer Gilbert with the spot. --The Coroner : We
had better leers it. rs umsid te very uftecertems to
the. meeistrates to go on, ...bon we knew that the
Metter I kin their Muds, And in those of the police.-
' Mil• Peieoi• But we .gre milli hire to sonsid.r Who,
090 i, . (Chem wbateense, thlefoisig ledy came to
her deb, and why wa_iboall note* eels inspire who
is the OM pirtjt-The Coroner:. Yoe • will lime an
o nity tit dieing -t.hsfore 'you Ove as; 'Wit*
lift
;in
A e eridersee to be deceit 'Wore the Magiserates
willies brotiglit berries .-41 e. Pereef : Ills not for
roe to Mande the way,-but V the Coroner's Court is
load for a decided porgiseri, Ithialt the thot-turreee
ought be bestirred out. The Cornier : Snit will he.-
H.. Keit (Magistrattlletkl: if jar- AI. intim we
and Mri Stemma,' witless that isi. would bet efetri-
F
........ to the lute 'Hof mettle justice _now to eddies:
the whole of the e fettle 'fifth has been (Alecto& -
l mF. Shoorintehden ' Stinnard : We dell not le Ole to
, complete the mite Wore the next hearing before the
inagistrates,- The Coroner : Then I will adj, urn this
inqusty until tomorrow fortnight, at sloven o'clock in
the ouniting.-Tlis Inquiry was elleurned asserdlngly.

—" ' 4e- c

Mr. Hall, the father of the demised, formeilrlived
at Rock:ourne, and the deceased aim a ditughter by tile
first wife. It is Almost needless to add thot the greatest
sympathy is felt for hiss aua Mrs. Hall in their preeeut
ead. aftiiction.—The spot where the murder was eats
-
witted VIIVI just at the extremity of Mr. Hall's farm.
Hard by there is another path leadirg In the direction
of Bitiket Mill, but it is nevertheless a .very solitary
place. The only woudei is that there were not more
people about the fields on such a fiue morning as that of
Suntlay.—During the whole of Monday. Inquiries Wars.
being actively instituted by Mr. Supt. Sienna:a. Mr.
Superintendent Marlton, of Winiborne was likewise
present, having been sent for on the previous evening.
prisoner is apparently about 35 veep of age, and
the offence for which he suffered transportation Wog a
erimival assault on a female.