The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-08-17 00:00:00

Lroal.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.

WELLf4, MONDAY, AVOWS? 9.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. BOroll WATSON.
John Baker Bakedf was indicted for the wilful
murder of John Bucknell, at Creech Bt. Michael, on the
14th of April. The prisoner was also indicted for the
wilful murder of Betty Buoknell, on the same day, at
the some plea*.
Mr. Coleridge end Mr. Bullet were counsel for the
prosecution • Mr. Kingdon appeared for the prisoner,
The deoeUed, John Buoknell, WRB • farmer and small
Innkeeper, living etc little inu called the Cottage Inn,
in the hamlet of Cooinbe ; end he had a wife, Betsy
Buaknell. They lived together, and they lived alone ;
no one else elept is the house. The prisoner wee their
grandson, and before the year 1857 he had for a con-
inderable time limn living with them. He knew where
the old couple slept, he new their habit+, and he knew
where their money was kept' and lie WAB folly aware of
everything that went on in the hones sa matter of habit.
In 1857 Ito WM absent from the neighbourhood for some
time, and when lie returned, although he continued to
be employad by his grandfather about tho farce, yet lie
did not sleep there, hut slept at his father's cottage,
about half a mile off. The Brat feet WA/ one thet took
place about • week before the murder. He had been
spending a good deal of money in drink, and lied run
his grandfather In debt, and having bought some coals
for lilt grandfather, he got his father to tako thew to the
Inn, as he was afraid to go. A day or two after this he
was in a blacksmith's shop, and he took up a piece of
iron and worked it into & kind of bullet, and put it into
his pocket and carried it away. He wee asked "whet
he wanted it for?" and he said "h. had occasion for
It." On the 12th of April he was in company with a
person named Red, and they had a conversation about
wine rook powder, and the priuner asked Read to give
him some ; Bend asked hitu whet it wee for, an he
said to give to Mies Mora& ohlokene. On the 13th of
Afril, tbe day beituriaAtratursior, tilers were several
persons at the Cottage Inn In the evening, and a WWI
awned Froome wee opew.ing to the old MAU about eel.
ling some pigs, when the old UM/ said, "lie need not be
',raid to sell thew, as he had g4O by him."
Later in the evening Walter Dyer saw the prisoner
going towenla the Cottage Inn, and he sold he was
going to wake an appointment with his grandfather
to go to Bridgwator the nest morning, and
Dyer was efterwards present when the prisoner and the
Miaowed made the arrangement. from that time no
human being inapt the murderer ever mw that old man
alive, The nest fool woe, that about hall.paet Nye
n'eloak In the morning of the 14th persons living In the
neighbourhood heard- A sound as of the Matthew of it
gvii, The sound of the
_gun thine from the dirooloon of
the inn. About 8 o'olook the prisoner's father sailed up
Mr, Morris, end he sow the Romper and his father
lathing together In Ilia mad. When Mr, Morris same
down the prisoner and 111. father WON pat He
walked up &mord', the inn and met the prWnor, and
he mil the prisoner for a polloinnoo. My Morrie pro,
1 01411011 lo the inn, andthere lie found the prloonor'a
' lather, They would nut make ouyono hear I they Bled
the front dr, but it tratkoeltsd, Thegrirled the dun!
of the elder, el, that wee reoloned. ay Moth Orlon
to gel Into tie ow lor I the doer wee pot solemn! I bill
agNi there was 110111111 ling inel It Ineldoi SO Shot ON/
mold not push it open, y were hi awn trouble how
ha let tide halite, W NI they taw a Illtle smoke
rill g I mug i the lileso 'hey IlifitiOhl 111: tin" 1111
BR re and !111 II was eeeereerlio roil . • I wage,
The hrhillall • father then pow the lor too
em
tra
throve Is is head, when he ei aline , " 0
wre Is grandfather 1110.011,14 11114 barniollo ley
4 ilk ilui Ilket deur of the eider bailee oPollo . Nl 011ie
httis
itt
I 1 le the lip nor I:Finned, but lie 410 Rut go In buy Ine
• if'nooli 01 VI 1110 011 MIN roof tor a olio II ,
FlottiPa 41114 trouPV:rili"aasittinti: r., V,
. wee Anil opted'. n Ills Fleur w lit se r, 7
el'lt: lislA :,11,1,1101:71.11,11:', '
1 . . ~,,, Sian, ~,i «, I ,
stymy en obkleh te was Ono "fit en 74 9/9 PI
'Mid MO
;iii ila wee o sly set e , ut the
MMUS wen sin . The lire Vat VI thil I
.prlo
aeltiri The p y wit
tlmine4lakiti
plilltletaloll mil
111111li 111 i In hie e nm, Mr, Mo i nn anon.
rrine I Mikel went op she re, and lo liill ,;ef 11/4
Le Lwer ad tralialll, woo I A louse ea p olg I i
t thou was linitien In, Ito I rot wee e, he? arise
,wwil 1501,1 lior late were Ind, aist.two or his knuckle
I wills Ole hen V/Off Welles Tlie butes orate ralt•
I Mend. sod the Ingo were Iring gait Om roool, owl
inr ;Pi eilf/ eptworeose the wardens, harts(
en e o with wine or theireoperty, Nome tileartlettlllll
pawl other arthies of or oil will lett. loos
.fitl7
bildod the door of a hot parlour, a pa, wUtk h 4

boon meetly dlaoharpd, was found. In h short this
Mr. !load KIN, the 111,4111ifhle, 11111Ved, ad put thlup
In a prove train fur Inveethistlun. The Jury found the
prisoner Gully, ond the learned Judo mend 'enthuse
a dueTh upou haw. The day uf 'awaken Is alresdy
deed.

CROWN COURT, WRDMISDAY,
(Wm lllf. &fon WATIIOI4,)
THII MAILIIIIA CMILD NUMMI,

BlisabeiA Card vtu indicted for the wilful murder of
her son, Jewel Caird, it Nallsea on the 97th of July.
She ideputed not guilty.
Mr. H. T. Cole prowoutod, and at the request of the
learnad juilp, Mr. Pritleaux watched the case on behalf
of the prisoner.
Mr. Prhismul, in a pathetic address to the jury, urged
that at the time of Mile unhappy tranisation the atate of
mind of the prisoner wee such MI to render her not n•
si,onsible for her ante, and oonstquently Galled Mr.
Nialiolle, the Inman who had attended the prisoner since
her eounnittid, who swanned this view I and the jury,
after retiring to oonahler their verdict, acquittal the
prisonsr on the ground of insanity. The learned judge
direotod her to be detained during Her Majesty's
plpeuro.