The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-06-06 00:00:00

Fearful Murder by a Tramp at
Corfe Castle.

THE PRISONER BEFORE THE
MAGISTRATES.

On Friday morning the prisoner, Joseph James Kings-
ford Mies Henry Wright, mai brought up at the Town
Hall, before Rev. K. S. Henke' and Nathaniel Bond,
Req., charged with tha wilful murder of Dennis Riley,
on the 29th of May. _
Mr. P. B. L. Budge, of Poole, appeared for the
prosecution.
The prisoner (whose arrival and deptrture were
eagerly watched by a large crowd who thronged the
approaches to the Town kthll) is a slightly-built man
of -about Mt. ein. or tin. in height, antis about 23 years
of age. lie looks • quid, inoffensive man, and from
his general appearance would be thought incapable of
committing such • brutal crime as the one alleged
against him. He was dressed nire respectably than
the average run of tramps, notwitbstan ling that his
clothes bore a considerable number of patches, and he
had neither collar or necktie. On his forehead were
the man caused by his fall against the well through
being struck by :Smith when in the act el inflicting
another blow on his unto/Wads victim. It has been
ascertained since the bequest that the prisoner's name
Is Joseph James Kingsford, not Henu Wright. This
was discovered by hia writing to his brother at
Rewrote, and informing him that he was in custody
ender an assumed name, and making a statement
smiler to the one reported below, which he gave in a
cool. collected manner, and without the slighted
Midland, and in which he confea-es having committed
the horrible crime. Little Is known of his former life,
but it I. believed that he Ira been leading the life of a
hawker and • singer for more than 20 years. During
the whole of the enquiry the prisoner listenedt7Zl
attentively to the evidence, and appeared little oast-
oared at the charge brought wised him.
Mr. Budge, in opening the oar for the prosecution,
Bald it was his painful duty to appear on behalf of the
Prommution, and be was sore what be felt to appear in
a case of this sort was shared by the Bench In having
snob • crime am this committed in the midst of that
He should not take long in opening the case,
reAcc:see the fade were painully simple. He abould
train the deceased and the prisoner from the time they
first appears.' in this locality, at Wareham, on Saturday
last, and he thought the magistrates would have no
doubt after having beard the evidence that the prisoner
was the men who had committed this fearful crime.
The primmer name was Kingsford; he first gave the
name of Wright, bat it now appeared his oper name
was Joseph Jaime Kings( d. The 'a mann was
Donnie Riley, as it appeared from • pedlar's oertificate
found on his parson, with the description of which he
corresponami. On Saturday last prisoner and deeseeed
arrival in Wareham, and remained at • kriging bones
kept by Mrs. Miller until Monday morning, about
nine o'clock. The next seen of them was at Corte,
where, as would be proved by evidence, they went
through the streets sasheyouring to gain a livelihood
by singing and selling songs about the reaminations
In Ireland and the execution of Cowan Brand. The
first whams he should call would be Robed James
Seymour, who would state he maw the two men in
the afternoon, and board them "luring' together, but
the witness did not know what was the came ot their
diepute. Wittier cautioned and told them the paid
man would be about, and prisoner replied he did not
care anything about the policeman 'there was very
little doubt that deceased was, If not incapable, very
far gone with drink, but there appeared to be no
evidence that prisoner was in that date The next
witness he should call would be Mr. Minn., land-
lord of the Castle Inn, who would state thet he refused
to ripply eithuprisonee or dowered with drink—the
fir.t heroes he had heard they had been noisy in the
street, and the ascend because he had had too much
already. This witness would also tell the Bench that
the dee•a•ed asked him for • glans of water, which was
given him, and, as far a.ersa known, thole were the
hut words ever spoken by the deceased hiare the
frightful crime we. committed. The next witness he
should call would be a carpenter named John Snook.
He WWI at work this afternoon in his chop, when he
heard some Undilleingi Mita% aid west to the door
and there paw primmer and drowsed, and heard the
former gay he would "do for the --- brandioge."
The witness stayed at the door for some II tle time,
and, as he would tell them, he saw the amens id go
and lie down on the grain with hie face towards the
ground and reeling upon hie hands. The prisoner at
this time was some few yards in front, end Snook
wcull I tell them he maw bin, turn round and then run
to some little distance off. and then taks • stone
from the wall—the donee on this want-eine laid at the
top in mortar. He took this clone back to where the
deemed was lying with the hick of his head perfectly
exposed. and, lifting it up, threw it with all hie might
and 011,111 on the pen of as deceased. This took pleas
right opposite the hones of a Mrs. Smith, whose eon
James Smith, was spending the afternoon with he,. As
would tell them, his attention was called by
dressed lying down, aid immediately afterwards he
saw prima. COMO and deliberately three or (mutinies
mash this poor wretched man on ths back of his bead
dtb the dose. He (Smith) at dos /rhea out, and as
direr erhaeordctilthe with his beak towards him he
gave him • whit* sent bloc against the wall., He
then got of im and held hiro until Sark arrived,
and together they took him to ths Pollee-dation. What
haPP•astff dm* Sti• Polkeeergaant would ton them,
but on the way down -prisoner was told lee had
murdered his mate, and he replied "Serve him well be
right( The policeman would also give evidence, and
ke(21L1i0±...t4.1 ask the Bench upon the evidence
be Ow to oommit the prisoner to
i Mk; i78;7111.701. the ran/warder of the man eupposed
to be Hesse Riley it the next Florid A.S_*.S.
Jane Miller I live at Wed Ford, Weeded. I
keep a lodgin ;hors I know the prisoner. kie err
to sey boar about three o'cloek en Saturday after-
noon He was in company with degread. I ems
the body of decreed alter he was dead, and I am
perfeotly certain deemed was wilith
ordeit
.The 7
stayed with All two nightie y, old amid
that time they won very peaceable. They left about