The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-07-15 00:00:00

DREADFtrL MURDER OF DR.
PUCKETT,_ AND SHOCKING
MUTILATION OR THE BODY.

,44wlif

I The inhabitants of Weymouth, Dorchester, and
intervening villages were on Tuesday evening thrown
into a state of great excitement, in oonsequence of
the (Areal/dim, of a report that Dr. Puckett, a medical
man who has for many years resided at Broadway,
had been murdered by a mailman at Preston, and
that the body had bcon mutilated inri most shocking
manner. The report unfortunately turned out to be
too true. It appears that 'notorious poacher named
John Om, residing with his father and mother at
Preeton, about three miles from Weymouth,
was about a fortnight ago seized with a fit,
and that it required four powerful men to prevent'
his doing injury to himself. Since that time he has
had the bmin fever, aud during the last few days
has manifested unmistakable signs of insanity.
Dr. Puckett, who attended him' was told by Oox on
Sunday when ha visited him, that if he ever came
there again he would murder him, a threat which
the darter took little or no notice oL On Tuesday
morning cox became exceedingly violent, threaten-
ing to kill his aged father and mother, who became
so alarmed that they quitted the house, and sent for
the deceased to make arrangements for their sen's
admission to Forston Lunatic Asylum. Accordingly
in the afternoon Dr. Puckett, and Mr. White, reliev-
ing oilicer, walked over to Preston. On arriving
there they saw the parents of the madman, and from
the statements they made, it was deemed advisable'
to remove bids Won& to the Union, previous to the
neieessai Merl being taken for his removal to an
asyliia • Mr. theiefore proceeded ho the-
Inn to procure a conveyance, while Dr.
Pickett, against the solicitations of the father,
won't Wide to the house 'where the maaman re.
What took place between them after
the Adder entered the house is not known, but
some women and children outside soon saw him
rush out with a pair of tongs, which he bad
evidently seized in selt i defence, n one hand, while
with the other he held the door to prevent the mad-
mart following' him. Cox was then seen to dash at
the window, but was prevented getting out on
account of the iron bars which were fixed in the
window frame. The madman then rushed up-stairs,
seized the, leg of a bedstead and • handsaw, forced
the door open, and struck the doctor a violent blow
over the right temple as he was endeavouring to
escape, and broke in his skull. Just as this was done
the madman's father opened the garden gate, when
the son told him if he did not "hook it" he
would serve him in a similar manner. The madman
then immediately sawed off the doctor's head, which
.be threw with such force over the garden wall into
the middle of the road that it oiled into the oppo-
site ditch He then sawed off the right hand, which
he also threw into the road, and next sawed off the
right foot close to the top of the buttoned boot the
doctor wore. Having completed his work of savage
butchery, the madman took his clothes, which he
put Oil ea he passed through the street, and the leg
of the bedstead with which he knocked the doctor

•
down, and pr xteeded alert.* e road. By this time
the whole village was in a oomplete uproar, and
several, parties agmlbuostrimit of him. Be had,
itopeeer, getme fieatiVirEletigh Inn, at Osmington,
. before he was overtakitn.,„ At this plane a wedding
p*ty. happened to tome slang in a oart, when a
-sailor, who • formed' ono—Mt thlrbuinher, seeing ,that
Got had the leg of a ,bedollosd in his hand onVored.
with blood, and that several ivere in hot,pursiiit,
jumped out of the cart inittloroceeded to stop him.
The madman aimed a kcovere plow at the sailor's
head, which however he ospipaty rushing at him
And !Piling him at onoo. Ho wasliecordingly handed
overlie) the police who,-instelul coriveseteg%ini to
the, Union Workhouse as had been intended,
had him conveyed to theeiXtrololliter County. Shoe
Station for the night. As the policeman drove otirttll"
him, the madman en dea vou redto raiee a cheer from tho
bystander, by singing out "hip; hip, hip, hurrah !"
—en attempt we needseareelyaarWalub
successful. When apprehended, cox told the icon,
stable' that there were two..looft he wanted to
murder, and he would be sa4aoed ; those wore his
old another, and the blaokemith residing in the
village.

- On Widoeixlai John Cox was charged before H.
Williams, Esq., with ilia wilful murder of Dr.
Puckett, on the previous day at Preston. He was
remanded.