The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-11-24 00:00:00

A SHOCKING MURDER.

Late on Saturday evening Ind Information that a supposed
murder had been committed at the vlll*ge of Carlton mu
niCei•ell by the police anthorttlits at Nottingham. The in-
ve,tigation which was immediately made disclosad toe fol-
lowing facts:—

The victim of the outrage wee Mr. Raynor, living
in Nottingham, and well known in the town The
supposed murderer is a man named .TohnSVattion, cot•
tager, living at Carlton. It would appear that during
the past summer Raynor lived for some time in a cottage
in the village. The house in which he resided was a
double one, half of which wart occupied by Watson
with his wife and child. Ever since Raynor went
to the house he had suffered considerable annoyance
from his neighbour Watson, owing to a dispute be-
tween them regarding the ownership of tome produce
of the garden. ()wing to the continuance of the
quarrel Rre nor left Carlton and went to live at Not-
tingham, but his tenancy had not expired at the time
of this horrible affair. Raynor had gone over to :
Carlton from time to time, and had cause to'suspect
that Watson used part of his premises where there
was a boiler, which might be used for boiling potatoes
for pigs. On Saturday afternoon, at shout four
o'clock, Raynor left his home at Nottingham for
the purpose of proceeding to his hduse at
Carlton, and took with him some tools and nails
to fasten up the outhouse, lie was men at Carlton
at about six o'clock in his modal state of health. Shortly
before eight o'clock a young man named Stephens, who
is in the employ cf the Midland Railway Company at
Carlton Station, saw something on the tlown line about
sixty yards from where he was then standing. lie at once
proceeded to the spot and found the body of a man with
his head lying upon the rail. The body was hidden
from view by a truck which dated near the siding.
With his light Stephens saw that the man was quite
dead, and at once proceeded to give information to
Police-constable Luck, who is stationed in the village.
On the arrival of that constable he identified the body
as that of Mr. Raynor, of Nottingham, whom he had
previously known. It may be here stated that at
five minutes to seven o'clock several of the work-
men ,f the railway company passed the spot wire
the body was found, without their attention being
attracted to it, if at that time it was lying there. The
body was removed to an inn, at Carlton, where the
pockets of tleceseed were searched; but only •
few halfpence were found, his wit it and chain,
together with his hat (which was a white one) being
missing. There were two marks on the body—one on
the right temple, and the other on the left ear, which
resembled thaw, which would be inflicted by a poker
or other heavy blunt instrument. Police-constable
Luck then sent for Superintendent Palethorpe at
Nottingham, who, accompanied by Inspector Fisher
and several constables, made a minute examination
of the spot where the body bad been found, the re-
sult of which was the spprehension of Watson, who
was taken to the county police-station, at Notting-
ham, where he was duly charged and cautioned' but
tho prisoner =de no stotomoni.