The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-11-29 00:00:00

THE A.SHOOhiBE MURDER.

On Wedassday lest the Spaniard Servile Man-
Wile who ie in custody for the brutal murder at
Asbernbe, was brought up for further examination
before the following magistrates at Hindon :—R.
Waves. Eaq..Lord Rivers, the Hos Mr. Arundel,
C. Penrudrlocb' John Locke, John Davis, jun.,,
3. Du- Bonley, Henry Denby Seymour,
M.P., Alfred Seymour, T. Fraser Grove, and
Mannaduke Jeffenes, Eaqrs. The serious hall
was barged by a large crowd of persons, and the
greater interest appears to bare been excited in the
whole neighbourhood round by this brutal and cause-
less murder. Before the doors were opened for the
general public some lb or 16 persons. the Prisoner
amongst them, where ranged in a semicircle, and
eight fresh witnesses were to speak to having seen
the prisoner in the neighbourhood shortly before the
murder, where brought in to see if they could pick
him out from the men in court. As, however,
photographs of the prisoner had been distributed
about, the value of this evidence may be open to ques-
tion. The first witness introduced was a girl named
Emma Cole, who looked twice round the circle with-
out allowing her eye to fall on the • r • and
then, turning round to the obee'rved,
" He is not here." At length she went to the
prisoner, mid seized him by the button saying
" This is the man." She then told the magist;ates be
was not there. The xhainuan asked her what she
had said to the man She replied, "I told him I
thought it was him."
Charlotte Target was next introduced. She
gazed round quietly for some minutes, and then,
going up to the prisoner, said " This ts the man."
The prisoner shuddered.
Mr. Compton was now introduced. He walked
up straight to the accused and said " This, lithe
.uamo—Beejamin Symes and Mr. Blundell
licked him out, and said they believed him to be the
man.-IJriah Harrison went up to him at once ; and
Cox, and Josiah Penny also identified him.
The prisoner is • slight made man, with sallow
bee and rather sad look. He wears a small mon-
stadia but he was poorly habited in fustian, with a
blue neckerchief, and black Jim Crow.
The Bench were kept waiting a considerable time
for a Spanish interpreter, who had been Promised by
the Home Office. Mr. George Chitty attended for
the accused, instructed—on behalf of the Spanish
Cansutate- -by Mr. W. R. Street, Chancellor of the
Constitute, who, in the absence of the Government
=ref, communiorad the evidence to the ac-
Prior to the examination, Mr. Chitty asked for
an interview with the prisoner in the presence of
Mr. Street; and after being absent from the court
nearly an hour, he returned and said that the com-
munications made by the prisoner led him to think
that if tune were allowed the prisoner hi woad be
able to prove circumstances that would clear him
and throw the suspicion on others. The magistrates
decided on proceeding with the tees as far as they
could, and the depositions taken at the previous
examination wee then promeded with.
George Trowbridge cross-examined by Mr.
Chitty; On the day my who was murdered I was at

work at Ashcombe with two men. Before I left
home my wife broakfasted with me. 1 can't say
what time the men came for me. I usually go home
to dinner about 12. I tried the door when I re-
turned to dinner, but it was locked. I had no diffi-
culty in getting in at the window. It was rather
more difficult for me to get in the second time. I
tried to do so. My wife was sitting down. I tried
whether there was any life in her. Mr. Chitty:
Did you try to kiss her ?—Witness: No.—Did you
go down on your knees?
The Chairman: What is the object of such a ques-
tion. It is a very trying one.
Mr. Chitty: It you think I ought not to put it, I
won't.

The chairman: Lthink it ought not to be put.
Witness said he saw the saw and took it up, and
bang it in its usual place, not thinking the murder
had been done with it. He found the potatoes pared
for dinner and in the pot, and he got home to dinner
about a quarter to one. Had been down to Lyd.
lynch to see a jacket since the last examination.
Did not know that a woman had been near his house
on the day of the murder. Went to Wareham to
identify a waistcoat that was his. Was shown a
waistcoat at Lydlinch, but could not swear to that.
Went to Hythe, where he found the things he had
sworn to.

Dr. Chettle cross-examined: Did not consider
there had been a conflict between the deceased and
her murderer. There was a chair in the room
smeared with blood. Two or three of the blows on
the left side of the head were, either of them, suffi-
cient to came death.

Mr. Foot, surgeon, of Lndwell, was sent for to the
house a little before three. When I went in Trow-
bridge had the woman between his knees with the
head covered over with a handkerchief. I told him
to lay her down, but he raid she was quite dead, and
I found she had received severe and fatal injuries.
I was shown the blade of a razor, and then noticed
particularly the nature of the wounds. The first
wound I thought that had been made was a super-
ficial wound on the upper part of the chin. I next
noticed an incised wound on the left hand two
inches in length, another on the knuckle of a finger,
completely dividing the cartilage, and on the second
finger of the right hand I noticed that the nail had
been divided by some sharp instrument. There was
another extensive wound dividing the right ear and
the muscles of the cheek to the nom. The scalp
wounds were of a different character, apparently
having been caused by some instrument that did
not cut so well. On probing one of the scalp wounds
I found that the cranium had been fractured to the
extent of four inches. Another scalp wound pene-
trated the skull three inches, and another to such an
extent that the brain was quite visible through the
aperture. The scalp wounds I think were made by
a mw. There was • contused wound on the jaw,
the gem lacerated and a tooth knocked out. This,
with the laceration of the muscles of the face, might
have knocked her down and rendered her insensible.
Death might have been produced by violent concur.
mon of the brain. She did not appear to have been
dead more than three or four hours; there was no
rigidity, nor had the blood congealed; the face and
hands were not quite cold.
Drees-examined: I had • watch, but don't think
it went that day. (Laughter.) The door of the
room was very bloody. I -have no doubt the scuffle
began in the dwelling, and that she retreated to the
door.

The depositions of Caroline Parsons were then
read. In cross-examination she said she could not
say how prisoner was dressed, or whether he had a
bundle with him; all she knew him by was his face;
he was a pleasant looking man. (Laughter.) Saw
him about 12 o'clock on the Monday proceeding the
murder.

Jane Gurd sworn: On the 3rd Nov. I was at
Ashcombe at 9 in the morning, knitting with Mrs.
Parsons. Heard some one cry out, and went with
her to Tmwbridge's house. She did not appear to
have been dead long. She was lying with her feet
to the fire.

The deposition. of George Reny, John Brydon,
John Abbott, and Ann Stingtoore were then read
over.

John Saint: I live at Doles Ash, Piddletrenthide,
near Dorchester (26 miles from Ashoombe.) Look-
ing at the prisoner, witness said: he hasn't got on
the same clothes, that I've seen him before—on the
4th November, At Doles Ash, at • carpenter's shop.
It was about 12 o'clock mid-day. He had a fustian
waistcoat for sale. I gave him 2s. for it. I carried
it home and my daughter washed it. It was wet,
and he said he had laid upon it all night. We
couldn't understand what he said. He spoke on his
fingers, but we understood from signs that he laid
upon it all night. He offered • ooat, which had all
the buttons out of it. He wanted 10s. for it, lifting
up his fingers to signify as much. The hat of Trow-
bridge was held up, and witness said that was the
sort of hat he had on. It was raining very hard, and
the man was very wet.
Hobert Cheeserruin, P.C. 23:1 received this waist-
coat from the last witness.

Trowbridge recalled : That is my waistcoat—taken
out of my house on the day of the Murder—it has
been washed since.
John Jefferies, Orchard, Church Knowle, Corte
Castle: I saw the prisoner on the Monday after the
murder, about four o'clock in the afternoon at Mr.
Hatherley's clay pits. Some one asked him if be
would " Wave beer,' and he replied, "me no save
beer, me save sherry, wine, and brandy." He then
held up a bundle (blue with white spots) containing
a blue coat without buttons; he offered it for salo—
ons sovereign and ten shillings. (Laughter.) When
we said it was too much money he stripped and
pulled off a cord vraiscoat, for which he asked 2a,
which I bought. The waistcoat is that produced.
[should know the coat if produced—that is the coat.
One man offered him 10a., and he made a motion as
if he would tear it up first.
Mr. Thomas Hall, superintendent of Wareham divi-
sion, produced the waisooat which he had received
in the presence of the last witness, and also a hand.
kerchief. Trowbridge identified the waistcoat as
his—taken out of his house on the day of the
murder.

Jefferies : That is the umbrella, it had a wire
broken inside. (It was opened and found to be so.)
It was found on the prisoner at Hythe.
Richard Martin said he lived at Farleigh, on the
road to Hythe, and was a publican and waterman.
Saw the prisoner on the 10th this month. He
wanted 3d. of bread. I recommended him to go to
the shop. He asked mete buy a coat which he
offered for Ba. I bought it for 7s. and gave it to
Frampton the policeman the day after. This is the
coat (produced.) It had no buttons on.
Franeis Frampton, Hants constable, 178, this is
the coat I received from the last withal".

George Cook, P. 8., Hants conetabularly, 3, sta-
tioned at Myths. On the 11th I mew primmer on
board the Myths steamer and went so Southampton
in her. As be was leaving the boat I saw the pri-
soner was dressed according to the description in the
Police Umette, and I stopped him. He had an um-
brella with him. [At this point an interpreter, M.
Gonzales Ferrer, sent by the Police Commissioner,
Sir Richard Mayne, arrived in court and was sworn,
and during the remainder of the proceedinge he in-
terpreted the evidence to the moused.] Witness:
I then took him into custody. I stripped him and
found a pair of trowsers that be was wearing with
another pair, had blood on the pocket. I also
observed stains on the inside of the waiscoat next
his shirt. I sews recent cut on the middle finger
of his right hand. I delivered the prisoner and Om
whole of the property over to Mr. Superintendent
Harris.

Croes-examined : The wound on the finger was a
simple cut.
Superintendent Harris: I received one umbrella,
two coats, one shirt, one pair of leggings, and one
bat, which I produoe ; a pair of boots which the pri-
soner is wearing is sworn to by Trowbridge, who
also swears to the coats, but the umbrella and legg-
ings. I found near the house where the murder was
committed, a curtain made up like a bag, and I pro-
duce a saw which Trowbridge gave me.
Sergeant Button, 119, : I found a curtain
in the plantation, about 200 yards from the house,
and upon it two human hairs.
Witnenne were then called to prove having seen
the prisoner near the scene of the murder on the
Wednesday—this being one day later than any had
yet spoken to. There were seven or eight of these.
The examination did not terminate until a late hour.