The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-11-06 00:00:00

THE INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the " Bull " Hotel, Chislehurst,
on Tuesday, on the bodies of Edward and Elizabeth Ellis.
The coroner, Mr. Arundel Carttar, having referred to the
painful circumstances of the case, requested the jury to
accompany him to the places where the murders were corn
mated, in order that they might the better understand the
details of the evidence. The jury were then taken to the
cottage occupied by the deoeased persons, on the road to
Orpington, to view the bodies, and afterwards to the places
where the bodies were severally found. The old gamekeeper
must have been led nearly halt-a•mile along a green drive
Into the wood, and just after crossing a small stream, and
nearing into comparatively open ground, he received his
death blow. By a similar path, almost at right angles, his
wife appears to have been decoyed, and about 300 yards
from the cottage her body was found.

The first witness called at the inquest was Mr. Waine,
proprietor of the hotel, who identified the bodies, Mr.
Ellis, having been his father-in-law. He was about 73 years
of age, and his wife about 60. They were both of active
habits, and Ellis had been gamekeeper to Mr. Berens, at
Pettswood, for 50 years.

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naagisterial investigation. He adsled that the prisoner, after
walking down as far as his residence, wanted to go in doors,
but was arrested for being in Cooper's pigstye for some un-
lawful purpose on the previous night. He was perfectly
sober and calm. When at the station he showed his hands,
and said "There is human blood," and requested that con-
stables should be sent into the wood with stretchers to find
the bodies. His story was not credited, but Inspector
Higgins took six constables and searched the wood, when
the bodies were found as described.

Samuel Higgins, inspector of police at St. Mary Cray,
proved the statements made by the prisoner at the police-
station, and produced the revolver and other property found
upon him. He added that the prisoner told him that he
had murdeied both Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, having shot them
with the revolver. The bodies when found were quite warm.
Waller had been, but not recently, in the service of Ellis as
assistant-keeper or night watchman, and was familiar with
every drive in the wood, and also well acquainted with the
habits of the deceased.

A new witness was called in the person of Thomas Martin,
a'constable, who said that he had charge of the prisoner at
the station while the inspector was searching the wood. The
prisoner said to him, "I went to old Ellis'shouse and told him
there were poachers in the wood. We went together, and I
killed him. Ellis said to me, `Joe, did I ever do you any
harm?' After he was dead, I searched him and took that
lantern from him. I then went on towards Bromley, but re-
turned to the house and knocked at the door. The poor old
woman said, 'ls that my husband,' and I said, 'Open the door,'
and she did and I walked in. She said, 'Where is my hus-
band? I don't know you.' Seeing two guns, I was about to take
one down, when she said, 'Don't touch them they are in
husband's.' I then asked her to light the lantern which I
had, and we then went in search, she carrying the light.
I said, 'Give me the light,' and I then knocked her over.
She wearing something light, I could see her better, and the
blood on my trousers is where I knelt upon her. When
Mackay mime I was trying to get into the house." He also
said, in reference to Mrs. Ellis, —" You will find her lying
on old Neddy's staff," and respecting both of them he said,
I have knocked them to pieces." All this was said volun-
tarily, and witness asked the prisoner no questions.

Inspectors Wilson and Straw said they had examined the
house and found it undisturbed. A small lamp was found
burning, and the doors were locked.
Dr. Bull, of Chislehuret, said he was called to the cot-
tage at eight o'clock and found his partner, Dr. Matthews,
there. The bodies were lying outside the house, and life
had been some hours extinct. He had since made a post-
mortem examination. Mr. Ellis had four wounds on the
scalp, lacerated contusions laying bare the skull on the right
side. The whole) of the skull was a mass of bruises, and
there was a fracture six inches in length. About three
inches behind the left ear was a small bullet wound, the
skin around which was blackened as by gunpowder, but the
bullet had no,/ been found. The head of Mrs. Ellis was
similarly bruised, but the skull was not fractured, and there
was no gunshot wound. The violence, however, had pro-
duced clots of blood upon the brain and caused death. The
staff produced was such a weapon as might have produced
the bruises, and the bullet wound would correspond in sise
with the cartridge.

The Coroner summed up the evidence, expressing a regret
that prisoners were not allowed to attend before the jury
and hear the evidence against them. The Jury then re-
turned a verdict of "Wilful murder against Joseph Waller."