The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1874-04-21 00:00:00

MURDER OF A SOLDIER

IN COLD BLOOD AT
WEYMOUTH BARRACKS.

On Sunday afternoon apparently the most cold-
bhssled murder we have heard of for a long time, was
committed at the NVeytuouth barrack room, the
victim being a private of the 75th regiment, named
Pearson, and the man who shot him Private James
Mealye, of the same regiment. We believe our
authority is good for stating what occurred in the
barrack room. Several of the men were there, engaged
in various occupations, most of them gossiping, and
Pearson was wnting a letter to his wife in Lancashire.
Prisoner came in, and went to his bed, and said he
wanted a drink of water. Pearson Kahl he would go
down and fetch some, and prisoner stepped out from
his bed towards Pearson, who was close to the window,
took his rifle from his arm rack, and said "I will take
the bark off you." Pearson said " You are not game."
Prisoner took a cartridge from his breast-coat pocket,
took off the snap cap, loaded the rifle, the bullet would
not go in easily, and prisoner blew out the dust, threw
himself into a tiring position, took aim, and thereon
pulled the trigger, and discharged the gun. The
victim was only about GE t. from Mealye, and the
bullet struck him on the upper lip, beat in some teeth,
poised through the back of his head, and Pearson fell
dead. Mealye, it is said, then sprang to Pearson,
took him by the hand, and cried out "Oh! Pearson,
I've shot you!" He was secured, and the regimental
doctor was sent for- but poor Pearson war beyond all
mortal help. The bullet was picked up flattened in
the room. The fatal occurrence took place at 20
. .

minutes to four. The rifle being examined, and the
bullet, it was found that the arm part of the cartridge
wax quite rusted, and a neurade of Meelye's says that
.Mealye picked im the cartridge some time ago at the
rifle range of the garrison on the Chesil Beach, and the
outside was then wet. It is not known that there had
been any ill-feeling between the two men; they were
neither of them good characters. One of them had
been a lance-corporal, but had been minced to the
ranks. Pears. 4/ VIM about :tri yearsof age,and had • wife
aml three children; it is said they :are now staying at
Maiwhester, but the poor woman was in A few days
coining to Weymouth, to her husband. Pearson had
been in the &Tyke about 17 years, but had deserted,
and only returned to the regiment after 10 years'
absence • he hail not been out of military prison long.
*1 that ;here could be no recent provocation for Mealy*
tim commit the fatal act. Mealy° is well-known to
have been a very ill-tempered man; he has been seen
purple and almost black in the face with passion when
annoyed He is of Irish extraction, and was educated
in the I Mkt, of York's school at Chelsea, whence, at
II years of age, he joined the army. He is now about
Pi years old About four o'clock, • sergeant having
been sent from the barracks to the police station, P.C.
'ooper went over, and Mealye was afterwards handed
over to the civil power. Superintendent Vickery,
Sergeant Harvey, and two policemen, bad him lute a
fly, and he was hurried along the quay, and over the
Bridge to the police station. A small crowd had
assembled, and on reaching them the prisoner was
observed nervously shaking at the window with his
manacled bands, lie was closely guarded by the
police, and on getting out his face was flushed with
excitement at seeing the people, who, however, were
solemnly silent. The prisoner almost rushed through
them, and was quickly an the cell, where he was closely
watched. If a was very quiet and submissive in the
cell.

THE MU PET.
This WAS held at the Barracks, in the library, before
Mr. G. Symonds, coroner, and the following jury: -
Messrs. Robert Felton, Alfred Bolt, George Raid, T .G.
!Suer, George Mace, Albert Ellery, John Hall, William
Weston, John Swinton, Benjamin Kerridge, Robert
Brinsley. an•l Itichanl Jenkins.
Mr. Bolt was chown foreman. . .

The Issly was laid out in • ron at the hospital. It
showed a wound in the centre of the lip, exactly dividing
it so as scarcely to disarrange the moustaches. A great
deal of blood was on the face, but the exprvaiiion Wilei calm
as is mid to be general with those who die of gunshot.
The following evidence was taken.
Joseph Asher, private in the 75th regiment: I belong
to the depot now in these barrack,i. I have been in the
regiment six months to-day, and know Pearson; he was
a pneate in the 75th also, and his room was the next to
mine, but I was in his room when this happened, yester-
day afternoon. It was about 20 minutes to four, and
about four or five others were then:, Pearson anion:pit the
minder. James Mealy Mlle into the room while I WAS
there. Pearson was playing abottt the mom a little : but
Mealy was nut laughing anal joking like thereat. Pearson
had pot • mop into the bucket of clean water, which was
in the room, and Mealy said he wanted a drink. Pearson
was splashing the water in the faces of the rest; but not
over Mealy. I had nothing to do with the mop, only those
in the room. Pearson went and sat on Mealy* bed, and
they were talking together, anal Rimmed on the beat of
terms but I dial not hear what they said, till Mealy went
to the bucket, and said he wanted a drink of water. The
water WAS dirty from the Incip, and Pearson said he'd
fetch Waite Up. lie did not 140, but went against the
window, and Mealy went to his lasi Pearson continued
pLij ing about with the adhere, anal in about flit: minutia
Pearson said he'd retch the bark off the legs of tine, ill
the room, and kicked at sonic of them but not Mealy.
Isn't know that any of them kicked him again. anal Mealy
had nothing to do with it : but sat on his lied. After this
Pearson was standing against the window, and Mealy,
with t any more passing between them, picked up the
rifle from the anuarack, anal said he'd fetch the hark idT
Pearaein's leg. Pearson was about three yards front hilt'.
Mealy took his cartridge from his breast pocket, anal
went through the tions of Listing. It WAS
a larecch-lasuling rifle, Mealy opetiod the chamber,
anal tried to put the cartridge in. It would not go in at
first, am account of the rust aan the cartridge, IF,, blew
the rust ont of the breech anal pre:sol the cartridge
home, Caine to half cock, thou to full coal:, presented it at
l'eaiwai, anal tired. The 111117210 of the ride very nearly
tonchisl Pearaion. The whole took about a minute: No-
body interfered, lecamie they didn't, think lie was going
I' tire. I distinctly saw the cartridge in his lingers.
There woo no quarrelling between them. It Is not usual
for the men to carry cartridge, about with them, nor is
it allowed. Powson fell directly, killed dead on the spot.
Ile 4lid not say a word. One of us ran to the sergeant of
the guardroom. Mealy let the rifle fall out of his hand,
:old said. "Ma, ILslt I've alone it !" Another man picked
un the rifle. Mealy took hold of Pearson's hand, anal
snid "Get up again !" Thu sergeant of the guard hail
come by that time.
fly the I :ironer: When I ,AW him put the cartridge
into the rifle, I saw it was a hall cartridge. I have never
~,en Mealy In p.,,,session of a ball cartridge before, only
when we were tiring at the range. We are not allowed
LID keep any a 1111 l amition, ball or blank. I did not know
till yesterday :ifternoon that he hail as ball cartridge in
his possess' . I don't know if there was anything like
hid feeling Istivasan the, men. From the time Mealy
Caine into the main till this thombh.ll how,
quarrelling, nor tutything else except about the water,
anal Pearson had put the mop in before Mealy came in
the room. Mealy tasik no part iti the romping going ou
islirti he can, in.

Ity the Jury: No one 'mid anything while Mealy was
loading. Ile was only a few iecontls rubbing the rust olf.
Putting in the cartridge seniped the rust off, and Mealy
blew it out. lint not see him take off the snap cap.
By Mr. Kerridge: I could not tell whether he said "111
take the lurk off your legs," spitefully or playfully.
By the (,ironer : I saw Mealy open the rule, withdraw
the empty cartridge, and crush it up in his hands.
The I 'oroner said it did not matter whether a man was
bail or iossl-tempered ; a good-tempered man Mast
for it, if he does such things as this
By the Fut:worn Iretnion had mit been out of 'lamas '
'inn, he came out of prison. Never heard Mealy at any
time threaten Pearson. Ido not know that Pearson had
dune anything to injure Mealy, or take away Ili.
character.
John Barnes, private in the ffith Itogiment, had been
thr rcgnu,er.t fivr nionthq, and occupy the same room
in the barracks with Pearson and Mealy, No. 11. Yester-
day afternoon I was there between three and four o'clock.
l'eanron was there also, conlinel to barracks. I was
nimping isith Pearson, when Mealy Caine in. As soon
as lie came. he went to his hod, and began to sew the
ribbon on his Glengarry. After wane time he Caine (4, q
drink of wale.. Pearson had (lipped a ripw in it, and
Mealy saw it was dirty. Mindy arid " Who has done
this AIM Peano.in said "I did it, and I'll fetch none
more." Mealy waut awl rat on lii. Cot again. Pearson
went to him, and was talking to him about kicking the
bark tiff one of our comrstbin shins. It was only in jok-
ing. Pearson walked away from Mealy's cot; but Mealy
did not speak. lititStal walked to the window, and in
about three iii four niinutas Mealy soul" I'll take the
bark off you," and took the rifle from the ann-rack, loaded
it. presented it, &IA Pearson oi4 "You are not
game," and stood up facing the rifle. Ile had no sooner
said the word than Mealy shot him. The ;moment Mealy
fired, Pearson fell dead on the floor. Mealy had paused
with the rifle at the "present," there was a slight pause,
anti Pearson stood up, and said, what he did, Mealy shot
Lila.. I tan the Oland MOIR.
the I,otuller: Mealy took no part in the romping, I
do not know that they have over been on bail terms I
they seemed on very good terms, and I have been with
them sin Mealy was In this regiment, Pearson did a
job for hitt; that nirrning, itioanwi some thlnpi that
it was Mealy's duty to clean. Mealy does not make very
free with the men In the morn ; but l'earcon WU always
thebatit of terms. Mealy was not on bail terms that
I know id ; but he wa.: not so well to joke with as others.
I saw I with ammunition several times before. He
used to show it when he was going on guard. Ile did
not tell me how lie pit it. Hu used to ray when
showed it "This • ill be a pill Pe' :::.ensinditt, when' they
art: I:reakii:g tut of igiate.ks absti lip; on guard." When
we go on icnani tie du not have our ride; loaded With
1.11. At dinner.thoe I sail" Mealy, you look had," and
he said "fl. you think sot" I said " Yes, roil do." I did
not know it was against orders to have a ball-cartridge
in Gut porgassion. I Oriel Mei to lose up any, tor we
lite an ay everything generally. Besides us, there were
eavend In the coon; 25 are quartered there, and when
the skVlarking was going en, there were about eight
thew.
_

13y—the Jury: Mealy is an ordinary oharacter, he has
not been in prison since I have been here. The bucket
was in the room for drinking purposes, that we may
have a sup when we want it. Putting in the mop spoiled
it Pearson her sometimes kicked his comrades in fun.
Healy sail Inot3tin4 when Pearson offered to fetch the
watvr. When he pr.:wilted the rid?, he said "111 take
the hark off you,- awl 1..,41.10111 saul You are not game."
Thomas 4 'axter :I occupy No. 10, and knew Pearson and
Mealy. I have been to the butts on the Chesil Beach,
with Mealy, three w•eks .sr a month ago, on a fatigue
Party. Pearson was not there. We found a tali cartridge
atuongst the shingle, awl took it up. It was very wet, and
I daid to Mealy, Here t, a ball cartridge.- He took it
out of my hands, awl took the halt, which was tome. The
rims was rusty, and the paper was off, so that the brass was
showing. Mealy said -" I shouldn't like to stand 100 yils.
In front of that now." Ile said lie would put it in his
pocket, and let it get dry, awl when it came to hint to
tire, he would tire that. Ile kept it, awl I saw no more
of it. I W:Irl not ill the room yesterday afternoon, nor in
tlie barracks. I hat e hems in the regiment seven
iwintlid. It w.t. the AMU description of case as thid
produced. . . . -

•
Sergeant George England I was sergeant of the guard
yesterday at tie: gate, awl heard the report of a rifle, In
one id the barrack rooms. I went to the room to find out
where the noise CIIIULT from, as it is an unusual thing to
hear, awl front what I heard, I went to No. II room. I
vim deceased lying on the floor, apparently dead, with
liliesl over his face. I asked "Who, done this r Private
Mealy said " I did it. " at the same time handing in. the
cartridge case. Ile said " I did it it was all an accident,
awl there's the cartridge." I said "Well lyou must come
along with me," and I placed him in confinement. Ile
fltllll. along quietly, awl I placed a sentry over hint ; and
went ;to my gnarl. He was perfectly *der ; but rather
excited. I very (ten came inth contact wifh the toes, in
lily ibuy as orderly sergeant, awl I know Pear.. and
Mealy. I bawled over the cartridge to the Acting Sergt.-
Major, Charles Williams.
The Coroner eahl it was strange that them things
ii ...I to burn • hole in every ones pocket. This man
bowed it, to tta atatt/aIA 11.;3Ct, the serroant-inajor rave
it t,. Vickery, and Sept, Vle.,gtry aitto
it ii/C AtrsolieS. It would he Just an wcII ir otill tole
iesr-
li> the Jury : Mealy ),al only been once itunivloat. and
that was for a quarrel with Private Marlow. It was a
light punishtuent. When in the guardroom, the prisoner
said the Altlne to Major Wadeson. Prisoner was perfectly
sober. Did not believe prisoner was out of barracks that
atternoon ; ,but he AO4 .not confined. ltionner nai4 jk

was an accident • he thought the cartridge wall of no use.
Knew of no private animosity or quarrel, and did not
hear him say he'd shoot any ono. Mealy joined on Feb.
14, lige, and had passed all his drills ; he is now a duty
soldier. He had been • lance-corporal, but that was only
a probationary matter, and he did not pass to be full cor-
poral. Could swear to the cartridge as the one he
received from the hand of Mealy.
surgeon-Major Alexander Bartley, medical officer in
charge .• I heard a shot yesterday aftenown, and thought
a man had shot himself. I therefore ran to where I saw
the crowd, and met Mealy coming down stairs, under
escort. I said " What's the matter I" and Mealy said "I
have just shots man, but it was an accident." it, was
looking pale and excited. I went up to the room, and
found Pearson lying dead. I have examined the wound.
The wound of entrance of the bullet is exactly in the
middle line of the hollow of the lip, cutting away a portion
of the cartilage of the nose ; but not quite splitting the
lip. It could not have been more exactly in the centre.
The ball had passed through the head and come out on the
left side of the neck, near the spine. It was such a
wound as would muse instant death. The course of a
rifle bullet is very eccentric, especially inside the skull.
The bullet did not strike the wall, but fell on the floor.
It must have divided some large vessel, on amount of the
very large quantity of blood on the floor.
The Coroner awl in this very serious MOO, the circum-
stances lay in a very small compass. The poor man met
his death at the hands of the man Mealy, and no one
could suggest lot that Mealy was perfectly well acquainted
with the nature of the weapon he used, and with its
pouer, and he (the Coroner) could not suggest anything to
the jury that would take the offence out of the most
serious class.. There did not seem to have been any
wrangling, or any provocation. The man seemed to have
gone—for some purpose or other heaven only knew what
—to the arm rack, taken out the ride, taken the cartridge
from his pocket.; and in as deliberate a way as it was
possible to conceive, to have shot this unfortunate man.
They were not there to inquire as to the state of the man
Mealy's mind, there was nothing which would justify
their doing that, the deceased had met his death at the
bands of this, he might venture to call him also, mast
unfortunate luau. Ile could suggest nothing that would
reduce the crime from the most serious mina murder.
The law lays it down that the crime of manslaughter is
committed where there has been a sudden quarrel, where
person* tight, and one kills the other, or where one pro-
vokes another. But there must have been sufficient
provocation, and he could not suggest to them anything of
that kind. As men of the world they must decide, not
looking one way or the other, mid lie did not think they
could have the slightest hesitation in sending the man for
trial for the most serious offence. Ile should be glad to
suggest Anything to them; but he could not. It might
not affect the question; but if when the man came before
• jury of his countrymen, there might be circumstances
to suggeet that the loan was not responsible for his act;
but that was not before them now. If there were any
circumstances to justify them, they might return a verdict
of manslaughter; list they must give a verdict as men of
strong minds, not wavering at all but taking the facts as
they are proved. The man's death was clearly traced to
the head of the num Mealy ;were there any circumstances
that would take it out of the common and ordinary (be
was sorry to say) class of Wilful Moister? Provocation to
' reduce it to inanailaughter, meant provocation at the
I moment, loit here there was not even skylarking.
The Jury consulted, awl in • short thus returned a
venlict of" Wilful Murder against James Mealy.
' Mealy was tal on the Coroner's warrant, to
take his trial for Wilful Murder, at the A.U.C.4. We hear
tee prisoner takes the matter rather unconcernedly. lie
was coolly eatimg his food when given over to the police,
his appetite in tie cell was very good, and he slept well
on Sunday night.

TIM MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY.
This took place at three o'clock, long before which time
there was a large crowd at the doors of the Guildhall. and
when they were admitted there was quite a struggle fur
admission to the front places, and the police had con-
siderable difficulty in closing the door. The magistrates
were 1)r. Drew, Dr. Tizard, and Mr. G. Reynolds. On
the prisoner being brought up, he gave his name as JaMICS
Mealye in a firm voice, and being asked spelt it as above.
Supt. Vickery stated the charge and said the Coroner's
Inquest had returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against
the prisoner.
On this the prisoner's face became visibly darker, and
be more serious, and he looked sullenly around. Ile is
young-looking, without beard or whiskers, and only the
shadow of a incouitache, and his face is deeply pitted with
small pox. Ile stood up firmly confronting the Bench,
with his Glengarry tucked ler his right arm. Ile is
rather tail and slight, and his hair was brushed carefully
off his forehead.
Barnes gave similar evidence to that he had in the
morning. In answer to the Bench he said they were not
allowed by the army regulations to have ball cartridge.
Witness said he knew that prisoner had a ball cartridge;
but lie did not report it, as he did not know till to-day
that privates were not allowed to keep them.
Garter, repeating his evidence, said the cartridge was
two or three feet in the ground when it was picked up,
and they found it as they were shovelling up the shingle.
By the Bench: It was very rusty and damp, and it did
not look of any use.
Prisoner was advised to ask no questions, and he was
formally remanded till to-morrow at two o clock.
The Court was partly cleared by the police before Mealy
was removed to the cell.

STRIKE OF AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS AT

MILBURN": ST. A NDRICW.
On Saturday. April I, the labourers employed on the
farms of Mr. I:roves, Mr. Stanfield, and Mr. Fowler, gave
the usual notice, that, unless their wages were
ad, anewl three shillings per week, they should turn out
on the following Saturday, On the Monday 33333 ening,
Mr. Fowler, on seven of his men goings,, as usual to
work, sent them hi.,iuw again, telling them they would
not lie wanted any re ; miost of these were married
men, anti regular hawls. The following Saturday, the
demand nil( being asswksi to, on the expiration of Use
notice the lalsiurerA, to the number of hetween 30 awl 10,
turned out •on strike. The shepherds and carters are still
in Wolk as they receive perquisites in a.h,litioss In the
Pis. per week, and User thing they could not leave
their places without breaking the terms of their agree
ment Out of the 12s. per week necked by the other
labourers they hail to !my for house rent, fuel, .te Up to
Saturday last no arrangement had been c • to. the
lalsswers on strike culla", ing their time in looking
after their gar•lens, allotments, he. We sae
glad to hear that no disturbance has taken place ;
is the contrary the utunist quietness prevails, the
Dunn having ssnanins.nusiy resolvwl not to enter a public-
hems' whilst they are ant of work, 1111 l ler a penalty of tid.,
the tines if any, to go towards the funds of Use general
lock-oust in the eastern countio,