The Express.
London, England, 1863-08-15 00:00:00

A SPORTING LIBEL CASE.

FEARFUL MURDER IN WOLVERHAMPTON.

WOLVERHAMPTON, AUGUST 14.
A terrible crime Las been committed in this 1.
town. In Bil,ton-street there is • wide court, known as
the Barracks, but correctly as No. Four-court. Here there ,
are about eight houses oo either aide, that are tenanted at ,
2s. 3d. a week. Upon the occupancy of one of these there
entered five or six weeks ago a young man and woman who
seemed to obtain • livelihood by making and vending
skewers of iron wire. The woman appeared to be the most
active in the calling, but she never mode herself very so-
ciable with her neighbours, and was observed to be
very careful when she desired only to go to
the other end of the court to lock her door.
On the evening of Monday, now nearly • month ago, the
woman locked the house door, end told • next door neigh-
bour that she was going out, and if any one called they
were to be told that she was gone into the country. A few
days after her departure • repeatable looking woman came
front Willenhall, • neighbouring township, and inquired for
Mr. Williamson, her son, who was alleged to be the tenant
cf the house, and who had maned for the husband of the
woman referred to. The message left by the woman was de-
livered, and old Mrs. Williamson desired that her son should
be told to write to his mother, as she wished to bear from
him. Whether or not the women who made the inquiries
was the person she alleged herself to be has not yet trans-
pired. Since that time the quietude of the closed house
has been undisturbed. The shutters of the front room on
the ground floor have remained closed, and the window of
the front room upstairs has been darkened by • thin muslin
curtain and a coaxes petticoat. Very offensive odours have
for several days past annoyed the tenants right and left of
the closed hones ; but this wee in each ease attributed to
some local cause in the respective houses arising out of
domestic arrangements, and little suspicion mums to have
been excited that the cause was in the house which lay
between the two in which the annoyance was moat ex-
perienced. The landlord called for hi rent ; but notwith-
standing the long absence of his tenants did not take steps
to enter the house, believing from the appearance of the
woman (to whom and not to the man he let the house)
that his tenants were respectable people for their sphers,aud
that they would be home after harvest time.
This morning the neighbour with whom the message bad
been delivered by the woman tenant became uncomfortably
inquisitive, and expreesiog • wish to • neighbour named
Mary Lees that she should like to know what furniture was
left in the house, Lees ',roamed a key and opened the door.
On entering a strong stench seemed stirred by the air.
Acoorupeuied by • neighbour, another woman named Smith.
she went upstairs. There the stench became ea stroog that
she exclaimed "There is some one dead in this
house." Proceeding • step or two further, she
saw in the front room that which made her
call out, "Good God! come and see whatever it
is." Mrs. Smith ran op stairs, but to do so it required
great moral courage on her part, so exceedingly offensive
was the effluvium. On the floor of the mom lay a mattress,
and upon it there was stretched, covered over with
• sheet and coverlet, what was evidently the corpse
of SD adult human being. Mn. Lees, approaching to
the foot of the bed, polled off with some difficulty the
quilt and sheet, for a portion of them was wrapped round
and tucked under the head of the corpse. When the cover-
let was drawn off • scene indescribably repulsive lay before
the esereber• On the mattress lay the blackened and de-
composing body of a man or a woman literally swarm-
ing with and, partially eaten by maggots. The body was
blackened net with decay alone, and the sheets and
madras were discoloured not simply by the progreasof de-
composition, but by what appeared to have been hot gas tar
poured upon it during lffe. With this, upon the sheets,
upon the mattress, and upon the floor around the bed, blood
was intermixed, and it was also found apart from the tar.
One eye bad been gouged oat, and it ley upon the cheek,
only slightly connected with its former position. The nose
was broken, one jaw was supposed to be broken, one lip
was cut, • thumb was broken, sod there seemed to be an
incised wound on the thigh and upon another portion of the
body near to that limb. The murdered man—for such the
deceased would seem to be—wore, as be lay in bed,
only a shirt and waistcoat ; and there is no
doubt that some hand mast have tended hint after
he was unable to do anything for himself. This is
clear from the manngr iu which his bead was covered
with the bed clothes. These were fastened over the face,
tight enough to secure suffocation if death had not previ-
ously taken plane. To remove this covering so much force
had to be applied by the woman Lees that when the coverlet
came off the face and bead, the hair of the corpse came
away with it ; and its colour convinced the women that the
deceased was the young man Williamson who had passed
for the husband of the woman who lived with him, but
who left the house on the occasion and under the circum.
stances already described, and who has not since been seen.
The inquest was held yesterday afternoon. Before the in-
quiry commenced a wooan present volunteered • statement
to the effect that some time since she had known the de-
ceased by the name of )3111,1t0d she now remembered his name
to be William Williams. She was able to identify him by
his trousers, which on one occasion she had mended. His
mother lived at Portobello, a small town near Wolverhamp-
ton. A letter addressed to him bad once been left at
her house, and she had known him when he lived in Sir-
iniughani. He was not married, but he lived with a woman
known by the name of Rose. This woman she had out seen
for more than three weeks, "but," she added, "she knows
all about it. She is a bad, good for nothing woman."
Mary Lee. the woman who first found the body, and the
first witness deposed-1 knew the deceased. His
name was William Williamson, and he and the woman with
whom he lived were berdware hawkers. I live at No. 4
Court, Bilstonetreet,Wolverhampton, three doom from the
house formerly occupied by the deceased. 1 last saw Wil
Hammon alive on Monday three weeks at the bottom of the
court, and he then appeared be about 23 yeses of age.
and to be in good health. He was then dressed in a round
Neckcloth jacket, a pair of corduroy tronsen, and • black
cloth esp. On the evening of the same day I saw the woman
with whom he lived go to the tap at the back of the
budding for seine water. After filling her kettle
she returned to the house, and I have not seen her since.
About 9 o'clock on the same night I beard the woman go to
• neighbour's house, and leave word that should any one
inquire for them, to say they were gone into the country to
hawk their wares. On the following morning I noticed that
the door was locked, and the shutters of the lower window
closed. I did not suspect anything till Monday afternoon
last, when • Mr. Morrell called my attention to the fact that
the upstairs window was kept constantly curtained by an
old shawl, and asked me if I did not think that
some one in the house was ill. I said, "I should
think not; I don't think that any one hem
been in the house since they went off." Nothing
further was said or done uutil about half-past 10
o'clock this morning, when being in the pantry of
the adjoining house, and smelling a dreadful steoch, I
borrowed a key end unlocked the deer. I and a Mrs. Smith
then went in. In the lower room was a box used as a table,
and covered apparently with the remains of a mod, consist-
lag of broken bread, slops of tea, Sic. By the aide of the
large box was a smeller one which bad been used as a chair.
Buides these there was no other furniture in the room. The
house was filled with a disgusting stench. I and my com-
panion went upstairs, and there found the dead body of
deceased lying upon • strew mattress oe the floor. He was
completely covered by • quilt end sheet. The quilt was
turned over his face and head, the back of which
was lying upon it. The clothes were so carefully and
tightly placed round his bead, that I do tot think he could
have so placed them himself. The quilt and sheet were
completely saturated with gem tar, which hot also been
spilt about the room. The tar was quite dry and bard.
With some difficulty I turned down the covering, and then
found the dead man's left eye hanging out. I had often
noticed this eye because it was sightlees. His nose was
broken, and around his hand was a piece of linen. On
removing this it was found that the thumb was also broken.
Mr. Gibbons, • surgeon, who happened to be going by at
the time, was celled in, and inspected the body. By the
side of the bed were the deceased's trousers, but in addition
to this I saw so wearing apparel.
A policeman who went to the house soon after the dis-
covery stated that there bad been found in thebouse a num-
ber of articles which were supposed to belong to the para-
mour of the murdered man.

The wintry was here adjourned for a fortnight in order
that every inquiry might be made, and that a careful pot 4
modem marnination of the body might take place. It 4
thought that some material and important evidence will
then be forthcoming.

SHOCKING DEATH OF AN OMNIBUS CoNpuvros.
—Between 4 and 5 o'clock on Thursday afternoon two
Whitechapel omnibuses were miming along Hoth•rn nearly
together. The conductor or the tint 'bun, travelling from
the Royal Cisk, and belonging to the General Omnibus Com-
pany. got down from his 'bus nearly facing Furnivd's-ion
—probably to tout a passenger—pc/Wipe to "skid" the
wheel of bis 'bus. The second 'bus pluming between the
first and waiting 'bus and the loot-pavement knocked down
the first conductor, and the wheels of the 'bus went over the
head of the unfortunate mars, killing him on the spot. The
driver of the 'bus in question was arrested on his return
journey on Snow-hill, on the charge of killing the
who was named Charles Fox. Tbeoecurrenoe was rendered
the more melancholy by the presence of the wife of the
conductor, Fog, who was riding in her hu.band'e 'bus at the
moment when her &taxed was no suddenly killed. She wan
taken to the shop of a neighbouring tobaccootd earned
donee, on Holborn-hill. Several surgeons were called, but
their aid wee unavailing. The body was removed to Bar-
tholomew's Hospital.
FIRS AT TUE ALBERT DOCK, LlVERPOOL—Yee-
tenlay a fire broke out in the esltpetre shed of the Albert
Dock warehouses, which at one time threatened to he very
serious. Fortunately, however, Mr. Barrett, with the West
of Blighted fire•eogioe, wee soon on the spot, and the fire
immediately subdued. There were several bags of saltpetre
destroyed. and some more damaged by the action of the
I water. Beyond this however, there was no other injury of
importance sustained.

Mr. Abbott, the Under-Sherif of Surrey, recently
executed a writ of inquiry at the Town•hall, Croydon, to
mess the damages in an action of hbid brought by Mr.
Sydney Juoisi, an owner of race-hones, and who is well
known upon the turf, against Robert CAnaon, the trainer,
in which judgment was allowed to p by default.
Mr. Joyce was counsel for the phuntiff, sad Mr. Robinson
for the defendant.

Mr. Joyas addressed the jury, and said that the plaintiff
bad been for many years connected with raciog matten, and
the defendant was welt knows as a trainer and brother to a
more celebrated roan residiog in the north of England. In
the beginning of the year the defendant had the eats of two
race-hones belongiug to the plaintiff, called Passion and the
Duchess of Kent, but in }ebruary the latter sold them to a
gentleman named Simons, but they still remained at the de-
fendant's stalles. After they bed been there some time Mr.
Simons was desirous of removing them, and on the 10th of
June he went down to Mickleham for the purpcee of doing
so. The defendant was not at home, and his wife objected
to the hones being taken away, and he was therefore obliged
to return without them. On the following day he received
the letter that was the subject of the action. The learned
counsel read the letter, which contained the following pia.
gages •—" lam not surprised that you should have come
down to Mickleham to remove the horses at a time when
you knew 1 was away I wonder ou can allow
yotuvelf to play into the hands of that thief' Jacobs, end do
his dirty work for him." This was the portion which
was the subject of the libel, but the letter
went on to charge Jacobs with having attempted
to bribe the boys about the stables, and stated that the
bones should not be removed until the defeedant had been
paid what Jacobs owed him, adding that be did not are so
, much about himself as the poor people about Mickleham
to whom the plaintiff owed mosey. The learned counsel
; said he did not ask for vindictive damages ; but the defen-
. dant had admitted the libel. and they ought to award such
an amount as would clear his character in the eyes of the
' world, and show that there was no foundation for the serious
charge that had been made splint him.
Mr. H. M. Simons was then examined, and said be was
a medical man practising in Walworth, and he also took an
interest in racing matters. He knew the plaintiff as being
connected with the turf ; and in the begioning of the year
he purchased two bones of him, which were at the time in
training with the defendant, Mr. Tango°. At the request
of Mr. Jacobs he continued to keep the horses at Mickle-
ham after he had purchased them ; but about the month of
June, for wine reasons which it was not neemeary for him to
mention, he mu desirous of removing the hones, and he went
down to the defendant's stables for that purpose ; but be
woo not et home, and his wife objected to the boes being
removed, and he come away without them. Hs afterwards
received the letter that was the subject of the libel, and
showed it to the plaintiff.
. . . .

Crose-examine,l—Witsem was a aufteos by PrtecogiM
but he combined a little raciog with it at times. He
only followed raciog moistly fora few months since he had
purchased these horses. He bad know§ Jacobs a good many
years, but he was not related either to himself or his wife ;
but he was aware that be knew • good deal about racing
matters, and be therefore consulted him. The defendants he
believed, bud been his trainer for • considerable time.

Mr. P,Obioson Liked the witness whether be did not know,
or had not heard that at the time these bones were sought
to be removed, Jacobs owed l'Auson a miadderable sum of
money.
Mr. Joyce objected to the question being put, but the
U•der-Sheriff roled that it was admiesible.

The witness then said he might have heard so, but be
knew nothing about it. He was aware that Hampton
Races took place on the 10th June, but be did not go down
particularly on that day to fetch the horses because be
thought the defendant would be at the races. He had
heard that the defendant Lad sent an apology in writing to
the solicitor for the plaintiff, but he sever saw it. One
of the holies, Passion, was dead, but the defendant bad
given up the other. They bad both run since they bad been
witness's property. Passion ran at Epsom, and the Duchess
of Rent at Reigate, and the latter was in the Oaks
next year. The horses ran in the name of
Madeleine, which was • time suggested by Mr. Jacobs on
aceonet of its being an uncommon one. He acted wader the
advice of Mr. Jacobs in all matters relating to ruing.
Witness had brought an action against the defendant to
recover 300/., the value of the horses, and for neglect in
!raising thew. Upon one occasion the witness aces=
engagement for a horse called Volunteer, and
responsible for the amount of the stakes, and he did so at
the request of Mr. Jacobs.
Mr. Robinson then addressed the jury on behalf of the
defendant in mitigation of damages. He said he dad not dis-
pute that the defendant bad acted improperly in writing the
letter ; but immediately afterwards he had made all the re-
paration in his mower, and he submitted that this was
all that could 'be expected, and that the present
action ought never to have been brought against him,
the only object of which wee to gratify • feeling of vie-
' dictiveness, and saddle him with expenses and law charges.
He commented on the &beeves of the plaintiff, and maid
that if be had beer called as a witness, be should have
been enabled to have elicited from him whether there was
any truth in the suggestion that at the time the attempt
was made to remove the horses, Jacobs was indebted to the
defendant a considerable sam for training and other ex-
penses. He said, however, that as the case stood at present
he thought the jury could not entertain any doubt of this
fact, and it was clear that the defendant was tinder the im-
pression that the pretended tale of the hones to Simms
was merely • juggle to shift the ownership,
and enable the latter to obtain possessiou of
the horses, which defendant considered be was entitled to
keep until the lien which be bad upon them was discharged.
He went on to contend that it was very natural for the de-
fendant to be ender such an impression, and also that he
should think that advantage had been taken of knowing
that he would be at the Hampton Races, to go to his
stables during his absence and terry out the project ; and
that upon his return at tight, finding this to be the case,
and probably a little excited from having been at the races,
Ihe wrote the letter in questioe. He had, however apo-
lugited imtnedietoly, and he submitted in conclusion that the
plaintiff had in reality sustained uo damage whatever, and
he hoped the jury would say so by their verdict.

The jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict for
the plaintiff-damages one farthing. The effect of this
verdict will be that each party pays his own costa.

DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN THE HUDSON'S BAY
TERRITORIES.

The Toronto Globe of the 28th July says :—" We
have to communicate intelligence which, if fully arta-
blished by further examination and inquiry, will and new
life to the teal of North-Western adventurere, and hasten
the opening up of the territory ate rate which will outrun
the anticipations of the most aroguiee. For some time it
has been known that gold WAS to be found on
the Saskatchewan River, near the Rocky Moun-
tains. and it wee ()renamed that it had been washed by
the river from the gukhlwerieg rocks of these moue-
tains, and would consequently be found only in the beds of
the rivers, and not elsewhere in the territory. Recent
discoveries indicate that this view of the matter is
not correct, and that in order to find the gold of the North-
West it will not be necessary to traverse the whole breadth
of the great plain. to the bead waters of the Saskatehewae.
Gold has been discovered at Fort Ellice on the Assiniboine.
and ale° on branches of the Qu'Anpelle River, streams
which unite and run into the Red River, and have no con-
nexion with the Rocky Mountain range. Of this foci there
eau be no doubt. It is not only communicated by letter
from Rod River, but Governor DAUM., of the Ray
Company, who has recently arrived from the territory,
is personally cos;ntsaut of the discovery. The question
arises, from whence comes this gold ?—where lie the
rocks from which it has been displaced ! Professor Hind-
of this city. who explored the country for our government
in 10i54, supplies an answer. He says in his report that he
discovered in St. Martin's Lake, a small sheet of water
lying between lakes Waniloha end Winnipeg, gneiasnid
rock., traversed by quartz and telepathic reins, and that
these being goliLbeariug rocks he searched for it„ but no-
thing was found, probably owing to the lack of time. The
deduction which be now draws from the discovery of gold
on the pinkie of the Aminiboiee is that the pre-
cious metal hes been conveyed with the drift
from ranges of gold.licaring recta, running parallel with
the Lake Winnipeg basin, and the Lnureutian fornia-
tion on the eastern side of the lake and extending to the
north-went 'wyonil Lake Arthabana. He consider* it cer-
tain that all over the drat of the pleies, tram Lek, Maio tole
to the Rocky Nountaius. gold will be towel, though, as •
matter of course, the wideness of the field can only lie ascer-
tained by actual wining operations. We understand that
Governor Dallas sashed gold with his own bands et Fort
Edmonton on the Saskatchewan, and in further proof of the
exinteece of the precious metal we may add that large num-
hers of the `Selkirk people have come west to enter upon
regular mining operations. We ear no reason to doubt that
the whole of these vast plains will very soon be cowered by
a busy population. The means of communication alone are
wauting, and we are happy to learn that the new iludsou's
Ray Company contetnplaten • very speedy openimt up of
the territory. It ia hoped that steamboats will he running
on the Saskatchewan within • year from the present date.
The pleat of the company contemplate also, in spite of their
prospectus, the immediate assumption by the crown of the
lieregion lying between Lake Winnipeg and the Rocky
Mountains, south of Lake and River Arthabasai, with
the exception of such tertian (reported to be every
alternate 'section) as will be devoted to repay the company
for opening the communisation by common roads, and
steamers on the rivers from Lake Superior to the Rocky
Mountains, and afterwards by • railway, which, it
hoped. will be finished within ten years. Further explana-
tions of the plane for the government of the country and
other matters will doubtless be speedily afforded to the go-
vernment and duly weighed by them. The prospect of the
realiention of our long-indulged hopes of the opening up of
the territory seems, however, to be very favourable."