The Express.
London, England, 1863-04-09 00:00:00

THE ACTON MURDER.

After our report left yesterday,
of Seporigke,ean.dt liontb.nicd...dk rid-1 sin aittacco.bedtat thike Tibediehlion.•
division, and his beat was in Actor parish, and be was oa
' duty on the 19111 of January last. There were some -
. mg materiels deposited uPull ovum prawns el Ate._
' near which the deceased would be on duty. I knew the
•
prisoners, bat at this time I was not aware where they
, lived. ticthe afternoon in questioa the deceased west oo
' duty about hair-peat five o'clock, and I saw him on his beat
at half-past six, and be made • report to me of something
' that had recurred during his duty is reference to some
I woad, and he showed me where thin wood was apparently
concealed at • place called Bollow-bridge-road. On the
Same evening I went to the premises of a gentleman nem. d
Saunders at Acton, mid I there saw building materials and
wood of the lame description I had been shown
by the deceased. About half-put eight the same
evening I saw the deceased again, and gave him per-
mission to go home to supper, and about nine o'clock
I went to Petherton-villa, a place he had the charge of,
and found him with his head completely shattered, as if by
firearms, and quite dead. In consequence of this and what
I afterwards beard, I went with some other off cers, about
half-past 1 o'clock on the following. morning, to the house
of the priscoers, but I did not go inside.
Georgians Willing said-1 live at Ileytham-villas, Acton-
green, with my husband. I remember the evening of the
19th of January, sod about 6 o'clock on that evening I was '
passing a place milled Cumberland-villa, and going towards
home, when I met both the prisoners going towards Turn.
hain.green. They were going fast, and Joseph said to hie
brother, " Bun, you —, run." Isaac made some reply,
but I could not hear what he said, and directly shower&
they both set off running.
Ociecramised.-The prisoners were (dog towards their
owe residence at Turntuun-green when I met them.
Martha paw!, the widow of the deceased, who appeared
a good deal affected while giving bet evidence, eard-The
deceased was my husband, and in January last we were
taking charge of Petberton-villt, at Arica. I remember
my husband coming home about half-pest 8 o'clock on that
night, and shortly afterwards there was • knock at the
door, and Imw the cap of • man over the garden-gate.
Some we inquired if Mr. Davey waist home, and I rolled
my husband, and ha went down to the street-clocr. Almost
at the same instant I heard the discharge of •
gun, and upon turning round I saw my husband
oa the ground, and apparently dead. A few days
before this the prisoner Isaac had beim to our house, and I
beard him ask my husband to have an eye to the premises
where be was employed as a bricklayer. He bad told me
before that his trade was that of a bricklayer. I was at '
the police court when the pi:osiers were ezausioed, slid I
I heard Isaac speak, and the voice struck me as Wag the
mme as that of the man who bad inquired foray liand
on the night he was shot.
Jane Ulm *young woman who was formerly charged
with having been concerned in the murder as as amessory
after the feet, end who was very mach excited while riving
her evideoos, was then examined. She said-I live with
my father and mother at Tursham-gesso. I knew
both the prisoner.. Isaac is • swimd rem, and
in January last he lived at No. 1, Oka -pleas, Toluene-
ii. His brother lived in the same house, and he was
keeping company with me in January. Isms in their house
on the afternoon of the 19th of January, about 6 o'clock.
Both prisoners were there. They had on their working
dress. After • short time they both went out, but they
did not nay where they were going to. They ewe back
together. and Joseph then asked Mts. Brooks to go and fetch
his gun home from the pawnbroker's, and he Inquired of
me what time the pawnshops closed. I mid that I would
go and ask my mother, who lived next door, and I went
bade and told the pi:sober that the pawnshops were open
till 10 o'clock. The macaw Joseph then asked
his brother's wife to go and fetch his trousers
from upstairs, and tale them to the pawn-
broker's, and get as WWII on them as would
fetch his gun home, and he mid that it was at Mr. Ayes?.
at Hammersmith. I went with Ike. Brooks% Mr. Arse,
and she tr.wned the trouser/ and took out the gun. Mat
Brooks carried the gun, and when she got home she pee it
to Joseph, and he said that he was going to sell it. Isaac
Brooks was presort when his brother raineeted that the
gun might be "etched from the pawnbroker's. Joseph then
said that he was going to Bleak Lion-lane, and I embed him
to let me p with him, bat be refused, and left the boom
alone with the gun. He was awry about twat, mirutea,
and what' be was gone the prirreer ham sod I remained
together, sad I observed that he seemed very roam and
uneasy. Joseph still had the gun with him when he ewe
back, and he pet it dawn in a comer of Me nem, sail said,
'God blase the num if I badtbs berm J would hit bins
with it." He seemed to be rather hot, and her was WI of •
perspiration, and I drew my hand scram his fees to wipe it
off. I said to him," You'veleen roman, Joe ;" sad tenth'
Meted not. I then said I wan afraid he bad bees doing some-
thing wrong, and be said he bed not ; and be went est, and
fetched some beer, and shorty afterwards I went away with
my mother, who had come to fetch me. I sanest my enmity
1 wt o'clock it was when I left the *seem' bean. 11 es•
Joseph went out with the gun he was differestly deemed,
sad he had takes of his working jacket, end had pal an •
corduroy jacket.
Orom-examitied-The prisoner told me be was going to
sell the gun to raise some money. We wore gag to be
married on the following Wadi:coley, and I 'appalls that was
what he wasted some mosey for. It was about twenty
minutes to eight o'clock when he went out with the gas.
When he talked about kitting the man with the gem I
thto-ougAll ht he reigned to tits man he was going to sail the gee
isa.

-11r7toVelaos, foremen to Mr. Ayres, a pawnbroker at
Hammersmith, said—l recognise the gen now produced as
having been pledged by the prisoser Joseph Brooks, on the •
17th of January. It was quite aria at that time, said I
made as observation to the prisoner to that effect. I pet
my lager inside the basal and found it wee oily, bat sot
bleak. I have examined the gun since, and I hue no deabli
that it has been discharged.
Crean examined—The gun would not be worth more then
twelve or thirteen sheep to sell as a second-head.
Mr. Amu, the nrrfer of the hat worse said—On the
night of the 19th of January the woman lobe and another
woman mule to my shop, sad purred • pair of treaters and
redeemed the gun that has been ranted to. It was quite
dean when I gave it them. I new it on the following day,
and it appeared then to have been diecharged.
Matthew West said—l was a servant at Mertes-home,
rut to Petherton.villa, where the doomed lived. On the
night of the 19th of January, and about twenty mum: cm
peat eight on that night, I beard the report of • doom.
There was an alarm immediately afterwards, sod I look d
oat and saw a man menhir away, He gel over a fines.
I did not *ethos whether he had anything in his bead.
James ll'Orooin said—l live at Acton, and on the evening
of the 19th of January I was walking with my wife from
Acton towards Acton-green, and not far from Petherton.
villa. When we bad gone • short distance I saw • bum
leaning on the made of • gun. He was en the
close to the high road. It was dark at the time, antrltal
sot ice the man's fees The p'aim where I saw him wee
shout ball a mile or three-quarters of a rails from Chapel.
place, where the prisoners lived. I should think it wee from
eight to • quarter pad eight o'clock at night when I ow
him. _

Hrs. Macro 7 wu next examined—r wit. with WM hus-
band on the night in qnestioo. and saw a man standing oa
the footpath near Cumberlard-villa, and I passed so close to
him that I could have loathed him bypnttiog out my band.
The man was standing leaning on a gun, with his hands
acmes the top, and his chin resting on his bands. He was
dressed in a dark scat, end had a sort of cap on his bead.
I could speak only to the man's appearance, and not to his
taco.

Mr. Henry Stock swore—l am a builder living at Actor,
and on the evening of the 19th January last I was eon*
from Torsbam Image to Ado', in company with a man
named James Edwards. As I passed the lodge at the Millar
of the Avenue-road, • short distance from Petbertm.villa,
about 20 minutes or a quarter to 8 o'clock, I sew two
men standing under the trees at the aide of the road.
One of the mu left the other and west into an empty ditch
bolded the trees. The other mar reimaleM, and wore a dark
coloured coat. The man very mesh resembled the prisoner
Joseph Brooks, but I ma sot sure that he was the man.
Miss Emma Ries swore—ln the month of Jemmy last I
was living at Aetna, sad es the evening of the 19th of that
month, about 8 o'cloek, I was walking along the Avenue.
road with Mr. Smith, a friend of mire, and as I posed
the lodge, Dear Petherton-villa, I sew a man steedieg
near the tuns, and I passed within • yen, or • yard sad •
half from that man. The man had something be held be-
fore hint. After I palmed him I tuned round and looked at
him five or six times, and to the beet of my belief that man
was the prisoner Joseph Brooks. About half an hour after-
wards I returned back in the same direction. Mr. Smith
was still with me. I did not that see the man Iliad before
noticed, hut in four or five minutes after I palmed Pother-
tcmvilla on my return, sad heard tbe report of firearms.
Orms-exmoieed by Mr. Base—Mr. Smith was walking
with me, but he is not my sweetheart, sod I was net Police
more attention to his Om I did to the person I sew is the
mad. The night was sot very dark. I novae sew that
man before the night in quest:lee, and I cannot positividy
swear that the prisoner Joseph Brooks is that man.
James Edwards deposed —I em a labourer, Beteg at
Acton, sod was in company with the witness Stock ma the
manias in question ooming from Turnham-green to Aston,
when I saw two rem standing at the corner of the Avenue-
road. One of them walked roaad the tress into the ditch,
and the other remained standing in the road. I did not
notice that be bad anything in his hand, but I noticed that
be had on • dark oast mod wore a dark cap. I spoke to the
mate and bade bbn "Good night." and the man replied
" Good night° la an abrupt manner. I have known both
the pruners be about km years.
Mr. Best—Ded take saltilltli sake of the man you
sare, as you bare Witty who that mao was 1
Witness—No. I could not ; for it was • very dark night,
sad I could not my who the nom was.
Charles Cation swore —I am • erdeper. Bryce at As/u.
I have Moire the prisoner base Brooks from tie time he
was a boy. I remember the evaded la goodies, sal 04
• after eight ceelosk, er afloat • quieter met eight, I met to
Pethertoe-Alla sad raw the deceased cometabk Dasky
lying dead Mee the gremd.
The Primer Jame Brooks here auslamed. addrestiog the
witness, " Now mild whatres say. Cberley."
Ininioatios sesemaid—olel wr semi* hob* M
the dead body, Issas Brooke erne up 1 me and make to
me while I was lealg es. Imil to IBM. "This is • sheik.
lag affair," mid the *rawer Jeer said M was. lOUs " I
Dever Mews mare seld-bleoded side le my r red the
pelmase fear raglel." N• acre did I ale mica, "14