The Express.
London, England, 1862-07-04 00:00:00

[Stamped, Id. Additional.]

THI MURDER AT TORDINGBRIDGE.

FORDINGBRIDGE, THOWIDAT.
The examination of John Jacob Gilbert, for the
murder of Mary Ann Susan Hall, the only daughter of Mr.
Hall, of Midgbam Farm, whilst on her way to church on
the morning of Sunday week, took place today. Consider-
able excitement prevailed, and on being brought up from
the police•station, where he has been confined loos Monday I
lest, the prisoner wee followed by a large crowd of perste*
and the fact of his bevies contemplated, if not atteroped
suicide, in his cell a few days since, has given additional I
interest to the case.
The magistrates on the bench were Ulf Rev. W. J.
Yong, (chairman), Rim. .a. F. Purvis, J. abratry, Erb,
and J. Churchill, req. The labour looked detreenely par
and dejected.
Helen Smith deposed—l em dairymaid at Mr. Hare, at
Xidgbam Farm. Ou Sunday morning, the 22nd of June,
Miss Hall left home about IO for the purpose of ping to
church at Fordingbridge. I went to Forditighridge about
12. The cows wen then quietly in the meadow, and I 41k1
not see any marl flying about. [left the farm to go to
shark I. the afternoon, bat dful net go in, as it was laki.
I net the rimer in the lame, nod a great disturbs from the
dieursb. It wag about a quarter haters three. lie wee
.ping towards Hoboes's-lan where the body was towed-
I slid cot speak to him, nor be to me. I knew km very
wall by eight. Ima the prbaserensit lerween
Mr. Catbnan's home and John Gilbert's, about a quarter of
a mile from when the body wee ford.
Robert Haskell-1 as a laborer, and live at libideloove.
Oa Sunday morning the 22nd of Jaw I had crab= to go
to Harbridge to see my daughter. I west along the foot-
path leading to Midgham .beet loff-past We. I pared
over the idea on each aide of Jerk Holmee'rlre, where
the body was found. The dew wta beaten off the grass, an
if there had been a " scamper" there. 1 saw footmarks,
and a place when somebody had fallen book into the he*.
I thought that some children had been there to play. The.
mark in the bodge was a little way up the dirty Ire. I
eaw that something had pared or been dragged up the miter.
Thorne, settles, brambles, and all sorts of burr are peer
ing in the hedge. I saw • %reeding of feel from the rile
up to the water. I went cap • step or two, but could not
go further for the water. There wee nobody about. lat
on the stile for • minute or a minute and a half. After
wards on looking towards Skidoo, I saw the prisoner
wining up under the badge. He was coming bride me.
I the got over the sail into another piece of pasture ca my
way home. The prisoner was then other side of the bog
As I pried I got nearly opposite to him. He we. 20 yards
off. I watched him. He wore a brown smock frock, and
wee wet up he his knees. He had his boor on, but they
were unlaced. I did not speak to him. Irw the cows an
en "uproar," which made me look over the hedge. They
were in the mime field as the prisoner. When I left the pr
loner was leaning against an ash tree. The cows were on
the Fordingliridge aide • of the dirty lane, but as close as
they could get to it.
By the primmer—You had a brown slop on.
Prisoner—No I hadal ; I had on the more clothes as Have
Dow._ (The primmer hod previously denied being near the
spot before the enemas).
John Goiney—l live at Fordingbridge, and am shepherd
to Xr. Cheaper I know the prisoner, and where be
lives. On liendiky racening, the 22nd June, about a quarter
past 11, I had occasion to go to my sheep in hinterlands,
near where the body we. found. I saw the primmer Gilbert
there, in the ditch. He we. leaning his side against the
bank picking something off his clothes. When he saw me
he got oat at the ditch end walked off. I was 42 pare
from him when I first saw him, and 18 when he got out.
He picked up something from the opposite side of the ditch,
but I could not see what it was. He walked away quirt
smart, so that I could not speak to him, which I should
otherwise have done. . _ _

live in Froplans, and the prisoner
lodges at my hones. He is my husband's hall-brother. He
got up between 7 and 8 on Sunday morning the 72nd Juno.
He took breakfast with us. He left the hones at half-part
nine, and I didn't see him again before dinner time, SAM
the church people bad owns cut. He wore the waistooet
and coat which he has on now, but not the transom. He
wore the trousers produced by the police. He also wove •
white shirt—the one produced. It 34 an old shirt which he
kept in case be came home wet through. I last washed it
about • mouth before the murder. I don't think that it
wanted mending when I put it by. He put on the shirt the
Tuesday before the murder. The sleeves were not broken
as they are now wheat he put it on (the sleeves were broken
and muddy). He changed his shirt on the Sunday, after
dinner, just before church time. He put on another white
shirt. I did not me whether the sleeves of the other shirt
were broken when be went out is the morning. The
sleeves were tucked in a roll when I brought the shirt down
for the police. The policeman said the sleeves were wet, and
that they smelt of mod. The prisoner had a check 'shirt,
which was upstairs on a nail. He had not the check
shirt oe, on Sunday morning, the 'and June. It was just
before church-time—three o clock—when be left the house
in the afternoon. I went for a walk with my little girl,
and met the prisoner coming up the field, with • parasol in
his hand. He wee coming towards home. I said, "George,
where on earth bait found that?' He replied, "I found it
down in Harding's flying about, and the cows making a
great noise." He asked me whether Charles, my husband,
was at home, and I said, "Yes." He said be wanted him
totems down as there was something down them leaked
him what, sod he said, "A woman in the ditch, smothered
in mud." I told him that he had better go to the police if
she was dead. Nothing more pissed, and be went off to
the sergeant of police. Jost at dinner-time I heard my
little boy Charles say in the prisoner's presence that be had
been seeing " Uncle George " bonging his stockings out on
the bush. The boy put he hand on the prisoner's trousers,
and said, "George, your trousers are wet.' The prisoner
made no reply. I saw the stookinp banging on the hedge.
They ware then dry. He bad • clean pair upstairs, which I
put for him on Saturday night. He put them on after
dinner, but I didn't see him. I was in such a " trem-
bling" after I beard of his being charged that I did not
look at his things. I did not look at his boots when he
came home to dinner. He has got a abort brown slop,
but did not weer it that I know on the Sunday.
The slop was produced and the witness Gamey was re-
called and stated that it appeared to be the same which
the prisoner had on when he saw him. Haskell, how-
ever, was of a different opinion. It was a darker slop
that the prisoner wore, but then it might have been wet.
Fanny Tanner, next door neighlour to the last witness,
corroborated portions of her evidence. She was at home
from 9 o'clock in the morning until 1, and went into the last
witness's house three or four times, but did not see the
pri-
soner. Saw him there at • quarter to 4. Asked him bow
name with the parasol which be had in his hand. He
replied that he bad picked it up in Mr. Yinhorn's " Hard-
ing'.," flying about, sod the cows after it. He added that
in the watery lane be found a women smothered
in water and mud, dead. He said he lifted her up, and that
she was dead and staff. He said there were some books
alongside of her. He said they looked to be church-eluvial
books.

John Turner—l live at Portlingtoidge, and know the pri-
soner, who lives with Marla Philpott, near the church.
I have known him two year. On a Sunday, about Sr
weeks ago, I wee at Mideliammoor with him. It was
about 10 o'clock, just as the people were going
to church. We saw Mir Hall coming along the
path, towards Fordingbridge church. She went out
of the footpath to par us. After passing us she went into
the footpath again. The prisoner said, " Anybody could
easily have all she has, and no one would know anytling
about it He rid, "There she goes." I said, " TeX.
Mai Hall, is it not 2He said, " Yee." Nothing else was
rid that morning. About a fortnight afterwards, on a
Sunday, the primmer cams to my ►house, and caked me if I
was going for a walk! It was about 9 o'clock in the morn-
ing. I went with him round the allotment gardens. Whilst
there the prisoner proposed to go to Midgham.moor. We
went, and got there just as the bells struck out for church.
Am we were going through Mr. Thompson's field, called
Lapersey, we met Mir Hall. She was coming towards
Fordingbridge church. We sat on Mr. Thompson's
stile, in the same field. Miss Hall passed us before
that. Prisoner said, "Mir Hall is • nice y
That had
nigirtt f
bet the murder be asked
me if I was going for • walk the neat morning. I
asked him where he was going. He said " Somewhere for
• stroll," but did not say 1411,11. I asked him where he
called somewhere, and be replied " Somewhere for a walk,
the Fame as usual." That is all I know. From whet he
said, I thought be meant Joshua. Miss Hall.
By the Prisoner—l did not ask you, the night before the
murder, to go with me on the Sunday morning. You did
sot say to me, " Where tor
Prisoner—He has gives evidence that I do not know tap
thing at all about.
Thomas Turner—l live at Pordingbridge, and know the
prisoner. tin Sunday, the 22nd of Juoe, I went to the spot
where the body was found, about half-peat 4. &mead
other persons arrived at the same time. The priers=
there about half an hour afterwards. After we had
the corpse to Midgham I saw two or three spots of blood ea
the prisoner's waistcoat. It was quite fresh. I haws sew
the waistcoat Misr The marks have been marsped sr
rubbed out. The masks were on the collar.
Martha, ruiner, wife of the last witness, said—On
afternoon, the 22nd of June, the prisoner went by me=
haltisest four. He had me that he had toned • worm
dead. Ho was going towards the spot, I rked him where
be bad found her, sad be said down in the moors. I asked
him who it was, and be said he didn't know. I asked hie
if else was a poor girl, sad he said, " !Co, she is a respeotable
girl, with gold tier ia her ears." I asked him how he came
to Ind her, and be said he was going through the fold,
and looked over into Hardieje, sad saw something flying
' Ant. He west and picked It op, and it was a parasol,

[TWOPENCE

He mat away toward the hedge sad looked into the ditch,
where he saw a woman deed. He wont to her and lifted
up her bead, sad she me very stilt. Irked him how he
thought abs came so, and he said, "She looked stiffed in
the mud." I asked him whether she was oa her face or
bier book, aad be said, "On bar back." I said, "if she had
hem Med she must be on her face." He mid. "No she
was so her bask, with a dark ring round her seek." Mere
wits a spot of blood on his waistcoat about themes of a
thrommeay Masa It looked quite free& The praimer
sad that ha did sot know who the women was. A waist.
coat has hem shown to me by Sergeant Me. Something
appears to have been done to it. The blood is pot so bright
as when I saw it before. He said that she had a book in
her right head,cia her breast, and soother book by the ad,
' of her.

Mr. Balk% surgeon, repeated the evidence which be gave
before the cermet at the inquest on Monday week. I
made a pat mortess examination of the body of Ills Hall
on the 23r1 of June. lam of opinion that death resulted
from violence partly from strangulation and partly from
Immersion. There was a considerable Quantity_ muddy
water in the stomach, of the same description as that in the
ditch. These was extraordinary lividity and congestion of
the features, and the eyes were bloodshot, protruding and
prominest, to an extant I never saw baton, even In an
ordinary cam of hanging or drowning. There leers also ex-
ternal Mario cd compression on the throat, and blood
' effused internally on each side of the windpipe, correspond.
ingwith the wisdpipe. Stich compression might be produced
by the heed. Below these marks there was a
long Darrow mark caused I believe by the bonnet strings,
but they had not been twisted Into I ligature. I do not
think that the body was dead whew ISM ledialmisid. If it
has Mime would bore bee' were mkt is the lungs
and lies in the stomach. The ordinary marks of violation
were absent, but the evidence on this point is entirely nega-
tive. Them might or might not have been an attempt.
After • most careful examination of the body I could find
no spot from which 'blood bad exuded. Blood might have
dewed from .the aostrils. The man mouth, and Dose were
full of thin mud whim I first saw the body.
Mr. Soperintendeat Stannard—l am stationed at Ring-
wood. On Sunday, the 22nd June, from information which
I esseimida I came to Fordingbridge. The prronae Gilbert
was in custody. I went to him, and him he was
chorvd with the murder of Miss Han, sad being • very
serious charge, I told him to undress foe me to examine his
clothes. He spanned. I cautioned him to be careful
how be answered me. I asked him at what time
he changed his shirt and stockings, and he replied,
" This morning, before breakfast." The lower parts
of his trousers were very wet up to above the knees,
with stinking mod inside the legs_ at the bottoms.
I said, " Year treason are very wet," bet be said he did
' not know they were. I asked him, when he picked up the
par col, and be plied, "About it yards from the body.
II ooist replied,
see the body when I picked It up." Polioe-enn-
stage Bodawsy brought the shirt and meekly. miffs I was
In the room with the prisoner. I held theeltirt. up and
asked him tf it was his. He said, " No, that's not my
shirt ; lime may this cue--(meaning the be had taken
off at the elation).—and • him striped use, whit I pulled off
this morning." Both sleeves of the shirt were wet up to
the elbows and smelt very strongly of mud. The stockings
we also wet. On Monday, theard, I west le Mr. Thomp-
son's field, with Gomm and others. Gamey.. pointed out a
spot in the ditch where the saw' the prisoner. There
were three lota of ernes pulled op, which smelt
of sand, and appeared as though they had been
used for wiping clothes. The mud smelt the same
as that in the gully and on the prisoner's clothes. On
Sunday last, the 28th, I was conveying the primmer from
Ringwood to Pordingbridge. I did not speak to him. He
asked me if he could see his brother at For I
told him that I did not know yet, sad asked him what he
wanted him for. Hs said, "To prove whole thm I was at
home on Sunday." I told him that his brother and sister
would both be before the magistrates, and would prove that
be was home at half-past 12. He add that was right.
I said, " Uin such a serious champ you west • wittier to
prove when you were on Sunday morning. " He was silent
thee fee some time. He thee said, " The only man that I
saw when I wee down that way on Sunday moraine was
Gamey. When M came into the field I was down radar
the hedge."
By the Benelt—The parasol was perfeetly clam when I
saw it. It is impossible to have seen the body at the spot
where he mid he picked up the parasoL The body could
only have been seem in another field. I examined the
prisoner's boots as Sunday evening, the MEd of June, and
found mud and duckweed from stagnant water balmiest the
lace bola and the tongues. The tongues were sewn to the
Odom of the bases.

TheerlisOWS—having been concluded, the prisoner roes
charged in the usual form, after which
The 'betrays asked him if he wished to say anything in
answer to the 'harp.
Prisoser—l hare nothing at all to sty.
Magistretes• clerk—Will you sign thk!
Prisoner—No, air.
Chairman—Than you stand committed foe trial at the
next mires for the murder of Mary Ann Boman Ball.
The prisoner vow at once removed. The proceedings
lasted about six hours.