The Express.
London, England, 1863-08-25 00:00:00

THE DERBYSHIRE MURDER.

It appears that the murderer of Miss Goodwin,
on his arrival at Whatatandwell.bridge railway station, cm
Friday morning, went to Mrs. Burley's, the Bull's Head
inn, and bad two glance of brandy and water, telling the
landlady that he should probably sweat a bed fora night or
two, but that dependedupon ancemehumes. He left a
carpet; bag at the ion, and then walked to Wirksworth,
calling at the Red Lion hotel, in that town, and had four
" braediea and Nodes," the last of which he forgot to pay
for. He then proceeded to the Grange and committed
the foul crime. He wrote from Manchester on Thurs.
day to say that be should visit the Grease on
Friday, bat the letter has not been produced in evi.
dance. After tise inquest on Saturday he was removed
to Wirksworth lock-op, a great crowd lining the way, and ,
threatening vengeance on the culprit. The primmer con. I
.used lightly about the weather and other trivial subjects,
and seemed bent upon making hilliest( as agreeable corn-
panion. On searching him at the !wk.,* a diary, liquor
flask, pipes, tobacco, envelopes, sad about 12s. in money,
were found upon him, together with the draft of a letter
applying to see Miss Goodwin before he went abroad,
On Saturday and Sunday evenings he did not rest wall, bat
he partook of his meals with great heartiness. On Buda)
he was mated in his cell by two nompanior, who came to
see him from Bury, in Lancashire, and oo their return to
Deaby in the evening they inetructed Mr. Leech, solicitor.,
to defend hint. The mother of the murdered girl arrived
at Wigwell Grange on Saturday evening from Manchester.
When the prisoner arrived at Derby railway statioa, pre-
vious to being conveyed to the county gaol, he met his
father on the platform, the latter having just arrived by I
train from Manchester. It is useless to say that the
meeting was a distressing one. Prisoner gave his address ,
as G. V. Townley, Req., Hoodlum Vale, Queen'apark,
Manchester. It was stated that his father is a commission
agent, and that the murdered girl's father is a civil en.
goner.
The miamer we. brought op for examination at the Moot-
hall, Wirksworth, yesterday morning. The hall was densely
crowded, and the greatest interest was manifested in the
movegs. The prisooer, when brought into court, entered
rsation with the solicitor who had been retained to
defend him. He appeared to be perfectly calm and collected,
and, after a long conversation with Mr. Leech, at down in
the seat provided for him. He is five feet nine inches in
height, and has a gentlemanly bearing. From time to time
he gazed round the crowded room, and to all outward
appearance was the most noonecened person in the pleas.
Before any evideace was Oka,
Mr. Superintendent Barton :aid a letter we. seat by the
primmer to the anardered girl, but he decliaed to give it up
nukes the magistrates wished is. The letter would show
that Vaasa was a premeditated one.
Mr. Leash aid he could not resist the application if the
magistrates wished it to be produced.
Mr. Radford, senior magistrate—By all means send for
the letter. . _

The magistrates then sent a written request to Captain
Goodwin to forward it. The letter was received by the ,
unfortunate young lady ae the of the murder.
The first witness ealled was the Eev. Herbert Harris,
head-master of the Wirksworth Grammar School, who said
—I knew the deceased. Her name was Elizabeth
Caroline Goodwin. She was Y 2 years of age. The pri-
soner, whom I knew, called twos me about half-past one
o'clock on Friday last. He mid he had called upon me
as a friend of Miss Goodwin's. I saw him for the first
time about six or seven months ago. Prisoner mid, I
suppose you know of the engagement between Mir
Gonalwin end myself." I said 1 was certainly not aware'
of it, tut I understood that there had been an
meat, but that it had been broken off. Prisoner said
has written to me to break off the engagement and re-
fuses to see me. I wish to know bow matters stand." I
mid, " Anything that I know is in confidence, therefore
my tongue is tied." Prisoner said, " Who is this clergyman
that has been stayiog at Wigwell 1" I replied, "A clergyman
bee been staying &VOA( well, but I decline to give his name."
He asked me if Mies Goodwin was at Wigwell, and I repair d
that I believed she was, as I had seen her there on Wader-
day. Prisoner said, ' Sooner or later I must see her. I have
set her free, but I must hear from her own lips that she
gives up the engagement. She is of age and at liberty to
please herself. I know lam not a good match, sad Ido not
wish to stand in her way." Prisoner thee took some refresh-
ment with me, and it was Mau two o'clock. I told him I
moat go to school, and if he would ma again at half-
past four o'clock, I would see him spin. He called
again at half-past four, and I told him I thought that
the best plan would be to write a note to Miss Goodwin,
post it, and ask for an interview the next morning, or that
if he went up to Wigwell that night I had uo doubt she
would see him. He said he would do so, and on leaving my
door he kilted me if I should be is all the evening. I replied
that I should. Prisoner said he would mill oo me maim
TLat was the teat thing that paned between us. I can't
answer the question of Mir Goodwin being engaged to a
ecrgyman, excepting from hearsay.
Mr. Leech—Your acquaintance with Townley wen ex-
tremely slight
Witness—l only saw him once before last Friday.
Evidence to the same effect as that given at the inquest,
reported yesterday, baying been taken,
The prisoner was committed for trial at the next anOses,
remarking, in answer to the magistrate's clerk, that he had
nothing to say.