The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-12 00:00:00

TUESDAY EVENING,

THE MURDER IN THE ISLE 07 &HIPPY.

The inquest on the body of William Elliott; who
was found deed under eircumstaums which left little doubt
thut he bad bees brutally, murdered, wu resumed peter-
day before Mr. Thomas Hills, coroner of the county, at Mu I
Halfway public-house, Minster, near quienaborough, isle of
Sheppy.
It will be remembered that at an early hoer on the morn-
ing of Wednesday, the 30th ult., the body of • man
was foiled lying in a wheat field, at • place called
Pheamente-field, about • mile front the Halfway-house,
with marks of gunshot wounds on his face and chest that
had been recently made. The matter being pet into
the bands of Mr. Superintendent T. M. Green, of the '
Kent county constabulary, the corpse was at once identi-
fied as being that of • man named William Elliott, about
30 years of age, and who was a single man, in employment
at Sheerness Dookyanl. At the opening of the inquiry
some merely formal evidence was taken, and no clue was at
that time found to bring to light the perpetrators of the
frightful deed, but the activity of the police resulted in the
arrest, on suspicion, on Monday, the 4th inst., of two men,
William Johnson, a corn dealer and small farmer, re-
siding at Sheerness, and his son, Edward ithElloo,
living at the same plus with his father. The prisoners
were taken before the sitting magistrates at Sitting-
bourne last Tuesday, and several witnesses were ex-
amined, but it was considered advisable for the fur-
therance of the ends of justice that the details of the
examination should Dot be made public. Tke evidence,
however, was purely circumstantial, but so far con-
clusive as to warrant the bench of magistrates In remand-
dig the prisoners to Si. Augustine Gaol, and to refuse the
bail which was offered by Mr. Johnson, the solicitor,
of Faversham, who attended on behalf of the accused.
At the sitting of the court yesterday the learned coroner
read ever the evidence taken on the previous oomaion. John
Cheeseman, • boot sod shoe maker, living at Sheerness,
identifted the deceased. _

Mr. Edward Stride, surgeon, stated that he saw the body
of the deceased man a little after one o'clock on Wednes-
day, the day of the supposed murder, and found on exa-
mination external marks of gunshot wounds on the right
side of the chest, as well as some on the forehead, and the
whole of the face. On the right side of the chest the
shots bad nearly all entered the lungs ; one of the shots had
passed through the eye, and those in the face had
it deeply. Death had been occasioned by the shots pees.
tratiog the lungs, and the shot& had doubtless proceeded
from a gun held on a level with the chest of the deceased.
There were no other marks of violence on the body, nor
any • that the deceased bad been engaged in say
struggle
Superintendent T. M. Green stated that he found the body
of the deceased os thkeilliv referred to in Pheaaaut's.beld—
about eight or nine • train the fence separating the
field from the road. deceased was lying on his be*
with hie hands by his side. There was some blood no the
side of the fence next the road, as if the deceased had been
dragged through the fence, and then was also blood in the
road. Within about three yards of the Noce these was
more blood, as if the body had been left there for a short
time, and marks were then visible of its having been dragged
on the back in • semi-circle to the spot when it was found,
about five yards from the blood he referred to as being in
the field.

----
George Elliott, brother of deceased, said the deceased
lodged with him, and he last saw him alive about 8 o'clock
on the evening of the 29th ult., when witness went out,
leaving the deceased at home meudiug his jacket. Witness
did not beer of the murder till the next morning. He had
had no quarrel with his brother. Withal/ did not take a gun
out with him an that night, neither did the deceased do so,
as far as be knew.
_

George Curtis, 14, residing at Queenbormigh, deposed to
, on the night the murder was committed a man
crouc along io • field by the side of the Toed. Them a
wee dressed is • white smock frock, but was not the de-
ceased, who afterwards wished witness •• Good night." Os
reaching his home witness heard a gun fire. That was
shortly after 9 o'clock.
. . .

By the jury—A. man passed him before be reached home,
but be could not see whether he had a gun with him.
George Brown deposed to having seen the two Jona:ins
shortly after 9 o'clock on the evening of the 29th ult.
posedivi cart along in a near the Fortyaere hill. The road
the field where the deceased was found. A hare
crowed the road, and the elder Johnson got down out of the
cart with a double barrelled gun in his hand. After walking
some time he got up into the cart.
Frederick Alfred Lem, the son of a former, also deposed
to meeting the elder Jamison and his son ia a cart on the
night in question.
Sergeant Koski, d the Kent county police, said be asked
the two Johnson' if they had been near the spot where the
murder was committed oo the night in question, when they
admitted they hod. They said they had take; out a gun
with them to shoot a stoat with, but the left-hood barrel
bedlam diselisrged. On going to the stable where they
aid the gun was witness noticed that one barrel bad been
recenly &schemed. The elder Johnson returned to the
stable before witness did.

Maria6llliiikpeeed to Edward Johnson having` borrowed
a ramrod of her ow the evening of the 30th nit, and im-
mediately after she heard the report of a gun in Johnson's
stable. Sergeant Nadu and the elder Johnson soon after
came in.

John Newton also deposed to having heard the report of
the gun io the barn belonging to Johnson. On the same
evening witness was drinking with the Johnson at a public-
house, and noticed that they were yen aritated when the
murder was spoken of. They played am:e that night, and
played very badly.
After some other unimportant evidence bad been given
the inquest was adjourned until to-marrow (Wednesday).

GREAT WRSTRRN RAILWAY.

It appears from the financial statement of this
company for the half-year ending the 30th of June last that
13,755,495/. had been received on shares, aid 11,102,9821.
on debentures, loans, Sm., making the total remipte oa
capital account 24,858.4771. The total expenditure oa
capital account in respect of the various railways, works,
and plant belonging to the company amounted to
21,938,3341., and in subscriptions and disbursements for
ether undertakings to 2,199,8221., making together
24,138,1561., and leaving a baleen, of 790,3211. The
capital account of the Shrewsbury lines now belonging
to the Great Western Company shows that 3,647,015/.
had been expended upon them. The joint capital account
of the Greet Western and West Midland Companies shows
a total outlay of 695,272/. The koint revenue account of
the Great Western and West Midland Railways for the
belf.yeer ending the 30th of Julie shows that 1,244,7281.
had been received, sad 618,4061., or 49438 per. cent. ex-
pended in working the traffic, hr. ; 31,7061. paid for rent-
charges on 11 branch railways, also 16,3471. for interest on
capital expenditure on joint account, and 88,2501. for fixed
rent and allowance for plant, da., of South Wales Railway,
leaving a Mimes of 541.202/. for division between they
two
companies. Of this the Great Western receives 82i per
cent., or 446,4921., and the West Midland Com-
pany., 174 per cent., or 94,7101. From the 446,4921.
received by the Great Western they first deduct
2,5001. towards parliamentary and legal expenses,
and 1,5001. for doubtful debts, leaving 442,4921. To this is
added 10,4241. brought forward from the preceding half-
year ; 12,0001. a portion of balances reserved from revenue
account prior to the 30th of June, 1861 ; and. 12,4381. for
dividends oa abates in other companies, makes the total
477,3541. From this sum is deducted 20,1804 for versa-
teed annuities to Wilts, Somerset, wad Weymouth
Railway, and Rennet and Avon Canal ; 20,666/. for
rent-charges of the Gloucester and Dean Forest, the Here-
ford, Roos, and Gloucester, Breathed Dock, Wyeombe
Railway, and trustees of Packlingtee &tete ; 65,638/.
in respect of interest and dividends ow the Shrews-
bury hoes ; and, finally, 347,4401. for lutenist ea loans and
preference shares (exclusive of 12.7991. charged in joint
account), leaving a dimmable sum of 23,4201.—0ut of which
it is proposed to tay a dividend at the rate of • half per
' cent. per annum, being for the ball-year aiding the 30th of
June last, 20,59.3/. ; leaving a balm°, of 2,8271. At the
corresponding period of 1/461 the disposable sum was
95,0691. ; the rats of dividend 24 percent. per annum, being
for the half-year 92,6691., leaving a balance of 2,4001.,
' showing a decrease in the disposable sum of 71,6491., and
an increase in the balance carried over of 4271. This com-
parison is Dot of much use, because the circumstances of the
'Great Western are quite different now from what they
! were at the corresponding period of 1861. Oa the Ist of
July, 1861, the Great Western sad West Midland commenced
I working together on joint account, and at the end of the
half-year, December 31. the total receipts were 1,212,2011.,
and the portion divisible between the two companies we.
714,3101., of which the Great Western took 824 per eent.or
589,4711., and the West Midland 174 per met. or 125,0391.
The result was that the Great Western Company had a die-
' ramble balance of 133,9831., out of which he, declared a
dividend at the rate of 3 per rent per minim, which eh-
eorbed 123,5501., and left a balance of 10,4241., with which
they commenced the past year. On the lit of
January last the two companies jointly commenced to
lease and work the South Wales Railway, paying the
latter a minimum rent of 170,0001. a-year, and also me-
' Min allowances for plant and expenses. The payment to
the South Wales Company under this arrangement for
the past half.year ending the 30th of Jane amounted to
88,2501. The first half of the year being the lust produc-
tive by 10,0001. or 12,0001., he rent fell heavier oa the
receipts of the pest half-yeer, than it will in the next half-
year. This, however, is but a small matter as compared
with the lea over the combined systems of the three ear
maim during the half-year from he gat depression of
trade in the mineral and manufacturing districts. The
deficiency on the Shrewsbury lines was increased from
12,1421. to 22,4941., making a difference of 10,3621, spinet
the Great Waters. thetwid 4111 fonotair. •howisff a
reduced amount of deficiency payable every year. It
appears from the traffic Mares of the Great Western, West
Midland, sad South Wales Railways combined, during the
first 22 weeks of the pail half-yeer, that there was a
decree's oh 3,4881. as compared with the earrapeedthi
period of last year, but during the four following weeks im
June the receipts were so increased by the aperstien of the
International Exhibition that an angraseletten et 10,1001.
was produced oa the receipts of the 26 weeks se competed
with the corresponding period al 1861. Vidor Gramm sir-
maselancee it le prohable that en biomass of sheet 00,0001.
might have taken place is the receipt. el Wee bees daring
the pest I.of.year 1 et all events. the Width tessigrei he the
cement half.yeer are meek mere ammiesseng, for they
ainomie in eke for as lest weeks to
331.402. essiedt IV. far the 011111800•fte peeled at
last year, showing es Mamas. al 44,9001., or 'boat 6,0001.
per week.