The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-26 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

NATIONAL DEFENCES. —Or Monday a public
meeting was held in the Guildhall, Derby, "for the purpose
of petitioning parliament against any addition to the existing
naval and military forces, the enrolment of the militia, or
the establishment of additional fortresses."—The Rev. Noah
Jones, at the conclusion of • speech deprecatory of war and
the war cry just raised, moved the following resolution
:
"That this meeting, believing the system and practice
of war to be at variance with Christianity, and with the beat
interests of mankind, deeply regrets the attempt now being
made to excite in the public mind an opinion that war (is
imminent, as it would increase the taxation by increasing the
military and naval establishments of this country."—The
Rev. L. Gawtborne seconded the resolution. He did not
go the length of the peace party, that war was not justifiable
under any circumstances ; at the same time he ridiculed the
absurd cry that war was inevitable. The resolution was car-
ried
without opposition.—The Rev. W. Poile spoke strongly
against the government. He concluded by moving the fol.
lowing: " That it is the deliberate conviction of this meet-
ing that the apprehension of war is unfounded • that an '
crease of expenditure in strengthening the naval and military
forces in any form is uncalled for; that it would teed to
excite a spirit of war rather than a love of peace ; that it
would obstruct the tone of morality and increase the taxation
of the people."—The resolution was seconded by Mr. Stokes,
and carried unsnimoualy.—Other resolutions were agreed
to, and a petition adopted.

THE MURDER OF A FARMER.—Yesterday the
county magistrates resumed their inquiries respecting the
murder of Mr. W. Resell, of Dundry The three prisoners,
James Resell, Benjamin Resell, and *John Hall, were again
present in custody, and Mr. Pigeoa appeared for the crown,
to conduct the inquiry. The first with= examined was
Mr. J. Shorland, surgeon, living about half a mile from Mr.
Hasell's farm. Witness was called on Thursday last to see
the body of the deceased. He found a very extensive wound
above the left eye. It was a lacerated wound, two inches in
length, such as might have been inflicted by the heavy
bludgeon produced as having been found in the dung mixers.
Witness also found =extensive fracture of the skull running
along the frontal bone, and round to the right parietal bone.
The injuries must have occasioned immediate death. Pro.
bebly he was first struck by a man behind him on the right
side, and the blow over the ear having stunned him, the
other injuries could have been inflicted afterwards. Should
say it was impossible for all the injuries to have been omit.
dened by a fall. The face of the deceased was covered with
blood, which had dried on, and adhering to it were a num-
ber of hay Needs and hay motes, similar to some which
witness at a subsequent time saw lying in the stable
under the manger. There were no bruises on the
trunk or limbs, so that it was not probable that
there had been any struggle. The search of the dung mixen
by Hall was made by witness's direction. On Saturday
afternoon witness went, accompanied by his man servant
and Mrs. Dowling, and searched the stable and hayloft.
They examined the loft, but could find nothing that
was at all suspicious there. As they were descending
again, the servant man (John Goodland) observed marks of
blood on the right-hand wall of the stable, near the door,
leading out into the barton. There were forty or fifty spots
or Writes of blood of a bright red arterial colour. They left
the stable and went into the house, and, on their return,
they found a quantity of blood under the manger. There
was a brick there which stood in a pool of blood, and the
stones of the wall were stained with blood to the extent of
three or four inches above the ground. Among the blood
there was a quantity of hay seed and hay motes, like those
found on the face of the deceased. Saw no marks of blood
leading from the stable to the well. The deceased wal, a
' heavy man, and witness did not think that one
man could have carried him from the stable to the well,
without dragging. Thomas Capel, a farm servant in the
employ of deceased, deposed that he last saw his master
alive at about half-past three o'clock on Monday afternoon,
when he was in front of the colts' house. He was carrying
as umbrella at the time. During Monday witness was at
work in the barn, and during the day saw the Resells about
the place at their duty as usual. They were the only per-
sons that wets about there except a labouring man named
Vowler and Miss Hazen, and her female donned= Witness
came to work on Tuesday morning at six o'clock. and found
the two liaxelle in the stable, cleaning it out. Witness went
and assisted in the work, as he usually did. James Resell
generally cleaned out the stable, bat his brother Benjamin
sometimes misted him in doing it. (At this point of the
examination one of the magistrates observed some blood on
the front part of the prisoner Janus Huell's trousers, and
he we- deter= to stand forward in order that more light =eat
be thrown upon his person. He said, "We killed a pig last
week, and he kicked, and the blood came over my trousers.")
Capel's examination was resumed, and he stated that be else
assisted the too Resells in cleaning the stable on Wed=s-
nay morning. When ho first went to his work they bad
not got to the stable, which was locked, but Benjamin Resell
soon came from the house and brought the witness a lantern
to see to cleanse it. Wither assisted in bringing up the
body of his deceased master from the bottom of the dry well,
and saw the prisoner Jame Resell at the well. Witness
sent him to borrow a rope to let down into the well. The
other prisoner, Benjamin, was not there, for witness had
told him to put a saddle on to one of the horses and go and
(etch his father. Witness observed nothing unozual during
the week in the conduct of the prisoners, nor did it striae
him at all that they did not assist es much as they ought to
have done in seeking for the body. The magistrates hero
asked the prisoners if they wished to put any questions to ;
either of the witnesses. Benjamin Hasell replied—" No,
he (Cepa) has maid everything correct, as far as I know."
Elisabeth Liazell, niece of the deceased and sister of the
prisoners, deposed that their acede was a man of inch regular
habits, that his absence from tea on Monday excited much
apprehension and alarm, and a search was at once com-
menced. Toe prisoner., James and Benjamin, assisted in it.
When they came in to their meal in the e , Miss Hull
salted where deceased wag, and they replied they did
not know, they had last seen Lim is Amu sf the colts' I
house. Witness was in the kitchen wins iissipson came in '
for the keys of the stable. The prisseat Jame did not like
to give them up, as he said there./res ge_ barley s_ of
they would trample over. Milli sister of
the deceased, was examined at great kook, but eta e 4
nothing that could throw much light as Ib isysisdius
affair. She described the prisoners as Wise sow is distr
usual way. She heard the hesitation resat "him up dis
stable key. The prisoner James Mesa meek kamig up his
keys on a nail, but on Monday night ha kept them In his
pocket. The magistrates having now sat till VW • O'clock,
the investigation was adjourned.

A MYSTERIOUS CASE or Diormito new Exeter
has occupied the attention of a coroner and jury dud% three
days. This inquiry err concluded on Monday Lat. From
the evidence a/dursed we gather that a Mrs. !Garda loft her
bore between Wpm Ida sad rens Wilcock en kooday

evening, and that she called at Mr. lake's, in South-street.
All the winnows speak of her being is excellent spirits and
temper except a Mr. Mellott, who asps he set her near the
lower market, and that she wee then very excited and inco-
herent, not direerly answering to the pouits of a s►ort con-
versation. If he is correct as to time, she afterwards called
on Mn. Davidge, in Milk-street, and remained with her until
nearly eight, and was then cheerful and in high spirit. Be-
tween halt-paw seven and eight the next morning she wee
seen floating upright at the mouth of the canal, With her
gown over her head, which was only about a foot and a hall
under the surface. When taken out she had not the 'appear.
cues of being long dead, the limbs wen by no means stiff,
and the flannel wet her skin not wet. At the find
edjoarned inquiry it came oat that a man named J. Perry
had, since the death of her husband, lived with the do.
ceased, conducting the Wainer of a cheese ►nd bacon factor.
It was endeavoured to be elicited, if possible, how Petry wee
occupied during the night of Mn. Martini disappearance;
and it appeared that at nine o'clock, when John Partridge,
the errand-boy, retired to rest, be left him in the house; at
half-past nine he was at the Black Hone publishouse, Mr.
Peter Bond's, in Seuth.strset, just opposite his own resi-
dence, where be remained until half-past 12. He then went
with Mr. Bond to Mr. Woodsy'•, in George's-square,
Btepoote-hill, where Mn. Bond was at a Christmas
party, and where it was thought probable the deceased
might also be. But she was not there. Here Perry
remained until one o'clock, when they left with Mr. John
Davis, a pork butcher, residing near the Black Horse,
and his wife, and at whose house Perry remained until
nearly four o'clock, when be went to his own on the opposite
aide of the street. Hie stay there, however, could have been
but short, as at four o'clock he knocked up Mr. Gay, glo-
ver, in the High-street, to inquire if Mn. Martin were there,
or if he had seen the doweled. He appeared also to have es-
pressed surprise that she had not returaed home.—Tbe
eoroner recommended the jury, after the investigation they
had made, and the great paucity of the evidence, to record
the simple fact—" Pound dead in the river, but by what
weans, then is no evidence before the jury."