The Express.
London, England, 1851-10-13 00:00:00

CHARGE OF MURDER AT DAVENTRY.

The town of Daventt7 has been in a state of great
excitement during the week, in consequence of the supposed
murder of a female named Elizabeth I'iuekard, who resided
at a lour house about a mile from the town on the Long
Buckley-road. On Friday weak the husband of the deceased
left home about nine iu the mornim, in company with his
son John Mutton Finckard, who has a small farm at Thrupp
Grounds, to go to Daventry lair. They were absent during
the day. Towards the afternoon a person named Bird, wise
rented a small close adjoining the house, turned his pony
into it and afterwards went into the deceased's house.
The door was open, and on entering he found
the deceased in a sitting posture in one corner
of the room, dead, stiff, and cold. She had
a piece of white tape round her throat, com-
mon tape, suers us is used ter apron strings. It
was tied once round the throat, and the other end was at-
tached to a hook in the wineluw-blind. Bird cut the tape
and the body remained in its sitting posture. Mr. Sharman,
the surgeon of Daventry, was ..,ant for ; several hours had
evidently elapsed since death; hu kit under the impression
that she Lad committed suicide, but iu the course of Sunday
rumours prevailed which led to the apprehension of the
son's wife under the following eireniumauccs. Au uncle of
the deceased, Heeled Mutton, had left her the interest of
1,0001., which, at her death, was to be divielest among her
children. As John Mutton l'inckard was the only child,
be would of course, at her death, become enti-
tled to the entire property, and the suspicion points
to this money as the inducement on the part of the
wife to make away with her mother. On the morning
of Friday week She was seen to leave her house by a la-
bourer named Thontas Iladland, who was thatching fur the
younger l'inekard. situ went across the fields to Daventry,
in the direction of the house of the elder l'inekard, just
before ten o'clock, and returned about a tom ter betero
twelve. Ile observed, ou her return, that her dress was
turn at the gathers. A policeman, named Reynolds, sta-
tioned ut Long Buckley, p essing the house of the de-
ceased about 20 minutes out e:eseu, saw the ptisoner
standing just withinside the door. A labourer named
Letts saw a woman come trout Buckby way about a
quarter past ten, and gu into the house. At a quarter
before eleven she was staining at the door talking to some
person in the house, whom Latta recognised by her voice
to be old Mrs. l'inckard. About half-pust eleven he saw
her returning the way she cause towards 'llaupp Grounds.
A labourer named Lidelington, at work on the road with
Letts, also saw the WOlrell as she was returning towards
Buckby. Neither Letts nor Lideliagton, however, iden-
tified the prisoner with this woman, although they
• I did not say she was not the person. A boy, named
.1 Cole, living at East Haddon, saw a person standing at the
window fumbling among some nowt rputa. she afterwards
came out against the door and looked both ways, up and
down the road. The boy's belief was that the prisoner was
the woman. Another labourer, named Thomas Flowers,
in the employ of Mr. Litchfield, of Norton, passed tho
house about a quarter past eleven', and heard a groaning
and a lumber as if two for three: persona were scuttling.
Thus much is in evidence, but rumours arc afloat of proofs
much more directly criminatury. Some of these, however,
have already been shown to be baseless. An inquest on
the body was held before F. E. nicks Esq., at the Beet,
Das-entry, on Monday last. Thu only witnesses then ex-
amined were the husband of the dee:ea.-eel, Bird, who brat
discovered the presumed murder, and Mr. Sharman, the
surgeon. The inquest was then adjourned to Friday last,
in order that a put wriest examination might be made en
the interim. The appointed hour was ten Withal and the
town was in a state of great excitement. The room at the
Boot being found too small, the Coroner adjourned to the
Moot Hall.

The first witness called was Mr. Sharman, who described
the appearance of the body on the pest newl,:na examination.
The brain was congested, and the wind pipe lacerated. lie
' considered that the deceased died in a state of asphyxia, oc-
casioned by a ligature round the neck. Did not consider de-
, ceased;eould have hung herself in the sitting posture in which
she was found with that length of tape Ou the Sunday alter
the death witness went to the house of the prisoner's husband
at Thrupp Grounds, and told prisoner there were some
strange reports in circulation about the matter, and asked
her whether she had heard them. She said, nu, she had not.
Witness told her from what he had heard he had not the tease
doubt that her mother was murdered. She said she was of
the same opinion, and was quite satisfied she was so. Wit-
ness then said the next questien was—Who did it? She re-
plied, Be they who they may, I hope they'll be discovered
and punished. lie asked her whether she had auy sus-
picion of anyone? She said, " No, she had no reason to
suspect anyone." Wane-s asked her whether she knew
of anyone having enmity agaimt her ? Site said, " No,
she was a quiet, peaceable woman ; you might live all your
life with her, and not have a word emit," She last saw
the deceased on ,the Sunday evening previous, when de-
ceased was down at her house. Did not tell her that it was
supposed by the public that she waif the murderer. Wit-
ness saw no mason to alter 11:s opinion that the deceased
was murdered. Ou the first evening he cone away from
the house under the impression that she had destroyed her-
self, but the reports he had since heard led him to a dif-
ferent opinion. Tie-3e were same spots of what seemed to
be blood about five feet from the deceased, near the dour.
Another was about four feet high on the wali.
Richard Pinckard, the husband of the deceased, left the
house at ten minutes to nine, and did nut return till after
he was informed that his wife was dead. The house was
not robbed. There were no marks of blood on the wall
and floor when he left PS when he returned. Deceased had
said she wanted some tape. Never saw the tape produced
till he saw it round her neck.

John Letts, labourer, of the Abbey End, Daventry—
OnYriday last was working oa the road between Laren-
try and Thrupp with a man named Liddington. About
11 or 12 o'clock they were working within 12u yard,' of the
house. Saw a woman come from Buckby way, and go into
the house about a quarter or half-past 10. Bid nut know
the person. Saw her again standing at a door a quarter
before 11. She was talking to some person in the house,
and from the sound of the voice he believed the per-
son who answered from within was old Mrs. Pinekard.
The woman had a lightish coloured dress ou, and a lightish
shawl. Saw her return about half-past II in the sumac di-
rection from which she came. That would be the direction
in which a person would come from the house of Juba
Pinckard, at Thrupp Grounds. Witness and Liddingtort
were afterwards called into the house by Bird, about half-
past five. Old Mrs. Pinckard was sitting dead in a corner
by the window. She was upright, excepting that her head
leaned to one side.
John Liddington saw a woman just beyond the house
going to Buckb. She had a light dress or shawl on. Sho
seemed of middling sae.
William Reynolds, police officer at Long Buckby, passed
Richard Pinckard's house ou Friday last. A woman was
standing just within side, having hold of the door with her
right hand. Is quite certain the prisoner is the woman.
This was about twenty or tweuty-five initiates past eleven.
William Cole, a boy qf thirteen, liviug at East Mahlon,
and working for Mr. Abdre ws, was at Daventry fair on
Friday last. Saw a person standing at the wiuduw,
fumbling among some flower twee. When he got by, a
woman came out against the duo:, and looked both was
up and down the road. Believes the prisoner to be tao
woman. . .

Thomas Iladland.—flosides at Newnham, and works at
Mr. riuckarrni, at Thrupp Grounds. Ou do moruinB of
Friday saw Mrs. I'iuckard, thu prisoner, leave borne ?ust
before ten. She went across the gree.kswara;
for the Daventry road, in the direetkun of old Fin d's
house. Saw her return in the bane turactioiiaq
before twelve. She had on a light aess.,' .Wl
,themslice7
back it was torn out of the 8 ,thc tOreibt4lot.hui-
.„.
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