The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-31 00:00:00

Thu trial of John Charles Tapner, a clerk in the
Ordisanco-offlos, for the murder of Mrs. Banjoes, and for the
sabsegeout attempt to barn the body, by setting fire to the
house, came en before the Royal Court at Guernsey on the
20th inst. The proceedings have already lasted seven days
and are not yet concluded.
Tapner, who was dressed in a new suit of black, with
white cravat, and exhibited complete self-possession,
pleaded not guilty.
The Queen's Procureur, in • long and able speech, de-
alt's!' the facts of the ease.
Xis Mary De Jersey, of Piettisroad, said she knew the
deceased, and frequently went to her house. She was
there on the evening of Oct. 18, between 5 and 6 o'clock. Mrs.
Beujon was then in very good health. While at supper in yo
the kitchen, Mrs. Saujon thought she heard the street door se
*pen, and rose to see whether any person weather., but 8211
so one. Witness left soon after 9 o'clock. Mrs. Saujon
unlocked the door to let her out. When she came out 'he IS
saw a man close to the wall, opposite to her house, walking
slowly towards Paris-infest. He was close enough to hear Bt.
Mrs. &akin say "Good night." Witness passed him be- 53
lore getting to the opening of Paris-street. He wore • St.
glazed hat and • round pea jacket. tit.
The prisoner was desired to put on the bat and jacket. st.°
Witness declared that he was as like as like could be. She
Identified some articles—a thimble, spectacles, and time-
piece—es belonging to Mrs. Saujon.
Mr. Joshua P. Ahier said he was passing Mrs. Seinen',
how on Wedaesday, a little after one in the afternoon,
sad was desired by Mr. Barbet to accompany him to the
house. A ladder was brought, and they entered by the
window. There was much smoke coming out of the par-
lour, and a very strong and suffocating smell. On looking
into the bed-room he saw part of the naked thigh of the
deceased lying :urges the glees door. He went into the
sleeping-room, where be saw a body lying, which he recog-
nised as being that of Mrs. Saujon. It was lying on the
right side, and one thigh was crossed over the other. The
head was partly under the bed, and the body was stretched
out. The bud was on the floor. The two hands were
clenched over the breast, and burnt black. Ihe legs were
straight, as if laid out by some person. The body was un-
covered from the legs downwards, excepting the legs, which
bad the stockings on. It appeared as though, while the
person had been burning, she had tried to draw up her
clothes. The deal table in court was standing over her legs,
and the drawer, which had been taken out, was lying on
them. The skirting board was burning in several places.
The contents of the drawers were all in confusion.
Mr. Berthaut Allez, law agent, proved paying Mrs.
Saujon 501. in U. Guernsey notes.
Mr. James Barbet, high constable, corroborated the evi-
dence of Mr. Abler.
John Gonbey, assistant constable, was also called to go
to the house of Mrs. Saujon, and he described the scene
of confusion which presented itself. In the drawers
were found four copies of the Illustrated London News
and a piece of rag, all impregnated with turpentine. The
drawers appeared to have been opened with violence.
He subsequently went with constable Williams to the
prisoner's house in Fort-road, and took pommies °fume
sticks end • monkey jacket. In one of the pockets of
the jacket they found particles of resin ; in a lumber
room rp stairs • bottle of turpentine. On the 22nd of
October they serwohad • stoves attack, ahead 400 yards
from the prisoner's house, where they found 11 teaspoons,
three sable spoon', • pair of sugar-toogs, a salt-spoon,
mustard-spoon, a silver pencil-cue, • pair of silver-
mounted spectacles, a silver cream jug, sad a small bag
containing, among other things, a wedding-ring and a
bunch of keys fitting the chest of drawers, liquor case, &e.,
of Mrs. Swaim. The silver bore the initials of Mrs. Eels
jou. While they were there a timepiece was brought from
• wood-stack. Oa the 23rd they went again to the house
of the prisoner, and brought away • deck lantern and a
pair of pilot cloth trouser', from which • grey hair was
taken. Afterwards they found a brace of pistols loaded
with ball and capped. He had often seen the prisoner with
a monkey jacket and a gbizei bat similar to that before the
court.
Mr. Philip Beal, surgeon, was of opinion that the wounds
on deceased's head had been inflicted by • stick, or some
other blunt instrument. There were extensive burns about
the body. The skin of the tongue was soft, and could be
scraped off. The liver and intestines were completely
cooked, and when examined, the heat mast have been up
to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. The flesh of the left tore-arm
and hand were completely consumed. Ile believed the
woman was not dead when she received the burns. A
bottle was handed to him containing turpentine. It had a
label for Godfrey's Cordial.
James Paint, assistant to Mr. Beresford, druggist, proved
selling a quantity of Godfrey's Cordial to Mrs. Tapner,
and the label was in his handwriting.
Several witnesses were then called to prove the receipt
of different sums from the prisoner, payment being made
in U. Guernsey notes, correspoafiing with those stolen from
Mrs. Saujon.
Bleary Martell, a shipwright, said he was standing at his
mother's house door on the night of the 18th of October,
between 8 and 9 o'clock, and saw Tapner pass along to-
wards Wall-road. lie wore • glazed hat, a monkey jacket,
and pilot cloth trousers, and had a stick in his hand.
Some other evidence of this description was also given.
Louisa Westendy, aged 13, sail she was in the service of
the prisoner. On the night of Wednesday, the 18th,
Tapner cams home at about 8 o'clock. When he came, he
looked for something, and his wife asked him what he
wanted. He said he wanted his little dark linters. The
bottom was movable, and was used about the house as a
candlestick. lie fetched it from the bedroom, and put the
bottom into the lantern, and having lighted the candle
wont out at the back-door. He returned in about three
quarter' of an hour. She went to bed soon after, when
die heard a rummaging noise over bead in a closet which
Taperer always kept locked. She went to sleep, and some
time after Tapner came into the room without a light, and
asked for her candle. She told him it was on the chair,
which he took, and went out. A long time after that she
was awakened by a great noise, as if boxes were moved or
being opened in the closet. She heard many strange
voices. Next morning a lot of gentlemen, among whom
was Constable Barbet, came to the house. She had seen
the sticks that were before the Court. One of them with an
iron crook Tapner nearly always used.
This witness was severely cross-examined, but her evi-
dence was um/hakes.
Mr. Charles Parker, a gardener, proved comparing the
bouts of the prisoner with foot marks in the field leadieg
to the stacks where the plat* was discovered, and they
iszactly corresponded.
William Jesse, assistant constable, said that shortly be-
fore 11 o'clock on the 18th of October he was with another
ocestable watching on the Fort-road, and when about 30
garde from the prisoner's house they saw • man going across
afield. They followed him, and on coming up to him they
a head it was the prisoner. Witness said it was extraordi-
nary for a man to be there at that time of night, and he
said he had come out to smoke his pipe, and that he did not
think there was anything extraordinary in it. lie had no
pipe or cigar. lie asked why he bid himself, and he replied
" I heard somebody knocking about the road, and I did not
wish to be seen." Tapner had a pea jacket and an
alpaca bat that packed up. The witness then at consi-
derable length, detailed _his visit to the house of the
prisoner, and afterwards went to the field in which the
clover and other stacks were, where they found the stolen
articles enumerated by other witnesses. At Tapser's house
they found a pair of old boots. They took them to the
field, and tried them with the footmarks. They cor-
responded exactly.
Mr. James Barbet proved a conversation that took place
between him and Tapner, when he admitted that he bad
taken lodgings fora young female at Mrs. Saujon's, giVIZI
his name as that of Mr. Sooner. When Tapner was taken
to the Doussine-room in the evening, he said, " I under-
stand that the old woman has been burnt," or words to that
effect. Oa being asked how he knew that he replied, that
be bad heard a conversation about it in a room below, and
a ass who spoke very loud complained that he had been
eseseed of it. lie told him that be understood he had a
metal-headed stick, which they had not seen, and he ad-
mitted that he had such • stick, but had broken the head
two or three days ago by striking it against • gate.
John Gillingham was called to unscrew the barrel of one
of the pistois, and examine the charge. The charge con-
tained the ordinary quantity of powder for such a pistol,
which must have been damp when it was loaded. If it
bad been damp, it would probably have been loaded about
dale months. There was • difference between the charges
of the two pistols, one being quite fresh. The caps must
have been on from ten to twelve months, unless they had
previously been in a damp place, or the nipples of the pistols
were damp when the caps were put on.
This closed the case for the prosecution, and the court
soon after adjourned.
On the resumption of the case, Mr. Falls will address
the court fur the prisoner.