The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-12 00:00:00

THE MURDER OF A BOY IN SEVEN DIALS.

On Monday, at Halifax, before Mr. Rawson, a man
low in stature, dark-complexioned, and apparently about
thirty-five yeas of age, who has for a short time past been
working as a journeyman tailor for Mr. Helliwell, at the
village of Triangle, and passing under the name of Samuel
Mortimer, was brought up on a self-accusation of murder-
ing his own child, in London, some weeks ago. Folks,
police-constable at Triangle, stated that the prisoner, on
Saturday morning, stepped into his house, and said,
" Policeman, I have a very serious charge to make against
myself." He was a little fresh at the time, but not
drunk. 1 asked, " What is the charge ?" and be re-
plied, "Do you think I am capable of killing my child ?
Well, I charge myself with that crime, and give myself
up to you." I cautioned him, and said, " I know nothing
about you, and have never seen you before." He answered,
" But I have seen you before, and I insist upon your
taking me." Mr. Rawson—Do you think he had been
char by anybody with murder? Folks—No ; but he
said e had been charged in London. He said, " I have
seen it in the newspapers that there is a reward of 1001.
for my apprehension, and it will be a good thing for your-
self and family." He further said the murder took place
sit weeks ago, and that his name was not Samuel Mor-
timer, but John Richard Jeffery ; also, that in the so-
ciety in which he moved in London, he went by the
name of " Mad Dick." Mr. Superintendent Copeland
produced the Police Gazette, which stated that one
John Richard. Jeffery was wanted on the charge of mur-
dering his son at 15, Neal's-passage, Great Earl-street,
Seven-dials, on the 30th July. His description was about
30 years of age, 5 ft. 5 in. high, rather thin, very dark in
complexion, hair, eyes, and whiskers, small mouth. The
Gazette further says, "He is likely to be employed at
labouring work with the bricklayers, or in the fields in the
suburbs of London, and if he cannot get such work, then as
• tailor at some quiet place." The prisoner answers pretty
closely to this description, except in height and age. lie
is certainly under 5 ft. 5 in., and appears to be above 30
years of age. He hes auiek rod irtidligrat uviintenroue,
but was evidently suffering from excitement, either from
drinking or some other cause. The prisoner now stated
that he was a native of Virginia, U.S. He had been drink-
ing all the week and did not know what he was doing. He
was at a beerhouse at Triangle when he saw the reward
offered in a newspaper. He did not deny making the
statement to the policeman. The magistrate remanded
the prisoner until the London authorities could be com-
municated with. Thu prisoner then complained of " being
very lonely, ill, and oppressed in spirits, wretched and
miserable," and asked for company. Mr. Rawson said he
would leave him in the hands of the superintendent, and
if he required medical aid it would be obtained. A photo-
graph of the prisoner bad been taken, and sent to the
London police authorities.
Mr. Inspector West, by order of Mr. Superintendent
Darkin, the principal of the Bow-street division, arrived
at Halifax late on Monday evening. He was accompanied
by a young man named Ingram, with whom Jeffery had
lodged for some time in London previous to the murder.
The moment West saw the prisoner he recognised him,
and Mr. Superintendent Copeland said, "Now, Jeffery,
here is an inspector from the London police come down to
see you." Jeffery nodded his head, and said with • smile,
" Oh, it's you, is it? I thought you'd be after me at last."
He then caught sight of the young man Ingram, and, look-
ing at him, laughingly remarked, " Why, Bill, is
that you? I knew it must be you who pat
that description of me in the papers." The iden-
tification of the murderer was complete, and yesterday
morning Mr. Inspector West left Halifax with the prisoner
by the train for London at 12.20. During the whole of the
time since the prisoner was identified his manner has
seemed quite changed, and he has said but little or no-
thing, remaining in the same taciturn mood during the
whole of the journey up to London. Hundreds of persons
congregated in Bow-street to witness the arrival of the
prisoner, and no similar scene has been enacted there since
the capture of Muller. The prisoner will be brought up
this morning at Bow-street.

FATAL CtrivaaT Accinsrcr.—A shocking and
fatal accident occurred yesterday in a new culvert now
making in Cromwell-street, Nottingham. Four men were
working in the culvert, which is eight or nine feet in
depth, when one of the banks (which it would appear had
not been properly supported) gave way, burying the men
in the soil. Assistance was procured as speedily as pos-
sible, when it was found that one of the poor fellows,
named Anthony Baker, was suffocated, and that life was
extinct. The other men, John Hickman, John Hickling,
and Wm. Ward were injured (the former seriously so).
They were extricated and conveyed to their homes. Baker
leaves a wife and one child to mourn their loss.

FATAL RIOT BETH ESN ENGLISH AND DUTCH
NAVVISS.—A correspondent writing on the 9th from the
Hague says :—" Much sensation was created yesterday
through the riots which have taken place among the
Dutch and English workmen engaged on the construction
of the new canal from Amsterdam to the sea. Great dis-
content has been created through the English engineers
pitying higher rates to their countrymen than they would
allow to the Dutch. On Thursday last eighty to ninety of
the lost assembled and went in procession to Wykeroog,
where the chief dwellings, sheds, stable., he., of the Eng-
lish are established. On their way they obliged all the
navvies, mesons, carpenters, and engine drivers to atop
work. Having arrived at the house of one of the principal
engineers—an Englionan named Mane—a shot was fired
upon them through the railing of the gate, by which woof
the workmen was fatally wounded. Enraged by this atro-
cious deed, the workmen forced the gate open, but Mans
bad fled into the house. A few policemen, who came
to the spot, endeavoured to &poetise the rage of the work-
men, but this was frustrated because M►ns fired from one
of the windows with a revolver. About this moment some
soldiers, who had been telegraphed for from Haarlem, ar-
rived on the spot, and endeavoured to take Mans into
custody. He resisted, however,and fired upon the soldiers,
dreadfully wounding the officer. The workmen on hearing
this cried out, " They have murdered the captain; set the
house on fire." The soldiers and workmen bad in the
meantime much difficulty in protecting Mans from being
torn to pieces, but they managed at last to drive out the
mob, who now numbered MO men. These, however, set
the house on fire in order to oblige Mans to come out; even
women end children brought quantities of wood and
heath. Fearfully wounded, burnt, and half naked, Mans
was obliged to Ey from the fire; but happily the soldiers
succeeded in bringing him safely in a cart to the house of
detention at Haarlem, where a trial awaits him. A great
number of soldiers were immediately sent to the place, but
they remained inactive, as there have been no subsequent
disturbances.

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