The Express.
London, England, 1861-04-11 00:00:00

HIGHWAY ROBBERY AND MURDER.

Yesterday afternoon an inquest was held at the
Bull's Head Inn, Cowley, before Mr. W. H. Phillips, de-
puty coroner for the Wolverhampton district, on the body
of an aged man, named Walter Piper, • boatman, who had
died near to that house the day before from injuries that
he bed received in the same district from highwaymen.
Deceased was • single man, and lodged with George
Wooton. • shoemaker. He left home on the morning of
I March 25, saying he was going with a boat for his master to
Birching, mar Walmll. His master was Samuel Wilber,
of Darkhouse-law. Dammed was accustomed to go to
Masten market, about one mile away, every Monday
evening. On the evening of the 25th March, at about
nine o'clock, witness heard that the deceased bad
been injured and robbed. He found him in the
house of a neighbour, bleeding from a severe wound in the
forehead. The scull was driven in. Witness took him borne
sad sent for a surgeon, but he did not come. The next
naming he sent for another surgeon, who came and
attended the deceased till his death. Before he became in-
sensible he said that he was coming through the Blue
Button Leaseowe, • field not far from his lodgings, when
two men serene out of the hedge cline by the pathway, one
of whom clutched him by the throat, and the other dragged
him out of the footpath and under the hedge, where they
rified his pockets of a brim tobacco-box containing 3s. fid.,
sod a bag containing 11b. of bacon. Mx of cheese, two
loaves of bread, and some meat. Ho was • very quiet
mart, and witness never knew him to quarrel with any one.
His friends lived at Hagley.
Thomas Jones, a miner, in whose house deceased was
found by the last witness, deposed that on the night of the
robbery he saw the deceseed in Bilston, carrying a bag,
which apparently contained his marketing's. About three-
quarters of an hour afterwards, as he was entering the Blue
Button Ltosoowe, be met a man dressed in dark clothes,
end running past him "as swift as a dart," and carrying
something under his ann. Immediately afterwards a
coed man came running up, saying, "When is he!
Oh, there he is ; I see him." Having said this he continued
running in the direction in which the first man had gone,
although there was not light enough for him to see him.
Witness could not identify the men again. About
40 yards further on be came up with the deceased,
lying on his face on the gran, and moving his band over
the pound. He was insensible, sod his hat was lying near
to bun. By his hat he knew who he was, and mid, "Hello°.
Walter, is that you? Have these two fellows been robbing
you?" He lifted him up and
of
sensible,
an
of me d
said,
ohfatvheemmteomeee
the throat. I can't tell where they could have come from.
Witness was sympathising with him when the deceased said,
" Don't make • bother about it, keep it quiet." The blood
was flowing fast from a wound in the forehead, and cover-
ing his face, and he would insist on going down to the
canal to wash it off. Wittier allowed him ; but if he
(wittier) had not held him by his " frock" as he did so, he
would have fallen into the water. On getting him to his
to(wisttaneunchs)thheousebloodhe,senbut
Police-superintendent Were*, of Allston, deposed that
ft
eLotlhed
nprea.vious witness, and tried
be beard of the circomstance for the first time on Friday,
the 29th ult. On that day the Rev. 11. 8. Fletcher. a ma-
gistrate, and the assistant magistrate'. clerk, took the de-
ceased's deposition by his bedside, the deceased belief nyder
the conviction that he should not recover. He
was, however, quite sensible. Witness produced the
deposition, which was taken in his presence. The testimony
of the deceased in his deposition was fully corroborative ol
the conversation deposed to with him by the other wit.
nesnes. In addition to the property spoken to, the dying
men mentioned two receipts for pew rent raid to dee
managers of a neighbouring chapel, sad • belie sad • plate.
At about six o'clock the inquest was adjourned for a fort.
night, the coroner remarking that a verdict of wilful 'newer
would bare to be returned.

REPLIER TO ESSAYS AND RN/TIMM —Besides the
volume ammenced sane weeks ago as in pmperation by Br.
Mansell, Dr. Tborasoo, and other giantism's Messrs. J. H.
and Jae. Parker are about to publish a similar collection of
replies to "Sways and Hisvlews" by the Rev. Dr. Cioulbura.
the Rev. Dr. Headley, the Rey. Dr. Irma, the Rev. H. J.
Ross. sad the Rev. Dr. Wordsworth. The Bishop of Or-
ford is to write a prelims.