The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-11-11 00:00:00

BARBAROUS MURDEItS IN LI.
A few days ago we gave an account of the bodies of two didd'clt believed to have been murdered having been found at Boston,
and
we now give some further particulars of this mysterious affair hoe,
the Button Gazette. It appeared that a child was missing is the
month of February last, and never since beard of, although retry
possible means of giving publicity to the circuminuict was reaorte4
to. thi the 26th Wt. as previously stated, two children were wand
in a barn. An inquest was held on the bodies on Saturday Wa
night, before J. H. Holloway, Esq. coroner. The body of thedifid
which lay on the first Boor of the granary way insiceted by the
jury. The long time it had lain had obliterated every feature; oi
vermin a hich infested the granary had eat part of the body, puts.
elderly the fingers on one baud. Several marks of blood were oy.
served on the clothes, fully proving the committal of a rapt.
this was not the only marks of cruelty discovered ; round the seek
and rather inclining to the extremity of one of the ears, it was eery
easy to dimwit a mark caused by the tight pressure of a cord w
other ligament. It is highly probable that the villain whu pep,
tested this atrocious crime pulled his victim up by the cord mow
the neck into the Lille roof where it was found.
Jainea Thomas Tester, and Robert Hall, deposed to the findipt
of the body. Both thought it impossible for the child to have got
to the creitng, or for a man to have carried it up in his unit, buil,
might have been pulled up by a rope.
Mr. J. It. Rogers, surgeon, stated, that from the very mind
state of the body, very little medical opinion could be offered.
The marks of blood on the under clothes of the child led to the
conclusion that violence had becn committed on her person. Thew
also appeared to witness a fafrow round the neck of the child, ma
a coed had been tightly applied.
seawall Smaller, mother of the child, identified the bonnet sat
pattena found in ti.e granary as thane worn by her daughter on the
26th February last. the was eight years old. Deceased left home
a few minutes before nine o'clock in the morning, with the Um
tion of going to the National School. The granary where the body
was found is on the road to the school.

The extreme agitation of the wimess cannot be described. pee
of her children was burnt to death sonic years ago; and she ear
truly appeared a Rachel weeping for bet children, and refusing to
be comforted because they are not.
George Smaller, husband of the last rituals, also identified the
dress of the child. Did not miss the child until night ; it au s
very rainy day, and thought she had stopped at the school, but
found, on inquiry, that she had not been therm Witness dragged
Boston river fn a fortnight himself, and n.ade every inquiry, bet
could not find or hear ofhis child.

James Chanttey, clerk to Mr. Sheppard, who occupied the gra.
nary, deposed as to the grain in it at diderent periods ; did not re.
member the key cf the granary being taken from the office of tee
Nth February ; it was not cub:ornery to ask for the key ; the po.
sons who want it take it from the nail ou which it hangs h. d::
office.

- .
Harriet Jackson, Mistress of the National School, Roston, de.
posed, that Frances Smaller was one of the Scholars last lama;
deceased was not at school on tile .6th; en Or 2.ith she was; tal
not seen her since. She always came very cheerfully to school, st-4,
wimeas had not occasion to correct her in any manner oc Oc in
preceding her death.
Robert 3laydwell was elarnineil several times, hat his emirs
" was a mass of contradiction."

Benjamin Benton, who lived with Mr. Sheppa:d at the that,
said Maydwell used generally to open the granary windows • some.
time. they were opened by hinisch. Did tint know that he tad el
conversation with Maydwell about the child being lost.
The Inquestst was then adjourned to Monday ; in the manners
messerger was despatched to London, to procure the snag.
ance of Thomas Parker, whose nave had been inentiored is tbs
proceedings.
Richard Taylor, a shoemaker deposed, that about a wetk afar
the child was lost, Thomas Parker, who was frequently at sit.
ness's home, told him that the child wu found at the Dui of lira
Sheppard's granary. Parker said he had seen the child, and the
it had ben pulled out of the river. Witness mentioned what
Parka said to .Me. Davey. Parker was always in low sp"m,
cried much, and once said he had something on his comic= Oat
morning in June last, Parker had got some essence of sugar in s
cap, and was going to swallow it, but was prevented by atticser
wife. Parker took witness's cutting rut knife with him.
Thomas Davey corroborated the last witness, as to the =res.
don between them.

Wits. Hayes, waiter at the Dolphin Inn, deposed that Porker
slept theta in slay last, and also about Suter six weeks since, wren
he pulled a knife out of his pocket, and putting it to his ova
body, said, " I hope this wi.l do the deed ere long."
Several other witnesses were examined, but their evideere is net
of importance. The Inquest was then adjourned to Thursday, to
wait the snivel of Parker. On Thursday morning the Jury es.
amined the premises ; the general conviction was, that the ciLl
bad been enticed into the granary In the morning, the rape con.
mitted in the first floor, and the child niunlered to prevent deer.
tiou, and the body put in the third floor, which was rsr.ly cues.
John Pooks, waiter at the Still inn, deposed that Parker ad be
bad something heavy on his mind, and would be hanged.
Hannah Tavlor gave similar evidence, as to Parker, to ittt of
her husband, Richard Taylor.
Thomas Parker, who bad been apprehended on a Slags it
warrant, was brought in and examined, but rot on oath. lies
about 38 years of age. Ile stated that be had lived with IL
Robert Sheppard, as groom. He positively denied that Le tic
over told Puoles, or Taylor and his, wife, that be should be hop::
his low spiriu and unettincu was in consequence of his wife haring
left him.

There was In Porter's appearance none of the confirm: artiste
of discovered guilt, or apprehended punishment. In a calm and
composed manner he walked up to the coats, and after looking to
a tea moments at the body, he exelainiod in a distinct and Wel-
tered tone.—" This is a shocking spectacle, but I had no hard :2
it, 00(1 knows." He was then asked if he bad any objeetioasto
touch the body. Ile said, " Certainly not; I neva injured the
little innocent :" and then firmly placed his right hand co dif-
ferent pens of the body.
The (:Droner summed up the ev:dericer and the Jury, aftet a
short deliberation, returned their verilla—" Wilul Murder against
some person or persons unknown."
SEt'OND INQUEST.
Another inquest was held on Tuesday, on the body of another
child, seven years of age, found in a pit adjoining Maud Forest
Dam. Several whmsses were examined, and there was no doubt
that the child had been murdered ; and it appeared from the en-
dence of Slr. Hollway, the surgeon, that there was some reason to
suspect that a rape had been attempted on the child.
Alice Hattenborow, the mother of the child, deposed to the fact
amassing her, and identified her clothes, but no clue was obtained
as to the individual who bad perpetrated the horrid deed.
Verdict --" %l'ilful murder against some person or persons ac-
known."