The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-09-23 00:00:00

THE BECKENFLIM MURDER.

Yesterday being the day appointed for the further investigation or
the charge of murder against Thomas Coombs, for having shot Mr.
(loodltart's gardener, the klagistrates of U Union Hall, in conse-
quence, issued their privy search warrant for the apprehension of
all reputed thieves, prostitutes. and disorderly characters, in order,
if possible, to trace the man whom the deceased had stated, in his I
dying disposition, before Sir C. Farnaby, to have been in company
with Coombs on the night the unfortunate man was shot. The
search warrant was entrusted to the care of the Chief Constable,
who proceeded the previous night with a posse of the office's to exe-
cute it. They searched the low lodging-houses and brothels in the
neighbourhood of Kent-street, and took into custody their inmates,
condodug of thieves, cadgers, and prostitutes, of every kind, who
werephicad at the bar by dozens at a time. Those females who
were rogrosented as being disorderly prostitutes, and having behaved
in a riotous and improper manner when taken by the officer, the
Magistrate committed, for periods corresponding with the nature of
their offences, to Brixton ; and those unfortunate creatures, who had
the advantage of peaceable conduct in their unhappy situation,
sere discharged with an admonition.
The male prisoners were put to the bar, a dozen at a time; none
of them were known to have been acquainted with Coombs. Seve.
nil of these men were Identified by the officers as reputed thieves,
anti sent to the tread-mill; and, as in the cases of the other sex,
those who had the advantage of a decent character (although but
few in number) were discharged.
In the course of the examination of several men, who had been
taken by the officers out of a house in New-alley, Tooley-street,
considerable laughter was excited in the Court, by the evidence of
Glannon, the officer, against an Hibernian, who had nailed himself
up in a small closet, in the hope of being overlooked by the officers.
Glannon said, that on entering this house, he received a hint that a
gnu was concealed in an inner room; he knocked at the door, and
was answered from within--" Arndt, blood and minds, what do yob
want, man it's only a poor half-starved Irishman that's here."
He was desired to unlock the door immediately; but he said—
" How the devil can I open the door, when there's no door to
open ?" Another knock was given by e officer, when the Irish-
man called out, in exultation, " Here, faith, here I am, as coin.
fortable ea if I was nailed up In my coffin." tilannon was ulti.
mately obliged to Weak in the panel of the door, when he found
Paddy stark naked, in a tub just large enough to contain himself.
Paddy, upon being interrogated by the klagistrate as to the
cause of his having nailed himself ep in the place described,
said_" Platte your Honour's Honour, it's I that never did an
bad in my life; and I only nailed myself up to keep the
big blackguards that came lit and out the whole night front stealing
my bits of clothes."
Paddy, after having promised to remove himself from the house
where be was apprehended, was then discharged.
After the Magistrate bud disposed of the above charges, the pri.
soner Coombs was put to the bar. He is much altered in appear.
once since the last examination, which was visible to Mr. Allen,
Sir C. famaby, and Mr. (Mahler' ; the former of whom asked the
prisoner if he was unwell ? The prisoner replied, that he was
very ill.
Mr. Ares,: inquired whether he had received attention from the
Doctor of the gaol ?
Coombs said that be had, and that he was now taking medicine
prescribed by the Visiting Surgeon.
The following evidence was then taken down by Mr. Allen, in
addition to that which has already appeared I
Mr. It. Green, at Becky, near Eichorn, stated, that on the tutu
of August he had a conversation with his neighbour, Mr. Tyler,
relative to some canvas which had been stolen from his farm-yard.
In the course of the conversation Mr. Tyler stated, that a man bed
been seen coming out of Westwood, with a bag at his back, early in
the morning. IVitness and Mr. Tyler, in consevence, went to the
'wood together, and in the course of their search discovered a quan.
thy of grapes in an anfrequented thicket, which were covered over
with twigs, and near the same spot a bog lay, in which was a gun.
Witness unloaded the gun, and drew out the charge new produced,
consisting of brown paper wadding, several shot, slugs, and pebbles.
Witness left the gun in the name place, in the hope of apprehend-
ing the person who should call for it g and on the following morn.
ing, on going into the wood, the gun had been taken away during
the night. Alr. Green here produced a piece of canvas, similar in
quality to that which had been stolen from hiat. On comparing
the piece with a pair of trowsers which the prisoner now wore, the
texture seemed to be exactly of the saute kind ; but the witness
said, that he would not swear positively to the fact of the trowsers
worn by Coombs being a part of that which had been stolen trout
his premises. Mr. (keen added, that the day on which he and
Mr. Tyler found the gun, they went together to Westwood, armed
with pistols, in the evening, and remained in the thicket during the
greater part of the night, but nu person appeared during die time
of their stay.
Mr. Tyler described the gun, which he should know again.
Richard Brown, ganiener to Lady Crewe, of Elthant Lodge,
stated, that in the beginning of February her Ladyship's garden
and toollioure at Oaten were broken Into and relined. The tool-
house was broken into by a crow, 23 inches in length, and robbed
of several packages of seeds, a pair of razors, a pruning.knife, a
chissel and hummer (the seeds, pruning-knife, &c. now.produe;cl,
the witnese said, were those which were taken away.) These ar.
titles, it will be recollected, were found at the prisoner's lodgings,
when he weer apprehended. Upon looking at the prisoner, the wit.
note added. that his waistcoat was stolen on the same occasion. He
was desired to examine that which the prisoner now wore, and he
identified it as being that stolen on the night in question. "Witnem
added, that he believed he had seen the prisoner before, near Ulis-
es-Ono-at, in Kent.
air. A nuew here asked Coombs if fie wished to put any qua.
thins t., the witnesses who had been examined ?--Coombs replied
that he hail nothing at all to sae.
Mr. ALLEN, after having conoiltcd with Sir C. Farnaby and
Mr. Goodhue, observed, that it was necessary he should remand
the prisoner for another examination ; and then addressing the
tinfartimate prisoner, told him, that he would give directions that
he should be provided with proper nourishing things during his
illness.
The prisoner thanked the Magistrate, and was then conveyed
beck to Horsemonger Gaol.

Hue I xxer.r.toxuci.:42anteibury, Sept. 40.—" An-
other wed: will leave but few hops standing in this imme-
diate neighbourhood; some of the unpicked grounds begin
to show a dusky appearance, owing to the late foggy nights
and hot days. On the cold soil, in the country the hops
arc .not so forward, and but little progress has yet been
made in the picking. At our market on Saturday there
was a fair show of good samples, and some sales were
made, but they were chiefly (except in one instance) small
lots—the prices varied from 51. 10e. to 71.—Kontish
Gazette.