The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-17 00:00:00

'7IIERIM4D.

THE MU RDE,

On Saturday night, at the conclusion of the Iriqueat that Mot
place at the Bell public-house, Fetchar., on the bellies ads in-
fortunate individuals alio were murdered on Thteryday night last,
Mr. 1141, the chief coiroable. and Pulite, the Acre, set out Pr
tows. On their road home, iu pie.sing through-the village of
Merton. near Tooting, they were informed by the landlord of the
rli ela ytap .rootbmorning about ten o'clock. 3 14.-
and rafted for a pint of
Bells public-house, that a man dres.cil in a :amiaa jacket and troop-
pestrnan igiaerd
te;,oilikedhitshesrem there on F t
porter. There were several labouring men there at.the time, al!
of Whom were Conversing on the subject of the murder that had
been committed the previous night at retchorn. The pint co
' porter having been served to the crianger, on putting it to his lip-
and drinking out of it, the landlord. as well as two or three ethca
in the room, oh-erved that there were spots of blood on the wrist.
band of his shirt. The eirturnatance escheat some surprise at the
time, and on more close observation, there were aka spots of
blood seen on the frost part of his shirt. The matt appeared t;.
be in a hurry, and having tirdshed his beer, he left the house, and
proceeded on the road towards London. Mr. Hall, on brerimc
these particulars. expressed considereble surprise that he was tot
detainad, in consequence of the very suspicious circumstances
under which he entered the house ; but the landlord said. that
only having just heard of a report of a murder having been cow-
mitred, and rot certain as to the truth of it, he took no further
notice, but allowed the man to depart.
When Mr. Hall arrived in t7;wn, he communicated the above
facts to fir smith, an wire officer, who bad immediate is..
emetic:ins to proceed in search of this person. Ormanith was suc-
cessful in his Inquiries, and apprehended s young man in the parish
of Bermondsey, precisely answering the description of the suspected
person, who was brought up to Union.hall Police-office yesterday
morning, and underwent nn examination before N.J. CLAMBERS.
Esq.
theasmkh stated that the prisoner's name to John Corner, and
that on Sunday night, in tl.e course of his inqui•ies, be ascertaincd
that the person whom he wants! was seen in a low public-house in
Kent-street. late on Friday night, and that be had every appear.
once of having just come out of the country. The officer followed
up the 'climb, and at length took the prisoner ism custody at a
public-house in Bernannescy, In the tap-room of which, it ap-
peated,ite had been very rotennianienviver to the sompany an the
subject of the murders. Garisamith immediately commenced an
examiration of Isis clothes, anti on looking at his shirt he observed
a large spot of what he was convinced was blood an the bosom of
• it. He questioned Corney as to the cause, when the latter replied
that it was caused by some port wine splashing upon it while in the
act of drawing the cork out of the bottle.
The, shirt was here produced before the Magistratit, and the spot
of blood alluded to was perzeptible.
Mr. CHAMBERS then proceeded to put the following questions
to Curley :
IV hat are you am a labourer, Sir' and have worked some
time in the employment of Captain D!'erarel. of Lock's.delds.
Have you been in tire country lately ?—Yes, Sir, I hree beers
down in surrey.
What part of Surrey ?—Near Lestherhead.
, How long had ydu bun there?—wince the commencement 01
, Leatherhead fair.
What were you doing there ?—Whe, sir, I was lent by my master
to Mr. Bruce, the landlord sit the Rising Sun public-house, to
assiiiit him In his business during the fair.
What distance is the Rising Sun front Fetchuso ?—lt is a little
, I better that half a mile. _ _

Did you sleep at the Rising Sun every Light ?—Vea, Sir, and Mr.
Bruce can certify that I slept there.
On Thursday night are you certain you slept there?—Ye,, S;r.
. _

1 am.
What part of the house did you sltcp in that night ?—I slept in
a two-bedded room, at the top of lie house.
Can 111 r. Bruce "apeak to tl.nt fact?—lf he can't, Anne, the
servant girl. can.
What time dal you go io bed sat up rather late, on accouar
of the company ; I ►hould think it watt atter one o'clock when I
retired to rest.
_ . .

Did ant. other person slip-p in the room with you, and tell me
his name:—There was another man slept in tie mat bed; ha
was a farmer like I.)oking item!), hut 1 can't Kay what his rnnels.
At what hour did you rise to the morning ?-...1 ahculd think
about seeen o'clock. _

And what, did you do on getting up cleaned the pMs ; and
while standing at the door of the Biting Sun, about ten O'clock. on
the Friday, a gentleman. 1 think his Ilat.iP was Gibbs, told some
persons in my hearing rbat it shocking tun;Jer had been committed
the previous night at Feteltatn.
What did you do afterwards, for you must be particular in
giving me a very minute account of your time up to your arrival
in town ?-1 ant not afraid to state every thing that I know, Sir.
said Come;; and after I bad done cleanieg up my pots, as Alt.
Bruce did not want me any longer, he paid me for my services,
and I left and came up :o town.
Did you call at the Bells public-house, Merton, on your way to
town I—Yes, I did Sir, and had a pint of porter there, anti left the
house immediately after drinking It, as I was ia a hurry to get
into London.
Mr. CliA InlEit s—There appears to be a spot of Llootl on the
breast of your thin; how do you account for that ?—lt is not
blood, Sir ; it is thestain of port wine, that spleshed out upon me
while I was drawing the cork of a bottle of wine at the Ris-
ing Sae.
The :Magistrate, altimirgit persuaded that the mark was caused
by blood, directed Drosamith to take the shirt into the Infirmary
next door, and have the opinion of the medical men as to whether
it was produced by blood, or by wire, as had been asserted. On
the officer's return he tole the Maeisteate that it was the opinion of
the surgeon that it was a setin of Word, and that it presented an
appeararce of baying been very touch tuebed, in (rider to obliterate
the mark.
At this stage of the investigation a messenger arrived from
Fetchom with a letter from the Rev. Mr. Bollard, who, together
with the other gentlemen resident io the Immediate neighbourhood
where the murders were perpetrated, have been indefatigable :n
their exertions co obtain tome clue to the discovery of the perpe-
trators. Time Leer was addressed to J. S. Caldwell, Esq. milt*
Magistrate then presiding at the (Ace ; and from the contents,
which will he seen below, it will be evident to our reader:. that in the
article which followed the Inquest on the bodies of the victims, and
which appeared In the British Pressof yes•erday, there werea:rong
grounds fur suspecting that some branch of the unfoitunate de-
ceased's family were the perpetrators of the murders. The letter
Was as 1011011111.--•
" Pctcham, Ortober 16.
" Sir,-1 have evidesm of the best description that a grand.
daughter ache old mite Intudtred at Fete:ism was at Learherhead.
in the fair-hoods, on W.-thwkdav and Thursday last, and that she
was then in company with two young fellows. Indeed I have also
reason to believe that she was seen travelling with these companions
on the road from Leatherhead to Esher, within three mites of the
spot where the deed was done. at half-past ten o'clock on Friday
morning—the murder then hiving been pretty publicly known foie
three hours. • William Smith saw Mary Ayres (the grand.
daughter) at Leatheihead fair, en Thursday morning, about eight
o'clock. I met her in a passage, and epeke to her. She was in
company wish a man in a round frock. Tne man was tall and thin.
and Ma fresh colour. Mary Ayres is a thin yotteg woman. about
23 yeas of age, a thick r.aigt, palish titre, and fair, with lightisit
hair. She is quite a tall woman. She had on high-laced she. s.
with nails, a light gown—something of a pink—a flower running all
down, aed a Week beaver bonnet.'
" ' Isaac Sheath saw three men, one oldish, with him face wrap.
red ttp as if from rheumatism. and two youttg hearty fellows, with
Mary Ayres, at half-past 10 o'clock on filday morning. This was
at Oahsnot, two miles from Leatherhead ; they were travelling to.
wards Ether. My attention was drawn to them because they were
driving their donkeys very fast.' One of the torn asked me what
u'cl.,ek it was. I have known Mary Ayres all my lite; allele a
good.looking girl, used to be jelly ; she i; about 14 yecra
•" Michael Derby taw Mary Ayres at the fair ou Wednesdov.
She was in company with two men ; oiie lied tor a velvet jacket, the
1 other lied on a brown frock. I was coming from the fair at low
o'clock on Friday morning, end way going towards Fetcham.
Between leathernead cage and Leutberheed bridge I met a man
and a woman; they were whiseering. I was frightened; 1 cout.l
not distiogoish their dress.'
" This ma alt I can collect. It is try opinion that no stranger
eaminitted the maple,. Every thing 'favour% the presumption that
the perpetrators, either directly try themselves, or indirectly by
others, were cog:tizant of the lonely and helpless state, of the
inma:es of the house, and expected :o find limner, because the old
creature had freehold proper;. I shell he at geIMiODS to-merle a,
and will bring Isaac Sheath. If yes think it advisable :et Mr.
Ball or Pople, meet time. Sir, lam clearly convinced of the rites.
arty of finding Mary Ayres. Pray excuse haste.
6' 1 am, Sir, your obedient servant,
•• J. G. BULLAND."
On the perusal of this important intrrmation, ?.Jr. Chamber.
immediately directed the chief officer, Hall, to lose no time us an;
,!. out to *pretend the suspected persons. Post-chaises were
ordered to be in teadieese, and be half-poet one o'clock yeeterdat
Mr. 11111, Pople, and qrosarnith, the Dana', were on the roacl.
and had taken different routes, in order to come lip with them as ea.
peditiouoly as possible.
Pte riming man nettled Cotney underwent no farther examina-
tion. the Mag.letratee having permitted him to go back to his 111:1S.
ter, Captain k,vetard, and to eurne up on a future oceasioo, ,bouid
he be wanted.
Coney strongly presented his innocence of having any knowledge
of the tnurders, and during the perieri of his examination frequently
declared that the epou or touts on his shirt were • nut caused by
blood, but in the manner he 1144 already stated.

- -
List week Lietit.-Gen. Sir J. Byng, K.C.Y. commander
of this district, inspected the temporary barracks at Bury,
Havlingden, and Oldham, occupied by the 53d Regiment
of Foot, and cal rissed his most unqualified approbation of
the judicious arrangements by, the troops. which, he said,
reflected great credit on the well-regulated system preserved
in that corps ; he also expres:LA himself much pleased
with the soldier-like appearance of the men. The Grenadier
Guards and the 39th Regiment of Foot were yesterday ht-
spected at Manchester by the Honourable General Harris,
who was highly gratified at the general appearance of the
men, particularly of the Grenadier Guards, which if, we.?
believe, ;moor the fiNit regiments in the setvicre—.Snaga.„
port .-I,:ccr tire.