The National Register.
London, England, 1823-03-23 00:00:00

POLICE. '--

GUILDBAIab.
THURSDAY, MARCH 20.—Public indignation was
strongly excited this morning against a fellow named
W. Smith, who was stopped with a can on Holborn
Hill, containing four dead bodies—together with all the
implements ured by body snatchers in violating the
bodies of the dead.
At twelve o'cloeit the prisoner was brought to the
Justice Room in a hackney coach, followed by the
enraged multitude, who would have inflicted summary
punishment upon him had he not been protected front
their fury by the ollicers. Shortly afterwards Alderman
Cox arrived, and the examination of the witnesses was
gone into.
Bany, a watchman of St. Andrew, Holborn. stated,
that aboot six o'clock this morning, he was going off
duty with another watchman, named Gammage, whets
a young man, dressed like a butcher, came up and told
him Mete was a small cart with a black horse, consiws
down the bill, and he suspected it contained something
it ought not, and advised him to keep his eye on it.—
Witness told him he would, and the young man went
away. Witness hastened to the watch house, and com-
municated what had been told hint to' Mr. Fruits, the
beadle, who was then discharging the men, and he
(witness) and the other watchman, Canon:age, went
after the cart, and brought it back, together with the
prisoner, to the watch house.
Gamtnage, the other watchman, said he went with
the last witness and Mr. Freda after the cart, which by
this time had got as far as Shoe Lane; he called to the
'insulter to stop, but he drove on at a quicker rate, and
witness ran after it, and pulled the prisoner from his
seat, and took him back to the watch house.
Al r. Bruin, the beadle, stated, that when the two last
witnesses informed him that they fuspected a cart, that
had just gone down the hill, contained something that
it should Hui, he immediately ran out, and saw the cart
going at a brivkish rate towards Fleet Market. He
called to the prisoner, who was in the cart driving, to
stop the horse; but ending lie did not, he desired the
watchman to run alter it, and to bring both the cart and
its driver back to the watch house. On inspection he
hound in the cart three sacks, containing the dead bodies
of three females ; one of them appeared to have possessed
considerable beauty ; and the dead body of an old man
was lying in the bottom of the cart, naked, with a cord
tied round his neck, and his legs were brought over his
shoulders for better conveyance. He also found a new
spade, and a boat hook fastened to the end of a stick .
about live feet lung, which was used its raking the lids
of the coffins. Toe bodies appeared in a very fresh state,
and had evidently been recently interred. He yew-
none(' the prisoner how he became possessed of the
bodies. He 'said he had been employed by two men,
whom he diel not know (and who were walking at a
distance before him at the time he was stopped), to
carry the sacks in his cart after them, wherever they
went, and he did not know at the time what the sacks
contained.
Alderman—Where are the bodies now?
Wituess—They have been placed in shells, and are
lying at the workhouse.
Alderman-11.ve you any conjectures from what
burial ',Lee they have been stolen ?
Witness-1 suppose they have been taken from St.
Pancras burying ground, ftoin what the !slimmers-said.
The prisoner was then called for his defence. lie
said that ho was a groom but out of place; he Is id a
wife and family living at Surrey Peace, Blackftiars'
Road.—Yesterday evening, two men whom he slid not
know, called on hem, and told him if he would meet
them at four in the morning, with his horse and cart,
at the new bridge Kentish Town, they would give him
a job. lie sort (ham at the oppointed hour, mid they
loaded his cart ; but with what he was totally ignorant,
till he was stopped by the watchman.
The Alderman said, he should commit the prisoner
for reeexamination, and in the meats time the officers
should make inquiries at St. Pancras, of the sexton, if
any graves in that church-yard had been violated.
I'he prisoner was then conveyed to the Compter,
amidst the execrations of a vast multitude.

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Mr. Deputy Reeves, and the Churchwardens of St.
Andrew, Holbiirn, were piescnt during the examina-
tion.

IRELAND—MOST F.ZGHT?Ub MURDER.-011 the
sth instant, on the lands of Trilmo, two miles from
Redhills, in the county of Cavan, a-most cruel murder
was perpetrated. The victim was Thomas Beatty, art
amiable young man, about 20 years of age, son to John
Beatty, a constable. They were usually intrusted with
the collection of the county cess, and more moderate
and deserving men in their situation were never known.
Unfortunately, there was some misunderstanding among
the tenants, bottle of whom not only -refused to pay, but
were prepared to resist any who should enforce at. The
young man above mentioned, advancing incautiously,
was assailed by two men and four women, armed with
the shafts of spades, gratis, &c. prepared for the purpose.
One of the men, coining behind poor Beatty, struck him
on the ground, when they ull tell furiously upon hint.
On the father's attempting to save him, they left the
son, and began at bun ; and while they Were thus en-
womanobserving
'th a the son revive a tittle, struck
on Ilm head loy-Auft, and fractured his
skull : they then all ran off. The agonized father car-
ried his almost lifeless son into a field, and ran for assist-
ance; the best medical aid was procured,
but all in
vain, he lived in great agony for three days, and expired,
lamented by all who knew him. The ruffian who 'first
struck him fall to a house, and swore he had " sent a
Protestant to

On Wednesday evening last a well-dressed man
threw himself off Waterloo bridge into the Thames and
instantly sunk. Ills body was instantly dsaiged for,
but without success.

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