The National Register.
London, England, 1820-07-31 00:00:00

:70. 1,259—V0L. XIII.]

KENT ASSIZES.

TRIAL OF NESRETT,
TOE THE asuarovt or MR. PARKER AND 1119 HOUSEKEEPER

MAIDSToNE, JULY SB.

James Nesbett was indicted for the wilful murder of
Thomas Parker, at Woolwich, tit th., 3.1 March, MO.
A separate indictment charged him with the murder of
Ssrah Brown, at the same time and place. There were
also indict:, ems intrutmg to the prisoner the crimes of
arson and borglary.
The prisoner was first put upon his trial for the murder
of Mr. Parker.

The Common Serjeant and Mr. Chitty colducted
the prosecution, and Mr. Andrews appeared fur the
prisoner.
At the first silting of the Court an application was
made by the prisoner's Counsel to pfistpoue the trial, on
the ground of the absence of a material witness, hut Mr.
Baron Wood being of opinion that ample time had
already been offered the prisoner td prepare fur his de-
fence, refused the application.
Mr. Chitty opened the pleadings, and the . .
Common Serjeant stated the case to the Jury at great
length, and with much perspicuity.
The following witnesses wk re then called in support
of his statement.

Isabella Johnson proved, that on the 31 of March,
between one and two, she saw the deceased Sarah Brown,
the housekeeper of the deceased Mr. Parker. Witness
spoke to her. Witness saw Mr. Parker between five
and six on the same day in his own parlour—if he had
gene to bed that night witness could have seen hint, hut
did not.
Mary Giles proved that she lived next door to the de-
ceased—on the 3tl March heard no knocking at the door
—heard it openand shut—heard a noise about eleven
but did not know where it was.

David Brooks proved, that on the 4th of March he was
quartered at Woolwich, and passed Mr. Parker's house
at one in the morning. He saw smoke coining out of
the chimney. At half-past one, on an alarm of lire, he
came to the house—he broke open the door and went in
was locked withinside, on the spring, as in the day-
time; the house and furniture were ott fire—the front
parlour was burning, full of smoke; he threw water
Into the room. When the smoke was dispersed two
beilks were laid on the table ; could distinguish that one
was a woman, but not the man; there was only one
leg of the woman left unhurt ; a man's lute was on the
foot a that leg; there was blood on the floor behind
the parlour door—no great quantity ; it was then web
On his cross-examination he said, that there was a
crowd of twelve persons at the door when he first went
up—did not see any windows open.
William Lyou, at two in the morninx of the 4th of
Iklarch, came to Parker's house, on an alarm of fire—the
door was open ; he wait in an I matiageil the engine
hose; the fire in the front room up stairs was extin-
guished ; the parlour was smoking ; when the smoke
subsided saw the skull of a litiman being on the floor;
not severed from the body—it was much burnt. I gave
an alarm ; there was a woman behind the skull de.td—
her legs and feet is ere burnt, and her clothes Arty touch ;
her head and face not at all burnt ; there was hood about
the nose ; there were marks of blows on the bean: one
fan the hack part ; the bodies were laid ou the table; the
body of the man, in lifting, broke into pieces.
Stephen Howard proved, that on the 3d , 1 March he
• alarmed by fire between one and tne in the night ;
went to Mr. Parker's house; the door tt3:, Opel.; got a
ladder and broke the windows on the ground and tiist
floors ; broke open the shutters of the prima and bed-
✓oom ; went into the first chamber ; saw a chest of
drawers, with all the drawers polled out ; they seamed
to have been 1-11111nm,ed ; palters were strewd about the
room, and all appeared in confitsion ; the curtimis and
counterpane looked as if they had been loom ; the tire
there did not seem to comaintiicate with that below ; a
blanket was fastened up CO ore window, which faced
the street; went into the lied-chamber; nothing burnt
there nor disturbed; neither of the beds had been slept
in that night; examined the back dour; it was fastened;
witness forced it open.
On his cross•examinatiou, could not be sure as to the
state of the beds.

John Hay proved, that on the 4th of March, at two
in the aisoilinig, he went to Parker's house; took the
engine; went into
the eight or ten people there; went
the front chamber; there had been fire about the bed,
but it wigs out. The lire there did not communicate
with time lire in the parlour. The bedding was nut much
burnt—the bed was thrown out of the window before
witness arrived. The drawers in every room had been
opened, except in the parlour, so as to spew what they
contained, and the articles dropped On tiw door just
under the drawers; them had been fire in the ruom over
the chamber, that was a bed-room tun, and mine
than the lower one. The lire here could not have arisen
from either of tbe rooms below ; the bed ow :,ius Were
nearly destroyed; the bed and bed clothes very mulch
Injured, particularly the feathers; it °not have been
burning a considerable tulle.

•

~P

5. IS'

[PRICE Sid.

moved, witness received a letter from ; witness de.
strovvd it; don't know that the signature • James Nes-
belt' was the prisoner's hand-writiog. The letter asked
witness to get a man anu Mr. Cole to take their c.aths,
that the prisoner hail desired the man to pay money to
Mr. tole by a 51. dote, which Ann Kirby [tad sworn to
be a Inf. note; and wanted witness to go to NIT. Carter to
gel some money, which was taken from him when he
era 4 appre,tended ; also wanted to know if Ann Kirby
was coming against hint; if xhedid he would base her
caoppi4l, Mr she was ;lie worst enemy he had. Witness
did not know whin 'cropped' meant.
Joseph Irish, watchmaker, at Portsmotrh.—Prisoner
came to witness on tile loth of March—lell a repeating
watch to he cleaned—it was cleaned. Prisoner called for
it en the 13t1r. Witness aiterwards saw the watch in
possessioto of Barnard Solomons—it was an old fashioned
watch and very particular. Witness brought back the
walcit the same day—it had stopped—he called for it
again in a few day s—.le asked its value. XV itness said it
was worth 51.—he said, "Is it no:. gold ?" Witness said
he thought 11 was. Pt !slim r said it had been in his (amity
100 years—he had the watch away.
Barnard Solomons, pawnbroker, at Portsmouth,
knows prisoner; he came to witness's shop on the 22J
March; produced a watch—(last witness identified the
watch as the one cleaned by him)—asked tell gaineas
for it ; said it had belonged to his deceased lather ; he
was 83 years old when he died. Witness svuMd not
give that price for it. Prisoner said he had some °A
silver at the Geowe Inn, and would call the next day;
be took away the watco, and called the next day at
three ; he produced tile watch and several spoons, six or
seven Lble.spootts, and as many tea spoons; they weighed
}ounces. Wittiebs bought the wuoe for 91. (is.
(witness produced spoons), they are marked T. P. M.
and smite W. M. P. Prisoner said his name was Pages
witness sold some of the spoons but afterwards pt
must of them back. Prisenter acknowledged that
these were tile spoons and watch which he sold to
witness.

Edward llunt, gaol'r at Portsnintith,arrested the
prisoner oil the 23d of March ; went wins Thomas Hill,
at half-past I L at night ; found hint at the Heti Lion ;
he was alone. When I entered lie pulled out a pistol;
I caught it by the muzzle; Hill followed ; in the
scuffle I fell but got it front hint ; he drew another
pistol; Hill and the landlord laid hold o him; I got up;
we secured hint, and got away both the pisiois; one was
loaded with powder and nearly to the muzzle
—Ho Clint—toe other had balls, and a lion, and printiog.
Hill searched him, and found torte opeucu
a trunk, 31111 a box in it—they were iu the h.:LI-room—
the ptisotier's romn—in the I...rge trunk were clothes, a
coral, and a fit:; there were remains of mark Oil
coral ; it had been filed away, as it appeared by tile file
we found ; there was a cap with a gold baud, and a
pnr of trowscrs burnt a; the hip, and a woto aprou ;
and ulro a pair of SpeCtaCles, not Silver. I the little Lux
I found a gold watch, a pat: oi silver sugar tongs, thatkett
M. 11. a siker sauce fa.ifc, IWO tilb.e spoons, six teL
Spoons—the maker's nave en the Waco was Vick,
I anttloo—severa I rings, brooch -s, ch sins, ear-I lugs, pins,
and various ortiaineuts, all gold, also sooie kiree-hudsles.
Tney wen! all shewit to the prisonet—tie a,ked for an
inventory—lie said m ere all his.
Cross-exatilitted.—P.isoner said he had bought some
of the things of two men trained Pearce and Caritte.
This was three days afterwards.
Thomas Hill accompanied the last witness, and corm.
borated the whole of his statement ; he produced the
watch and a gold dia.') and seal, and motioer seal,
eiw..lued T. P. %vim carants other of the arneles men-
tioned by lluut, parccularly Ilse silvc r y.tcacics luau Ltd
T. P. %%iiicli were bond cu t..e prisotiet's person;
wit-
ness charged the pr atom .Vitil the lie replied,
" You Lit...iv Im; little about that ;et, hut you mill Litow
a great deal more."
Henry It:Milli, High Constable of nlackheatli.—l
:lace known the prison 7r lowly years; a.. long as 1 have
known him he has Arnie by the name of Nesben; pri-
SOliees filter is haw Its Mg; lie is quite a poor Ina 4*
From OCtolier to March tne prisoner was absent (ruin
11 uolcvich; Reid gave me some articles from the lire--
Jewellery (witness produced them); they resemble Mos.•
found on the prisoner in fashion and date. I took clown
what the prisoner said at Portsmouth, and it over
to loin, in the presence til I fill, oil the 2stli March. No
Iltieat protillSe Was used to littil.—('rite paper was
produced, and identified tiv the cvoness.)-1 Paw the pri-
soner sign that paper " dames Neshett."—(The paper
was read, and purported to Le at account of the pri-
soner's I.w-chasing, of some Wen shunt he met lie3r
IL'oolcrtch, the articles found upon him at the time of
his apprehelisimi.) On the 1 Ito of April prisoner twee
another conindinical ion in me in the g.,nl at Nlattistotte.
I took insult what he said, but tint in lit, pi:settee,. our
did 1 ever shesv it its Ilitll.(WiLii, W. 13 adtmed to
read the paper.) It was a confession that the riismier
had been etine. riled in the :nuttier, with four ntlit r 1111..11.
who were then out of the cotintry, anti %vim, if tticy
cosild Icatiti, would, lie intro:Alt, el:Jr Litt.
Jury returned a % erd lei t.f Gsiltrfottd the orisofier
was ordeted tor execution on 310tt0....? ‘thts da).)

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