The National Register.
London, England, 1817-11-17 00:00:00

HORRID MURDERS AT GOD UMING.

Tuesday morning, a matt who had ordered some shoes at
Mr. Chennera, shoemaker, at Gottalining, called for the
purpose of ascertaining if they were done. On opening the
door the first object that caught his sight was the body of
Mr. I:lientiers housekeeper stretched on the door, with her
throat cut in a shocking manner. He was terrified at the
sight, and called in somb of the neighbours ; they fot:nd the
floor covered with blond, and the old woman quite dead and
cold. They proceeded up stairs, and were horror-struck at
the sight of Mr. Chemed lying on the ground, with his head
nearly severed front his body. His body was bruised in va
rioua parts, as if very recently done, from which it may be
inferred that he must Moe had a severe straggle with the
'murderers; hr was quite cold, which circumstance led the
parties to suppose that the diabolical attack and int
murders wei e committed on the pi reeding night. Upon a
farther examination of the body of the housekeeper, it was
found that her skull was fractin ed ; a hammer that was tnund
en the ground, which Mr. Cheiniel used in his business, up-
' eared to have been the instilment with which the blow was
riven, as the face of it exactly corresponded with the mark
upon the skull. Immediate information was given to the
Magistrates in the neighourhood of the dreadful transaction
and they Kith great moininness caused ten immediate hives.
ligation for the purpose of discovering the perpetrator or per-
peuators of the murders. Lord Middletou, who is a Magis-
trate for the county, was indefatigable in his exertions to
acquire information. lie summoned every person whose
evidence could atfurd the least clue to the discovery of the
offenders. The son of Mr. Cheiinel, who is married. and
lived at some distance from his father, was apprehended on
suspicion of being concerned, and lerwent an eaamina•
then; when it appeared by the evidence, that on Monday
night he vt.:s drinking at a public house a short distance from
his father's, and that between 9 and 10 o'clock he left the
public house for a short time, and returned, and remained
there driiikiiig a considerable time. He solemnly denies all
knowledge of the atiair. It appears that his habits of living
have been rather dissolute, and occasioned great uneasiness
to his parent. The deceased was well known to possess con-
siderable property, and that is supposed to have been the
object of those who committed the murder.
COIIONCR'S INQUFST. On Wednesday an inquest was held at
the George tavern. Godalming, before C. Jetninett, Esq. on the bo
dies of Elizabeth Wilson, aged 60, and Mr. George Chennel, aged
• 66, a master shoe-maker, residing a few doors from the above house,
The investigation commenced at half-pint one o'clock on Wednea-
day, and did not conclude until half past eleven oil the same night.
John Earl, a labourer, deposed to the discovery of the murder of
the man and woman. Chennel, jun. went up with him to the toorn
where his hither lay dead, when he sat down in a ehair,covezeil his
face with his hands, arid seemed much agitated.
Wm. Chaleroft, carman, sworn,—Lived as servant with the de-
ccaaeil Mr. Chennel. On the evening of the 10th iast., as I was leav-
ing buns he was unbuttcning himself to go to bed, hut could not go
then. for he expected his son George home, who lodged oat of the
house, but came there to his meals, and always to his supper. I went
house to bed, and got up the next morning at 6 o'clock to call my
son, when we went together to Mr. Chennel's house. I went to the
stables to look after my master's home. I went down the passage
iutoining the house after I had fed and cleaned the 1107SeS, and was
going home to breakfast, when I saw my son waiting at the door for
deeesawl to get up, that he might light the tire for Min. I told him
to stop there till Mr. Chennel got up. I then went house, and re-
tunnel in half an hour after, and saw my em with George Sweattaan
and Thomas Mintier, all standing in the street, at the front door.
.My son told me that my master hail not got up vet. I told him to
gts harness the horses. and he would he up by that time. We bar-
reseed the hums, and heeight them out. when Currimon, a neigh-
bour, who was standing by, said the kitchen door was open ; 1 went
to see if the door was open. and &and the lower kitchen door was
on the latch, I opened it and went in, when I looked to the lock to
see if it had bran forciel, but it did nit appear so, as other doors wire '
on the latch, and the door that
.emes nut of the cellar in the front
kitchen, was an likewise. I then opened the door that leads info the
cellar, and also the dour in the front kitchen where the place was
covered with Wood. After calling the decea:;ed (Chennel) three or
four times, and receiving no answer. I went into the house through
the passage, and went to the window of the room where my master
usually slept. got a whip and tappedat the window ; receiving no
answer, I thought sennethiug was the gloater in consequence of eve-

_~R~

_ -..c;G/STER,
kTas die— blood, I went into the front kitchen, and saw another puddle,
intlasksd what it was, when Currinson dipped his finger into it, and
said all was not right. I went out of the house with Currinson, and
saw Karl, whist:awe and opened the window- shutter, and on looking
through he said that Betty was dead, and apparently had been mur-
dered.
James Tidy, of the Richmond Arms, Godalming, sworn... 4 am •
victualler, and keep the sign of the Richmond Arms, Godalming.
About b o'clock on the evening of the loth inst. G. Chennel the
younger had two pints of beer and some tobacco at my house ; after
is had smoked two pipes, he went away with Charles Fisher, about
9 o'clock, and returned in about half an hour, anal satin the tap room
with other persons, when lie hail a glass of brandy and water, and
after, that -another, and then another, as well as tobacco and two or
three japes. I partook of the liquor with him, and he called ha
another glass, which was a shilling one, which we drank between u s ;
lie oaid we 2s. 3d. and then he and others had a put of beer, which
they drank, and had another, oval young Chennel and the persons in
the house went out togeth.:r about half-past 11 o'clock. Chennel was
dressed in a round dark colourist frock and trow,crs. Chennel dun.
' was in the habit of using my house, and lie drank more that night
than he usually did at any one time. On Friday evening he was
at my house, and he then said, in the presence of several persons, he
wished his father's d—d old housekeeper was dead.
Charles Fisher sworn.-1 ant a Lbourer, and live in Godahning ;
on the both, about half-past eight in the evening, I was :A the Itich-
nand Arms at Godalming, and found George Cher.nel the younger
snioking a pipe of tobacco : I stayed there till nine o'clock, and
Chennel said tie would go down to get a girl ; L then went out, and
Chennel went towards his own house.

THE NATIONAL AF,

Benjamin Keane, constable of Guildford, sworn.—On the 11th
instant I searched the house of G. Cher.nel the younger, and in his
room found a till, in which the deceased used to deposit his money,
in which were two pound notes, and 14s. in silver ; on the notes were
evident marks of blood ; I also found a crow-bar belonging to the
deceased, which on examinatn,exiictly corresponded with the
impression made intoning the till open, and a spot of blood caused
by taking it front die place in which it was in. I also found a ham-
mer, and the shop-tub with the appearance of blood on the hinting,
(all of which were produced before the jury). which are supposed to
be the instruments with which the murder of Mr. Chennel, the elder,
and his housekeeper was perpetrated.
The Coroner ir. summing up the evidence to the jury, said, that
the evidence produced was not sufficient to substantiate the charge
against George Chennel the yoanger.
The Jury were of opinion, that as the suspected persons were safe in
custody, anti ors the facts adduced did not exceed suspicion, they had
better leave it to anotherjury to decide upon their guilt or innocence,
and returned a verdict of—Wilful Murder against some person or
persons unknown.