The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-16 00:00:00

THE MURDER AT SOUTH ',IMPTON.

SOUTHAMPTON, Monday.--Tnis morning was appointed
for the examination of Abraham Baker for the murder
of his fellow-servant, Naomi Kingswel), and, as might
have been expected, caused great excitement.
As will be seen by the subjoined evidence, from the
moment the idea of murder entered the mind of the as•
sas-in, neither fear of detection, nor fear of conse•
quences, could for one moment have entered his thoughts,
The victim was about 26 years of age, of a respectable
family, and very prepossessing appearance. She bad
known Baker some time before entering the service of Mr.
Poynders, having met him at Ryde, in the Isle of Wight.
The prisoner is about 5 feet 10 in height, of a mild and
somewhat delicate appearance. When placed at the bar
he was attired in a loose brown coat, and had the ap-
pearance of a respectable mechanic, Ever since his ap-
prehension he has conducted himself with calmness and
propriety, although apparently indifferent to his fate, or
without feeling any remorse for the magnitude of the
crime he has committed. He ate with his usual appetite
the meals set before him yesterday afternoon and even-
ing, and on retiring to rest passed a tolerable nights
This morning he rose at the usual time, and breakfasted
on coffee amid bread and butter, and conversed freely with
the policeman in charge, and continued easy in his man-
ner, notwithstanding he was somewhat taciturn at pe-
riods. Shortly after 11 o'clock he was placed in the
felons' dock, in the small chamber of the Audit House,
to undergo his examination. The mayor, Sampson
Payne, E•A , was in the chair ; and on the bench were
Captain Breton, George Borrett, Esq., Joseph Lobb,
Esq., John. Witt, Esq., and J. T. Tucker, Esq., the
late mayor. The prisoner did not evince any emo-
tion whatever. He stood calm and collected, but
with a downcast look, and appeared to take no interest
whatever in the proceedings ; and to the questions of
the mayor, as to whether he wished to a=k the
various witnesses against him anything, be invariably
replied, " No, sir." Only once he made an observation,
and that was during Mr. Clayton's examination ; it ap-
pesred he un,'.erstood that witness to say he sold him a
small box with caps in it. It was merely a denial of
the same.

Oe being removed from the dock to the call he bad an
interview with his father, an aged and respectable-look-
ing man. The father of the prisoner shook hands with
the wretched man, and entered into conversation with
him. The fortitude of the prisoner whiel, had borne him
through the examination %Rh au unnatural calmness
here forsook him, and he wept bitterly.
The following is the evidence taken :
The first witness called was Charlotte Lacy, who said
—I am cook at No. 1, Moira-place, in the service of the
Rev. Mr. Poynders, where I have been 13 years. The
prisoner was footman in the same service. When he re-
turned from church yesterday morning at about a quar-
ter-past 12 o'clock, the deceased opened the door to him.
As he passed I asked him if he had been to church. He
replied no. I asked him it he knew it was sacrament
Sunday. He said no. He afterwards came into the
kitchen, when I asked him if he would lay the luncheon
for me. His answer was yes. He then went into the
pantry from the kitchen, and prepared the luncheon
trays. He returned into the kitchen, but did not speak.
He again went into the pantry, and a third time re-en-
tered the kitchen. Naomi Kingswell (the deceased) and
myself were talking at one end of the screen which stands
before the fire. I had hold of the screen, Baker came
up and rested his left elbow on the other side of the
screen. He did not speak. H.s right hand was behind
him under his coat.
A Magistrate—Were your eyes fixed upon him at this
time ?
Witness—They were not. I did not look at him.
Re-examined—l saw his arm move from behind his
back, and immediately heard the report of a pistol. The
weapon was pointed in the direction of the deceased. P
was so near that I felt the heat from the flash. I then
saw the deceased drop. As she was falling she said "Oh!"
and the blood flowed from under her left ear.
A Magistrate—How near was he to her when this
took place ?
Witness—About a yard off.
Magistrate—So that when he raised his arm the pistol
must have been close to her head ?
Witness—Yes, about a finger's length.
The Bench—You say that no words passed between
the prisoner and the deceased ?
Witness—Not a word. I must have heard if anything
had been said.
The Mayor—How long had he been i❑ the kitchen
before this took place ?
Witness—About two or three minutes.
Re-examined—l said to the prisoner, " Oh, Baker,
Baker, what have you done ?"
The Bench—Did he make any reply to that ?
Witness—No, I then went to the front door, leaving
the prisoner in the kitchen. I called for assistance.
Mayor—Did Baker (the prisoner) make any attempt
to escape ?
Witness—l am not aware that be did. I went into
the house again with a policeman, who took the prisoner
into custody as he was going out of the front door. I
took hold of the prisoner's hand, and said to him again,
"Oh, Baker, Baker, what have you done ? " He said,
" I have done it. She deserved it, you know."
Nothing more passed between us. I saw no more of
him.

The Bench—Did you not say that she had not spoken
to him ?
Witness--He asked the same morning what was the
matter with her.
The witness concluded her evidence, which she had
given in a feeble tone and with some agitation, by stat-
ing that the deceased had been four months in the ser-
vice of Mr. Poynder, and the prisoner five month,.
The Mayor—Prisoner, you can ask this witness any
question you like.
Prisoner (in a mild voice)---I have nothing to ask her.
Police-constable Geo'rge Thatchell examined—l was
caged to No. 1, Moira-place yesterday. From informa-
tion I received from the last witness, I went down stairs
in the direction of the kitchen, and met the prisoner at
the foot of the stairs, and took him into custody, and
asked him to walk to the front door with me. I took
him back into the kitchen, and there I saw the deceased
lying under the kitchen-table, her head covered with
blood. I then told prisoner he was charged with shoot
ing her. He said he was aware of it.
The Bench--Were those the exact words he said ?
Witness—Yes, sir. I then asked the prisoner where
the pistol was. He said in the pantry in the next room.
I then asked him to point out the place to me. He went
into the pantry, and behind a large box I found the pis-
tol produced. When I took the pistol the hammer was
on the nipple. Nothing further passed between us. The
deceased appeared to be quite dead. I conveyed the
prisoner to the station-house.
Mr. Robe: t Welsh examined—l am a surgeon. I was
called by a policeman yesterday, at about one o'clock,
to go to Moira-place, to see a person who had been shot.
I went there, and entered the kitchen, where I saw the
deceased lying on the floor, partly on her back and partly
on her side. I felt the pulse, but there was no pulsa-
tion. I put my hear to the chest, but the heart had
ceased to beat. I then examined her head, and ob-
served discoloration of the skin, from grains of powder,
on the face and neck (left side.) Above the ear, on the
left side, I observed a large portion of the brain protru-
ding, mixed with a small quantity of blood. The head
of the deceased lay in blood. I lifted the head and ob.
served an opening on the right side. I also observed on
the floor a portion of the skull, and another piece was
shown me by the police. On the floor was also a small
portion of the brain, and also on her dress. She was
quite dead. I did not examine the size of the wound.
It might have been occasioned by something passing
through the head, which might have been a bullet.
The wound on the right side was much the largest.
Serjeant Ralfs examined—Yesterday, about 10 minutes
before one o'clock, from information received, I went to
No. 1, Moira-place, and met the prisoner in custody a
short distance from the door. I entered the house, and
went down into the kitchen. I there saw the deceased
lying under the table. I sent for the doctor. I noticed
that in an opposite direction to where the deceased fell,
the mark of a ball could be traced. It had struck the
ceiling and the wall, and from thence glanced over the
door of the kitchen, where all traces of it were lost. On
searching for some time I found the ball (produced) in
the hairs of a long-handled brush, standing in a corner
of the room. I found some small pieces of the skull
which had been forced across the room, and were lying
near where the ball was found. (Sensation.) I then
searched the prisoner's box, and in a flannel I found 5
balls or bullets, 22 percussion caps, and some gunpowder;
also a small case containing percussion caps and gun
wads.

Mr. Alfred Clayton examined—l am a gun-maker,
and reside in the High-street, Southampton. I sold
the pistol (referring to the one prodnced) on Saturday
night to a person whom I believe to be the prisoner. He
came to my shop between eight and nine o'clock. He
asked me for a double pistol. I showed him two or
three double ones. He then asked to see some single
ones. I put two or three before him, and he selected the
one preduced. He then asked for bullets, powder, and
caps, which were supplied to him. I then said, " Are
you going to fight a duel ?" I believe he replied in these
words—" The pistol will do to shoot a large dog." I
said " That will do for him." He paid me the sum of
154. 6d. for the articles, and left.
The Bench—What is the weight of the ball !
Witness—About half an ounce.
me.
The Bench—Look
The Bench—Had you any previous knowledge or ac-
quaintanceetrhfe ecfltasttteraunegderta tonfired from the
with the prisoner ?
Witness—He
at ap
pistol. Does that correspond with the others 2
Witness—lt does, and is about the same weight.
to
Mayor—Prisoner, have you any question ask this
witness ?
Prisoner—No, sir.
The prisoner here attempted to make a statement, but
was warned by the Mayor that it would
be
and used as evidence against him. The
pritakensoner, down
how-
ever, said, " I have bad the tin box for He
two years.
was here alluding to the small box containing gun
wads and percussion cape, which was found by Sergeant
Ealfs in the prisoner's box.
Inspector Enright examined—Yesterday, about one
clock, the prisoner was brought to the station-house,
w charged with shooting the female servant. A pistol
was handed
handed to me by the policeman, which I examined.
I found an exploded cap on the nipple, and on unscrew-
ing the barrel, I found it had been recently discharged.
Shortly after I received information that the prisoner
bad been into a house in West-street, and there written
a letter. He replied it was to his father, who lived at
34, Pyle street, Newport, Isle of Wight. I went to the
post-office and obtained the letter, which I showed to
the j risoner. He said that was the letter he bad writ-
ten. The letter was opened ; it contained a sixpence.
The prisoner read to me the contests, which were as fol-
lows :

" Oot. 14, 1855.

"Dear Father and Mother,—This may be the last time
I shall write to you, and I will leave all my things to you

and mother. One box left at Mrs. Wood's eating•hou s
You must come up to see me to-morrow, and take r.ll m
things home for yourselves. There are three large bore
a b3nd-box, and a large bundle of clothes. My watch and
clock, with hat-box and money, you can have."
(This way written on a sheet of notepaper, in a very
illegible hand.)

In answer to questions from the Bench, Inspector
Enright raid the prisoner informed him that this letter
was written yesterday morning, between eleven and
twelve o'clock, at Wood's eating-house. At the same
place a box belonging to the prisoner was also found.
On the person of the prisoner was found a purse con-
taming four sovereigns and a half, and 7s. 4d. in silver,
one gold wedding-ring (quite new) and one keeper ring,
a silver watch, with a gold Albert chain and seals.
This concluded the case against the prisoner.
The Mayor having warned the prisoner in the usual
manner, asked if he had anything to say in answer to
the charges brought against him ?
Prisoner—Not at present.
The Mayor then said—Prisoner, you stand commit-
ted to take your trial at Winchester, or elsewhere, be-
fore a higher tril unal than this, and let me remind you
that there is another and a still higher tribunal than
that. You are committed on the charge of wilful murder.

Country Markets.
CIIELAISFORD—OcT. 12.

We had a fair fiupply of wheat to-day, and an average
business was transacted at last week's prices, at which
rates the market was firm. Spring corn without altera-
tion.

Wheat, white, old, per o. s.

qr.6o 86 Oats,
new 59 84 Peas,
old 60 80
new 59 78
Barley 30 38
Chevalier 31. 39
Grinding 98 :i4
Malt 68 72
Chevalier 70 74

8. 13.
per qr ....... 26 34
Partridge 40 44
White 40 45
Boiling 4l 450
Dun 38 41
Beans, Tick 40 45
Harrow ticks 45 4V
biazagan 39 42
Ditto, new 39 41

red,

Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn, &c., received
iu the port of London, from the following ports, from
the Bth to the 13th Oct., both inclusive.

Colchester ......
Harwich
Leigh
Maldon

ei* a 3
S

f46>40 601
609 i - - 48
998? 197' - 10

COLCHESTER- OCT. 13.

The supply of wheat was limited, and prices are is per
qr. dearer. Barley in good demand, at very full prices.
Beans and peas the turn dearer.
Prices to-daywere as follow :—Wheat, white, 80s to 84s;
red, 72s to 79s ; barley, 38e to 42s ; cats, 30s to 32s ; beans
Mazagan, 42s to 418 ; middle and small, 44s to 48s; peas,
white, 48s to 568 ; grey, 38s to 425.

COAL MARK
Prices of Coal per ton at t'

ET._OcT. 16.
die °loose of the market.
Wallsend,

a. d.
Bate's West Hartley 18 F.
Cookson's Hartley l7 6
Hasting's Hartley l9 3
Holywell 2O 6
Howard's West Hartley
Netherton l9 0
Longridge's Wst Hartley 19 3
Redheugh Main 16 9
Tanfield Moor l9 0
Tanfield Moor Butes 19 0
Grey's West Hartley 18 I,

d.
Wharnclifie 2l 0
Eden Main 21 9

Bell 21 6
Belmont 21 6
Framwellgate 2l 6
Haswell 22 6
tietton 22 6
Kepler Grange 2l 9
Lambton 21 3
Plummer 2l 9
Russell's Hetton 22 0
Wallsond, Szo. South Hetton 22 3
Acorn Close 2l 6 Stewart's 22 6
Eden
.21 6 Caradoe
Gosforth 2l 3 Cassop 2l 9
Heaton

Redley 21 OKelloe
22 0
Hilda 20 6 Tees 22 6
Lawson

riartlepool 22 0
Morrison 2l 6 West Kelloe 21 0
Riddell 2l 0 Derwentwater Hartley. )9 0
Evenwood l9 0 South Kelloe 21 6
Ships at market... 138 I Sold