The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-10 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE,

WESTERN CIRCUIT.-WELLS, Aug, 2.

O,.!._NA

THE MURDER AT HATCH BEAUCHAMP.
John Allen, 62, labourer, was placed at the bar charged
with the wilful murder of his wife, Betsy Allen, a t glitch
Beauchamp, near Taunton, on May 4.
Mr Speke and Mr Murcia prosecuted—Mr Bere d eentrod
the prisoner.
The prisoner, who seemed considerably agitated, I deeded
in a low voice, not guilty.
Mr Speke, after some introductory observation 5, pro-
ceeded to rarrate the facts of the case—and from his state-
ment it would appear that the prisoner had beet mini( d to
the deceased woman for nearly 20 years, and during th( t last
10 or 12 years, had resided at Hatch Beauchamp, whore he
lived in a small cottage, adjoining the road between Hatch
Beauchamp and Beer Cracombe. The house consist( dof
four small rooms, two upstairs and two downstairs, and ad-
joining it, but nct communicating w ith it in any way, was a
small outhouse. Near to this was a mill-pond, and
on the
other side of the mill-pond a stable belonging to a neigh-
bour. In the house there resided the prisoner, his wife, and
two daughters, one a grown-up female, and the other a little
girl about 9 years of age. The grown-up girl had an infant
child. On this occasion, the 4th of May, there lodged in the
cottage some railway labourers,namod Strode and Steele, and
a boy called "Billy," and on that morning they had go'ae to
their work as usual, being engaged upon a line of railway
that was making near the house. In addition to these
members of the prisoner's family, there lived in another
house in the N illage a married daughter, who on the morning
in question was unwell. The prisoner got up very early on
the 4th of May, and went to a place named North Curry to
get some medicine for her. On his return he was seen by a
witness named Chorley coming across a field, but just be-
fore be arrived at his cottage he was lost sight of by this
parson, and Chorley then went to fetch the key of his
stable. Whilst at the stable door the prisoner was distinctly
seen by him to come out of his cottage covered with blood,
and go to the mill-pond with a watering-pot or can, and
dip up some water. This eould not have been more than
five minutes after the time Chorley lost sight of him in the
field. Shortly after the deceased woman was also seen to
emerge from the cottage, likewise covered with blood. The
prisoner then took hold of her, put his arm round her waist,
and led her back into the cottage again. Chorley then went
and gave an alarm, and ran down to the railway to get as-
sistance. What occurred in the cottage during the five mi-
nutes the prisoner eels lost sight of by Chorley was witnessed
by one person only—the prisoner's little girl, of nine years
of age, whose evidence is given below. After the shocking
scene detailed by the child, the poor woman was removed to
the Taunton Hospital. Oa the Bth of May, four days
after the occurrence, believing herself dying, she made a
statement in which she gave an account of the affair.
After the Bth of May she rallied, and began to gat rather
better, and continued to do so until her wounds were com-
pletely heaied. Shortly after, however, she began to expe-
rience paroxysms of difficulty of breathing, and was afflicted
with them at frequent intervals until the time of her death,
which took place on the 17th of June. A light was subse-
quently thrown upon the motive the prisoner had in com-
mitting the crime by the prisoner himself, who, when at the
hospital and in the custody of a police officer, made a state-
ment to the effect that a man named Jim had, on the night
previous to the 4th, accused his wife of not being a woman
of her word. This annoyed the prisoner very much, and he
requested her to go to bed. This she refused to do, and he
remarked, "He supposed she wished to stay up to go off
with Jim in the morning." She replied that what she had
told him she had and she should say no more. They subse-
quently went to bed, and the prisoner said he entreated her
to stay with him, for she had often said sho would leave him
and go to London. On the following morning he got up and
fetched the medicine. On his return he asked her to kiss
him but she refused, and he then cut her throat, in order
that they might both lie in one grave; and in conclusion,
the prisoner said the law could not do more than hang him
for it.

The first witness called was William Cherley, a miller,
whose evidence was confirmatory of the above statement,
as regards what occurred when the prisoner was seen
leaving his house, covered with blood, followed after-
wards by the wife. Two of the chief witnesses were the
daughters of the prisoner. The moment they came into
the witness box they fixed their eyes on their fattier and
burst into an agony of grief, in which state they continued
during the whole of their examination, their eyes being
constantly directed to their father. Every one in court was
sensibly affected, for it has seldom fallen to the lot of any
one to witness such a scene. The chief question arose upon
the medical testimony.
Haanah Allen, daughter of the prisoner, deposed as fol.
lows—l don't know how old I am. I know I ought to tell
the truth. I am the daughter of the prisoner (the child,
evidently about nine years of age, cried bitterly). I have a
sister named Jane, who lived at home. She was ill, and
my father went to North Curry for some medicine. My
sister Jane had an infant. We lived with my father. Gore
and Steele and Billy, who were labourers, lodged in our
house. My father came home with the medicine. I think
he spoke to my mother. I forget what he said. He asked
my mother to kiss him. My mother went out of the
house. 1 have forgotten it all. I don't know whether
my father followed her. I heard mother call out in the
outhouse, and then I saw blood. 1 saw mother's throat
cut. Father cut it. He did it more than once. I don't
know how many times. There was a hogshead there in
which cider was kept. She put her head down on the
cask, and I saw the blood, and that her throat was cut.
Father and mother came into the house together. I don't
know whether father had anything in his hand. I forget.
I took a knife from father's hand. He was near to mother
then. She was lying on the ground. I saw blood on
both of them. Father's throat was cut, and mother's
too. I don't know how mother came on the oor. Father
came into the room first, and then mother, and then I came
next. I think father had a razor in his hand before he had
the knife. The razor was on the table. After I took the
knife I saw mother get up. She begged me to go after
my sister Jane. As I was going I saw mother come out to
the gate and father follow her,
Jane Allcn—l am a daughter of the prisoner. On the
4th of May I was at work at Mr Baker's. My sister came
for me, and I went towards our cottage. I saw my mother
in the field. Father took her by the arm and led her back
towards the house. followed them. Father sat on a
chair, with one elbow on his knee ; mother sat on a form by
the fire-place. She was-blood all over, coming from her
throat. She had a towel round her neck. (The poor girl
was here most dreadfully affected.) Father was blood all
over. The room was blood all over. 1 saw the razor on
the table, and the handle of it was on the floor. My
mother had good health, but I have not been always at
home.

A railway labourer named Bull gave evidence in corro-
boration of the statement wade by the witness Chorley ;
and the police constable who took the prisoner into cus-
tody deposed to a statement made by the latter at the
Taunton Hospital, to the effect stated in the narrative of
the facts above given.
The medical assistant of Dr Cordwent said he was in
attendance upon the wife until the 17th of June, when she
died. She was under the impression that she was dying.
She said she did not think she should live. Sha than
mace a statement. Her condition was dangerous at that
time.

Mr Mules, a surgeon of Ilminster, who also attended the
d2ceased, in his cross-examination said, supposing there
;:ad been no wound, the thickening of the throat might
hav; been natural,
Re-otamined—lf the thickening had been natural there
would have been symptoms to have shown it, but there
were no suct, symptoms present.
Dr. Cordwen: gave similar evidence, but could give no
positive cpinion as to what caused the inflammation which
resulted in death. it, might have been a cold.
Mr Bere, in an able speech, after appealing to the feelings
of the jury, and referring to the painful scene in court, re •
viewed the evidence given by the prosecution, contending
that if there was a possibility t;itit death could have arisen
from another cause, although less probable than the cause
presented by the prosecution, they were bound to acquit
the prisoner. That there was a possibility that the cause
of death had arisen from natural causes he contended had
been shown by the prosecution, and they were, therefore,
bound to find the prisoner not guilty of murder.
His Lordship having summed up the evidence as ad-
duced,
The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and sentence of
death was passed in the usual form:
The prisoner was helped out of the dock insensible.