The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-23 00:00:00

SATURDAY EVENING, lANUARY 23, 1864.

and am soon to visit them again, also those at Alexandria.
But I am filling my letter with contrabands,' and indeed
1 might write a volume about them, if I had time, and you
required it to deepen your interest in my long• enslaved
people."

THE MURDER AT LEOMINSTER,

APPREHENSION OF THE HUSBAND.
LEOMINSTER, Friday.

An inquest was held at the workhouse this morning, be-
fore Mr. N. Lanwarne, coroner, and a respectable jury, on
the body of Mary Ann Watkins, who was found cruelly
murdered in a field on Monday last.

The husband, who was apprehended yesterday afternoon,
was present during the inquiry.
David Lipscombe, a person living on his own property, at
Stoke Prior, said—On Monday evening I was going home
through an orchard, and heard a moaning noise on the other
aide of the hedge. I stood still and then the moaning ceased.
On hearing it again more distinctly I went in the direction
of the sound, and then found in a field a woman weltering in
her blood. Her face was in a pool of blood, and I put my hand
under her chin and lifted her head round. After I placed her
head on her arm she seemed to breathe more freely. I then
went for assistance. The place where I found her was about
400 yards from Strawberry Cottage, where I went for the
gardener, who lives there. He brought a lantern, and
we both returned to the body, and the gardener put the
lantern to the women's face, and said it was Mary Anne
Watkins. We then went to her lodgings and told the
people there what had occurred. We next went for the
Constable Bale, and returned to the woman, who was after-
wards removed to the union. She had no bonnet on when
I saw her. I met no one previous to seeing the body. It
was a moonlight night.
James Lane, who lived very near, stated that he was
called by Lipscombe to go to the place where the body was,
and with a lantern recognised t he woman as Mrs. Watkins.
He suspected that it was her because she had expressed fear
of her husband, who had threatened her so much that wit-
ness often accompanied her home to guard her.
George Smith, the man at whose house the woman
lodged, was examined, and he stated that on frequent
occasions her husband had uttered threats against her life,
and the lives of two others, including the life of the
youngest child. They often had words together but never
came to blows, He charged her with immoralities, but
wanted her to go and live with him again. For some
months past he had been loitering about, and on one
occasion he had behaved in a most eccentric manner,
threatening to destroy himself.
Thomas Jones deposed that on last Monday night the
prisoner came to his house at Stratford, about three-quarters
of a mile from the spot of the murder, at about a quarter to
ten o'clock. He was then in an excited state. He, how-
ever, had a pipe of tobacco, and then began to talk of his
wife, saying that he was just going up to Smith to ask his
wife to come to live with him. Upon going away he said
perhaps he would never see him again, as he had a good
mind to jump into the brook.
Mr. Alexander deposed that he was superintendent of
the borough force, and went to the spot directly after the
information of the murder was received, and on going to
the field he saw a pool of blood. The same morning, with
the aid of lights, they distinctly discovered peculiar clog
marks up and down the path, and near one gate were clear
indications of a man with clogs having sat down in a hedge.
There is a path on each side of the hedge, and clear marks
of the person with clogs having walked up and down seve-
ral times. The impression of the clog was so peculiar it could
not be mistaken, and in the fallow field there were the marks
of two persons, ono with clogs the other with female boots,
having walked the whole length of the path up to where
the struggle commenced. Next day these footmarks were
taken up. The bonnet of deceased was found in the hedge,
and there were other indications that she fell head foremost
into the hedge. A hair-net was also found near. The tracks
of the prisoner were traced for three days, and he was ap-
prehended about six miles from Leominster, at the farm-
house known as Haven, is the parish of Dilwyn. He was
standing at the door asking for cider, and he had been talk-
ing with Mrs. Bray about the murder, stating that the man
who had done it had drowned himself. Ho denied the
murder. He (witness) examined the clothes of prisoner and
found blood on them in several places. The marks of blood
were very distinct. The clogs produced were taken from the
feet of the prisoner, and they corresponded with the impres-
sions.

Saveral other witnesses were examined, including Mr. E.
Goddard, the surgeon, the evidence of whom tended to bring
home the crime to the prisoner.

The jury ultimately returned a verdict of Wilful Murder,
upon hearing which the prisoner cried, and said he wanted
to see his wife.

Fatal Accident on the London and South.
Western Railway.

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.
Last evening Mr. Bedford, coroner for Westminster, re.
sumed an inquiry at King's College Hospital relative to the
death of Samuel Ward, a French polisher, lately residing
at Mortlake, who died from injuries received at the Mort-
lake station of the said railway on Monday, the 11th inst.
Mr. Crombie, the secretary, attended on behalf of the
company, and Mr. A. Haines for the friends of deceased.
Upon the reassembling of the jury last evening the
following evidence was adduced :
Wm. Gregory, of 18, Albion-road, Wandsworth, said ho
was a traveller, and was a passenger by the Richmond train
on Monday, the 11th inst. He got into the train at Rich-
mond at 6 30, as did also the deceased. Sat opposite the de-
ceased, who appeared quite sober. The first thing that at-
tracted his attention was a call out on the platform at Mott-
lake, and he saw the carriage door open and the deceased
was gone. Had not seen him rise from the seat. The train
was then in mo, ion. At no time had the train stopped before
ho saw the deceased was missing to allow of anyone getting
out. _ _

Mr. Haines said he had half a dozzn witnesses who could
prove deceased cl,d not get into the carriage at Richmond.
The Coroner said they had better be called.
Wm. Best, residing at Twickenham, said the deceased
was with him at Twickenham from half-past 4 till ten mi-
nutes past 6 on the day in question. He was sober. When
he left witness he did not say where he was going. He was
then a mile and a half from the Richmond station.
By Mr. Haines—Deceased could not have reached the
train at Richmond at the time stated after he left witness.
Henry Joseph Lawder, a builder at Richmond, said he
saw deceased arrive at Richmond at half-past 6 in the train
from Twickenham. Did not speak to him, as the window of
the carriage was closed.
Charles Wilkes said he attended to the book stall at
Twickenham station, and saw the deceased at the station
when the train arrived, but did not see him get into the car-
riage.