The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-24 00:00:00

sideration of the boari of guardians, who would, he hoped,
investigate the matter thoroughly. He would not at
present make any comment up ,n that part of the cue.
As to the defendant, if !her account of the matter was
true, she had certainly acted fairly enough, and her con-
duct appeared to have been reasonable, humane, and
proper. But the inquiry must be adjourned till alter the
board had examined their servants upon the subject, and
then he should be better able to form an opinion upon
the matter. The defendant must attend again on that
day week.
The governor of the workhouse said he would commu-
nicate his worship's desire to the board.

THE MURDER NEAR MATIPEN IN

11911 THUMB SRL AND.

NEWCASTLE-ON-Ma, Oct. 28. The greatest excite-
ment prevails in the neighbourhood where the horrible
tragedy was committed. The name of the deceased is
Dorothy Bewick, or, as she was called by her neighbours,
" Dolly of Waterloo," after the name of. the village
where she resided. In the cottage nearest to that occu-
pied by the deceased—to whom it also belonged—lived
a man named James Conroy, his wife, and a family of
children. They were in the habit of going about the
country with a horse and cart selling brooms of their
own manufacture. Conroy left his home on Wednesday
last, saying he was going to the Heather Fell ; and on
Saturday morning before the murder his wifd also wert
away, saying she was going to join her husband at the
Heather Fell, and leaving her children, as was her cus-
tom when she went from home, with the inmates of a
neighbouring cottage, Barnard and Elizabeth Dobbin.
Conroy's wife had a led horse with her when she went
away. There was a halter round its neck, by which she
was leading it. Neither of these parties have since been
head of, and suspicion rests upon them as being impli-
cated in the murder, from the fact that Conroy had a
dispute with the deceased a abort time ago, and was
under notice to quit his cottage at Michaelmas term.
He had also a dispute with William Robson, the brother
of the deceased, and was heard to threaten that, "I
will look after you." The cottage of the deceased, as
already stated, was ransacked in every part, and the
perpetrators of the deed had taken the precaution to
screen the whole of the lower windows with quilts and
sacking inside so that they might not be seen from the
outside. They had besides fastened the door of the
cottage occupied by Dobbin and his wife with a rope or
portion of a halter outside, so that they could not get out
should they have overheard any noise during the night.
The murderera—for there was evidently more than one
engaged—had thus earded as much as possible against
detection, and when they leftikey retired by the back door,
drawing it close, but unfastened. The discovery of there
being anything wrong was made by a daughter of Dob-
bin, who was sent as usual to " Dolly's" cottage for
milk. She returned and said she found Dolly's door
open, and had shouted, but could not get her to hear.
Dobbin himself then with a like result, and he being
afraid to venture into the house went and gave informa-
tion to a person of the name of Matthew Laing, who
met Mr. John Harrison, of Muckleridge, riding past
upon his pony, and told him Harrisonand Laing then
went into Dolly's cottage, and found her boey'lYn;
the state already described on the floor of an upper
room, only a few yards from the bed, and with only her
chemise on. Her cap strings were fastened across her
mouth to prevent her calling out, and she was bound
hand and foot. The rope with which her feet were tied
resembled the shank of a halter: A stick was found
placed against the house wall, which had evidently been
used as a walking stick. The leathern belt and buckle
with which her hands were fastened will probably be
identified, as well as the other articles found, and which
must have belonged to the perpetrators of the horrid
deed. Three men have been taken into custody by the
county police, who have shown great activity in the
matter.
The inquest on view of the biltly nf the deceased was
held yesterday afternoon at the Crown and Thistle, Mat-
fen, in the parish of Stamfordham, before Mr. Reed,
coroner for the county, when
John Harrison, of Muckleridge, farmer, was sworn
and examined. He stated how he had met Matthew

Laing, and went with him to the cottage of the deceased,
and described the state of conluaion in which he found

the furniture, and likewise the deceased A pane of
glass had been broken in the lower room, and the mur-
derers might have effected an entrance in that way.
There were two windows in the low room, both of
which were darkened, one with a quilt, and the other
with a quilt and sack. An oaken sapling was found
outside the window about a yard long, which bad evi-
dently been used as a walking-stick. The back door
of the Louse was-open. Deceased was 66 years of age.
She lived up In her own property, and let the adjoining
cottages, *Well also belonged to her. The tenants were
gene aLy disorderly tramps, earthenware dealers, broom
maker 4, and people seeking harvest work. Their beds
were mostly of straw.
Barnard Dobbin,.of Waterloo, labourer, was the next
witness examined. After detailing facts already related,
he stated that he went to bed about ten o'clock on Sa-
turday night, having barred his door, there being no lock
upon it. When he got up in the morning be found the
duor fastened outside with a rope, , resembling a halter,
which was put round the sneck, and through a staple in
the post. Had great difficulty in getting it open so far
as to put a knife through to cut' the rope. He then
described what subsequently took place, with respect to
his daughter going for the milk. He had seen Conroy,
who occupied an adjoining cottage, on the Wednesday

previous, when Ciniroy told_ himi he was going to the

Heather Feil. Conroy's wife went away on Saturday,
leaving the children at his hoiWand neither of them had
returned since. He was in his cottage one day lately
when be overheard Mr. Win. Robson, the brother of the
deceased, and Conroy quarrelling. They were using
high words. The deceased was there also, and she ap-
peared to be very angry. On Mr. Robson going away
he said to Conroy, " I will look after you," on which
Conroy answered, Take care I don't look after you."
Conroy was to leave his cottage at Michaelmas. When
Mrs. Conroy went away on Saturday morning she had a
horse with her ; was leading it by a halter. Saw the
deceased last alive about 8 o'clock on on Saturday night,
when he assisted her to fasten the pigs in the pig-house.
Elizabeth Dobbin, the wife of the last witness, corro-
borated his evidence. She also overheard the quarrelling.
At this point the inquest was adjourned till the sth of
November.