The Sun.
London, England, 1839-05-29 00:00:00

THE LATE ATIiOCIOUS MURDER

AT WOOLWICH.

CORONER'S INQUEST ON THE BODY OF
SERGEANT-MAJOR SHEPHERD.
Yesterday morning, at eleven o'clock, Mr. CARTTAR. the
Coroner for Kent, and a Jury, assembled at the Offices of
Sir John Webb, the Governor of the Ordnance Medical
Department, in the Hospital of the Cavalry Barracks, for
the purpose of instituting an inquiry into the circumstances
connected with the death of Sergeant-major William Shep-
herd, of the 2d battalion of Royal Artillery, who was shot
whilst on parade by a private named George Willis on the
morning of Sunday last.
The CORONER inquired if the prisoner was in attendance.
Watts, the High Constable, replied in the affirmative,
and the Coroner ordered him to be brought into Court.
On entering the inquest-room Willis was muffled up in
one of the grey military great coats worn by the regi-
ment. He entered with a firm and manly step, and seemed
to observe the vast body of persons gazing on him with the
greatest unconcern.
The CORONER addressing the prisoner—Pray what is
your name ? Prisoner—George Willis.
CORONER—What are you? Prisoner (with great firm-
ness)—l am a gunner and driver in the Royal Artillery.
CoaboNze—How old are you? Prisoner—l am 18.
The evidence was then proceeded with as follows :
Alexander Steele, Quartermaster- Serjeant of the se-
cond battalion of Royal Artillery, sworn.—l knew the
deceased. 1 have seen the body, and know it to be that
of Sergeant-Major William Shepherd, of the second bat-
talion of Royal Artillery. I have, since death, identified
the body in the room where it lies. His age was forty-
nine ; he has been thirty-two years in the corps, since
1807, and his character was most exemplary and mild.
Andrew Patton sworn—l am acting bombardier of the
sth battalion of the Royal Artillery. I was on the Parade
facing Woolwich-common about 20 minutes before 10 on
the morning of Sunday last. The deceased, Sergeant-
major
about
l te:
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yards.oeptn
ohettrhhdee, was
oaia
Parade
eeo
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time.2svvof
ori 10l
tinosil)3msoaeatad,lvvpaa nnet
rhdcseaotn‘t\ Willis
three
ael
si
man
s(ep
or four paces from the front of the flag stones facing
the barracks, raise his musket to his shoulder; he took a
steady and deliberate aim at the deceased and fired ; I
saw the deceased fall. The moment he had fired, the
prisoner threw his musket on the ground and laughed, and
then turned round and walked three or four paces from the
spot. I ran up to the prisoner and took him by the cuff
of his coat and belt. Serjeant Coltman at the same mo-
ment seized him by the collar, and asked him what he did
it for, when Willis replied—" I meant this some time."
By these words I understood that he meant to shoot
deceased.
John Ironbell, Corporal of the 9th Battalion of Artillery,
heard the repot t of a musket, and on turning round saw the
deceased fall, and the prisoner walking away from him
indifferently. Deceased was a sober steady man.
Lieutenant George William Bingham, of the Ist Ba-
talion of the Royal Artillery, was next sworn, and said, I
knew the deceased, but he was not under my command.
On Sunday morning last, after having taken breakfast,
I rose to my window, which fronts the barrack-field, to
see if it was time for me to get ready for parade before
going to Church. I should think this was about twenty
minutes to 10 o'clock, while standing at the window,
my attention was directed to the prisoner, who
appeared to move towards the deceased, who was
standing cn the parade with his back towards lint
(the prisoner). There were several soldiers and non-
commissioned officers around the deceased at the time,
I immediately saw the prisoner raise his piece to his
shoulder and fire at the deceased, who instantly fell on
his face. The act was momentary, and before a word
could escape from my lips. I directly ran out of the bar-
racks, and gave orders that the prisoner should be secure d,
which was done by two or more soldiers. I then said,
4: What could have induced you to have committed such an
act ?" He muttered, " I've thought of it for a long tune
past." I think those are the precise words. There were
other persons near at the time, and the guard of the Ma-
rines were mounting at, the time—the ball could have but
passed a few inches from them. I presume that the pi i-
nner fully intended to shoot the deceased, by the position
which he took, and the manner in which lie directed his aim.
Mr William Richardson, assistant surgeon of the Royal
Artillery, was next examined—On Tuesday; he being one
of the two medical off-lc( rs in attendance, received a sum-
mons to attend Sergeant-Major Sheppard, who had been
shot; he instantly proceeded to the barrack-room, where
the remains of the unfortunate man was lying. He had
the clothes removed, and found a large wound in the chest
between the right nipple and the centre of the chest. He
examined the wound by the iatroduction of his finger, and
imagining that it was there the ball had made its exit, he
ordered the body to be turned over to ascertain where the
ball had entered ; he found at the lower angle of the blade
bone of the right shoulder. It was a gun-shot wound, and
the ball had apparently perforated in a straight line. Two
of the ribs were broken near the spine ; death, from the
• nature of the injury, must have been instantaneous. The
lungs were shattered, and the centre side of the heart per-
forated.
Several soldiers were examined, who saw the deceased
shot, and their evidence confirmed what has been stated
above.
A private of the name of Quick, who slept in the same
room with the prisoner, deposed, that on Saturday evening
he said to the prisoner if he did not look sharp he would
not be in time to fall in with the piquet. Willis said he
did not care, and inquired whether the Sergeant-major
(the deceased) was on the parade. Witness replied that
\
he was not. Willis than said that he should not go down,
as he wanted to see the Sergeant-major, and if he did
not see him that night he should see hint in the morning,
and he then took off his regimentals, and did not fall in the
1 piquet that night.
I Be the CORONER—Witness had not heard that a corn-
Iplaint was made by the Sergeant-major for his not falling
in with the piquet. He did riot know that Willis had Lis
gun loaded. Willis asked three times if the Sergeant-
major was on the parade saying that he wanted to see him
particularly. He did not, however, say on what subject
he wished to see him on.
William Bradford, a private of the same battalion,
I said that the prisoner had a conversation with him on
Saturday, and in the course of which the prisoner
said he did not think he should have many
more guard-mountings. Witness said, " What do you
mean ?" Willis replied " Yon will see to-morrow." Wit-
ness rejoined " What of to morrow ?" " Wait and see,"
said the prisoner. " Well, and what of to-morrow ?"
continued the witness. " Just wait and see," returned
Willis ; adding, that " there is one particular person on
the Parade I want to-morrow." They then separated.
John Robinson, a gunner and driver of the Second Bat-
talion of the Royal Artillery, knew the deceased, and the
prisoner. The prisoner had been in the regiment more
than eleven months. He was of a surly and sullen dis-
position, and was far from being a pleasant companion.
Complaints were always being made against him for un-
cleanness and other grievances by his comrades.
The proceedings were here interrupted by a letter being
handed to the Coroner. The purport did not transpire.
but the Coroner said that he had been informed there
were parties who were refused admittance ; he begged
that the military would be ordered to allow free ingress
to all parties who had business on this occasion.
A reporter who attended for one of the metropolitan
daily papers here stepped forward, and said he felt bound
to inform the Coroner of the insult that he had received
at the hands of the sentinel on guard at the gates of the
hospital, and which had caused him to write the note in
question. He had been arrested for endeavouring to ob-
tain egress into the inquest room, which he had but a few
minutes left, and confined under guard, in one of the sen-
try-boxes, for upwards of an hour, though he had told the
sentry on guard his business, in which he had been con-
firmed by others.
Mr. CARTTAR said it certainly was a pity, but the sentry
had no doubt obeyed his orders.
Lord BL3ONIFIELD (with much warmth)—He has his
orders, and he would not take any explanation from you or
any one else.
The REPORTER—Very well, my Lord.
Other witnesses were examined, which occupied a con-
siderable
time, but their evidence was of no importance.
The CORONER addressed the prisoner. He warned him
whatever he might say would be taken down and used
against him hereafter.
The prisoner declined saying anything.
The CORONER then charged the Jury. There was little
doubt in his mind, as to the conclusion they would come to
—he felt there was little necessity to recapitulate the whole
of the evidence. He then proceeded to give the principal
features of the case, as adduced in evidence, and concluded
by expressing his conviction that the Jury would return a
verdict which would satisfy the public mind, but also an-
swer the ends of justice.
The Jury retired for a few minutes, and on returning to
the inquest room returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against
the prisoner George Willie, who was then committed to
:derogate.

A CAREFUL SERVANT.—On Friday night a
man, who had Leen sent with a load of cheese from Leices-
ter Fair, was returning from Cambridge, and quietly laid
himself down to sleep in his waggon. When nearly oppo-
site to Herningford the horses turned off the road into the
ditch, and when the waggoner awoke, it is supposed about
three hours afterwards, he found one of his horses dead,
and another so much injured as to be obliged to be killed ;
and having lost one the day before, this careful servant
pursued his way homewards with a single horse, having
left Leicester with four.—Cambridge Chronicle.
DEAFNESS.—At length this dreadful malady is
completely obviated, without torture and serious risk by
medical treatment. The Messrs. S. and B. Solomons,
39, Albemarle.street, Piccadilly, have constructed a Voice.
Constructor, the size of a seven-shilling piece, which,
when fixed into the cavity of the
„or, is soft, easy,'and not
more uncomfortable nor percofible than having a piece of
wool in its place ; and thewhich is deserving the public
attention and approba.tient is, that an individual in company
may place it in thss.e.dr and remove it unobserved. It pours
into the ear the general conversation to such an extent
that, in the most severe cases, sufferers are enabled to hear
the slightest whisper at a t.ublic assembly. Theie newly_
invented Spectacle Lens!, immediately they are Placed
before imperfect vision, bring it at once back to its original
and natural state, and the most minute particle is seen,
either by day or candle light, with exact distinctness.
Those valuable improvements in the materials are secret to
to themselves, and are solely confined to their establish.
ment, 39, Albemarle-street.
DISCOVERY OF A NEW MEDICINE.---A me-
afflicted.
dical practitioner at Andover, who attends a Friendly So
ciety at Chute, Wilts, for a low salary, gave one of the
Dmyensto,mtehau
members a box of pills for some illness vi ith which he was
his astonishment, peas. Ti) be fully
one he thought it felt rather bard, and was tempted by
curiosity to divide it in two halves, when he diacovercd, to
that
epiellrs (~vtehreer, when about to take
convinced of the fact, they ware, after having been weighe
and deprived of the magnesia wit'i which they were dove.
loped, planted in earth and are now actually growing. This
statement was made by one of the stewards of the Society,
and will surely put to flight all tbodomontade rcspixtir,g
Morison's vegetable medicines for the future.