The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-28 00:00:00

THE MURDER AT TEIGNBRIDGE.

At the Town Hall, Newton Abbott, on Friday,
before W. J. Watts, Esq., county magistrate, Jas.
Stevens was brought up, charged with having mur-
dered Jobn Meers, at Teignbridge, on the night of
Friday, the 14th August last. The prisoner, who is
a very powerful man, and about 50 years of age, is
a mulatto, and has lost the sight of his right eye.
He is well known in connection with sparring-
booths and shows at the different fairs, racecourses,
and regattas, and was apprehended at Exeter on
Wednesday evening
last. Long before the hour
appointed for the hearing of the case the Town
Hall was surrounded by a very large number of
persons anxious to gain admittance. In this they
were disappointed, as no persons but the witnesses
and the representatives of the press were allowed
to enter. About half-past 10 o'clock Mr. Watts took
his seat on the bench, and, addressing the reporters,
said that as the hearing was strictly of a private
character, and that the ends of justice might not be
defeated, he had to request that the details of the
proceedings be not made public.
The prisoner was then brought into the hall, and
the charge having been read over to him by the
clerk, he pleaded not guilty in a firm tone of voice.
The same evidence was taken as was given at the
inquest.
George Pike, a lad about 13 years old, was then
sworn, and, after being duly cautioned by the ma-
gistrate, detailed the whole of the circumstances
kllcged to have taken place on the night in ques-
tion, which, for reasons stated above, we do not
publish. Witness was cross-examined at some
length by prisoner, at the end of which
Prisoner rc
Linested that 111 r. George Gepson, of
Plymouth, the p:oprietor of the tioxing booth,
should be comnaunica.!‘4 with to ascertain the time
ho (prisoner) was at the 'uooth on the night in ques-
tion.
The Bench consented, and the prisoner was then
removed to the cells.
Simon Finightv, a man about 2G years of ege,
who is also well known as being connected with
sparring booths, and who had been apprehended at
Exeter the previous night by police-constable
Algernon, and conveyed to Newton the same morn-
ing by the mail train, was then placed in the box,
charged with being an accomplice in th© murder.
The prisoner denied hie being at the Newton
Races, and stated that he was at the time in the
tmploy of Mr. Petherick, of the Market Inn, Hols-
wol!by. He then detailed a conversation he had
0
placewith aatptahretywaetwßtoanrnitaesple relative to what took
which, no doubt, will
c
emus
give the police an additional clue to this myst •

affair.
The prisoners were remanded until ten o'clock to-
day, by which time it is thought the police,
appre-
hended are actively engaged in prosecuting their inquiries,
wiollnbeFriindpa some additional
police.
I facts,
constable M"fernan, of
Exeter. The
another man by the name of Banks, alias
the county police,
Williams, who is supposed to be an accomplice in
the murder. He was
;8: f st
es ri ro on,
apprehended at Hollin crs-
prieoner, who is a middle-aged 'slap, between 30
worth's lodging-house, Edmund street,
and 40 years of the taken to the head-quarters,
Paris-street, and charge entered against him.
He at first gave hie name as Banks, but afterwards
said he was called William. s. It is stated that Banks,
like Ole other prisoners, is well known in „mese-
tion with qparriorbootlis.
.He appeared to be very
much excited Ihe was handcuff followed by a
mob of people, and taken to St. Thomas's station,
from thence to Newt C-n Abbots,..., IVestern Morning
News.