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 John Meers. at Teirabridge, 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
g 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 mace 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
alleged 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tion, which, for reasons stated above, we do not
publish.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 the prisoner, at the end of which
Prisoner requested that Mr. George G_ epson, of
Plymouth, the proprietor of the boxing booth,
should be communicated with to ascertain the time
he (prisoner) was at the booth on the night in ques-
tion.
in the
oehad
Bench consented, and the prisoner was then
removed to the cells.
Simon Finightv a man about 26 years of age,
who is also well Vnown as being connected with
sparring booths, and who had been apprehended at
Exeter the previous night by police-constable
Mgernan, and conveyed to Newton the same morn-
ing by the mail train,
was then placed in the boy,
d
with a party E a Barnstaple relative to what took
charged with being an accomplice nodoubt, d
willr.
the murder.
The prisoner denied his being at the Newton
mur
w r ty. He
Races, a
employ
tPheenthedreictkaileodf the
a conversation
l\nlvaerrkseattilonnnh,
ueo
honfd Mr.
stated that he was at the time
place at the Newton Races, w
give the police an additional clue to this
mysterious
affair.
The prisoners were remanded until ten o'clock to-
day, by which time it is thought the police, who
are actively engaged in prosecuting their inquiries,
will be in possession of some additional facts.
On Friday afternoon, about four o'clock, police-
constable Mgernan, of the county
police, appre-
hended another man by the name of Banks, alias
Williams, who is supposed to be an accomplice in
the murder. He was apprehended at Hollings-
worth's lodging-.house, Edmund-street, Exeter. The
prisoner, who is a middle-aged man, between 30
and 40 years of age, was taken to the head-quarters,
Paris-street, and the charge entered against him.
He at first gave his name as Banks, but afterwards
said he was called Williams. It is stated that Banks,
like the other prisoners, is well known in connec-
tion with sparring-booths. la
—e appeared to be very
much excited ; be was handcuffed, followed by a
mob of people, and taken to St. Thomas's station,
from thence to Newton Abbots,— Western Morning
News.