The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-12 00:00:00

tug SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 12, 1863,

that the injured tutor would be inundated with letters teem-
ing with the records of filth and loathsomeness—references
to adultery courts and newspapers containing the reports of
crime. I could tell him how the neighbourhood shrieks with
the infamy of the man of whom he wrote. Yes, this I could
tell him; and while I did so I would bid him do what I
have done—tell you all this to your face. A dark, thick cloud
is fast gathering, and is ready to burst in well deserved wrath.
Evidence is pouring in fast—expeotation is on the tiptoe.
A clergyman and his wife remember, you wretched being
—I say his wife—have witnesses of your defamation, and
that (3f the creature, like yourself with whom you live. A
virtuous—not a ntock, but really viruous —lady has like-
wie,-, grounds of libel against you both. Await your day—
you will pave 7.eitt long. This, however, is not the
only
which awaits you both, even before an
judgnrootent
c?.rthly tribunal.
The Reverend T. R. Bincll.

Mr. Arnold inquired whether Mr. Pawle was in
a position to prove that the letter was written by
the defendant.

Mr. Pawle replied—Most indisputably ; and con-
tinued—After receiving such a disgusting epistle as
this, Mr, Taylor, of course, lost no time in placing
the matter in the hands of his solicitor, and a sum-
mons was taken out against defendant. Mr. Taylor,
he might remark, was a gentleman of position and
standing, and there was not the slightest foundation
for the disgraceful and infamous charges brought
against him.
The Mr. Sharpe, Mr. Johnson, clerical agent,
and other Rev.
witnesses having been examined,
Mr. Felix Frederick Taylor said—l reside at
Slough, and am a gentleman of independent fortune.
I have for some years resided with my family in the
house I now occupy. I know the reverend gentle-
man appears as defendant. He occupied
the positionwh my two sons for thirteen
months. In July, 1863, in consequence of some
differences, he left my familyn now
of tutor to
by request. On the
at Brighton with my
2f
family
ofy
vOhc
et
no ble rr elc
ewha.
es
d the
stayingletter dated the 24th of
October, through the medium of the post. It bears
that date, is in Mr. Birch's handwriting, and is
signed by him. lam necessarily well acquainted
with his caligraphy, and have consequently no hesi-
tation in saying that the anonymous letter of the 15th
October, addressed to Mr. Sharpe, was written by
the defendant. That letter refers no doubt to my-
self, home, and family. I have not the envelope in
wn. f,r.'h it came, nor do I know where it is, but the
letter came addressed to me at Brighton:
Crosa-examined—l have known Mr. Birch nearly
14 months. The negotiations between us com-
menced about the middle of May, 1862, and his
engagement early in June.
Mr. Barrett—How long after he entered your
family did a misunderstanding arise between
you ? Witness—He fulfilled his duties to my
satisfaction, for the first three or four
months, and then by degrees he became re-
miss. I objected to his line of conduct, and finally
the determination on my part to procure another
tutor took place in June last. The engagement be-
tween us was broken off simply on account of the
misunderstanding between us on scholastic matters,
and not from family matters.
Mr. Barrett—Were you not co-respondent in a
case in the Divorce Court lately ?

Mr. Pawle interposed, and submitted that such a
question was totally irrelevant to the charge, in
which opinion Mr. Arnold coincided.
Some further evidence having brought the case
for the prosecution to a close,
Mr. Barrett asked for a remand, as his client had
so recently instructed him that he knew very little
about the matter.

Mr. Arnold granted the request, and remanded
the case for a week, accepting one surety in £5O
for Mr. Birch's reappearance.

THE RECENT MURDERS.

The bodies of the Hunts and their children have been
identified by several relations on both sides of the family.
Mrs. Hunt's father is a cab ',river, named Blake, living in
St. John'sstreet, Smithfield. He fully confirms the reports
'I the neighbours as to the frequency of violent quarrels
between -Runt -Runt and his wife. Blake's daughter (Mrs. Hunt's
a-
et about a month ago Hunt made an unsuc•
sister) states t.. •.,,n his wife. Latterly he used to beat
cessful attempt to pois.
-eeribes the wound on the un-
her severely, and the sister s,
s-nua a poker, given to
fortunate woman's foot to a blow ';ved is a small
her by Hunt. The hcuse in which they .. 4 hearing
six-roomed cottage, somewhat poorly furnished, an,
every mark of a household going to ruin. It has been
represented that Hunt had fitted up a room in the house as
a laboratory wherein to experiment on poisons. This is
not the case ; the only signs of drugs or chemicals in the
house are a number of bottles on the back parlour mantel.
piece, most of which are empty, the remainder containing
a few such harmless substances as borax, camphor, flavour-
ing for pastry, and a few other similar preparations that
might be found in svery household in the kingdom. It is
certain that Hunt well knew the properties of the deadly
substances which he used with such terrible effect, but the
knowledge was doubtless acquired by him in the course of
business. When roused by the police he was in bed reading
" Tom Brown at Oxford," and came down to the officers in
his night shirt. He must have swallowed the aconito im-
mediately he found that he was pursued,for the bottle, con-
tainie g perhaps a couple of drops of the poison, was after-
wards found in a cupboard in his bedroom. The story he
told to the police about Mrs. Hunt having an uncle at
Southampton named Campbell, who had given her £5O, is
a pure fabrication from beginning to end, the unfortunate
woman's friends being all poor hardworking people, living
in London. Hunt's body lies at his house, awaiting the
coroner's inquest, which will be opened to•reorrow. A post
mortem examination will be made to-day by Dr. Puck's'.
The guilty man's countenance is most forbidding. A re-
ceding forehead, singularly massive frontal bones, and a
firm-set mouth inspire one with no very favourable opinion
of their possessor. The cabman, Gould, who took the Huuts
to the Shoreditch station from Camberwell, went to St.
Mary's Hospital yesterday evening to identify the bodies
lying there. A great deal has been said about the mous-
tache which was worn by the man in the cab, and sworn to
by the cabman, but there seems to be every probability that
Hunt wore a false one in order to disguise himself. Hunt
must have had some other means of procuring money be-
sides that afforded by his business, for not only did he leave
IS months' salary in the hands of his employers, but £4O in
notes was found on his person after his death. At one time
he kept a bookseller's and stationer's shop at the corner of
Warner-street, Camberwell New-read, but did not succeed
in.business. It is also said that he was formerly in business
as a chemist and druggist on his own account.