The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-11 00:00:00

19 14 47
22 21 57

Thomas
Young

WINNER OF ASSOCIATION CUP.—Major Moir,
12th Stirling. Score already published. Total, 55.
DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE'S PRlZE.—Colquhoun, 4th
Dragoon Guards :

500 yds.
P. H.
17 7

800 vds.
P. H.
15 7

1000 yds.
P. H.
10 5

Total.
P. H. Total.
42 19 61

DUKE OF WELLINGTON'S PRIZE.--Formby, Liver-
pool Rifle Brigade, scored the highest number of
points, 22, but a protest on the question of the use
of the rest having arisen, the decision will be given
to-morrow.

THE MURDER AND MUTILATION NEAR

WEYMO UTH.

The Poole Herald of yesterday gives some
further particulars relative to the horrid
murder and mutilation by a lunatic which we
recorded yesterday :—" Living with his father and
mother in a little too-roomed house at Pieston was
a man named John Cox, who is said to have been
a notorious poacher. Three weeks ago he had a
fit, and had been ill ever since, and was attended
by the doctor. Brain fever ensued, and latterly
signs of insanity. For the last two or three days
he has been somewhat outrageous, and was in con-
sequence about to be removed to a lunatic asylum.
He had been attended as a pauper by Dr. Puckett,
medical officer of the district for some time, and
on Tuesday afternoon about five o'clock, that
gentleman, in company with Mr. White, the re-
lieving-officer, went towards the house in which
Cox was living. The father of the lunatic, a lame
old man, nearly 70 years old, was then standing
outside, and said to the doctor, Be you going in
to take John away ?' and he replied Yes.' The
old man said, ' You'd better not, or mischief will
be done.' Mr. Puckett said he dare say he could
reconcile him, and went into the house, followed
by the father, who stood on the step of the door-
way. Mr. 'White having left to obtain a vehicle,
the doctor sat down and began talking to the
man, who soon got in a rage. The father
went cut to get assistance at the blacksmith's
shop. -While he was away, which was only for
the space of a minute or two, it would seem from
the prisoner's statement to the police-constable who
apprehended him, that the doctor was persuading
him to dress himself, having at the time nothing on
but his flannel shirt. The man refused, and became
angry, and said, If you don't mind, I'll kill you.'
He then struck out at the doctor, who got up and
went into the little garden surrounded by a wall in
front of the house. The prisoner then tore down
the window, which was protected with iron bars,
and said, If I could get you I'd knock your old
head off,' and then going back into the bed-room,
he broke off a piece of the bed-post, and rushing out
after Dr. Puckett, struck him on the head, and
felled him to the ground. Whilst he was an the
ground the maniac belaboured him about the head
in a shocking manner. He then ran to the back of
the house for the purpose, as he says, of getting his
gun, but not finding it, he took a saw, and returning
to the spot where the body was lying, commenced
cutting off the head with the saw. He afterwards
sawed off one of the hands and one of the feet, and
then putting a cotton shirt over his flannel, and an
old coat over his shoulders, he ran away without
his trousers to the stables of the Plough Inn, where
he was apprehended about half an hour afterwards
by one of the county police. A woman who wit-
nessed the horrible deed said that she saw the de-
ceased run out of the house, and then that some-
thing was thrown out of the door, which struck him
down. She says that then the prisoner came out
with the poles, and struck the deceased about the
head with them. Of course this dreadful affair has
created a great sensation, and we saw many persons
wending their way to the village, and sauntering
about the village itself, to glean all the particulars
they could of the dreadful murder."
On Wednesday the prisoner was taken before H.
Williams, Esq., at Preston, and charged with the
murder of Dr. Puckett. No evidence was adduced,
and the prisoner was remanded until Monday.
The body of the deceased gentleman was after-
wards removed to the Ship Inn, where an inquest
was held yesterday afternoon, before S. Loci, Esq.,
deputy coroner.
The first witness called was

Richard Cox—l am 70 years old, am a labourer,
and reside in this parish. There were three of my
SODS and my wife living with me in my house, but
two of the sons, Isaac and Jacob, went away on
Tuesday to seek work. John has been living with
me this seven years. Yesterday afternoon about 5
o'clock I was going towards the blacksmith's shop,
when I saw Mr. Puckett and Mr. White, the re-
lieving officer, coming towards my house. Mr.
Puckett was going into the gate, and I said, 44 Be
you going in to take John away 9" and he said
Yes." I said " You'd better not, or mischief will
be done." My son was out of his mind, and it was
intended to remove him to the asylum. Mr. Puckett
had been attending him for some time. When I said
mischief would Le done Mr. Puckett said he could
reconcile him, and went in. I was about 50 yards
off. Mr. While went away to get a cart, as I was
r.ot able to go fast enough, and I then went into the
house with Mr. Puckett. I stood on the step, and
Mr. Puckett asked my son some questions, and as I
saw he was getting in a rage, I went to the black-
smith's shop for assistance, and while I was away
the affair happened. I was not away more than a
minute or two. On returning I did not go into the
house, because on looking over the wall I saw Mr.
Puckett dead in the garden ; I went round to him.
My son was up at another house then seven or eight
yards off. My son then came towards me, and I
asked him what he had been about. He said he
would serve me the same if I was not off, and took
up a stone, and I went further away, and on looking
back I saw him sawing off the dcctor's head. He
had nothing bat his flannel shirt on all day long.

My wife was in the house all the time. My son had
been ill with brain fever.

Some other evidenca was given, and the jury re-
turned a verdict of wilful murder against John Cox,
who was committed to Dorchester gaol.
Mr. Puckett was an old and respected resident of
Broadway, Weymouth, and had practised for many
years.

THE MYSTERIOUS MURDER IN
GLASGOW

----~--

COMMITTAL OF JAMES FLEMING ON A
CHARGE OF MURDER.

The inquiry into the murder in Sandyford-place
has now assumed its most important aspect, and the
popular excitemen! which waits upon such investi-
gations deepens as, from a multiplicity of facts and
evidence collected in every possible quarter and
from all manner of persons, the truth seems, at
least, to be gradually neared. An event took place
yesterday which so far corroborates the suspicions
that have been pointed in one direction, and which,
if not approved by every one, is not likely to be con-
demned by many as either harsh or hasty—we ri-
fer to the apprehension, examination, and commit-
tal to prison of Mr. J. Fleming, the old man who
was in the house during the night on which it is
believed the murder was committed. In saying so,
we do not wish to encourage the adoption in the
public mind of any uncharitable conclusion ; for al-
though the circumstances brought to light during
the past two days have been deemed amply suffi-
cient to justify such a course, a careful analysis of
the facts as known to us, while of grave import,
and almost directly unfavourable to the prisoner,
do not preclude the possibility of his innocence be-
ing yet established. He has certainly been com-
mitted on the strength of numerous facts, of several
of which we were fully aware two days ago, but re-
frained from directly alluding to at that time, since
such a course might have been doubly injudicious,
in embarrassing the authorities while still prosecut-
ing their inquiries, and in directing public suspi-
cion to a man against whom no criminal charge had
then been made. Now, however, the case is altered;
and it becomes our duty to make known, so far as
we are aware, the grounds upon which the step
alluded to has been taken. At the first intimation
of the murder the absence of all inquiry on the
part of the prisoner as to the cause of the disap-
pearance of the deceased, although he heard screams
during the night, notwithstanding a partial deaf-
ness, was accounted by all a mysterious circum-
stance which had not been sufficiently explained ;
but apart from this negative evidence, there were
positive facts, not only suspicious in themselves, al-
though clumsily explained, but provocative of the
impression that there was much more behind. Thus,
some of the blankets in the bedroom in which the
murdered woman was discovered were found to have
been washed, but not with the address of a female,
the crimson spots having been removed in some
measure, though clearly perceptible on a close exa-
mination. Again, some linen, which had been re-
cently dressed, was found in a drawer in which the
prisoner's underclothing was usually kept, stained
with spots and a goodly-sized blotch of blood, the
explanation of this being that it had been placed
by deceased on the " winter-dykes" on Friday, and
that on Saturday he had taken it carelessly down
and put it past. Moreover, the room in which the
prisoner slept was situated on the ground floor, and
immediately above the kitchen in which the fearful
conflict in all probability took place, so that it is
but reasonable to suppose the noise of the scuffle
must have been heard with warning distinctness ;
and besides this, any one quitting the house by the
front door must have passed his bedroom ; yet
nothing occurred, heavers, to awaken his suspicions.
As stated yesterday, the house in Sandyford-place
has been repeatedly examined from top to bottom,
but excepting the numerous painful records of the
deed in the kitchen and bedroom, no blood has been
found on the walls or furniture. Minute inquiries
have of course been made as to the relationship of
the prisoner and Jessie Macpherson, and as this is a
material element, it may be as well to mention the
opinions entertained on this point by the friends of
the deceased. It is stated, on the one hand, that the
conduct of the prisoner towards the deceased,whom
he had frequently visited while she kept a shop in
Grace-street, Anderston, was always respectful and
kind, even going the length of proposals of matri-
mony; and on the other hand, that he had made ad-
vances which,whether dishonourable in their nature
or not, were at least exceedingly distasteful to her,
for it is alleged that she had told one of her friends,
on the Sunday before her death, that her life was
made miserable owing to the manner in which he
came about her. After a careful investigation
into the whole case, Capt. M'Call—who has acted
with much energy throughout, avoiding at the same
time undue precipitation—considered it his duty
yesterday morning to have the prisoner apprehended
and given over to the Procurator-Fiscal for judicial
examination on a charge of murder. The exami-
nation of the prisoner accordingly took place yes-
terday before Mr. Sheriff Strathern, and lasted for
about four hours. Of course, like all preliminary
inquiries in such cases, it was conducted with closed
doors ; but we understand it resulted in the prisoner
being committed for further examination, and re-
moved shortly after to the North Prison. While no
one, in the face of the facts made known to the
public—not all, it must be remembered, which are
known to the authorities—can condemn the step
which has been taken, all must regret that a man so
far advanced in years should be placed in a position
which necessitates even his temporary imprison-
ment on such a grave charge. It may be mentioned
that, although the prisoner gives himself out as
being eighty-seven years of age, his appearance is
not that of a person so far advanced in life. He looks
a hale, robust man, capable of some degree of active
exertion, and with his mental faculties compara-
tively unimpaired.

Yesterday we announced that on the previous
morning, about two o'clock, Mr. John Fleming,
sen., discovered that some silver plate had been
stolen from his house. This, of course, added to
the perplexity of the case, in adding the motive of
robbery, not before apparent, as conducive to the
crime. It is most gratifying to know that the whole
of the plate has been recovered—a most important
discovery, and which, if followed up with skill by
the police—and doubtless that will be the case—
will do much to unravel this mysterious and appal-
ling event. On Saturday, about one o'clock, a well-
dressed young woman entered the pawn office of Mr.
Lundy, in East Clyde-street, and said that she had
been sent by her mistress, who was behind with
her rent, and wanted an advance upon the plate she
presented, in order to meet the pressing demands
of the landlord for payment. The articles were re-
ceived by the assistant who was in attendance, Mr.
Lundy himself not being present. He examined
them and found that they consisted of the following :
—Six silver table-spoons, Queen's pattern, with the
initials M. B. thereon ; two silver tea-spoons,
Queen's pattern, with the initials M. B. thereon ;
six silver toddy ladles plain, with the initials
M. B. thereon; one silver soup divider, fluted
handle, with a crest, a boar or goat's head, and the
initial letter C. on the handle ; one silver fish slice,
fluted handle, with the initial C. on the handle ;
six silver-plated forks, plain, with the initial letter
F. thereon ; and one long plated sauce-spoon, plain
pattern, supposed to have the initials F. or J. on it

These are exactly the silver articles missing; but
the subjoined wearing apparel, which belonged to
the deceased, and is known to have been taken

away, has not as ;,et-b;en—reCo;ered:—Black
watered silk dress, plain skirt, sometime worn, and
in good condition ; a silk dress, or skirt, of a chang-
ing colour, with two flounces; a black silk polka, a
black silk velvet cloak, a drab cloth cloak, and a
black harness plaid. The story told to the pawn-
broker seemed so plausible, the party offering the
articles apparently so respectable, and no robbery
of the kind having been reported by the police,
that he had no compunction in at once taking the
plate in pledge, giving £6 15s. for it. So little did
the assistant suspect that the goods had been got
in an improper manner, that he thought no more of
the circumstance until he read in the newspapers
yesterday of the discovery of the robbery, when he
at once communicated with Mr. Lundy, who in-
req: No.ona 1d
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