The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-27 00:00:00

TEE MURDER AT ACTON.

-•
Yesterday a long inquiry, adjourned from s
tbo
last, was resumed before Mr. Wakley, respectll7, bo4
death of Richard Medhurst, aged 14, whose cleaci
had been found on the Monday morning preViC4,lW
ditch in Irvine-lane, quite naked. The body 14110
in an out-house at the rear of the Goldsmiths' .1-0
presented a very shocking appearance. It 111°400
very emaciated state, and there were numerous (clod)
ations upon it, the right eye being blackened Oa -

swollen.
John Clarke, carman, in the service of Mr. -
Acton, said that as he was going down the laile :blot
side of the Goldsmiths' Arms, he saw the deo° 08
ditch which was about 300 yards from the house' 08
body had no clothes on, nor anything to cover it"' 01111
gave information to the police, and the body wasbr°
to the Goldsmiths' Arms. o°l4

George Medhurst, No. 11, Slade's-place, Allewiwll
Clerk enwell, identified the deceased as his son. 11;0
saw him alive on the 30th October. Witness, 1914 pir
son, was in the employment of Mr. Thurtell,
cutter, whose manufactory is opposite the lunatic °Joel
Old-street. On the evening of the 30th of October' esl
left the factory together, and as witness wanted to toil
to the foreman, he sent his son home alone. Writna!,bi'.o
not seen him since till Friday afternoon last, 00 2ietr
day, in consequence of information from the 01',
well Police-station, he went to Acton, and tbevio,
found his unfortunate child at the Goldsmithed
(Here the witness was much affected.) When ntlo
found that his son did not return on the night °hit
30th, he made inquiries, and ascertained from a'fitor
named George Jackson, that at a few minutes.,ol#
seven o'clock, the same night, his son was takenlo44
a man in a chaise cart, who welt away with him t
Shoreditch. The man came out of a coffee-shop, Poi,
sheet, near Bunhill-row, before which the chafe
in which was a black pony, was standiug. 01
By the Coroner—My son was a sharp, stea"
He was never out at night.
Coroner—Was he in good health, and stout I tyli
Witness—Oh, yes, sir. I believe that he has°,
a bit of bread to eat since he left home. His °note'
almost through his skin. He was a very hearty

He had no cough.
The Coroner observed that the apj

the flr
)earance of , b,g

be
ceased when first seen would seem to show that 00d
been subject to ill usage ; that he had been staff 01
confined for some time ; and that in order to P;tbo
detection, he had been brought down to MOP 1
state in which he was found.

Several cf the Jury--That is our opinion.
es
io
The father added that his son had three-peauo
leather bag ; and he was told that the roan, vfr-000
tall, stout-made, with a full face, had on a fustijli
He had no suspicion of any one having caul
child's death. ; fetbel
George Jackson, aged 11 years, living with 11-5,
at No. 38, Allen-street, said that he worked
Thurtell's, and identified the deceased. Writyleo°
with him on the evening of the 30th of October,
.et 10
man asked him, witness, to go with him in big to
he wanted a boy to hold his horse. Witness off° orei
go, but deceased said, "I'll go," and he was teigeaeli
by the man, who went towards Shoreditch. 1111-11eri.:
a little boy at the time holding the horses head' a be'
ceived a penny from the man, who said he would
the same place the next day and call for him.
_,tt deb'
does not know if the same man was there the
abooa
John Leigh, aged 13, who also works at tea
factory, having corroborated the evidence of ca't'
two witnesses, stated that the man drove A eliv-eeistrl
t
the wood part of which under the body w 8.21, sect
green. The sides were made of cane work, an" wd sesr
was a cross-board swinging between the off I 01'2::
sides. The harness was decent. The may, too, ay;
black coat. He was a tall man, with a full face' fainted
witness, shortly after he gave his evidence,
away, and was attended by a surgeon.) te"
Inspector Bickerson said that inquiries had be oetit
of the proprietor of the coffee-shop, 64, Old-etree
the man, but he was not known there. 'a that ilbe
Mr. Thomas Francis, surgeon, Acton, Bal
saw the body on Monday, the 19th, when quatitf°
appearance of having been covered with a iajbe°
ointment. The hands and feet seemed as if they_.. cisO
tied with a cord. The body was extremely' °T.:O ofr
and there were sores all over it. There were :.rtotest
ral scratches, as if done by some pronged ja v., of O.
like a fork. There was a bruise ou the briciVa
nose, and the right eye was black, swollen, the !ft,
with echymOsed blood. There was no food in the dorP
mach or large intestines, and there were 0 me hie
spots on the mucous membrane. On the back 0 posr.
were sores as if from lying for some time of thee
tion. On opening the brain, he found congest dOl
vessels, and on opening the chest, he discovers
to)
left lung to be very extensively diseased.
The coroner observed that there was everiLea:°;ohs
0.
believe that a cruel and horrible murder hade.°7ith
mitted, or why should the poor boy have 131:1710 beef;
treatment he had ? It would appear that h
confined and starved, and that the disease 0.1.
rectoe-tiea;
had been brought on from the treatment he h. ci
on 111w,h
It was a case which he thought called
uP ..A for he
quest the Secretary of State to offer a reward
a
jit
covery of the person or persons who had '"
ago
body to Acton.
Coroner (to Mr. Francis)-
Might not a hlo _
eye such as the deceased has received, in hie 0
haustion, produce concussion of the brain death
uentlf 9,0
Witness—lt might produce it, and conseeqdeceased jibe
Foreman—Would not te violence
wtautleli.- 0
been subject to, with the h
ill-usage ana 00°-
likely to accelerate his death ? be
rea
Witness—Certainly.
one of deliberate murder.
The Coroner observed that the Case aPPeil,
that
op.
yslYtotlll.°4Seroc ore;
discover the PerPo° d the
remarkednionn,eajnudrythey
er
tart' of State to offer a reward toa r_rtnight,
wished they
the
eweerreee
0. n i
arapopui
The inquiry was adjourned for iu the bvillg‘"
coroner directed that the body should no -