The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-16 00:00:00

THE ACTON MURDER.

On Saturday Mr. Wildbore, who bad been charged
with being concerned in the abduction of the boy sup-
posed to have been murdered, was again placed at :he
bar of Clerkenwell Police-court.

The lad, Jackson, was recalled ; and, in answer to
Mr. Hawkins, the barrister, said he would not smar
that he had or had not pointed out another man as :he
person who had taken the murdered boy away in a gig
or chaise.

Sergeant Earthy, 19 T, stated that he was with
another officer investigating the circumstances of the
horrid murder. The latter was in uniform, and witness
was in private clothes. On Jackson seeing him (witness)
he accused him of being the individual that decoyed the
deceased from Old-street.

Wm. Patten, a lad residing with his father, at 4,
Riding House-lane, Portland-place, was now sworn, and
said, that on the Monday or Tuesday at the end of
October last, he ran away from his father's honse, and
when going to his uncle's in Golden-lane, the prisoner,
whom he recognised in the House of Detention, asked
him to take charge of his horse and cart in Old-street.
It was at seven o'clock in the evening. The prisoner
came back in ten minutes with two boys, one of whom
got into the cart, and was driven away by the prisoner,
and the other went away.

The witness here gave his description of the prisoner
at the time, and likewise of the horse, cart, and harness.
Mr. Hawkins severely cross-examined the witness,
who contradicted himself and the other lad over and
over again.

Sergeant Gunn, G-, stated that the last witness picked
out one set -of harness from several on the prisoner's
premises on Friday.

Mr. Daniel Griffin, of Golden-lane, harness maker,
uncle of the witness Patten, said that his nephew had
run away ten times, at the least, in the last twelve
months, and come to him. He could not say when was
the last time.

Mr. Peter Patten, father of the witness, stated that
he was positive his son, who is very unsteady, ran away
from him on a Saturday in October last. He was quite
certain he was away on Sunday. He came back insix
days.

Sergeant Earthy was again called into the witness-
box, and in answer to questions, said he saw the body
of the deceased an hour after ,it had been discovered,
and he judged that death had taken place within 24
hours previously. It presented a fearful spectacle—the
right eye was black partially down the cheek, and the
bones were almost protruding through the skin.
Mr. Hawkins called several witnesses, who clearly
showed that Mr. Wildbore was not in town on the 31st
of October with his horse and chaise ; that he came to
London on that day by rail, and returned by the same
conveyance at 20 minutes to 6, after dining with Mr.
Frederick Sewell, veterinary surgeon, at Waltham-cross,
and that he then took tea with two nieces and a nephew,
and did not leave home afterwards on that night. At
the conclusion of this evidence he (Mr. Hawkins) sin-
cerely trusted that the prejudice against his client
would be dispelled, and that his friends would feel
satisfied that he had been more sinned against than
sinning, at the same time he must say that Superin-
tendent Martin and the other excellent officers had done
no more than the circumstances of so horrible a case
fully warranted.

Mr. Corrie fully concurred with the learned counsel,
for he had not the slightest hesitation in declaring there
was no evidence whatever against Mr. Wildbore, and
further, that he disbelieved altogether the testimony of
Patten. Even if the evidence for the defence had not
been given to-day, he should have discharged the pri-
soner, believing him to be an innocent man.
When the prisoner was set at liberty, he was warmly
and heartily cheered by his friends.