The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-21 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL MURDER IN NORFOLK.

Another barbarous murder, accompanied by highway
robbery, was committed at noon-day in West Norfolk,
about twelve or fourteen miles from the spot where a
man was shot down and robbed by Groom, who was
executed in Norwich last year. The unfortunate victim,
Lorenzo Beha, was a silversmith and jeweller, who re-
sided in Norwich. He had two assistants in his shop at
Norwich, to whom he left the care of his business while
he travelled through the country to obtain orders, and
to sell his jewellery. He usually carried a box of gold
and silver watches and other jewellery in a bag, sus-
pended from a stick on his shoulder, and his custom
was, when he sold goods to the country people, to take
payments in small instalments. Amongst other places
which he thus visited at regular intervals, were Welling-
ham and Tittleshall, villages in West Norfolk, about two
miles apart, and about nine miles from Fakenham, at
the latter of which he was last seen alive. About mid-
way between Wellingham and Tittleshall the road is
bordered on one side by a plantation, and on the other
side Tittleshall-common and a plantation meet. Be-
tween one and three o'clock several persons passing
this spot on their way to Dereham market, ob-
served a quantity of blood in the middle of the
road, but continued their journey without stopping,
having no suspicion that a brutal murder had been
committed on a spot so much frequented, and in the
middle of the day, and supposing that a horse or some
other animal had been taken ill, and been bled there.
At half-past three, however, on the same afternoon,
John Robinson, a butcher, residing at Tittleshall, who
had walked over to Wellingham, reached this spot on
his way back, and his attention having been arrested
by the great quantity of blood on the road, he stopped
to look at it, and he observed that some portions of it
had been partially covered by dirt scraped from the
road. Observing also that there was a trail of blood to
the hedge, and that the trail was continued through
the fence into the ditch of Tittleshall-common, he made
another search, and discovered the body of Beha, with
the legs towards the hedge, and the coat collar turned
up as if the murdered man had been dragged by his coat
through the fence. By the side of the body lay a box of
jewellery unopened, and also a large hatchet, such as is
used for felling timber. The blade of the hatchet was
covered with blood and hair, and it was evidently the wea-
pon by which the unfortunate man had been murdered.
His trousers pockets were turned inside out and rifled ;
but in his waistcoat pocket a watch was found still
going. His head had been nearly severed from the body
by a blow at the back of the neck, and there were four
deeply cut wounds across the temples and face, any one of
which must have caused instantaneous death. The right
eye was also driven in wards to the depth of an inch.
Indeed, the poor man appeared to have been felled like
an ox, and dragged through the fence into the ditch.
On searching the clothes of the deceased more minutely,
his account-book was found, soaked with blood, in one
of his pockets, but the keys of his box were gone. No
suspicion was generally entertained as to the perpetrator
of the murder until late in the evening. A man named
William Webster, also a butcher, was driving in his
cart from Tittleshall to Wellingham, shortly before one
o'clock on the same day, when he saw a man in the
plantation adjoining the ditch where the body was found,
and he observed that the man stooped as he approached,
to hide himself. Webster stated this circumstance at
Wellingham as soon as he heard of the murder, but he
did not say that he knew who the man was. At ten
o'clock at night, however, he went to the residence of
Mr. John Hooks, at Tittleshall, one of the parish con-
stables, and said that he could not rest until he had in-
formed him that the man whom he had seen in the planta-
tion was Wm. Thompson, a labourer, who resided with his
father atTittleshall,and was frequently employed in telling
timber. Mr. Hooke and Mr. J. Moore,another parish con-
stable, proceeded to Thompson's house, found him in
bed, and ordered him to rise and dress himself. He did
so, putting on different clothes from those he had worn
during the day with the exception of his slop, on which
some spots of blood were observed. On the bed, and
not at all secreted, the constables found a pair of trou-
sers, the legs of which and the left pocket were soaked
with blood, and in a lower room they found a pair of
" highlows," in the lace holes of which blood was obser-
vable. They asked the prisoner for his hatchet, but he
could not produce it, and he made no statement in ex-
planation. He was apprehended, and taken to the
Griffin Inn, Tittleshall, there being no police station
nearer than Fakenham. On the following day Webster
identified the prisoner as the man whom he had seen in
the plantation, just before the murder was committed ;
and two men, named Roper, who were at work on
Friday, some little distance from the plantation, stated
that they met the prisoner coming in the direction from
the Ilace where the body was found. He seemed to
be in great haste, and perspired profusely. They
asked him what o'clock it was, and he pulled out a
hunting watch, which was loose in one of his trousers
pockets, and said it was half-past one. This watch has
not yet been found. When the prisoner and the house
were searched, the keys of Beha's box were not dis-
covered, nor was any money found ; but at four o'clock
on Friday afternoon the prisoner went to Moore, the
parish constable, and paid him a debt of 1/. 2s. 6d. He
also paid several other small debts the same afternoon.
When at Moore's house, his face was tied up, and he
stated as a reason why he was not at work that he was
ill, and had been to the doctor's. This statement
turned out to be false. Mrs. Moore observed when he
paid the money that he had a purse similar to that
which Beha carried, and that in the purse was a quantity
of gold and silver. On Saturday morning the prisoner
was taken before Mr. F. Keppeli and Mr. llarwell, two
of the county magistrates, at the Bull Inn, Litchatn.
Several witnesses having been examined, the prisoner
was remanded till further evidence could be adduced.
Thompson is about 20 years of age, and his appearance
is superior to that which is generally characteristic of his
class. He listened attentively to the evidence, but ap-
peared to be quite calm and unconcerned.

STRAND THEATRE.—This snug little theatre has lately
been entirely re-embellished by Mr. E. Bradwell, and
now presents a most cheerful appearance. Miss Rebecca
Isaacs still continues to hold the part of directress, and,
like most ladies who have been venturesome enough to
preside over our London temples of dramatic entertain-
ment, she has been extremely successful. The new
musical piece by Mr. E. Stirling, The Pet of the Public,
is nightly received with great applause, and has proved
a decided hit. We never heard Miss Isaac's vocal
powers to greater advantage than in the songs of
" Love's gentle language," "Pretty Madeline," and
"The trumpet's loudy calling," which she introduces
into her part, which, it is needless to mention, is the
most prominent in this operatic trifle. In addition to
this we find that during the week the performances will
consist of General Burgoyne's opera, The Lord of the
Manor, and the romantic melodrama, The Miller and
his Men, with the whole music of Sir Henry Bishop,
being the first time this favourite production has been
brought out here.
WEST AFRICAN MAILS.—The Postmaster-General has
given notice that the west coast of African packet will
not be despatched before the Ist December next, and
that letters will be in time for her on the 30th instant.
THE PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL COMPANY. This
company are about to commence the Bombay contract
almost immediately. The Colombo, a new ship just
built for the company and which was to run to Alexan-
dria, will be sent to India.
THE WEST INDIA COMPANY.—This company purpose
shortly extending their trunk line from St. Thomas to
Navy Bay, and performing the whole distance to the
latter place in about 20 days. When the Panama Rail.
way is opened, the English mails for Australia and all
parts of the Pacific will reach Panama in 21 days.
DEPARTURE OF THE AMERICAN MAILS.—Oti Saturday
forenoon the British and North American Royal Mail
steam-ship Europa, Captain Neil Shannon, sailed from
eupcahaebenpl
heavy
vcscmuaireaogerrohtaai
nonond,f
the Mersey for New York, with the usual mails for the
United States and British possessions in North America.
Eighty passengers and a large
SOUTHAMPTONmerchandise on
m freight.A
left Oriental
yesterday Company's
(sund (Sunday) morning,
npgE,
boo
off 100
boxes
ehos eooEf
passengers.asspt e
clndiae,
t h ea nvTdahl
ueChinaeEoufx
iwnmails.which
c h has
stSanhkeeeanrhl
nearly
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owl6aoBrlod.
os,
usual nearly
quantityal l for I nodfi aan d
merchandise
ofOvnafrrieoiugsh t s lieh ad
descriptions.the
The new steam-ship Colombo, which was expected on
Friday, has not yet arrived.
THE SPA GAMING Rooms.—The general receipts of
the company that carries on the gaming-house at Spa
have this year amounted to 564,000 fr., and the expenses
of the establishment to 120,0001., leaving a net profit of
444,000 fr., of which 195,000 fr. go to the Government,
and 186,592 fr. to the shareholders, after deducting from
ITT:id:Thu PACKETS.—The
the profits, the charges of the administration, the por-
tion of the hospitals, and that of the charitable fund for
the poor of the commune.
NOTTINGHAM, Nov. 17.—The lace and hosiery trades
the same as we have reported them
present no new features this week, efaocrharfeenwial4in,eienkgsipnausctl:
preparations are being made for
far the
so far as actual sales are concernLclie;xatetntdheed
hsaumstreiestsinne
worsted yarl,s being
LEICESTER, Nov. 17--
pouond, there is nothing
the home and foreign tradoeswiinnggofodsw er spring.
again reduced one penny
Worsted spinners are
doing in the warehouses
working per
e brutshotrot
tiiimuem.edLiaoteng order.wools
have declined in price.
BRADFORD, Nov.
17.-Wools-There is but little
in any
doing kind of combing wools ; the spinners find,
at the prices sought, it is impossible to cover cost, and
they prefer their machinery being idle.