The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-14 00:00:00

THE MURDER AT BURNHAM ABBEY

FARM.

BURNHAM ABBEY, Saturday Evening.—Since the
committal of Moses Hatto on the coroner's jury's ver-
dict, accusing him of the atrocious murder perpetrated
here on Tuesday night week, the police have been ac-
tively engaged in trying to get together such evidence
as may bring the murderer to justice, and the result of
their exertions still further strengthens their suspicions
of the accused.

Since Hatto's committal to Aylesbury gaol the chap-
lain
has been in daily attendance on him, but, as a mat- 1
ter of course, the cause of his committal could not be re-
ferred to by the reverend gentleman ; and the prisoner
himself has not, during any such visitations, alluded to
the crime. Upon his arrival at the prison on Tuesday
night the same air of brovado which marked his demean-
our before the coroner's jury was observable ; but on
the next day, and even down to the present, a marked
change in his manner is reported, and within the last 24
hours he has exhibited a gloomy reserve, strongly con-
trasting with his bearing when he was first received by
the gaol authorities. On his receiving breakfast from
the warden yesterday morning, he muttered the words
" Dreadful, very dreadful;" but gave no further key to the
matter occupying his mind at the moment.
The prisoner's appetite, which for the first day was
equal to the gaol allowance, has most sensibly abated,
and though his health continues to be good, it is not
unlikely that a continuance of refraining from partaking
as heartily as before of his meals must so undermine it
as to necessitate his removal to the infirmary ward.
The accused man has neither directly nor indirectly said
a word while in the gaol bearing upon the dreadful
crime, save the observations above mentioned, and he
studiously avoids coming in sight of the other prisoners.
The police have searched every spot on and about the
premises here where it might be supposed likely for the
rings, pencil-cases, and razors stolen from the dressing-
table in Mr. Goodwin's room to have been placed, but
as yet they have not succeeded in obtaining the objects
of their search. It is their belief that those small articles
were put away further from the scene of murder than
they were at first led to think, and they most positively
assert, believing as they do in the guilt of Hatto, that
on the night after the murder, and before the police were
even aware that a murder had been committed, the ac-
cused, when he rode on one of his Master's horses to the
Maidenhead station for a parcel which he alleges he ex-
pected, then placed them in some part of the many fields
or swamps on his road. They, consequently, are now
about to search the whole district, with the assistance of
Mr. Goodwin's labourers and the surrounding cottagers,
who exhibit the greatest excitement against the suspected
man.

It will be remembered that a shirt worn by the accused
was missing from his stock of linen, and by the washer-
woman's account it turns out to have been almost a new
one, and was washed by her a week before the murder.
This shirt has not yet been found, and the police are
strongly of opinion that Hatto must have worn it the
night of the murder, and supposing it to have been torn
in the desperate struggle with the deceased, and bearing
stains of blood sufficient to inculpate him, that he used
it with other articles in setting fire to the body of the
unfortunate creature. It is certainly not a little singular
that this shirt is not forthcoming, more especially as the
accused was a stranger to the neighbourhood, and could
not have given it to any acquaintance.
There can be no doubt, say the police, that they would
have had ample proofs of the prisoner's guilt had they
been made acquainted with the murder on the night it
was committed, and they are quite outrageous with the
surgeon's assistant who saw the deceased when Mr.
Goodwin first discovered her burning. We give the
statement of the police with regard to the intelligence of
this person.
Superintendent Perkins, of Eton, says that on Mr.
Goodwin discovering the murder he at once sent for the
surgeon, but that instead of the principal arriving his
assistant made his appearance. Upon his departure he
was requested by Mr. Goodwin to inform the police on
his way home of the awful tragedy. This sagacious
young man rode home to Eton, and calling at the police-
station informed Mr. Perkins that a coroner's inquest
would be held on the body of a woman at Burnham
Abbey Farm, and that he had, therefore, better send
word to the coroner. The superintendent asked " What
the woman died from ?" "From suffocation," replied
the surgeon's assistant, and then rode off home.
abrwonikorfierdn:fiiannsgfesaaresit,d, about the body being burnt, nor
of the blood in the passages, the room, and the walls, I
norN
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that they
ot ab ne
came aware of the butchery that had taken place. There
can be very little doubt but that the police, had they
been informed by this surgeon's assistant of the true
state of things on the night of the murder, would at
once have been on the track in time to get possession of
material evidence against the assassin, whereas the de-
lay arising from his stupidity afforded all the time neces-
sary to place such impediments in the way as may, after
all, tend to defeat the ends of justice in this most san-
guinary affair.
It is statQd that an additional link in the evidence
against Hatto, the groom, who has been committed to
take his trial at the next Bucks Quarter Sessions, has
been supplied by the discovery of a shirt of his which
was missing. It appears that the deceased and the ac-
cused were on much more friendly terms than was sup-
posed,thatled
anHelatthteattjoeeaelomurnsyitwtahsei
in some
o
otmefdewghreicehtnhoe motivesecond
doubt exists in the neighbourhood of the fearful occur- I
relict),