The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-31 00:00:00

THE MU4D1,7,-RS AT KIRTON

LINDSEY.

The Magisterial inquiries which have been instituted
into this dreadful affair, have resulted in the committal of
Dimpsey, the Irishman, who, it will be remembered, was
apprehended as the suspected murderer.
A public meeting was held at Kirton, on Friday, at-
tended by nearly the whole of the principal inhabitants, for
the purpose of taking into consideration what means had
been adopted to bring the criminal to justice, and if ne-
cessarry to adopt such further measures as might best pro-
mote the object in view. It then transpired that a war-
rant for the apprehension of Dimpsey, signed by the Hon.
Mr. Pelham and Mr. Welfitt, had been put into the hands
of Messrs. Robinson and Holgate on Wednesday night,
the 14th, after the inquest, but it had not been given to
the constable till eleven o'clock the next day, in whose
hands it remained up to the time of the meeting on Friday
morning ! Mr. Travis, the constable, who is a very respec-
table farmer and grocer in the town, was ce.l.led upon to ac-
count for retaining possession of tl7.e warrant without at-
tempting to execute it, when ;le stated tittit be was met ac-
cidentally in the street by Mr. Holgate, who called him
into his office, ar.'l there gave him the warrant, at the same
time tellitn; -him to keep it a secret, and not act upon it
till he. had heard from his son who had gone to Sheffield.
'this statement, which excited considerable surprise, was
taken down and signed by Mr. Travis, and after several
gentlemen had delivered their opinions upon the policy
thus pursued, it was determined to memorialise the Home
Office upon the subject of the murders, and send for two
police officers from London. In the meantime, however,
during the discussion at the meeting, Mr. Travis, jun., ar-
rived with Dimpsey, who, after being questioned, was taken
to the gaol, and the inhabitants considering they had done
their duty, at that point ieft the case with the magistrates.
No reporter was permitted to be present, but we believe
the principal evidence adduced in addition to that published
last week as having been delivered upon the inquest was
that of Jeremiah Smith and his wife, of Gainsborough,
and tho constables who discovered Dimpscy's clothes at his
house at Sheffield.

Dimpsey was seen by a man named Borrill on the night
of the murder, before eight o'clock, loitering about in a lane
at the back of the Black Swan at Kirton. The man asked
him what he was doing there, not knowing him at first, but
upon recognizing him he said, " Halloo ! John : is that
you ?" Dimpsey said, " Aye ;" and after a short conver-
sation about his health they parted : he was at that time
muffie.d about the neck with a comforter, and seemed em-
barrassed in his manner. At half-past ten the same night
he arrived at Smith's, at Gainsborough, with a bundle and a
stick in his hand. He had the same stick when be called
at Smith's on the previous Friday, but he was not seen
with it at all at Kirton : he slept at Smith's on Monday
night, and at six next day left for Sheffield. He was at
home on Thursday morning, when young Travis entered in
company with a Kirton man whom he found at Sheffield,
and upon being told they had come to apprehend him, he
turned exceedingly pale, and trembled very much. He
asked what was the charge against him, and was told it was
a robbery : shortly after which he was taken to a police
station. Oa the following day he was conveyed to Gains-
borough by coach, and from thence he walked to Kirton,
young Travis accompanying him on horseback armed with
a brace of pistols. On being examined by the surgeon at
the gaol, he was told the trowsers he then had on were not
those he had on when at Kirton ; to which he replied, " I'll
take my oath I had them on at Kirton." After a pause,
however, he added, " But I had two pair on."
On Saturday a search-warrant was procured, and on Sun-
day two constables proceeded to Dimpsey's house at Shef-
field ; the saw his wife, and said they had come for the
bundle her husband brought from Gainsborough : she im-
mediately fetched it from the cellar, and upon exposing the
contents, Dimpsey's coat and trowsers were found, the lat-
ter much stained with blood about the legs, which had been
attempted to be concealed by lime being rubbed on them.
Just above the thigh parts, on each side, there were
marks as though a man's bloody hands had been wiped
upon them ; the left sleeve of the coat was also stained
with blood, and there was a spot of blood in front of
his hat.

Upon these being displayed before him at the examina-
tion on Thursday last, we understand he cast a keen glance
at them, without changing his countenance ; and upon being
subsequently asked how he accounted for the blood upon
his clothes, he said he was in the habit of buying sheep and
bullock's heads, and he supposed he must have smeared his
clothes with blood in chopping them up.
Dimpsey is a Catholic ; he is unable to read or write, but
not altogether so ignorant as many men in his station of
life. He is rather of small stature, but possesses great
strength. On Saturday morning, on his way to Lincoln
Castle, the cart in which he was conveyed stopped opposite
the house where the murders were committed, and his atten-
tion was pointed to it ; but he did not speak a word.
One of the witnesses examined on Thursday, whose tes-
timony was not heard upon the inquest, is named John
Hunsley, and he stated that he was at the house of the de-
ceased Marshall, on the night of the murder, so late as
half-past six, which could not have been long before the
horrid deed was perpetrated. He went to purchase some
potatoes, and while the old man was measuring them, he
sat down and talked with Deborah Hutchinson about the
means of salvation. We have heard that the poor old
woman, who was too lame to get out much, frequently in-
dulged in conversation with those who visited her, upon re-
ligious topics, and was always pleased when she could get
any one to join her in such conversation.—Lincoln Gazette.

MIDDLESEX REFORM DINNER.—The following
gentlemen have already consented to act as stewards at the
great reform dinner to be given to the Members for Mid-
dlesex on the 23d of January :—H. A. Aglionby, M.P.,
Hampstead ; S. Amory, Priory, Homerton ; J. Blackburne,
M.P., Great George-street ; Hon. P. P. Bouverie, Hill-
street, Berkeley-square ; H. L. Bulwer, M.P. Charlotte-
street, Pimlico ; E. L. Bulwer, M.P., Albany ; J. P. Bur-
nerd, Holloway ; R. Burnett, Piazza, Covent-garden ; Hon.
G. Byng, M. P., Eaton-square ; J. C. Carpue, Upper
Charlotte-street ; Honourable H. Cavendish, M.P., Old
Burlington-street ;J. Coppock, Cleveland-row ;R. Currie,
Hyde Park-terrace ; E. Divctt, M.P., King-street, St.
James's ; Captain J. W. D. Dundas, M.P., Baker-
street ; Doctor R. Fallowes, Dorset-square ; A. Gal-
loway, West-street, Snow-hill ;G. Grote, M.P., Thread-
needle-street ; J. Hall, Hendon ; Alderman Harmer,
Hatton-garden ; H. Hobhouse, Hyde Park-place ;
J. E. Ovendon, Gloucester-place, Regent's-park ;J.
Hutchinson, Highbury-park ; J. Kennedy, Lincoln's Inn ;
W. Kensett, Mortimer-street ; C. Lushington, M.P.,
Eil.geware ; H. Luttrell, Brompton-square ; Lord Nugent,
Chandos-street ; J. Parkes, Great George-street ; J. Pat-
tison, M.P., Welbeck-street ;G. Pouncy, Long-acre ;T.
Prout, Strand ; Major H. Revel], Burton-crescent ; Major
W. H. Richardson, Montague-square ; J. Romilly, New-
square, Lincoln's Inn ; E. Rushton, Queen-square, West-
minster ; S. Sharpe, Old-buildings, Lincoln's Inn ; I. Sully,
St. Mary Axe ; Sir W. Stirling, Bart., Berkeley-square ;
H. Tancred, M.P., Park-street, Grosvenor-square ; R.
Taylor, Red Lion-court, Fleet-street ; Colonel T. P.
Thompson, M.P., Hanover-terrace ; Lieutenant-Colonel
Torrens, Fludyer-street ; Joseph Travers, St. Swithin's-
lane ; C. A. Tulk, M.P., Duke-street, Westminster ; N.
A. Vig'ors, Chester-terrace, Regent's-park ; Sir, S. Whal-
ley, St. John's Wood-road; W. Wansey, Hanger-lane,
Stamford-hill ;H. Warburton, M.P., Cadogan-place ;H.
G. Ward, M.P., Gilston-park, Harrow ; H. Weymouth,
Bryanston-square ; J. Wilks, M.P., Finsbury-square; W.
Williams, M.P. ; B. Wood, Lewisham ; J. A. Yates, Bry-
anst on-square ; and G. A. Young, Upper Portland-place.
The Marquis of Tavistock will take the chair.
BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY.—COLMAN AND
THEODORE HOOK.—The first article in the first number of
this new periodical work will be a sketch of George Colman,
with specimens of his wit and humour, hit off with the charac-
teristic spirit of the author of " Sayings and Doings," accom-
panied by a fine Portrait by Greatbac. Nearly two dozen
original articles by the first writers of kindred literature
will form a number replete with every seasonable incentive
to mirth and enjoyment.

REDCAR, DEC. 26.—1 witnessed yesterday one Of
the frequently distressing scenes to which a resident on this
coast is subjected during severe gales. The Danish brig,
Caroline, Aalborg, was observed driving fast to leeward,
notwithstanding all her efforts to beat off (the gale being
from E.N.E., the first quarter-flood.) She struck upon
the outer quarter of the Saltscar, and the crew, (nine in
number) took to the rigging. A heavy sea again floated the
vessel, and she drove over the rocks. At this period the
men took to their boat, in the apparent hope of succour
from the shore, as the Redcar life-boat was then on its
way to them, manned by the intrepid pilots and fishermen of
the place. The crew of the Danish vessel had not quitted
her five minutes before a sea broke over their little boat,
and swept away all but two, who were occasionally seen
amid the surf, as the boat, though filled, did not capsize.
The life-boat held her gallant course among the breakers,
(notwithstanding it shipped three seas) and when the cry
arose, " she is alongside, they are saved," a heavy sea
broke over both boats, and they were lost for some time to
the sight of the anxious spectators, and when the life-boat
was again visible, she was at least eighty fathoms to lee-
ward, and driving fast ashore. Nothing more was seen of
the crew of the Danish vessel, and to our still greater re-
gret, William Guy (one of the Redcar pilots), who was stand-
ing up to throw a line, was swept away. He has left his
widow, Mary Guy, of Redcar, and four young children, des-
titute. Not a vestige of the Caroline is left. There is also a
brig ashore three miles north of this place ; another at Har-
tlepool ; and a schooner was seen for a short time this morn-
ing, whose loss is accounted a matter of certainty. The
gale still continues from the with unabated violence.