The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-04 00:00:00

HOMICIDE IN CAMBRIDGE.
A curious case has just come to light in Cambridge,
involving a suspicion of manslaughter against a
youth named Asplen' and several of his associates as
accessories after the fact. A brewer's man named
Fordham, residing at Chesterton, was missed from
his home on Sunday morning lost, and all inquiries
as to his whereabouts proved ineffectual. It was ru-
moured that he had a sum of money on his person
amounting to between 81. and 91. The subject of his
disappearance was mentioned on Sunday afternoon
in the presence of Asplen, who being at the time half
intoxicated, immediately replied," Oh, I know where
the old is ; I tripped his heels up for him."
This, coupled with some other suspicious circum-
stances, led to his apprehension, and he was imme-
diately taken with several associates, who were
known to have been in his company on the Saturday
evening. The parties had not been long in custody
when a messenger arrived from Conington, a village
about nine miles from Cambridge, on the Hunting-
don road, with the news that the body of a man
bearing marks of violence had been found in a field
there. The description given tallying with that of
Fordham, his relatives immediately set off for Co-
nington, and at three a.m. on Monday morning the
body was identified by his son.
On Monday morning W. Asplen, W. Bright,
Robert Reynolds, Henry Jessop, Joseph Pyke, and
Charles Walker, were brought before the magistrates
for examination, charged on suspicion with being
concerned in the death of the deceased.
The first witness was Charles Oakey, a lad about
fifteen years of age, who stated that he was a labourer
and knew the deceased, who was a working brewer,
and lived at Chesterton. He was an elderly man—
about 51. I saw the deceased between eleven and
twelve o'clock in Chesterton-lane, the Cambridge side
of the turnpike. The prisoners were there with the
exception of Bright. I happened to meet one of the
prisoners against the great bridge, and we walked
together; we were going to lay down on the brick
grounds for the night. Bright was behind ; he stopped
at the corner of Chesterton-lane. Fordham was
walking towards Chesterton. Walker and another
named Powell were in front. Fordham bid us good
night, then followed and spoke to Asplen, who took
and shoved him down. We had passed Fordham when
he followed and spoke to Asplen. Asplen stopped ; I
did nor hear what was said. Fordham appeared to be
very drunk ; he could hardly walk. Reynolds and Jes-
sop tried to set Fordham on his legs, and he said " let
me lay." Bright then came up, and I went on to
the brick ground. Jessop and Reynolds remained
behind with Fordham; and I, Pike, and Asplen went
on. Jessop and those who remained behind came on
the kiln ground when we had been there about a
quarter of an hour. Fordham fell on the middle of
the hard road. We all slept at the kilns, and I did
not hear any one leave in the course of the night.
I never saw the deceased again. Powell, Walker,
and young George Bright slept at the kilns with
witness and the prisoners. I and Reynolds went
home between three and four in the morning. The
prisoners came down the lane with us. We all left
the kiln ground together. I saw them next after
dinner. When Reynolds and Jessop came on the
kiln ground they said that Summers and Wm. King
had helped Fordharn up and leaned him against the
wall, and that he was sitting under the wall when
they left. There were no blows struck. When I
and Reynolds went home in the morning we left
the others standing against the corner of 8011-lane.
We all lay together on some sedge at the kilns. I
could see all the others as I lay. I went to sleep and
slept till three o'clock. Walker came and woke me
at that hour. The prisoners were all lying down
when I woke. No one left the kiln during the night
that I am aware of.
John Grundon, constable, of Conington, deposed as
follows :—I have seen the body of the deceased. I
first saw the body lying in a field about a quarter be-
fore eight on Sunday night. I did not know him.
Deceased's son came and owned the body at three
o'clock on Monday morning. The body was found
in a field about half a mile on the Cambridge side of
Fenstanton. Deceased was lying on his face quite
dead. He had his clothes on, and they did not appear
disturbed. He was dressed as was usual with dray-
men. He had a purse in his breeches pocket, con-
taining a shilling, a sixpence, and some halfpence.
He had threepence in his waistcoat-pocket, and a
knife, and a comb. His pockets did not appear to
have been rifled. His cap was lying a short distance
off. There were marks of violence on his head ;
there was a cut on the back of his head about the size
of half-a-crown. His nose was flattened. There
was blood on his face. His handkerchief was tied
rather tightly round his neck, and his face was black.
He was lying in barley stubble. There was a great
many people in the field when I went. The body lay
in a position easily seen from the road, and but a
short distance from the gate.
John Summers said—l am a foreman brickmaker
in the employ of Mr. Fisher. I had a kiln of bricks
to burn at Chesterton. King was assisting me. About
half-past twelve I heard signal whistles, and went to
see what was meant. I saw three persons by the
side of the road, and they said a man was lying in the
road bleeding. They said they thought his name was
Brown. I asked why they had not been for the
police, and they objected. We lifted the man up and
set him on a step where a door is let in the wall, one
of the parties struck a match on his trousers and I lit
a piece of paper. I then saw a wound on his head,
and blood in the road. I took his cap off, and he said,
Don't hurt me," three times. We left him there; it
was my impression that he was drunk, and had a fall,
and I thought after he had a sleep he would find his
way home. The men I found in the road went
towards Chesterton. I should not know them again
as it was dark. I returned to my work, and remained
at Mr. Fisher's kiln all night. At the conclusion of
Summer's evidence, the prisoners were remanded
until Thursday.
At the reexamination on Thursday, Mr. T. B.
Bumpstead, of the firm of Ficklin and Bumpstead,
surgeons, of the Petty-cury, being sworn, said—l
made a post mortem examination of the body of the
deceased Fordham, at Conington, on Tuesday morn-
ing, by direction of the Coroner. I examined the
body in the school-room near the church. There was
a small wound and a considerable bruise on the pos-
terior part of the right side of the skull. The wound
would not have caused death, but the injury to the
brain was to that extent which was -sufficient to
account for it. Such a wound and injury might have
been caused either by a fall or blow, and was in a
position to result from a heavy fall backwards. A
party with the brain in the state in which I found it
could not walk the distance at which the body was
found. It is most improbable that he should do so
after the injury had been inflicted, but I cannot say it
is impossible.
George Bright, a youth living in the Comet-yard,
Castle-end, said—l knew Samuel Fordham, and saw
him against the Chesterton turnpike, about ten yards
off, between twelve and one. Charles Oakey and
Pyke were there as well as witness. Asplen and
Jessop came up and joined us. Fordham and Asplen
were walking along, and Asplen said, " Get away
from me, you stink." I and Jessop were just going
through the gate, and Asplen and Fordham were
about ten yards on the Cambridge side of it. Asplen,
when he caught Fordham, shoved him down, and
then kicked him. Fordham fell violently backwards.
I cannot say where about Asplen kicked him. I should
say the back part of Fordham's head struck the
ground. Pyke said, " Did you hear that man's head
crack ?" I said " Yes." Asplen walked on directly
he had kicked Fordham. I think Asplen kicked him
in the back part of the neck. I, Pyke, and Oakey
walked away. We went on to Bell's brick grounds, and
never stopped to see what was done to the man nor
nothing. Asplen arrived at the brick grounds about
a quarter of an hour afterwards. Jessop remained
behind with Asplen and the deceased. It was quite
dark. I was ten yards off when Asplen pushed him
down. Never heard Fordham speak after receiving
the kick. I never saw Fordham again. Wiliiam
Bright and Reynolds came on to the brick grounds
about a quarter of an hour after Asplen and Jessop.
Charles Walker and Tom Bell were first on the brick

grounds; they were there when we got there. We
stopped there until between three and four in the

morning. I cannot say if any of them got up while
I was asleep. The whole nine were there when I
awoke. I saw Fordham go into Carter's, at the
White Horse, about nine on Saturday night. When
we got up no allusion was made to the transaction
with Fordham of the night before. We passed down
Chesterton-lane. 'We saw nothing of Fordham, but
there was a little blood on the spot where he was
knocked down. The road is very hard there. Some
of us said to Asplen—l think it was Walker—" Mr.
Fordham ain't here now." No one made- any reply
as to where he was.
After some further evidence, Pyke, Reynolds, Jcs-
sop, Bright, and Walker, were discharged, and Pyke
was immediately called as a witness. He said—l live
in Mayes's yard. I work in the brick yards. Ido
not know how old I am. (His father being in court
was appealed to, and said he was 16) After deposing
to accompanying the rest of the party on their way to
the brick grounds, and to meeting with Fordham, he
said, Fordham walked against Asplen, and Asplen
shoved him off with his hand, Fordham fell down on
his back ; I said to George Bright, " Didn't you hear
that man's head crack ?" I said to Bright and Oitkey,
" What a shame, he (Asplen) would not like any one
to serve him so." I did not see Asplen kick .Ford-
ham. I walked on, leaving Asplen behind. I did
not see him again until 1 had been on the brick
ground a quarter of an hour. I heard Fordhara's
head crack " wonderful." If Oakey has said that he
walked with us to the brick ground that is not true.
The prisoner was about to cross-examine Pike,
but refrained under the advice of his attorney, Mr.
Ind.

The depositions were here all read over, and As•
plen was committed in the usual form for trial at the

Assizes.