The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-18 00:00:00

MURDER AT KNOWSLEY, BY A

MADMAN.
(From the Liverpool Mercury of this day.)
On Sunday evening last the neighbourhood of Knows-
ley, 'the seat of the, Earl of Derby, about eight miles
from this town, was the scene of a most revolting out-
rage, which has resulted in the death of a young female,
only about sixteen years of age. Her name was Ann
Leyland, and she lived in the capacity of servant with
Mrs. Highcock, the keeper of a lodge near the stables on
the Knowsley estate. The name of her murderer is
James Dwerryhouse, He bad served in the 67th Regi-
ment of Foot for ten or eleven years, and was discharged
on account of ill-health, upon a conditional pension. It
is some time since be lost his pension, and we are in-
formed he has since been in the service of Mr. Robertson
Gladstone and Mr. John Molyneux. He formerly lived
at Broad-green, but he has been residing lately at Waver-
tree,
and had for some time been in the employment of
the London and North-Western Railway Company, as
signal man. His stepfather had, within a short time,
observed something very curious in his manner. He
had become very much changed, and was quite of a
religious turn of mind. On Saturday evening last he
was seen by a man in the neighbourhood of Wavertree,
sitting beside a pit, washing his feet, and a short time
after he was seen in the same place, reading what ap-
peared to be either a prayer-book or a hymn- book. Ile
then ran off, but instead of going in the direction of home
he went to the house of his mother, at Broad-green, and
what transpired there will be gathered from the evidence
given at the inquest. After ho left his mother's house
nothing was heard of him till Sunday evening. Appre-
hensive that be might do injury to himself or to some one
else, his friends gave information to the police in Liver-
pool and Prescot, and also forwarded a description of his
person, but he was not seen or beard of till about
half-past seven on Sunday evening. At that time he was
observed by Mrs. Highcock, coming towards the lodge,
which is within two hundred yards of Knowsley Hall.
Mrs. Highcock and Ann Leyland were the only per-
sons in the lodge. He was met at the door by the old
woman, but whether any conversation took place between
them or not cannot be ascertained. The tragical event
had such an effect upon the mind of Mrs. Highcock, that
she was unable to give her evidence before the Coroner,
and she has been confined ever since. Certain it is, how-
ever, that he knocked the old woman down, and she lay
on the ground a considerable time in a state of insensi-
bility. The girl ran out of the house screaming, in the
direction of another lodge, where there is a watchman
stationed. She was followed by the prisoner, who seized
hold of her, but what next occurred will, probably, never
be ascertained, as the girl never spoke after she was
again seen. When the old woman recovered, after the
lapse, it is ,apposed, of some little time, she ran towards
the stables at the rear of Knowsley-hall, and called for
help. One of the grooms, named Mills, was the first to
run to the rescue of the poor girl. Be found her only a
short distance from the lodge, stretched on her back on
the ground. Her murderer stood over her. He had a
foot upon each of the girl's arms, and holding her down
with his bands, he was, with a demoniac grin, tearing
the hair and scalp attached to it, from the head of his
unfortunate victim. Mills seeing the position of both,
fancied the man had a knife in his hand, and going be-
hind him, pushed him off her body. By this time
another of the grooms came up, and the fellow made a
rush at him, taking with him the hair and scalp. The
madman got away a short distance, went upon the lawn
in front of Knowsley-hall, and then danced, holding up
the scalp in the manner and with all that fiendish glee
which is so well described in the history of some Indian
war tribes. When one of the men passed him on his
way for the police-officer, he again held up the scalp, as
if exulting at the dreadful deed he had perpetrated.
The girl, who was in a state of insensibility, was im-
mediately removed, by the direction of the Earl of Derby
into one of the apartments at Knowsley-hall, and a mes-
senger on horseback was dispatched to Prescot, for Mr.
Alty, surgeon, who attended her with unremitting at-
tention during the whole of the night. The Earl of
Derby expressed great anxiety respecting her, and
everything which human skill, care, and attention
could do for the poor girl was done, but she never
rallied, and a little after eight o'clock on Monday morn-
ing she died. She was buried, we believe, on Wednes-
day morning.
Dwerryhouse was, soon after the melancholy occur-
rence, conveyed to the police-office, at Prescot, where
he remained the whole night. Police-officer, No. 157, of
the county police, sat up with him all night. He dozed
a little during the middle of the night, but never slept
soundly. He talked of nothing but religion, and seemed
very much disposed to argue about passages from the Bible.
After slumbering a little he would jump up suddenly,
and talk again of religion. His hands were handcuffed
behind his back. Looking exultingly at himself, he said
his position reminded him of that of St. Peter, when he
was in chains. He said he felt quite consoled and happy
—happy as a nobleman. He was free from sin and the
dominion of the Evil One, and could easily shake off his
fetters if he liked to do so. He then quoted passages of
Scripture, and looked quite pleased. The only reference
made by him to the horrible occurrence of the evening
before was on Monday morning. After talking a con-
siderable time on religious subjects, ho said he last night
met with an evil one, an enemy of God, in the shape of
a woman, and he nearly killed her, but he did not know
whether she was dead yet or not. In the course of the
day, Taylor, the groom, who was one of the first to go
to the rescue of the girl, went into the apartment where
the prisoner was connned. He was immediately recog-
nised by Dwerryhc,tise, who became quite furious,
stamped and foamed, and called out, " Here is ttnother
of the enemy; begone, out of my sight."
An inquest on the body was held at four o'clock on
Monday afternoon, t.t Kucwsley-ball, before John
Hayes, Esq., county coroner, when the jury returned a
verdict of " Wilful reorder against James Dwerry-
house." The coruner immediately made out his war-
rant, and the prisoner. in charge of police-sergeant
Petty, was conveyed to Knit:l4le Gaol, to await his trial
at the August Assizes.
It was reported at Knowsley, on Wednesday, that the
murderer had died in prison the previous day. From
inquiries made yesterday at Kirkdale Gaol, we learn
that he is still alive, and, apparently. in excellent bodily
health. Since his cernmittal to Kirkdale, his conduct
has been such as to leave not a shadow of doubt as to the
state of his mind. He is continually raving about reli-
gion. b(Tl;y life.
There is no doubt he will be confined in a lunatic
asylum