The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-07 00:00:00

MURDER AT KINETON, WAR-

WICKS HIRE.

LEAMINGTON, MONDAY EVENING.—Another murder,
which at present is involved in as much mystery as that
which occurred at Berkswell, in this county, some months
ago, is just reported here, as having been committed close to
Kineton, a market town lying between Banbury and Strat-
ford-upon-Avon.
The occurrence has caused the greatest consternation in
the town and neighbourhood, where the deceased (William
Chater) was well known, being a blacksmith and machine-
maker, aged 53, residing at Corubrooke, near Kineton, with
a decrepid mother of above 80 years, who had been confined
to her bed for the past ten years.
An inquest upon the body was taken before Mr. George C.
Greenway, coroner, this day, at the Swan Inn, Kineton, when
we gathered the subjoined particulars :
Samuel Adkins, landlord cf the Rose and Crown, Kineton,
said—On Tuesday, the 30th of June, there was an Odd
Fellows' feast held at my house; some of the members were
there on the following day. The deceased, William Chater,
came about half-past twelve o'clock on the Wednesday, and
stayed half an hour, during which time he had some bread
and cheese. He then left, and returned about six o'clock in
the evening, when he joined the company in the club-room,
who were drinking ale and porter. About nine o'clock he
went into the yard, and remained there about half au hoar,

and then then left the house rather in liquor, but walking prettl
well. He went out by the back way, and no one was Vi r,
him. I saw him off the premises. There were seven or eie,'
people in the lodge-room when he left, and lodgers in Eh!,
ferent parts of the house. I did not see any money in
possession whilst he was at the house. He complained 0
being short of money, but witness, though he knew he had
paid for what be had, did not fe;, him with any money, sou
never saw him again alive. His body was brought in be:,
tween three and four o'clock the next niOnfing. Witness,
house was clear of all company, except ihe lodgers, s 4
ten o'clock.
Thomas Purnell, a groom to Mr. Brown, surgeon, of Kine:
ton, deposed to having seen the deceased on the Wednesds/
evening alluded to standing against Mr. Winter's shop
vomiting, and to all appearance intoxicated. Witness a '
vised him to go into the Swan and sit down, but witness rr
plied that he would go home.
Martin Wisdom, the younger, said—l am a carrier, 111.1
ing at Kineton. I knew the deceased. I saw him in the Oda
Fellows' club-room at the Rose and Crown, on Wednesdsi
afternoon. I saw him there from three to five o'clock. 11°,
was quite sober, but I believe he was drinking. There Wort
five or six persons in the room. I left a little before six.
left the deceased there. I was in the town half-an-ht
afterwards, and stayed until nine o'clock. 1 went home "
bed. I got up at eleven to go with a horse to meet rali
father at the bottom of Friz-bill, near Wellesbourne. M,
went up Pittern•hill I heard groaning, and saw some °llt
lying under the hedge. I spoke two or three times and gt
no answer. I got on the horse and looked in the perseili
face. I saw it was Chater. I thought he was "fresh," 0,
that I would let him alone, I did not observe any wound ',..
injury to his face. It was rather dark, but light enough w
see it was deceased, and 1 knew him by his dress, hall
seen him in the afternoon. I went on till I met the part o,
this side of Wellesbourne turnpike-gate. I waited for tb
cart about 300 yards from the gate. I waited half an hell:
As we were coming home, which must have been about ts,,
o'clock,.l told my father I had seen deceased lying on °it,
road quite " fresh." When we came to Pittern-hill Ti.,
found him where I had left him ; he lay upoil his left side
with his head towards the hedge. My father placed W.)
against the bank. He was quite speechless ; he was Inufb,
injured about the head. The blood ran out of his incl%4
and there was a rattling in the throat. We took the ll.p
home, as we had no room for the deceased, and called ul, le
Brown, a surgeon, and the constable, and then took 131741:,,,i.;
empty cart, and brought deceased to the Rose and C•'°
He was then alive, but insensible.
John Mayor Brown sworn—l am a surgeon at Kifiet°t
I was called up to the deceased by last witness, on Thurso",
morning, about half-past 2 o'clock. I proceeded inilli
diately to the spot, Wisdom following with his cart ; I follfig
Chater lying by the road-side ;I at first thought 010 was intoxicated, he was in a complete state of stupor, CO,.
and insensible. I had him placed in Wisdom's cart, I°l
conveyed to the Rose and Crown. On examining hinlAt
found a wound on his forehead, the right eye was black sfil
swollen, there was a great contusion on the right side of Ra
head. I gave him brandy, bled him, put him to bed, tnif
staid with him several hours. He did not get warm. 1,.550
him several times on Thursday. He never recovered Jr°,
his state of insensibility, and died about 8 o'clock on Friall,
morning. I made a postmortem examination, and found
parts much contused, and a severe fracture of the skull. ,hi
the right side there was a depression of -the skull on %d'
brain, 3i, inches by 2*, the fractured portion of bone bel7,
forced on the brain ; the back part of the temporal bone WA.;
broken, and the fracture extended round the head, fronl2:6
ear to the other. [Several portions of the skull which 110.
been forced on the brain were produced by the surgeo?A!
the jury.] The cause of death was fracture of the ssti„
which could not arise from a drunken man on. foot falling ~
his head. I consider the fracture and injury arose flop
blow given with violence by some blunt instrument. 01
dirt from the fall was on the left side, the injury on ej,
right; the right lappet of his coat was torn. The deces9rio
I am fully of opinion, could not have inflicted the Will
himself.
The verdict of the jury was " Wilful murder against Doll
person or persons unknown." thl
The hat and coat of the deceased were produced 1)1 i
constable; the left side of the coat was dirty, as if fr°liiie
fall : only a few pence were found in his pocket, soecciiif
empty purse; also some soap which he had purchst 0
Kineton, where he bad been spending the afternoon.
...ii
had in his possession a packet of coffee, which was strop '
on the ground near to where he was found, evidently st,A6l.
struggle had taken place. His walking-stick wow'
broken in the road.
The magistrates of the neighbourhood, Mr. E. B. Ofbe
Colonel Miller, Rev. C. Palmer, &c., have been indefatilo
in their exertions to trace the murderer, whose object. is'
not appear to have been plunder, but bloodshed. luvdill
ceased was of a quarrelsome, disposition, often engsg; the
disputes with his workmen, &c., before the justices 0„,,,0
locality ; and some of the persons with whom he list I"-
thus engaged have been known to threaten him.