The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-03 00:00:00

THE KIRTON MURDER.

LINCOLN, AUG. 2.—lt will be in the recollection of
our readers that a young man, named Joseph Travis'
was convicted at the late assizes at Lincoln, on a charge
of having robbed Charles Copeman. The case excited
unusual interest, in consequence of the circumstances
attending it, which may be briefly stated us follows:--
Travis and Copeman had been companions for some time,
and both were sons of respectable farmers, one residing
at Kirton and the other at Blyborough. On the even-
ing of the 19th of December last the two parties had
been drinking together at a public-house; the next mow
ing the body of Copeman was found on the road leading
from Kirton to Blyborough, bearing several marks of
violence, and also having a wound on the throat-
Deceased was quite dead, and consequently no direci
evidence could be obtained as to who was the perlsr
trator of the murder. Circumstances, however, trans'
pired that led to the suspicion that the prisoner was the
guilty party, and he was, therefore, committed upon the
coroner's inquisition, on a charge of having murdered
the deceased. Ho was tried at the Lent assizes npoo
this charge, before Mr. Justice Maule, when he was tie'
quitted. Other circumstances afterwards came out which
led to a man named William Fell, together with Travis'
being taken into custody, and committed upon a charge
of having robbed the deceased. Subsequently Fell 'WO
admitted as an approver on the part of the Crown, whoa
his evidence, corroborated by that of other witnesses,
left no doubt upon the minds of the Court and jury &trio
the guilt of the prisoner, and he was consequently con"
victed, and sentenced by Mr. Justice Patteson to be
transported for life. After his conviction the demeanour
of the prisoner became altogether altered, his spirits were
greatly depressed, and he appeared to be labouring under
considerable mental agitation; this increased to such Su
extent, that at the request of the prisoner Captain I'
cholson, the governor of the gaol, together with the Ref:
Padley, the chaplain, attended the unhappy man in bl'
cell, when.he made a confession, of which the followq
is the substance:—" On the night that the murder snr.
committed, I overtook Copeman, when we bad SOW'
words together. A scuffle took place, and I became
excited that I took my penknife, on the point of wll,O/
b
I had stuck a cigar that I was smoking, and John
him several times in the neck, after which I eu.„
his throat, but, at the time when I first came up sr,lf
the deceased; I had no contemplation of murdering br.
nor should I have done so, had it not.been for the action"
After I had committed the act, I took four sovereig',
from deceased, and then, finding that my hands we':,
very bloody, I went to a gate-post and wiped them nit
it, as stated by Fell. As to the shirt that I. wore 10
time, and which the police could not find, I burnt it '""
soon as I got home; but how Fell came to know OM
circumstances I cannot tell, as I never saw
might, however, have been near the place at the tire
and watched me in the manner stated by him." The
prisoner entered into a general detail of the circa/
stances attending, and subsequent to the murder 6°o
robbery, in which he fully supported the evidence gisrey.
by the numerous witnesses examined at the respeellA
trials. After signing the document, the prisoner 1;4
he felt easier in his mind, and was now more reconei'„,
to his fate. We doubt not that the foregoing ackne7o,
ledgment of guilt by the unhappy culprit will be OttA.
factory to the Court and jury before whom he was trie
as well as to the minds of the friends of the deceased'

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS•;

LIVERPOOL, Au.. 2. of
STOCK EXCKANGE.—The following are the quotations
the actual sales of to-day. It will be observed that they eO,
barely so good as yesterday, and the market closes duo
The sales are—Caledonian, Preference,
Northern, 11 dis.—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 101. Pre,,,,
rence, p.—London and 'North-Western, New Quarteli,
1% c. p.—Ditto, Thirds,2'dis.—London Brighton, and SO
Coast, New 51. Shares, IA p......Alidland Stock, New Halvli
534 dis:— Shropshire Union, lay dis.—York, Newcastle, e
Berwick (G. N. E. Purchaso), 14 p.—Ulster, 6% dis.
MA.NCHESTEIt, Ana. 2.
1,14
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—East Lanca.s.-I/
Preference Quarters, 5-16 p.—Great Northern, 1 15-16 dit
Lancashire and Yorkshire, Preference, 6 per cent., 13-1"04
—London and North-Western, Fifths, 6 p.—Ditto, Querw,
(C), 2% n. p.—lllanchester, Sheffield. and Lincolnn,„
Eighths, 54, dis.—Ditto, Preterence, 101,11—Ditto (Grin
50/. Shares, 213/4 dis.—Ditto, ditto, 20/. Shares, 8 11-16
—Ditto, ditto, 121. 10s. Shares, 0.4 dis.—North Staffor
23/4 dis.—South-Eastern and Dover, No. 4,2 A c. dis.
HULL, AUG. 2. _ _

STOCK EXCHANGE —The sates are—Huil and Selby,
—Ditto; Halves, 49—North British, Halves, 914--ettor
Quarters, 4% Ditto, Extension (scrip), 3s. 9d.-4"
Thirds, 525. 6d. n.
BIRMINGHAM, Arc 2. .0(
STOCK Excn.lNGE.—The share market, from some 00400
other, has been so languid the last two days that "
has not been any official list published.

MACHINERY AND MILLWORK.---..-
BRITISH n or,
pears,
.from a return just made to Parliament, IP 0'
declared value of British machinery and millwork; 00
ported from the United Kingdom in the year eua"
sth of January last was 1,263,0151. 10s. 4d.

IMED.
On the Ist inst., at SLMA
John's, Paddington, the I/Varii
R. Mackarness, M.A., of Merton College, Oxford, V 01
Ann, eldest (laughter of the late Crosby Young, 'r."6'
Lahard, county of Cavan.

On the 29th ult., at Bur:hitE-191;a11, Norfolk,
aged 32,
Frances Astley, wife of Francis L'Estrauge Astley,alld
On the 30th Francis Yates, Esq ,of Streathaul
Mincing-lane, agedl3. B
On the 30th ult., at Albert-street, Regent's-park, ---, e orest,
West, Esq., the youngest son of the late lienjuoun
President uf the Royal Academy. Wore°
On the 30th ult., at the Woudrow, Broornsgrovet
tershire, G. F. Iddins, Esq., aged 66.
On the 31st ult., at Wadenhoe,, Northamptonshire,
Mackworth Bulkley, second son of B. J. M. ?rued, 31,
years and tour months.
• On the 31st ult., at Brighton, aged 18, Eliza J,
eldest daughter of J. H. Chancellor, Esq., of Chester
Regent's-park.
On the 31st ult., aged 42, at Notting-hill, the Rev.
Owen, late curate of Gawsworth, Cheshire.

London: Printed and Published by MURIA:olo.
No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun. U.ke'coeti
Strand, in.the Precinct of Savoy, I. b4i
liddloaex, Thursday, August 31 1848'

to
nem
lutic
1q4,11

buryTo

N.l
Sept
find t'
441+[
derat

gfr triu
k:01'
,1101 14-11_1*-41:,1
,
lind
in Wes '414
11144.
VirOreeSi (
;Re,
Willil4/13:1
'Aged t° I anti
.110 'he
rave,
,rp
r•terta 641proa
.
Edwa' 110nZt<
seraDlli
r •'. _been
upoarl .11,ch
Oita I 3104
-
_ _