The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-23 00:00:00

THE DEMI A 4 TRAGEDY.
(Before Baron Channel.)

Yesterday, at ten minutes past nine, John Jones,
with many aliases, was brought up to Court, from
Aylesbury Gaol, and arraigned on separate indictments
for the wilful murder of Emmanuel Marshall, Mary Ann
Marshall, Charlotte Marshall, Mary Marshall, the elder,
Mary Marshall, the younger, Theresa Marshall, and
Gertrude Marshall; at Denham, on May 22nd, in the

present year.
The most admirable arrangements had been made by
Mr. Tyndall, the under sheriff, for the accommodation
of the members of the press and the public; and the
Court was crowded with persons admitted by special
ticket.
Mr. O'Malley, Q.C., and Mr. Metcalfe conducted the
prosecution on the part of the Crown, and the prisoner
was defended by Dr. Abdy, the Recorder of Bedford, who
was appointed him by the Court.
The Court having been opened, the prisoner was asked
the question, "Do you plead guilty or not guilty," to the
murder of each of the persons, and to each question he
replied coolly and promptly, " Not guilty."
Mr, O'Malley, in opening the case for the prosecution,
accurately described the position of the house of the Mar-
shalls, and the course pursued by the prisoner, who, he
said, had • exhibited the most remarkable determination,
and at the same time the greatest absence of caution perhaps
ever exhibited. That the family had been murdered was
most certain. The last time they were seen alive was
on the night of the 21st of May, and no one saw anything
of them again until the sister of Marshall went to the
house and found it all locked up and silent. Becoming
alarmed, as she knew they had not gone to Uxbridge, she
got a man named Alderman to break open the door, and
there lying about in various positions were the whole of
the family foully murdered. After describing the posi-
tions of the poor creatures, the learned counsel went on
to say that they were imperfectly dressed, shewing that
they had come downstairs hurriedly, and all met their
fate as they reached the bottom. Marshall, although
clearly showing signs that he had been dragged about the
smithy, covered with grit and dirt, evidently not having
walked about the city. as his stocking feet were perfectly
clean. At first there had been a ridiculous rumour
that the man had murdered his family and after-
wards himself, but everything indicated that this
was impossible, and that, having been murdered, his
boots were taken off—boots which were found
on the murderer. There were traces of a great struggle
in the smithy, and as of a person being dragged about.
Upstairs Superintendent Dunham found clothes which
would be traced to the prisoner, the whole place was
smothered in blood, the whole circumstances indicated
that one man alone had done the series of fearful crimes,
and the inevitable conclusion to which they must be drawn
was that that man was the prisoner at the bar—the man
who was found wearing the murdered man's boots,
and disposing of the murdered man's property. The
learned counsel then traced the course of the prisoner
from his leaving Reading Gaol until apprehended, when
he actually proclaimed himself the murderer, exclaiming
"I never murdered man, woman, or child " before it had
been indicated what the charge was against him. After
he left the house it would b shewn that he returned to
the lodging-house, at Uxbridge, and then and
afterwards exhibited money, which he had not
previously been possessed of ; wore clothes marvel-
lously out of keeping with his condition in life,and a watch
and chain, and had strange conversations with various
persons before and after the murder. The prisoner, by
the kindness of the court, had a counsel provided him of
considerable ability, who would see that his interests were
not neglected, but the jury could come to no other con-
clusion, he feared, than that the man now before them had
committed these barbarous and awful murders.
Thomas Dunham, Superintendenr of Police, stationed
at Slough, said that in consequence of information he
went to Marshall's house on the day mentioned in the
indictment, the house being two miles from Uxbridge, on
the left hand side of the road. There was a sitting room,
kitchen, and pantry on the same floor, and three rooms
upstairs. When I went in I found the front door
locked, and the key gone, and outside I found
blood on the bricks and the door post. Inside
the house directly I entered I found Mrs. Marshall. Her
head was against the door post and she was quite dead
and doubled up. She appeared to have been dragged into
the house. She had only her night dress on and had
evidently got up in haste. I found Mrs. Marshall's sister
lying across Mrs. Marshall the wife. She was also
quite dead and had on her night dress, stockings
and one boot. I should say she had been dragged
from the back kitchen. Both of these had dreadful
cuts on them, inflicted evidently with some heavy
weapon. After describing the positions in which the
other members were fc uncl, together with the terrible
wounds upon them, witness continued : I think the old
lady and the three children were killed as they came
down stairs from the positions in which they were found,
and the blood about, but I think the others came further.
In the smithy I found Emmanuel lying on his back behind
the anvil with his legs towards the wall. I examined his
head and his body. I found the left side of his face
completely smashed in, and two severe cuts
at the back of his head. He was covered over with a
sack and an old coat, and there was a pool of blood under
his head. I traced the blood from where he lay to the'
folding doors, near which was a chaff-cutting or similar,
machine, and on this was a quantity of blood as well as
on the floor. From this place were traces shewing that
something had been dragged along to the anvil. I then
went and examined Marshall's stockings, which were per-
fectly clean, and I should think had been just put on.
By the Judge : I am positive that he had neither walked
nor stood in his stocking feet, which did not shew the
slightest trace of grit or dirt, and I don't even believe he
had walked down stairs without his boots. He had no
boots on, and his smock and vest were rolled up under his
arms as if he had struggled. He had a clean shirt on,
and his trousers' pockets were turned inside out. Up
stairs I found three bed rooms and a spare room. In
Marshall's sleeping apartment was a double bed, and
there were clear indications as of two persons having
slept in it recently. The bed room is close to the smithy,
and any noise in the latter would be easily heard there.
The bedclothes had evidently been turned hastily down.
In the adjoining room was a bed also, and three persons
seemed to have slept there. It presented the same indica-
tions, that every one had seemingly jumped out in a hurry
In the child's room the clothes were dragged all over the
room. In Marshall's room I found a pair of corduroy
trousers, which I produce, patched with cloth. The
buttons at the time were still wet and saturated with
blood. I also found the pair of boots produced tied up in
the trousers. They were wet with blood and in the right
one there was a patch apparently. of human brain.
In the corner of the room facing to the smithy
I found an old braided coat, which I pro-
duce, the old corded jacket, and old blue vest,
pocket handkerchief, neckerchief, billy-cocked hat, and-a
second small hat. I found the cnpboards and boxes were
broken open. There were several things lying about. On
the chest of drawers was a watch stand, but it had no
watch in it. The drawers were also broken open. About
eight o'clock the next morning I went to Uxbridge and
took the old clothes with me. I there received a watch
and chain (produced) from James Weston, the pawn-
broker's assistant. I afterwards met Charles
Coombes in the street, and in consequence of what
he told me I took him with me to Reading. I went
to the Oxford Arms, in Silver-street, and saw the prisoner
in the tramps' kitchen there. He was facing towards the
door as we went in, (that was me, Coombes and Toulman,
the Reading policeman.) Coombes saw him directly he
got in, and said,. " there's the man." Jones saw him, and
he jumped up in an excited manner, and exclaimed, " I
nexer murdered man, woman, nor child." Not a word
had been said about the murder by any
of us. I walked across the room, and collared
him by the throat. Toulman drew my attention to a
pistol prisoner was pulling out of his pocket.
It was loaded, but not capped, and was precisely similar
to one found in Marshall's house. I then put the hand-
cuffs on him, and charged him with the murder of Mar-
shall and others. He replied, " I never murdered man,
woman, or child ; I stood by, but I never touched one
myself." I said, "You've got on the murdered man's
boots." He replied, "That may be." I added, "And
his trousers ;" and he made the same reply. Witness
detailed.the articles taken from prisoner at the time.
Cross-examined : I believe he said, " I never killed man,
woman, or child," not " murdered," but I will not swear,
I was not the first person that entered the smithy. There
were marks of dreadful blows on Marshall, and there
must have been a severe struggle. I should not think
it was a long one. Marshall looked as though he had
been dressed for the day. The news of the murder was
not publicly known in Reading on the 24th, when I ap-
prehended Jones. A paragraph had appeared in the papers
that day, and the papers get to Reading early. I was
in private clothes, and so was Toulman, but he saw
Coombes with us of course.

Charles Trevener, police-constable, said—On Sunday
morning, the 22d, about three o'clock in the morning, I
saw prisoner in the village of Denham. He said, "Halloa,
policeman, I wish I had seen you before." I said, " What
is the matter now?" He said, " There was a man going to
throw his wife in the canal." I asked prisoner which way
he came. He said he came across the fields. I asked
him if he knew the parties quarrelling. He said, " No, I
am a stranger about here." I said, "How came you that
way if you were a stranger ?" He said one of the men
showed him the road. Prisoner went along the Oxford-
road. I followed, and noticed his dress. He had on the
cord clotdes produced.

Elizabeth Simpson : I am the wife of a groom and
live near Marshall's house. About eight o'clock on
the Saturday night I passed Marshall's house, and
saw Marshall and his wife go in. I spoke to his
eldest little. girl, who was at play close to the
house. About seven o'clock on the Sunday morning
while searching for a key in the road, which I
had lost the night before. I saw a respectably-
dressed man come out of the house, and I thought
it was Mr. Marshall. I overtook him on the

Uxbridge-road. He said it was a fine morning. M " Are
you for the train?" I told him I had lost my key.
He said I had small chance of finding it, for there
were tramps along the road from three in the

morning. He said that, he nearly ran over a man and
his wife last night. I said, " I saw you and your wife go
some at eight o'clock last night_" He said he had had
home trouble with the man and his wife near the canal,
and had told the policeman. He did not answer when I
said I had seen him. and his wife go into the house at

eight o'clock. I asked him if he found the key to leave
is at Mr. Flettany's beerhouse. He said he did not know

Mr. Flettany ;he had not been there these six years. I
said I thought he was Mr. Marshall, and I said, " Did I
not see you come out of the house ?" He said, " Yes ;
they have all gone on a holiday." I said I supposed they