The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-31 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY

THE BELPER MURDER.
APPREHENSION OF THE CULPRIT.

BELPER, TUESDAY MORNlNG.—lmmediately after
our report left Belper last evening, the murderer,
Turner, was captured near to his own house. The
following are the particulars :—A young man named
George Jackson, who lives in Belper-lane, about a
quarter of a mile from Turner's house, met the latter
as he was coming in the direction of Wirkswortb,
about half-past seven in the evening. He felt confi-
dent it was Turner, and he walked briskly up to him.
Upon seeing him do so, Turner got on the shady side
of the road, so: as to be out of the reflection of the
moon, which was shining very bright at the time.
Jackson wished Turner "good night," as he sus-
pected he was the man. Turner made no reply, but
went on as fast as he could, and on arriving at the end
of the lane, he jumped over a high wall, and ran across
the fields. Jackson then hastened to a public-house
near at hand, called " The Owl Inn," which is kept
by a man named Winson, and told the inmates that
he bad seen Turner. Jackson then hastened on to
Belper, and called at the lock-up; but Superintendent
Wragg was not at home. He then went on to the town
office, where he arrived about five minutes past eight.
From there he went to Mr. Sims, Tiger-inn, Belper,
where he found the Belper constables. He told them
what he had seen, and the pursuit was planned.
Wragg and S. Taylor, two of them, went up Bel-
per-lane towards Turner's house. When they arrived
near to Turner's house in Lane-end they met a young
man named Watson, who told them that Turner had
taken refuge in his mother's house close by, and they
were afraid of harbouring him. The two constables went
into the house together, and on seeing them Turner
retreated up stairs, and made an attempt on his life by
cutting his throat with a common table knife, but the
wound was a very slight one, a constable having
struck him a blow on the arm before he had time to
do himself much injury. He was immediately se-
cured, and Mr. Pym, magistrates' clerk, just then
coining up in a light cart, he was put into it and con-
veyed to Belper lock-up, %here he arrived at ten
o'clock, an immense mob being there to witness his
arrival. The populace yelled and shouted until he
had reached the interior of the building. Two of
the Belper constables remained with him about two
hours, and a third one stopped with him all night.
He was very talkative. Our reporter learnt that
since the murder was committed, Turner has said be
is not sorry for what he did, only he thinks it will be
such a shock and disgrace to his wife and adopted
child for him to be publicly executed. He would not
have done it if Mrs. Barnes had not given him the dis-
charge from collecting the rents, on Saturday last.
On being conveyed to the lock-up on. Monday night,
he met a man who has succeeded him as collector of
rents, and he is stated to have said to him, "If I had
met you, I should have murdered you. I am an
honester man than you, though a murderer." We un-
derstand he expressed himself pleased that he did not
kill Mr. Bannister. He was very tired when cap-
tured, and had evidently walked a number of miles ;
he was perfectly calm and collected after his arrest.