The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-21 00:00:00

THE MYSTERIOUS MURDER.

William Sheward, the man charged, on his own conies-
sion, with the murder of his first wife, Martha Sheward,
at Norwich, in 1851, was again brought up for examina-
tion before the Mayor (Mr. E. K. Harvey) and magic-
•rates, on Wednesday.
Dr. Dalrymple, M.P., deposed : In 1851 I was a prac-
tising surgeon in Norwich. In June 1851 I examined
some portions of human flesh and bones, at the
police-station. I examined them first by myself, and
then in company with Mr. Norgate and Mr. Nichols.
On referring to a deposition I made on oath on the 26th of
June, 1851, before Mr. Woodcock, the mayor, I am
enabled to say that the bones examined by me consisted of
one hand, part of a thighbone, which had been sawn in
two, two small bones and one large bone of the leg,
one knee-cap, a part of the large bone of the arm, Scc.
I have no doubt they were the bones of a female. The
pelvis bone appeared to have been sawn through. It was
not sawn through as a practised anatomist would have
sawn it. I have no doubt the thighbone was the bone of a
female. The pelvis and the vertebrw are also the bones of
a female. I made no examination in 1851 to shew the
height of the female. The bones were unquestionably the
bones of an adult. One day last week—yesterday week—
I was present when bones were exhumed from a vault
in the Guildhall, now used as a coal cellar. I recog-
nised the same class of bones as I examined in 1851,
and I believe in the identity of some of the bones of
the vertebra-, but the means taken to preserve them have
so destroyed the identity of the other bones that I cannot
undertake to say that they are the same. Since the last
examination I have not taken pains to discover the height
of the female of whom the bones formed part. My
opinion is that the subject was about sft. or sft. lin. in
height, but without further examination I decline to
state this positively. The bones were those of a
perfectly adult subject, I am quite sure ; but the entire
disappearance of all ligament, cartilage, and other guides
for recognising age prevents my forming any precise
opinion as to the age of the subject. In 1851 the carti-
lage was on the heads of the bones ; this would have
enabled me to form an opinion then as to the age of the
subject. In 1851 I formed an opinion that the subject
was a youngish adult female. I would not undertake to
fix the age within ten years. In 1851 I made an
examination with Mr. Nichols and Mr. Norgate. I
heard Mr. Nichol's evidence before the magistrates,
and I agreed generally with it. I don't remember
that Mr. Nichols said in his evidence that the remains

indicated youth and health in the subject at the time of
death. The habits of life, nourishment, and constitution
of a subject would have some effect upon the appearance
of the cartilage, and as regards conjectures as to age. In
the absence of surrounding circumstances, I could not
certify as to age, except that the remains were those of a
full-grown adult.

Mrs. Hannah Lawes, wife of John Lawes, of St.
Faith's, deposed : I know the prisoner. He married my
aunt. Her name was Martha. She was a twin ; her
other sister's name was Mary. She is dead. I recollect
the prisoner living in Norwich. I went to the house where
my aunt lived in St. Martin's-at-Palace some time before
the Exhibition of 1851. I only went once. She was Mrs.
Sheward's sister. My aunt never came to me at St.
Faith's after I visited her at St. Martin's-at-Palace. I
have never seen her since, nor heard from her since. I
have been to a house in King-street, Norwich. I don't
know where the prisoner lived between the time when he
resided at St. Martin's-at-Palace and when he lived in
King-street. It is about twelveyears ago since I went to see
him in King-street. He was then living with his present
wife. I did not ask him any questions where my aunt
was.

Dorothy Hewitt, a widow residing in Belvoir-street,
deposed : The prisoner's first wife was my sister. She
was older than I. I can't say exactly how much. I
visited my sister when they lived in St. Giles's. I saw
my sister in Ber-street after they left St. Giles's. That
was the last place where I saw her. It is about 17 years
since I saw her. I never heard from her after I saw her in
Ber-street. I had an aunt named Fisher, who died and left
Mrs. Sheward, my sister, some money. In consequence of
this legacy I went to the prisoner's house in King-street.
I said to the prisoner, " Will you be kind enough to tell
me where my sister is ? I should like to
know where she is. I wish to know par-
ticularly." He said, " Your sister can write to you if
she pleases. She knows where you are." I have asked
the prisoner where my sister is more than once. He has
made the same answer to me. The prisoner has never
come to me and asked me where my sister was. I got
some money which my aunt Fisher left me. When I
went to see the prisoner in King-street, his second wife
was living with him. I don't know whether he was
actually married to the woman. He once told me she was
his wife.

Eva Elizabeth Hewitt, daughter of the last witness,
deposed : I live with my mother, and am a single woman.
I know the prisoner. His first wife was my aunt. I
recollect their living in St. Giles's. They afterwards lived
on Richmond-hill. I visited them at both those places. I
don't know where they lived after leaving Richmond-bill.
I never saw my aunt after she left Richmond-hill,
and I never heard from her. I have been several times
to the prisoner's house in King-street. The first time I
went with my aunt Nunn ; it must be sixteen years ago.
My aunt Nunn went to ask the prisoner about her sister,
but I did not hear their conversation. I believe she had
some conversation with the prisoner. I saw a woman in
the prisoner's house. I have been to the house several
times since, and have seen the same woman there. I fancy
I saw her in the prisoner's house at St. Giles's once. I
was then quite a child ; I was staying in the house. My
aunt was not at home at the time. My uncle got over
the counter and went to the woman, and I said
would tell my aunt. I never questioned the prisoner
as to where my aunt was, but I heard a question
once put to him by my aunt Nunn. She said to
the prisoner, " Mr. Sheward, I have come to ask you
about my sister ; what have you done with her?" He
replied, " I don't know. I have done nothing with her.
She left me quite penniless. She cared nothing about me."
This was said at St. Faith's, where Sheward was a visitor.
My aunt Nunn said, " Sheward, you are a false man ; my
sister never left the country." I don't think Sheward ever
came to my house after this. My mother and her sister
had a few words, and she never saw her after the differ-
ence. I don't know whether Mrs. Nunn and Mrs.
Sheward were on good terms. _ . _

Mr. W. P. Nichols, surgeon, deposed to having inspected
some portions of a human subject at the police-station in
1851, portions of which were those of a female subject.
There was little to guide in judging as to the age of the
subject. The portion of the bones from which might have,
been more particularly determined the age of the subject
were not before us. The remains did not enable him to
come to reliable opinion as to age; but the fullness of
the adipose tissue over the hand, and the narrowness of
the foot indicated youth. The foot increases in width as it
more walked upon. He afterwards saw another hand an 4
foot. They were in a considerable state of decomposition,
but they were the opposite foot and hand of those he had
before seen. On Tuesday week he saw some jars taken up
from a vault underneath the Guildhall, with Dr. Dalrym-
ple, and be was satisfied they were the same remains he
saw in 1851.

Cross-examined : Had said in his deposition before Mr{
Woodcock, •in 1851, " from the general appearance of the
flesh, there is evidence of youth and health at the time of
death." The extreme age of "youth," he should say,"
would be under thirty years. The first foot found had the
appearance to me of the foot of a young. person ; the foot
of an old person would have been broader in proportion
to the height than that of a young person, but this would
be influenced by various considerations. He could not
undertake to swear that all the bones he saw in 1851 were
the bones of one and the same person.
The prisoner was again remanded.

The Hyde Park and City Railway has been
abandoned for the present session. The course it was
intended to take was through Oxford-street, and no doubt
the strenuous opposition which has been offered to the
scheme by the Oxford-street tradesmen has had the effect
of inducing the promoters to adopt this course.

DR. LIVINGSTONE.—Mr. Horace Waller writes
to a contemporary :—" In letters received, bearing date
November 20, from Zanzibar, I am informed that no intelli-
gence whatever has come to hand for a long time respect-
ing Dr. Livingstone. The latest news from our traveller
reported him in Cazembe's country a year ago. Letters
written previously to the despatch which announced this
are still missing. By your kindly inserting this, a good
deal of misapprehension as to the Doctor's movements will
be done away with. I quote Dr. Kirk's words, `There is
no knowing where he is.' With these remarks I should
wish to couple the belief I hold that there is no actual
need for much anxiety on this account. Those who
know Livingstone will feel the least alarm. They will
remember his indomitable perseverance ; they will recol-
lect he has in all probability now in his hands the solu-
tion of the grandest geographical problem, and they will
feel thamkfud that the last positive information reported
him sound and well, and within reach of fresh stores,
medicines, &c. Au reste, Africa is a large place. Dr. Kirk
informs me that Moosa (who so cleverly murdered Dr.
Livingstone in our imagination) has been handed over to
him at Zanzibar from Johanna. Finding that he had
already passed eight months in Leavy irons, the autho-
rities vary humanely considered this time sufficient for the
reflective' powers of the mischievous scamp to reconsider
the merilti.; of truth and falsehood oo Dr Kirk Jags set
ilk; iritt.t2;