The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-13 00:00:00

MURDER AND ROBBERY AT ACTON.

A cruel murder has been perpetrated on the highway,
close on the outskirts of the metropolis, four miles on the
Acton-road, upon the person of Mr. Edward John Gates, a
builder, residing for a number of years at No. 12, Great
James-street, Lisson-grove, Paddington. The first intima-
tion:of the occurrence was made by Sergeant Mansell, of the
T division. It appears that about 10 minutes to 12 o'clock
on Monday night last he was going his usual nightly rounds,
when, between Acton and Shepherd's-bush, he met a man
named Henry George, groom to Mr. Helford, of Acton,
who called his attention to a man lying in the road, appa-
rently insensible or dead. The police sergeant proceeded to
the spot and found the deceased in the road about three
yards from the pathway; be was lying on his back; his
face was frightfully disfigured and covered with blood. He
was quite dead. A quantity of blood was lying on the
road beside him. His clothes were in a disordered state.
Mansell, the police-sergeant, with the assistance of George,
the groom, got him upon the path, and then proceeded to
the station at Acton to give information of the discovery he
had made, when a cart was obtained, and the body of the
unfortunate man removed to the dead-house at Acton. The
superintendent of the T division, being apprised of the cir-
cums'ance, sent for Mr. H. B. Lingham, a surgeon in the
town, upon whose arrival the body of the deceased was
stripped, when it was discovered that a foul murder had been
committed. The vest, shirt, and drawers were saturated
with blood, proceeding from two stab wounds on the right
side, close to the heart. The most material wound was iodie
cated by a large puncture, f:om which quarts of blood had
flowed. The other wound, more in front, below the chest,
was not of such vital importance, although that bledctope:
ously. Mr. Lingham, the surgeon, having receivedi mort
autho-
rity rity from Mr. Wakley, the coroner, made a pas
examination of the body, when he found that the stab i
in the
right side bad entered the body nearly seven inches, com-
pletely perforating the heart, and causing, as a matter of
course, instantaneous death. The other wound, below the
collar bone, and of a minor description, had not entered any
depth, and was in no way connected with death. The fea-
tures of the unfortunate deceased were frightfully muti-
lated, evidently by severe blows—indeed, to so great an ex-
tent that his eldest son could scarcely identify his unhappy
parent.
At the inquest, which was held yesterday afternoon at 3
o'clock, at the King's Head Inn, Acton, before Mr. Wakley,
coroner for West Middlesex, aud a highly-respectable jury,
the superintendent of the Tdivieion of police saidetrhpeautrtamtoois.st
exertions bad been used to bring to justice the p
of the murder, but up to the present time no clue had been
obtained to them.
In answer to questions from the coroner Sergeant Man.
sell said that when the body of the deceased was removed to
a the station
three -h his person was carefully searched, but no watch,
nd only alfpence were found upon him. The
de-
ceased
had been for years well known in Acton, Ealing, and
the sarrounding districts. For some months past he had
been engaged in extensive works at Mr.
Reeves's, horticul-
tural florist, of Acton Bottom. He had a number of men
under him at Mr. Reeves's.
On the opening of the inquest a number of the deceased's
relatives were in attendance. Several of the county wagis-
tra,tes and parochial authorities were present, and also a
number of the gentry residing in and about the village.
Mr. Edward Gat,•.s, the ddest son of deceased, said his
father left benne at Paddingtou 6 o'elock on Monday
morning last in his usual health.at He (deceased) was pro-
ceeding t r Mr. Reeves's, as. Ac on Bottom.
In answer to questions from the Coroner and jury, the
witness said his Ether had his watch and some pounds in
money when be left goers. Be was of sober habits anti
highly respected.
The Coroner said there was no doubt that the deceased
had come to his death by violence. He should adjourn the
and at the same time direct that every poesible
exertion be used by the p lice to discover any persons who
might he iinplica'ed in tile :Latter.
In answer to questions from the jury, Mr. Lingbarn, the
surgeon, said than the wound which had perforated the heart
might have been done by a sword- s ick ; the wounds on the
head and flu were the result of blows from a stick, or some
or her wea:ron. The nose was broken, and one of the eye"
nearly destroyed. The hands of tile &ceased were also se fieli'
injured, causel possibly by his resistance to the trtaelegmade
upon him.

-• •
The son of t',e deceased, who was deeply affected, said
he Wa3 quite sure his unfortunaie father had been roblud
ar.d mord,red. lie might have had a large sum &Jou,
hitn, which if seen by bad characters would cause the att,eck
upon him.

The Coroner directed the police to be active in ob!ainiutz
all the evidence they could before the next MN tiag, which
was fixed far six o'clock next Tuesday, the 17th inst.
The parochial autlrririties have already otnred £.50 for the
al-Y3 ellotif4o :of the mu,rderer or n.l4:derku.