The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-05 00:00:00

THE MURDER NEAR CARLISLE.

The adjourned inquest on the body of Robert
Irwin, the old man found lying dead on the
road near Fenton, with his skull fractured and a
deep wound behind one of his ears, was held in the
Wesleyan Chapel, Fenton, on Saturday, before
Mr. Carrick, coroner.
Mary Ann Skelton, wife of Jacob Skelton, and
daughter of the deceased, stated that her father had
resided with them since last Whitsuntide. Her
father had made an appointment on Christmas-
eve to go to a prayer-meeting at six o'clock the
following morning. He got up accordingly, and
her husband accompanied him to the door, closed
it after him, and then came back to bed. Her
husband had once struck her father, and had given
him a black eye. She did not know that her
father was about to leave them, though there was
a rumour to that effect among the neighbours.
Her father bad about 1601. lent out at interest.

Jacob Skelton was examined by his own consent,
He said he did not go to the door until after the
deceased had gone out, when he got up from the
fire and bolted the door. He did not go out but
went straight to bed after bolting the door. The
old man carried with him a stick and a lantern.
He wore a low-crowned hat, and witness had heard
him say that there were holes in it. When the old
man was brought home he was quite insensible,
and a doctor was sent for.

John Bell stated that he discovered the body,
about eight o'clock in the morning, 50 or GO yards
from Skelton's gate. The head was not on the
hard metal of the road. When the old man was
removed home, he thought Skeltou's wife said,
" This is Christmas meetiugs." He afterwards went
back to the spot where the body was found, and
SAW a stone. It was lying on the top of the mud,
but was not buried in it.

The report of the medical gentlemen upon the
post mortem examination was here put in. It
stated that the wounds could not possibly have been
caused by a fall, and that one fracture had been
caused Wore the old man fell, and the other pro-
bably when he was on the ground.
Mr. Donald, superintendent of police, produced
a hammer found in Shelton's house.
Dr. Johnstone said such an instrument at this
would be very likely to produce the wounds. The
upper wound might have been produced by the face
of the hammer, and the other with the sharp or pin
end.

Elanor Dodd deposed that Mrs. Skelton had
told her after the old man's death, that her hus-
band had set him through the gate. This statement
was denied by Mrs. Skelton, but reiterated by the
witness, who stated that another witness was ready
to come forward and prove it.
William Parkin said there was only a grass plot,
15 or 20 yards wide, between his home and the
spot where deceased had been found, but he had
hoard no noise. The old man had often complained
to him of ill-usage by Shelton, his son-in-law.
George Johnstone, one of Irvein,
i s executors, pro-
duced his will, bequeathing the interest of his estate
to Mrs. Skelton, and afterwards to her children.
Ann Burrow deposed that she was standing with
Mrs. Skelton at the garden gate on the day of her
ke father'sito n dsaeiad,
th. In the
will course of
becomeeo of m
conversation
and my
tionMrs.
Skelton
bairns, for my man will never stop in this coun-
try." Witness used to wash at Skelton's once a
sgovery
bsaid
tddhieidnre Skeltonnot agree
dhe wished the
well. The
fortnight.
aTswhceaoysl
oldla last t timem sheanw
heard him use such expressions l
(mouth).often. SheTh e had
de-
ceased had requested her to take him as a lodger,
as ho dared not stop any longer with Skelton.
Some other evidence was then gone into, tend-
ing to show that it was impossible that the de-
ceased could have met his death by accident.
After some conversation between the coroner
and other officials, it was agreed that Skelton and
his wife should be apprehended, and the inquiry
further adjourned till Friday next.
Skelton is the man who accused two respectable
farmers of having robbed him. The men were
committed on bail to the sessions, although it was
proved that Skelton had previously been convicted
of theft. The suspicion is that Skelton followed
the old man Irwin out of the door, and, after
having inflicted the fatal blows, returned to his
bed.

DR. LIVINGSTON, THE AFRICAN CHIEF, AND THE
SUGAR MILL.—Our readers may remember a rather
amusing story which the Doctor told about a chief who
used to dine with him, and who was somewhat fond of
sugar. When the supplies ran short, he wished to know
how sugar was obtained, and on being informed that it
was made from the sugar cane, which grows there in
wild luxuriance, ♦isions of plenty arose in his mind. He
soon procured a quantity of canes ; and when the Doctor
told him he could not manufacture them into sugar
without machinery, he gave him ivory to purecohauenetr-iyt,
and all the other beautiful (t) things in
thtiidstreeti
Messrs. Al'Onie and Mirrlees, engineer!, oiL dy for Dr.
Tradeeton, have a small sugar mill n
Livingston , and f what IS tO 0
f How and that
that this is but an earnest o
7 labour market of America,
at no distant day the s.are-
+ Lie in that eastern land.
ffeetnal coon.erpo
will have an e :express tbs hope
will o.4ll2riidie may
venture