The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-08 00:00:00

in a bill offering a reward of 2201. for old Mr. Bell.
I never was there that I know of. I never was at the
Temperance Hotel, Lynn, when the bill offering a
reward was brought in, when I dropp-el my coffee
and fell on the floor. I know Panton's gardens,
but I don't recollect his making any alterations and
planting any trees.
At this stage of the proceedings the learned coro-
ner reviewed the evidence as far as it had gone.
The jury, he said, were aware that a skeleton had
been found, and an inquiry had properly been in-
stituted. It might be said there was really no evi-
dence before them to show whose skeleton it was,
but it was clear thati whoever it was, it was the re-
mains of a murdered man, because they all knew
that when persons were buried the very object was
to prevent inconvenience to the survivors, and they
were buried in a grave large enough for them. In
this case the legs of the skeleton were crossed, the
right leg over the left, clearly indicating that the
body of the unfortunate skeleton was warm at the
time it was put into the earth. The head, too, was
bent back, and the arm was pressed down ; and
they had also the fact, that the skeleton was found
within 15 inches of the surface. Having, there-
fore, satisfied themselves that this was the body of
a murdered man, it was also clear that this was the
skeleton of a man, and what gave rise to the pre-
sent inquiry was the supposition that this was the
body of old Mr. Bell. Now, the evidence before
them was, that on the night in question the wit-
ness Collinson heard groaning and struggling on
the north siderot the Blackburgh (close to Middle-
ton), and on the other side the purse of the mur-
dered man was found. The last thing they knew
of old Mr. Bell was that he asked for his razor, and
on the breast of the skeleton there was found a
piece of iron resembling a razor. If that were so,
that was a most extraordinary concurrence of cir-
cumstances leading to the inference that those
were the bones of old Mr. Bell. Then another
material circumstance was who but Mr. Bell was
missed? Supposing it was sot he, who was it ?
No one could tell them. It might be that the
bones found were not the remains of Mr.
Bell, but he thought it exceedingly likely that
they were, and supposing they were not, ho was
in a position to say they were reposing in a spot
not very far distant, and if there was any truth in
the information he bad he should be able to prove
that to the jury. It was true the jury might now
find a verdict, but after the evidence they had heard
he was quite sure not one of them would grudge
their time, because it might be the means of dis-
covering the fats of that unfortunate old'inan Mr.
Bell, who certainly was murdered on that 13th of
November, 1849. The jury had heard the way in
which Butters had given his evidence, and if they
believed Mrs. Reynolds he, according to his own
statement, was the last person that SAW old Mr.
Bell alive, with a loaf under his arm. At a quarter
past 5 Bell was met by Mrs. Clarke proceeding
on his way, with a loaf uuder his arm. Now, how
came John Butters to know that he had a loaf of
bread in his possession two days afterwards, unless
he last saw him with that loaf of bread ia his hand ?
That is what he (the Coroner) wanted him to ex-
' plain. He must call upon him to ac3ount for it.
Could the jury believe Butters when he said he
mild not tell whether he went to Lynn that day by
rail, gig, or horseback ? It would be a great wil-
-1 solation to them all to ascertain who the murderer
was, and, from the evidence he should be able to lay
' , before the jury on a future occasion, he should be
' able to add another strong link in the chain of evi-
dence fixing the guilt of the murder upon a person
he should not name.

The jury then retired. .41fi.er their return,
John Moyce Butters was recalled—l know the
Temperance Hotel at Lynn. I have been there,
but not often. I don't recollect being there a short
time after Mr. Bell was missed. I don't recollect
a person bringing in a bill like the one produced (the
bill offering 2201. reward). Jam quite sure that upon
no occasion in the Temperance Hotel, Lyon,
upon the production of that bill that I dropped
my coffee and fell on the floor. What Mrs.
Reynolds has stated "that I shook hands will
Mr. Bell at 6 o'clock in the evening of the
day he was missed, and that he had a
loaf under his arm," is false. I cannot remember a
gentleman named Wells, a merchant of Lynn. I
did not see Mr. Wells whenever I saw M,. Bell
that day.

If Mr. Wells or any other person has said that
he or they saw you stop and pull an old man with
a loaf of bread under his arm into your cart or gig,
Is that true or fdlie ?—lt is false. I cAnuot say
whether I did or did not see Pauton that night. I
cannot say whether he was or was not at my house
that night.
What is your beliefl—l do not know. I have
seen Pauton about twice since I was examined
here a fortnight ago. We have talked about the
murder of Mr. Bell. I fancy he said he thought
he was there (at my house). I cannot say what I
said to him. I do njt know whether Panton's state-
ment that I went to Lynn alone, and that he (Pen-
ton) saw me there on my return on the night that
_ . _ _

Ben was missed, is true or not. I have heard Mr.
Spouse's statement that he was not, but I think he
wag. I talked about the murder the first lime I
saw him. I know very little about Panton's pre-
mises. Ido not know how many gardens he has—
whether two cr foJr. I donit knew whether they
aro planted. We were not over-friendly together
at the time Mr. Bell was missed. If he (Panton)
applied for Mr. Bell's land, I cannot remember it.
I have never heard Mrs. Panton accuse my father
of having murdered Mr. Bell. When Panton and
I were taking about the matter I cannot swear he
did not say to me, " They are on the wrong scent."
I cannot say whether we talked about the bines. .1
don't know the name of his servant in Michaelmas,
1849. I do not know a girl named Greigs. I did not
observe that old Mr. Bell's mind was going. It did
not appear as if it was. On the Tuesday when he was
missed, when I saw hi:n in the afternoon, I shook
hands with him, and was with him about five mi-
nutes. Old Mr. Towler (deadnow) shook hands with
Mr. B-ll at the same time. I have not said, " I
know those bones are not those of Mr. Bell." I
swear I do not know whether 4,1 r. Bell is living or
dead.

William Crisp said,—l live at Dowuhain now,
and in November, 1849, I worked for Mr. Butters,
at Tottenhill. John Moyce Butters lived at home
with his father. I did not see John Butters after
he came home the night Mr. Bell was missed, nor
did I see Panton. This witness gave some unim-
portant testimony, and the inquiry was again ad-
journed until Friday next.