The Sun.
London, England, 1835-05-11 00:00:00

ATROCIOUS CASE OF VIOLATION

On Friday last a ruffianly-looking fellow, who gave his
name as James Stirling, was brought before the Rev. John
Fanshawe, at his house, near Barking, Essex, by Rainbow,
a constable, on a charge of violating the person of a widow,
named Everett, residing at Stock, near Chelmsford, Essex.
It appeared that on the 15th of last month, as Mrs.
Everett, who is thirty-five years of age, was returning
across the fields between seven and eight o'clock in the
evening, from the village of Wrickford to her own resi-
dence, she was met by a man, who threw her violently
down on the footpath, and dragged her clothes over her
head, to prevent her from crying out or making a noise,
effected his purpose, after which the villain ran away.
The poor woman with considerable difficulty reached
her home. From the injuries she received her life
was for some time despaired of. On the day before
that upon which the revolting act had been committed
about 20 convicts had been discharged from the County
Convict Gaol at Springfield, Chelmsford, and, from some
expressions which had dropped from the ruffian, previous
to the commission of the offence, it is thought that he was
one of the persons so discharged. From the description
given of the offender, Rainbow apprehended the prisoner
on suspicion, at a beer-shop at Barking, on the evening be-
fore. The prisoner, who, as has been before stated, an-
swers in every particular the description of the offender,
denied all knowledge of the transaction, but from the very
unsatisfactory account which he gave of himself, there is
every reason to believe that he is the person. He was re-
manded by the Rev. Magistrate, who gave directions for
his being taken, on a future day, before a Bench of Magis-
trates at Chelmsford, when the prosecutrix would attend.
Onhis way to and in Ilford Gaol, the prisoner conducted
himself in a most insolent manner, and it is much doubted
that he has given his proper name.

MURDER OF DR. WARDELL, AT
SYDNEY, and EXECUTION of his MURDERERS.

The first account of the murder of Dr. Wardell, the bar-
rister, at Sydney, New South Wales, were received in
town on Saturday ; the Harmony, by which the former
accounts were sent, and which sailed on the 30th of Sep-
tember, not having yet arrived, fears of her safety are en-
tertained. By the Sydney Gazette of November 10, we
see that the murderers, John Jenkins and Thomas Tatters-
dale, Were tried on the Friday preceding, and found
guilty 'on clear and unquestionable testimony, given by an
accomplice named Emanuel Brace, a lad only 18 years of
age. They were all prisoners of the Crown. Brace having
fled from his master to the Bush, met with Jenkins, who
had escaped from an iron-gang, to which he was con-
demned for previous outrages ; he was armed with a mus-
ket and cutlass ; they agreed to act together, and com-
raitted several robberies for food and clothing. They
afterwards fell in with Tattersdale, who had been a former
shipmate of Jenkins, and who they persuaded to join them,
which he did, after robbing his master to whom he was
assigned. They then in concert committed several more
robberies, living in bark huts which they erected, and feed-
ing on their spoil. On the morning of the murder they were
in a hut, which they had erected in the woods on Dr. War-
dell's estate. Dr. Wardell in riding over his lands came
upon them, and callinc, upon them to surrender ; Jenkins
seized upon a piece of rock and threatened him, directing
Tattersdale at the same time to fetch the musket ; this
Tattersdale did, and Jenkins seizirr, it went up to Dr.
Wardell, who exclaimed—" Oh, for God's sake, don't do
that !" to which Jenkins replied--.-" By Heaven, I will !"
and going close to him, fired the piece into his body. The
horse immediately galloped off with his master on his back.
It was supposed the unhappy gentleman afterwards fell
from the horse, which went home to the paddock, and the
1 next day his body was found close to an oak tree, to which
he had crawled. The prisoners were subsequently ap-
prehended, when Brace turned evidence for the Crown,
and detailed all the facts of their association to the mo-
ment of the murder, in which he was fully confirmed by
other witnesses. All the witnesses for the Crown hav-
ing been examined the prisoners were found guilty. On
being called on to say what they had to offer why
they should not receive judgment to die, Jenkins voci-
ferated that he had a good deal to say on the subject ;
he considered that he had not had a fair trial ; in the first
place, that old woman (the barrister) had been shoved in
upon them for the purpose of leading them to their de-
struction ; he could have conducted his own case with a
better chance of justice ; and to show the manner in which
the feeling was against him, the jury were not out a second,
when they brought him in guilty ; but he did not care for
either judge or jury, or the whole court, whom he would
shoot with the greatest pleasure if he had his gun there.
He became very violent, and struck the dock with his
hand, quite infuriated.

The CHIEF JUSTICE then proceeded to pass sentence
in the most imposing manner, but had scarcely finished the
last sentence, when the culprit Jenkins, with a ferocity
unparalleled, rushed forwards towards his unhappy compa-
nion, who stood at some distance from him in the dock,
and struck him two violent blows, and in all probability
would have added another victim to his murderous appe-
tite, but for the police, who rushed into the dock, and with
much difficulty secured him.

When Jenkins was led out for execution, he addressed
the felons in the yard to the following effect :—" Well,
good bye, my lads, I have not time to say much to you ; I
acknowledge I shot the Doctor, but it was not for gain ; it
was for the sake of my fellow prisoners, because he was
a tyrant ; and I
have one thing to recommend to you as a
friend—it is this, if any of you take the bush, shoot every
tyrant you come across, and there are several now in the
yard who ought to be served so. I have done several
robberies, and for fear that any innocent man should
suffer on my account, I have made a confession to the
gaoler, and given such marks and tokens as will prove it
was I that committed the acts. I robbed a man named
Mills, at Kissing Point, and also a man on the Liverpool..
road named Farrell, and a man at Liverpool, whom I
stabbed : he may be since dead for aught I know ; I have
heard that he was missing since that time, and it is most
probable he has been eaten by the native dogs ; I have told
where the property is, in order to show that I have told the
truth. I have not time to say any more, lads, but I hope
you will all pray for me." This address being ended, the
rope was secured round his neck, and the other culprits
shook hands, but Jenkins turned away from Tattersdale with
disdain, and said something like, " let every villain shake
hands with himself." At the solicitation of the Rev. Mr.
Mac Encroe, he consented to shake hands with him, and as
he approached his unhappy companion in crime, who ap-
peared to be absorbed in prayer, and making pious ejacu-
lations, he said, " Come, come, my lad, none of that cry-
ing, its no use crying now ; we'll be all right in ten minutes
time." He then gave him a hearty shake of the hand and

took his stand. The clergyman having retired, and the ar-
rangements being complete, the platform fell, and the world
closed on one of the most ruthless assassins that ever infes-
ted the colony.