The Sun.
London, England, 1835-03-11 00:00:00

BARBAROUS MURDER AT

LANGPORT.

( Abridged from the Sherboinc Journal.)
We have to record one of the most cruel and barbarous
murders that it has ever fallen to our lot to relate. For the
particulars in evidence, we must refer to the following state-
ment, taken before Mr. Gaines, the Coroner for the Western
division of Somerset ; Vincent Stuckey, and W. Uttermare,
Esqrs., Magistrates. Mr. Harvey, the unfortunate victim,
was a plumber and glazier, in Langport. He had lately taken
an active part in politics, and was a most energetic supporter
of Mr. C. Tynte. The evidence will show by whom he was
found, and the following dreadful condition was the state of
the corpso :—The back part of the head was a matted mass of
pulverised skull and blood ; in the coat pocket some papers
were found, besmeared with blood ; almost every wound had
a fracture ; and on the face and head were sixteen wounds.
Mr. Uttermare, of Curry Rivell, proved that the deceased
had left his house about half-past nine on Friday evening,
where he had been on business.

Charles Davis, Junior—Was at Curry Rivell with Caro-
line Maby and Louisa Maby on Friday night, where he saw
Mr. Harvey about a quarter past eight, driving towards Mr.
Uttermare's. About an hour afterwards saw him driving
back towards Langport, and spoke to him. He was in his
own cart, and had his own horse. Asked him if he wanted
any company to ride. He said the girls had company with
them. Harvey was driving at a brisk trot. When they
came to Sand Pitts Hill, Louisa Maby said there is something
in the road ; first they saw a cart and horse, then a hat in the
road, then a body on the ground, which he knew to be Mr.
Harvey's, from the horse and cart. Called Mr. Harvey's
name two or three times, but received no answer. Tried
to arouse him, but could not succeed. Could not say that
he was tipsy when he saw him at the Bell, but thought
so, and had fallen out of the cart. All three hastened on
to the Langport Turnpike Gate. Called the people up,
and the giria went on and called up other persons. The
man at the Turnpike Gate took a candle and lantern, and all
went back to the spot where the body lay. As soon as the
Turnpike Gate Keeler touched him, he exclaimed he is a dead
man. Was lying with both feet on a heap of stones. It was
nearly opposite to the lane leading towards Wick. The Turn-
pike man first discovered that he had received a violent blow
on the jaw, then saw that both his trousers pockets were turned
inside out, he then noticed that his left ear was cut in two
places. The party all left the body and came to Langport
with the horse and cart ; came on to the New Inn, at Lang-
port, and immediately gave information, where several persons
were sitting : went on to Mr. Priddy's, where they saw a
light in the window, and communicated the affair to him ;
this was about twenty-five minutes post twelve o'clock. From
thence went on and informed Mrs. liaryey and her family, and
found an eld man, a workman of Mr. Harvey's, sitting up
awaiting his return ; there were several pei:sons renting part of
Mr. Harvey's house, who were in bed. The. party then drove
the horse and cart back to where the body I,qy ; they disco-
vered blood on the foot-board of the cart ; on ,again reaching
the body they found several persons assembled, who had placed
the body on a door ; it was then brought back on the door,
borne on men's shoulders, to the New Inn, Langpor t.
Mrs. Cottle, of Portfield, near Curry Rivell—Went to bed
about ten o'clock on Friday night ; in about half an hour
after witness was in
_bed, heard something like groans in the
direction of the turnpike road ; listened, and thought it might
be a dog; asked her servant if she heard the noise; she said
she had, and she also thought it was a dog ; directed the
servant to go to the window to ascertain from whence the
noise came. Witness heard voices—one distinctly, and thinks
she heard two more ; witness exclaimed, to be sure they have
not committed murder on the turnpike road ; after laying
quiet, witness fancied she heard some one pass, and heard a
a:plash in a pond, which is very near the house ; asked her
sca,:ant if she heard tiaat ; became alarmed ; the servant said
she hetaaal it ; about half ran hour after heard footsteps again.
Mr. ArtZrzw Stuckey, of Langport, shopkeeper—Was pre-
sent at Portfield on Monday, when search was made in Mrs.
Cottle's Pond; the greater part of the water having been
drawn off, in the higher' part of the pond near a ditch, in tho
direction of Sand Pitts Hill, he saw a soldering iron drawn
out ; (the implement is of iron, abut two feet long, with a
conical knot at the end)—he took it to the Coroner and Ma-
gistrates, and left it with them.
John Abrahams, journeyman to the late r;jr. Harvey—Saw
the soldering iron that had been produced, on Thursday even-
ing ; on Friday morning, Hoare, Harvey's apprentice, asked
witness if he had seen any thing of that iron ? Oe answered
he had not. Hoare had been using the iron on .Thursday ;
knows a man by the name of John Goddard, has heel: in the
habit of working fur Mr. Harvey ; on Friday night, about
half-past eleven o'clock, witness went into the Court and sal,
Goddard come round the corner ; and he said, is that yoit
Abrahams. 'Witness said, what brought you here at this time
of night? His reply was, is the baker gone to bed? Witness
answered that he was, and had been for some considerable
time ; he said he wanted a tommy (a loaf of bread); Goddard
then asked if Mr. Harvey was come home. Witness said he
was not, and he went away. On Thursday evening witness
w Goddard and Hoare in the work-shop, when he had a
solalering iron in his hand. Hoare, who was present, desired
himto take care that it did not set fire to any thing, being
hot fro.-n his use. Goddard then wielded the instrument, and
remar kcal " what a clumsy thump of the head it would give a
person." Hoare, to whom the instrument belonged, men-
timed or, B,turday that he had lost his soldering iron. Hoare
had been disch.arged by Mr. Harvey, and, on Ilarvey's sending
al; him to resume his work, he refused.
jaLn Hoare was
a workman of Mr. Harvey's. Is certain
h, an is the one which he worked with.
Alise
morning! used it on Thursday and
thats the soldering
o o saturdal
Friday.ve came into the shop on Thursday
n ;I
John
w,it
os Goddardthe then
roborated what the previous wit-
nesse
sa,anging the' iron. A jacket was
produced .
evening.
statedw ab t o od
h Hoare wore
on
Friday, with several marks of
blood on the arm. He was asked to account for them. He
stated that on getting into the cart his cuffs wore tuckedup,
and, on resting his arm to look over, the blood stained

his cuffs.
Goddard—Heard first of the murder on Saturday, when be
was at work. lied not been in Mr. Harvey's shop Mud,
Thursday ; never took the soldering-iron in his band to swing
it—is quite confident of this. Had on the same clothes on Sa-
turday that he wore on Friday.
After other evidence had been adduced, the Court was ad-
journed at 10 o'clock on Monday night till 10 next mornitvg.