The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-04 00:00:00

AUGUST 3.

The Judge took his seat this morning at nine
o'clock. The court was, if possible, more crowded
than yesterday.
George Edward Masefield recalled—The gold
coins might have been in half sovereigns as well as
sovereigns.
William Masefield deposed—l occupied a desk in
Owen's office and a locked drawer in Mr. Wood-
ward's desk there. On the Tuesday night I left the
drawer locked. I had £2O in it. That drawer was

not broken open. £lB belonged to the cricket
club and £2 to the office. Only Mr. Woodward
and another person in the office knew that I had
the £lB. I accounted to my brother for money
once a fortnight, and he put it in the drawer that
was broken open. I was in the office till eight
o'clock, and had sat for the last hour in my father's
office. I left the papers in the usual state. The
next morning (Wednesday) I found three keys on
a steel ring on the gravel path leading to the house.
I gave the keys to Bergeant Tanner.
Richard Dew said—l am generally the first per-
son in the office in the morning and the last at
night. On the night in question I locked Mr.
Masefield's office and Owen's office, and closed the
front door. The door is entered from without by
a latch key. It was Mrs. baker's duty to fasten
the front door. I locked a strong closet in Mr.
Masefield's room. Jones left at seven I locked
up ten minutes after eight. Jones has from time
to time borrowed money of me. In March I lent
him £2. I was repaid the last day in March. On
the day after the murder the prisoner paid me Is.
in postage stamps. Jones was occupied in making
out Mrs. Baker's accounts, and he was frequently
in her part ,of the premises.
Cross-examined—The prisoner was agent for an
assurance office for some months, and had had cor-

respondence with them. Mr. Masefield had only
one locked drawer, and that was generally known
in the office. I have borrowed money of the pri-
soner, and have sometimes bought stamps of him
previous to the magisterial examination. The
constables were present when prisoner let me have
the stamps. I believe he tore them off some others.
In arranging the Baker papers Jones acted as clerk
to Mr. Masefield. I put the key of the closet in a
bag left in the room. It was the custom to take
the bag downstairs.
Wm. Fred. Woodward deposed—l am a solicitor
and managing clerk for Mr. Masefield. On the
Tuesday I had left the office about seven, and was
at Mr. Masefield's house, and when I left at about
10 I met prisoner 92 yards from Mr. Masefield's
residence. I had heard the church clock strike 10.
Jones to get to his lodgings would have to enter
the stable-yard by Boi,vkett's house, and so into the
back door. I had received from Mr. Masefield a
sum of money amounting to £2OO odd. I received
the money and kept it in my pocket, I believe. I
sat in Owen's room. I took the pass-book with me
to the bank.

Cross-examined—l was in the habit of receiving
money at the office. I kept it in a drawer in my
desk ; I had no other locked drawer.
Charlotte Jackson said—l am housekeeper to
Mr. Nott, and was acquainted with Mrs. Baker.
On 17th of May I was at her house, at about half-
past eight o'clock. I stayed till 25 minutes to 10.
There was a little girl named Pain there. I as-
sisted the child to bed. There was a cake and
knife, candlestick and candle on the table, which
was covered with an oil-cloth. Mrs. Baker was
mending a pair of trowsers. She told me they were
Jones's. When I went away the oilcloth remained
on the table. I left by the front door. The back door
was fastened, and the bell put on by Mrs. Baker. The
table-cloth was on her shelf. It was customary for her
to leave her widow's cap in the sitting-room. On
the following day the candle on the table was
longer than I had seen on the previous night. 1
have seen Jones at Mrs. Baker's. I did not see
women at the door. I did not see any newspaper
in the room.

Cross-examined—The I ack door was fastened
about nine o'clock, before the child had gone to bed.
I went up stairs with the child, and remained ten
minutes. Mrs. Baker opened the latch of the front
door for me to go out.
By Mr. Skinner—l sat by the fire, which is close
to the door, and could have heard anybody come
into the back kitchen.

Thomas Bowkett said—l am parish clerk of Led-
bury. I live next door to Mr. Masefield's office. I
was acquainted with Mrs. Baker, and put up her
shutters for her on the 17th of May, at ten minutes
before nine. I heard her key the shutters. I gene-
rally fasten my door at ten. I sleep on the ground
floor. That night the door of my bedroom was open.
I was in bed at about half-past ten.. .
By the Judge—l am 81 years old.
Witness added—Jones slept above me. I very
seldom heard him come home. He had lodged with
me since the 9th of November. He had a latch key
by which he could let himself in. I had given him
notice to leave because he kept bad hours. Next
morning I took up milk for Mrs. Baker. Another
young man lodged with me. Both were up when
the milk came, and when I took the milk they were
at breakfast. I tried back door and front, and
could not get in. 1 got my h,-.mmer and ham-
mered at the door. Mr. Powell came, and we
threw at the window. Jones then came up. I went
to my house, and subsequently Jones went into the
back yard, and came back and said he had found the
key. I said, I will come with you and go in. We
went to the back door, which he unlocked, and we
went in. The child was dressing herself in the
sitting room. I opened the shutters. I fetched the
milk and papciii I met Jones, who I had left in the
house, in the back yard with the child. He
beckoned to me to follow him to Mrs. Baker's. I
went through the back room to the front, and into
the lower office. Owen's room door was open.
Mr. Masefield's room was a little open. I was going
in and the smoke stopped me. Hooked and saw Mrs.
Baker lying there, her feet to the door. I ran down
stairs and gave the alarm, and got some water and
threw over Mrs. Baker. Mr. Griffin, a surgeon,
and a policeman, were sent for. Jones paid me
2s. 6d. a week for his lodging, and d. a day for
milk and vegetables. He changed his room two
months before the murder.
Cross-examined—Prisoner had had the latch-
key eight or ten days. The forepart of the right
is my best sleep. I sleep till one or two o'clock
generally. Jones.and the other lodger breakfasted
together that morning. I was down the first that
morning. I got up between six and six and seven.
Jones came down earlier that iiorning than ever I

had before known him. 1141 child had said that
Mrs. Baker had gone out. Jones lt.!koned to me
in a way to make me think there was sumnthing
serious happening. I should think the fire had
been "mooring" three or four hours.
Jesse Prestige—l was an under-gardener at Led-
bury in May last, and lodged at Bowkett's. I ()e-
-1 cupied a bedroom adjoining Mr. Masefield's offices.
On the 17th of May I went to bed at ten o'clock.
I came down in the morning at half-past five and
went to work before six. At eight o'clock I came
back to breakfast. I had to go through Cabbage-
lane on my way and return, but saw no money
there. Jones was downstairs, and remarked that
he was down early. We have breakfasted together
before, but not very often. Mr. Bowkett came in,
and said he thought it strange that Mrs. Baker
was not up. On that Jones got up from his
breakfast, and said he had to go to the butcher's to
order some meat. Jones said he would throw up
to her window and try to awake her. At ten
o'clock I saw Jones at Mrs. Baker's door, and he
said a very sad affair bad happened there. On the
Monday Jones borrowed 2s. 6d. from me. On
Thursday he repaid it. On the Wednesday even-
ing Jones asked me if I heard him come in the night
before, and thought we must have heard him for he
saw a light in Mr. Bowkett's window when he came
up. I said we did not hear him. He remarked
that Bowkett had said at the inquest that he had
not heard him (Jones) come in since he had the
latch key.
Cross-examined--I slept very soundly during the
night, because on the previous night I had been
awake with the toothache. I had borrowed and
lent prisoner money. When I lent prisoner the ls.
he said, " I am not short, I have money by me; but
Ido not want to break into it." This was in an-
swer to a remark of mine on one occasion, namely,
Christmas-eve. I had seen some sovereigns in his
purse—l should say ten or twelve.
By the Judge—lt was at Jones's request the bed-
room was altered, for he said it was too cold ; and
I took Jones's because mine was too hot. This was
three months before the murder.
Thomas Powell-1 am a joiner. At a quarter to
nine on the 18th of May I went to Mrs. Baker's
side door. I threw gravel at the window. Jones
came up and offered me a handful of peas. Mr.
Bowkett them came. After that I saw Jones be-
tween B rwkett's house and Mrs. Baker's; he
beckoned me and I followed him ; he said he had
found the key, pointing to the path under the office
window, and so got in. He said, " What do you
think of that ?" I looked at the carpet, and said
to the child, " Bessy, you have had a smartish
scuffle here." The carpet was not nailed, and was
much tumbled. Jones said, " Where is Mrs. Baker,
is she gone cut ?" The child said, " Yes." Jones
said, " How long has she been gone ?" The child
said, " Not long." I then went out and to my
work. I afterwards saw Jones in four or five
minutes with the child in his arms. I asked him
if he had seen anything of Mrs. Baker. He took
me by the shoulders and said, " Powell, Powell,
Powell, she is dead and burning." He cried for
water. I gave him a pint basinful, which he drank.
I went back to Mrs. Baker's, and on the top. of the
stairs the door was open and the room was half full
of smoke ; the deceased was on the floor. There was
no fire on the corpse, but the boards and cocoa-nut
matting were burning. I got water, and Jones also
brought water. Mr. Griffin, surgeon, was sent for
and arrived. I did not notice anything uncommon
in Jones.
Cross-examined—l, like Jones, was much agitated
when I saw the body. Bowkett was also much
put about.
Joseph Playsted—l am a glazier, of Ledbury.
Heard of the murder, took water to the room, and
saw the body. Prisoner came into the room where
the body was, with Mr. Griffin. Jones walked into
the room, and went and opened the window. He
touched the drawer that has been produced. The
drawer was partly opened. He drew it further out,
and said there had been a robbery. I observed it had
been broken open. Mr. Masefield's door had been
forced open.
Mr. William Griffin, a surgeon at Lethbury—On
the 18th of May, a few minutes past nine, I found
the dead body, and made a superficial examination.
There was a mark on the forehead, a mark round
the neck, and a noose lying near. The noose was
found lying near the right leg, partly covered by
charred clothe and ashes. The noose is singed. I
saw fragments of burnt paper, The prisoner Jones
entered the room, went to a drawer, and said there
had been a robbery, and pulled the drawer open. I
found some lucifer matches, one wood and the
other wax. I could form no opinion of how
long the fire had been burning. I found a
lucifer match-box empty. The texture of the
dress was glazed cotton ; the under-garments,
composed of calico and flannel, had been
ignited. The body was blistered in some parts,
' and in some parts charred. The floor was burn-
ing under the right arm. I picked up the box of
the lock of Mr. Masefield's door near the body. A
pair of pincers was found in the desk in Owen's
room. I found a widow's cap in the sitting room.
There was a cloth on the table, with a candle
partly burnt out. There were two tumblers. In
one there was a small quantity of gin and water.
One person, apparently a child, had slept in the
bed. I found a woman's night dress, which had
not been used that night, on the bed. I spoke to
Jones. I was talking to the child in the sitting
room when Jones came in. I asked him if he
heard anything in the night ? He said " No," and
added that he went to bed at a quarter past ten.
He knew it was that time, because Bowkett was
up. On the morning of the inquest the foreman
asked me if I knew where the key was found. I
asked Jones, who was standing near, and he said,
" Underneath the clerk's window, for I put this
dead ivyleaf to mark the spot." We were standing
close to the window at the time. I said which
way was the bow of the key, and he said it lay
prrcisely as that ivyleaf lays. Mr. Wood and I
made a post mortem examination of the body, and
we are of opinion that strangulation was the cause
of death. The bruise on the head might have
caused insensibility, but certainly did not cause
death. A jagged stick might have made the
bruise ; it could not have been a smooth one nor
an iron instrument. 1 could not detect the smell
of gin and water in the stomach. The noose on
the neck would stop articulation. There was no
appearance of a struggle on the body. I picked
up two red postage stamps Rnderneath the drawer.
There was some copper money lying on the desk.
Some twopenny stamps were fonnd in Jones's ;
room, I believe. They were found in a small box
in a large box. I saw a wooden instrument there 1
on the occasion.

Superintendent Turner—l produce blue stamps
taken from the drawer that had been broken open
in Mr. Masefield's office. Those marked from the
cross were taken from prisoner's box.
Mr. Griffin continued— On the morning of the
murder I examined the grate in the prisoner's room
and found nothing. On re-examination of the
grate on the Ist of July, 1 found ashes which I have
preserved. There were spots of blood in the bed of
the deceased, on the upper sheet. I do not know
how long they had been there. There was blood
on the cheek of the deceaed, which had run out of
the mouth. From the appearance of the blisters
and the serum in them, if rigidity had set in before
fire was applied I should not expect to find it. I
did not see whether anybody had slept in prisoner's
bed on the night of the murder, the bed was made
when I went into the room.
Re-examined—l found no duplicate stamps on
comparing them, no two the same.
G. Tanner deposed—l am superintendent of the
police at Ledbury. I found the stamps on prisoner,
and in Mr. Masefield's drawer. I found the black
oottle produced in Mrs. Baker's chest of drawers.
On the 24th of May I apprehended prisoner at his
lodgings, and searched him. I found £lO in gold,
ss. 4d. in silver, and 21d. in copper, a counterfeit
crown piece, 62 red and two blue postage stamps,
and five receipt stamps. I found this pocketbook
in the prisoner's pocket, and the books produced.
[The entries were read, showing the spirits pur-
chased by prisoner, and accounting for his move-
ments.]
Mr. Skinner put in two books said to contain con-
flicting accounts of prisoner's previous life, and
something to show a bad pecuniary condtion. It
was in one of these the prisoner signed himself as
"Robert Dibble."
The Judge decided that it would be safer not to
admit these books as evidence, and accordingly no
entry was made from them.
John Paine said the prisdner told him the mur-
der was committed in the hiirer office, and that two
cheques were lost.
John Barden, draper, deposed that he found a
packet of silver coins in Cabbage-lane at eight
o'clock on Wednesday morning. One of these coins
was identified by Mr. E. Masefield.

A number of witnesses were called to prove that
no such packet was lying in the lane between five
in the morning aid half-past seven. This thorough-
fare was much frequented by men going to labour.
Miss Adelaide Cole. of the Bell Inn, deposed that
the prisoner had liquor at the house, and borrowed
a black bottle, which he washed out with gin, say-
ing he wanted it for a particular purpose.
Mrs. Green way, of the Express, said that on the
right of the murder the prisoner bought a pint and
a half of gin, which he took away in a dark bottle.
He returned the bottle next evening, and it smelt
of gin.

Superintendent Tanner here produced two bottles
which were found in lones's box—one a dark and
the other a light one, the latter containing gin.
Frederick Williamson, detective officer of London,
said he arrested the prisoner, who said, " I suppose
you have got the right man ?" and on being cau-

tioned he said, " I shall remain neutral." £lO was
found in his, box, and he said he had saved it,
partly at Ledimry. Saw at the first search two
blank cheques in the box of the National Provin-
cial Bank, and a cheque on Webb and Co.; but on
searching a week afterwards they had disappeared.
Prisoner accounted for going up stairs on the morn-
ing of the murder by saying he fell at the bottom
of the stairs and stumbled upon them, and whilst
laid on the steps he saw the door open. This it was
found could not be the case.

Walter Biddle, of the police force, said that on
the day aft r the second search he examined the
refuse in the petty, and found the remains of two
cheques of the Naiionaf and Provincial Bank and
one of the Ledbury Bank, all blank.
Evidence was then given to show that the pri-
soner received £ll in March, but that he had paid
since then numerous small debts which he owed in
Ledbury, and had since borrowed money of several
persons.
Chas. J. Tins was called and said—l am employed
by King and Co., of London, who make the cheques
for the National and Provincial Bank. I frequently
destroy them, and am familiar with the appear-
ance of the burnt ashes. I find in one of the glasses
now in court very perfect remains of one of those
cheques. The ash is the remains of the red sur-
face of the cheque, which turns white on the appli-
cation of heat. Upon one of the cheques this day
week I saw traces of capital letters such as are en•
graved on the cheques, being the termination of the
word " bearer."

After some further unimportant evidence the
case for the prosecution closed.
Mr. Huddleston, who displayed great emotion,
then addressed the jury for the defence.
The case was proceeding when our report left.