The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-11 00:00:00

THE MURDER IN DEAN FOREST.

We ( Western Daily Press) stated on Wednesday that the
four men, Thomas and Geot ge Cooper, Richard Roberts,
and Thomas Gwilliam, charged with the murder of Sergeant
Beard in Dean Forest, had been committed for trial for
murder, but that the magistrates, for some unaccountable
motive, had refused our reporter, in common with the other
representatives of the press, admission to the inquiry. The
depositions have since been supplied, and from these it ap-
pears that the following are the most important parts of the
additional evidence adduced :
William Gunter—l am a blacksmith, living at Carter's-
place, near Berryhill. On the 17th August I went to the
Speech-house. The prisoners came in about 8 o'clock.
Thomas Jarrett deposed—l am an iron refiner at Sinder-
ford. On the 17th August I was at the Speech-house Inn.
Thomas Gwilliam came in. My tools lay on a table near
us. I had a flat file among them, used for filing metal, and
I said to Thomas Gwilliam, " This may be of use to you to
make a chisel." He thanked me, and I gave it to him.
William Guest repeated the evidence he gave before the
coroner, and added, as a reason why he did not first see
Beard at the spot where he afterwards found him, that there
were trees, and especially a felled one, between him and the
place where Beard was lying. He added—l found the
broken stick now produced within a yard or two of Beard.
There were pools of blood in several places near Beard, and
the stick was bloody, and lay in one of them. I saw his
staff partly out of his pocket.
Mr. Coleman, of the Speech-house, also repeated his
evidence as previously published, and added In the
course of the morning several persons visited the spot of the
affray. About 1 o'clock in the day the thick piece of oak
cordwood now produced was brought to me by a man whose
name I had not known. On the 17th of August there were,
and still are, many such pieces of oak cordwood of different
sizes lying about the spot.
Elizabeth Rooke, charwoman at the Speech-house, re-
peated her former evidence.
Mr. Hatton, surgeon, described the injuries the deceased
had received. He added—On Sunday, August 18, when I
first saw Sergeant Beard, he complained much of his head,
and exclaimed frequently that he should die. On the same
evening I attended Mr. J. F. F. Brickdale, on his visiting
Sergeant Beard. i informed Beard that he was in great
danger, and have no doubt that he heard and perfectly
understood me. His deposition was then taken by Mr.
Brickdale. I read it over to Beard in a distinct and careful
manner, and I have no doubt that he clearly and correctly
understood the deposition.
Superintendent Taylor—l saw Sergeant Beard about 9
o'clock on the morning of the 18th of August at the Speech-
house. Ho said to me " This is a bad job, sir." He then
closed his eyes. About 7 in the evening I was present when
Mr. Brickdale and Dr. Hatton attended. He made his
mark to :his deposition, before the magistrates in my pre-
sence. He said when the pen was put into his hand he was
too ill to write. On Monday, the 19th of August, I informed
Beard that four persons accused by his deposition were in
custody, and that I was directed by Mr. Brickdale to bring
them for him to see. lie said " Don't do so, it will be more
than I can bear." I told him it would be important in the
event of his death, on which he consented. The four pri-
soners were then taken up two by two. He looked at eaeh
of them, and after they were removed he made a statement
to me, which I took down in writing, and is as follows :
" Thomas Cooper, George Cooper, Richard Roberts, and
Thomas Gwilliam, whom I have just seen, are the four
men who assaulted and beat me last Saturday night. I
watched them leave the Speech-house about 11 that night.
They went along the road towards the Fancy pit. 1
afterwards saw three of them near a gate leading into a small
field near the Speech-house. I went to them. 1 met George
Cooper a short distance from the gate. I asked him what
they were doing there. He replied, it was no odds to me.
I told him I should search him. He then struck me with a
stick. I struck him on the head with my staff. One of thdm
called for the fourth man, who came. They all fell upon me.
Roberts struck me a heavy blow on the head with a stick.
I fell down. They then kicked me about the head and face
when I was down. I became insensible, and knew nothing
after till I was at the Speech-house on Sunday."
After the statement I said to Beard, " Do you think you
will die ?" He said, " I am very ill, but I hope I shall live."
On the apprehension of Thomas Gwilliam there were a few
small spots of blood on the right leg of the corduroy trousers
then worn by him.
Police-constable Webber, who was in attendance on the
deceased at the Speech-house, stated—On Monday, the 19th,
he seemed to be much worse. I had helped him out of bed,
and on his attempting to walk he put his hands to his head,
and said, " I can't stand this, I shall die." He had a dis-
i charge of bleed from the car, and ho seemed relieved, At

another time the same day he said to me, " If Guest had
come when I called him I should not have been served so
bad. I don't think I shall live, and I hope those fellows will
be hung." On Tuesday he sail to me, " I shall not live ; I
want to be by myself; leave the room." I left the room
but stood at the door, and I then heard him pray. On the
following day William Guest and I were in the room, when
the same thing again took place.
Police-constable Sollis deposed--I apprehended the pri-
soner George Cooper, and charged him with assaulting
Police- sergeant Beard. He said, " I have done nothing. I
was coming to Coleford, but some policemen get themselves
into more bother than they would out of being so fast."
Police-sergeant Richard Rod way—Thomas Cooper, one
of the prisoners, was at the second fair at the Speech-house,
and I and Sergeants Beard and Brown were there with
others. A sort of contest seemed threatened between East
and West Dean, and Sergeants Beard and Brown remon-
strated with the people. Thomas Cooper was one of the
parties foremost on the West Dean side, and I saw him
with others debating with the two sergeants because some
one had broken his head. I have no doubt Thomas Cooper
knew Sergeant Beard. Thomas Cooper now, says, " I know
Sergeant Beard very well." I have charge of the prison
at Little Dean. On Monday, Aug. 26, George Cooper sent
for me, and said, " I wish to make a statement, as to what
has happened to Sergeant Beard." I told him that what-
ever he might say I must take down in writing, and take
it before the magistrates. He then said, " I don't care
about that ; I will tell you particulars, and how it hap-
pened." He then said as follows :—" On Saturday night,
Aug. 17, we went to the Speech-house Inn and had seven
or eight pints of beer. W e had nets and dogs with us. I
am not certain what time we left the Speech-house. As
soon as we had the sets 'teeled' we put the dogs over and
' tongued' a hare. Another man ran down the road before
him, then directly upon this Beard came down. He stood
opposite the turnpike road. Richard Roberts was at the
upper gate, and I was at the lower. He passed Richard
Roberts, and I went round the corner of the hedge. He
had caught hold of Thomas Gwilliam, and I went and told
him to loose. He did not say anything for a bit. He put
his hand in his coat pocket and took hold of his stick and
struck me on the arm ; then I cut him two or three times
with the stick ; then after he hit me on the head and knocked
me down ; he stunned me for a minute or two. When I
got up he was down. Thomas Gwilliam and my brother
were together ; Richard Roberts never touched him, and I
don't think that Thomas Gwilliam did. I was behind the
hedge." On Friday, the 27th of August, while in the air-
ing-yard, Thomas Gwilliam asked me when poor Beard
would be buried. I said, " To-morrow." He then said,
"We did not intend to kill him. It is a very bad job. I
never touched him myself." I then told him that what-
ever he might say to me I must take down in writing, and
lay it before the magistrates. He then made a statement,
which the officer gave in evidence, and which was similar
in effect to that made by the prisoner when before the

coroner.

POLICE IN2ELLIGENCE, Eept. 10.

GUILDHALL.—WHOLESALE DEALING IN FIC-
TITIOUS CHEQUES.—Christopher Marriott, a young
man, of respectable appearance, residing at 30,
Bouverie-street, Fleet-street, was placed at the bar
on remand, charged with uttering a cheque for £6,
well knowing the same to be a forgery. Alderman
Humpnrey presided.
Mr. Buchanan appeared for the prosecution, and
Mr. Hockley F. Wood for prisoner.
It will be in the recollection of our readers, that
on the 23d of August the prisoner went to Mr. Sut-
terby, the landlord of the Welsh Harp public-house,
Essex-street, Bouverie-street, and asked him to cash
a cheque for £6. It was drawn by Josiah Evans,
in favour of C. B. Bennett, Esq., C.E., and endorsed
by that individual. The cheqne was on Sir B.
Hayward, Bart., and Co., of Manchester, but when
sent down to be cashed, it was returned with a note,
stating that no such person had an account there,
and they did not know any of the names. Upon
that the prisoner was given into custody.
The depositions previously taken having been
read over by Mr. Martin, the chief clerk,
Mr. Wood said—Mr. Hincks was present to
watch the case on behalf of the family of the pri-
soner, bnt that he (Mr. Wood) was conducting the
defence.
Mr. Richard Taylor was then called, and said he
was cashier to Hayward Brothers, bankers, at Man-
chester. The firm was not of the style named in the
cheque. He had been for the last 25 years in the
establishment, and for the last 10 or 14 years cashier.
Within the last 25 years they had not had a cashier
named Josiah Evans. He knew nothing of the sig-
nature to the cheque. He received the cheque from
Mr. Sutterby by post, and returned it to him with
a letter of explanation. He did not know any per-
son in Manchester by the name of Josiah Evans, a
cotton spinner.
By Mr. Wood—There was no other firm in Man-
chester carrying on the business of bankers by the
name of Hayward Brothers and Co. He had
heard of the name of Josiah Evans in connection
with similar cheques that had been presented
both before and since the one in question.
He knew a family in Manchester of the name of
Sleaden, but he never knew that Evans had any
connection with them. They had no monetary
transactions with the bank.
Mr. Buchanan here stated that this evidence
would close the case for the prosecution.
Alderman Humphrey asked where Evans and
Bennett were.

Mr. Wood said Bennett was in court, and if Mr.
Buchanan liked he could put him in the witness-
box.
Mr. Buchanan said he had closed his case, and if
Mr. Wood wished to call him for the defence he
could, but he would certainly not call him for the
prosecution.
Considerable discussion ensued as to who should
call this witness, when Mr. Hincks insisted that he
should be called for the defence.
Charles Bowler Bennett was then called and
said,—l slept last night at 29, Park-place, Upper
Park-road, Peckham. That house is in the occupa•
Lion of Mr. Emmerson. He is a friend of mine, and
is a commission agent. I have been stopping there
for a month with my family. Previous to that I
had a place at 4, Hatcham New-terrace, Hatcham
New Town, Old Kent-road. It is now in my pos-
session, and I hold the key. I have a trial on abaut
it now. I have since agreed to take a place at 31,
St. George's-road, Peckham. I am a civil engi.
neer and surveyor. The endorsement on the
cheque produced, " C. B. Bennett," is mine. I
know the cheque. I gave it to the prisoner on the
23d August. I received it from Mr. Josiah Evans,
who was originally a partner in the firm of Sleaden
and Co., of Manchester, cotton-spinners. They
carried on business in Salford-road, but I never was
there. I have, known Mr. Evans since 1854.
He lives at Oakenfells, Acton, in Middlesex.
It is on the road to Arleston- bridge. I
do not know whether it is his own house,
or whether he only lodges there, but I believe
it is his own house. I have been there myself,
and seen Mr. Evans there. I saw Mr. Evans on
the evening before Mr. Marriott was given into
custody, and once since. On both occasions I saw
him at the Pineapple, in Hungerford-market. I
told him on the last occasion that Marriott had
been given into custody, and he said he was ex-
tremely sorry, but he should be able to set all right.
I gave Marriott the cheque, and I had the whole of
the £6. I requested him to cash the cheque, and
he did so, and handed me the money. He did not
tell me at the time where he got the money. I
gave him no portion of it. Mr. Evans did not
have any of it. I have had other cheques of
Evans's besides this, and got the money partly for
them. They have been returned, but I have not
been sued upon any of them. Mr. Evans is a re-
tired cotton spinner, and, I believe, a man worth
£37,000. I have mentioned to him that his cheques
have been returned as having been drawn upon a
bank with which he had no account, and he said it
was a mistake, for he had no securities in the hands
of the bankers, and he had been in the habit of
drawing against those securities. I have been
working on my own account since I have been oat
of my articles, and have worked for Stephenson,
Bidder, Brunell, and other engameers. The cheque
in question was given to me in payment for work
done in surveying a mine in Carnarvon. This (an
account produced) is my account, and the cheques
given to me by Evans are in part payment of that
account.
By Mr. Buchanan—Mr. Evans was never a part-
ner of mine, neither in Lombard-street nor in Bush-
lane.
By Mr. Wood—From information I received I
believed Mr. Evans would be at Kew-green, and I
went there with you to try and serve this summons
on him to secure his attendance here to-day.
By Mr. Martin—l did not go as far as Oaken-
fells, because my information was that he would
not be at home until he was in a position to settle
this matter, and come into court and explain it.
By Alderman Humphery—l do not know where
the cheque was drawn ; it was given to me by
Evans already drawn. Mr. Marriott was not with
me when it was given to me. He was in Bouverie-
street when I gave it to him. When I gave him the
cheque to get the £6 I knew that the four or five
cheques I had received before from the same person
had never been paid. I asked Evans when he gave me
the cheque if it would be all right, and he said "yes ;
I have made everything all right _
with my bankers.
told me the
and you need have no fear whatever." I saw Mr.
Evans on the 2d of Sept., and he
cheque was returned, and said there had been some
difficulty about the securities, in consequence of the
change in partnership. I have had four or five
have chequesall ohneethe
dishonoured,sam e bankers
but
he said
he would
said by Evans, and they
make it all right with them. Th
four or five cheques that have been
488. They are out of my hands until the matters

are settled. I have borrowed money upon them
from different people. The holders of the cheques
are waiting for the money to be paid by Evans.
Alderman Humphery said thera was no doubt
Evans was in existence, and that he drew these
cheques knowing he had no funds to meet them,
and that they were issued by Bennett, he knowing
there were no funds, and they had either made a
tool of Marriott, or it was a conspiracy on the part
of the three of them to defraud parties of their
money.
Mr. White said he had a cheque for £3O, of a
precisely similar kind.
A gentleman in court said he could produce
several.

Alderman Humphery said he should like to hear
Mr. White's evidence.

Mr. Edward White was then sworn, and said—l

•
live at 6, Essex-street, Strand, and am articled clerk
to an attorney. I had a cheque presented to me by
Mr. Hockley Wood for ,E3O. It is dated the 27th
of August. He said a client of his wanted to bor-
row 15 upon it—that his name was Bennett, and
that he was a highly respectable man. It is a cheque
drawn by Josiah Evans. I got a friend to lend me
£5, and handed it to Mr. Wood. He told me I had
only to send the cheque to Manchester, and get the
money by return. I asked him for references, and
he gave me these two addresses (produced).
Officer—They are both false.

Mr. White—On Mr. Wood's representations I
gave him the money. I sent the cheque down to
Manchester, and it was returned with a note saying
they did not know such a person, and that no such
person banked there.
Mr. Hincks said that he as solicitor to the family
of Capt. Marriott had attended on behalf of that
family to watch the case for the young man ; but
that as Mr.iWood had attended the first two exa-
minations, and knew all about it, he thought it
better to leave it in his hands. After what had

just taken place, however, he thought it right to
stand forward and take the case into his own hands,
and, with the permission of the Bench, he would
now represent the prisoner.
Alderman Humphrey asked the prisoner if that
were his desire, and he answered in the affirmative.
The worthy magistrate then told Mr. Bennet that
he should call upon him to give two substantial
sureties in £lOO each, and himself in £2OO, to ap-
pear here on a future day.
Mr. Hincks said he had no knowledge of any of
the people present; but as a summons had been
taken out at his instance against Evans, and it had
not had the effect of producing him, he asked that
a warrant should be granted, and he would send
one of his clerks to assist in the execution of it.
Alderman Humphrey said he would certainly
grant a warrant for the apprehension of Evans.
Mr. Wood, before he withdrew from his client's
case, wished to ask that his client should be ad-
mitted to bail.

Mr. Hincks said either Mr. Wood must conduct

the case or he would. He should not make such a
request.
Alderman Humphrey said he should admit the
prisoner to bail ; for he was quite sure, from what
he saw of the case, that he would appear at the next
examination.
The case was then remanded, and Capt. Marriott
was bailed out in two sureties of £lOO each, and
himself in £2OO ; but Bennet, not being prepared
with his sureties, had to descend to the cells below
the court.