The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-10 00:00:00

211 E BILSTON TRAGEDY.

CONFESSION OF THE. PRISONERS.
BILSTON, WEDNESDAY.
Yesterday evening, after the despatch of our par-
cel, William Danch, a tailor of Dudley, deposed
that while examining the marks in the cellar he
perceived in the impression of a man's knee that
the trousers which occasioned it had been repaired
by a niece of corduroy placed crosswise on the gar-
ment. He remarked in the cellar that the garment
would be found so repaired. He was afterwards
shown a pair of trousers that he was told had been
taken from Mulligan, alias Jones. and those trou-
sers bore the evidence to which he referred. (Wit-
ness here pointed out the patch to the jary.)
Major M'Knight deposed that the trousers pro-
duced were taken off Jones. Witness added that he
saw the last witness compare the garment with the
impressions in the cellar.
Superintendent M'Crea deposed that on receiving
information that the robbery and burglary had been
committed he went to the deceased's premises, and
found they had been forcibly entered, and that the
deceased was lying dead in his sitting room. He
discovered fire in the bedroom ; brown cloth was
burning on the carpet, and in a few minutes it
j would have communicated with the bed. He, how-
ever, extinguished the flames. Shortly afterwards
he proceede to the Berry-yard. In a house there,
kept by the prisoner Bills (though he lived on the
opposite side of the yard), he heard people running
up and down stairs, and on knocking for admission
he discovered that the key had been taken out,
which was unusual. He saw Jukes on the sofa,
dressed, as though he had just come in. Lilley was
in bed, but his shoes looked as if he had not
long returned home. On Jukes's shirt he ob-
served two spots of blood, and witness remarked
upon it. Jukes replied that he had got in a fight at
the King's Arms some time before. Witness said,
"It is fresh blood." Jukes then responded, "I got
it from striking a girl in the mouth." Bills he
found in his own house opposite, in bed. Ile found
a sock newly washed whieh Bills owned, and the
fellow to which witness could not find. On return-
ing to the police-station he found Jones in custody.
Looking at Jones's right hand, witness said, " This
hand is very black." Jones, however, made no
reply.
Mr. Larkin, surgeon, deposed,--I was called at
4.30 on the morning of the 29th September to ren-
der medical assistance, as supposed, to a drunken
burglar, but as was subsequently ascertained to the
late Mr. John Bagott, at his residence in Church-
street, Bilston. On entering a room of the house I
saw the deceased lying on his back before the fire-
place. His dress was disordered and torn. Life
was extinct. From the temperature of the body
and extremities I am of opinion that death had
occurred about three-quarters of an hour previously.
His face and hands were so besmeared and dirty
that at first I failed to recognise him. As directed
by the deputy-coroner, I made post mortem examina-
tions of the body of deceased on the Ist and 2d inst.
I was assisted by Mr. Smith, surgeon. In addition
to the ordinary effects of dissolution there were dis-
colourations resulting from bruises on the legs, par-
ticularly about the knees, also on the abdomen and
on the more prominent parts of the back and
shoulders. On washing the soot and ashes from the
face of the deceased, an indentation, such as might
have been produced by a finger-nail, presented itself
on the nose, near to the forehead. The nose and
other portions of the face were bruised, and there
was an abrasion of the skin of the chin, from which

there had been some hemorrhage. There was also
an elongated discolouration of the left side of

the neck, immediately below the jaw. On
the protuberance at the back of the head was
a contused and lacerated wound, the hair cover-
ing which was saturated with blood. The
veins of the scalp and those of the membranes
of the brain were congested, but there was no
lesion. The brain was somewhat softened, but
otherwise in a normal condition. The heart
and the large vessels of the circulatory system were
free from disease. The blood was uncoagulated.
The larynx and bronchi were unobstructed. The
lungs were structurally sound, but intensely con-
gested in every portion, dark and liver-coloured
throughout. On examining the mouth I observed
that the gums had bled. A tooth had been removed
three or four days before. The stomach contained
about five ounces of ingesta in a chymous condi-
tion, which did not yield either in smell or by test-
ing any indication of prussic acid. The liver was
enlarged, and had degenerated into a condition
which is technically termed " nutmeggy." The kid-
neys and spleen exhibited no morbid appearance.
The small intestines were congested on the left side
corresponding with the discolouration externally.
From the very highly congested condition of the
lungs and the total absence of any other cause of
death I am of opinion that the deceased died
asphyxiated, and the bruises and abrasions before
described clearly indicate that such asphyxia was
induced by compression of the walls of the chest
and forced closure of the mouth and nostrils. In
answer to a juryman, witness said that death was
not occasioned with the poker on the throat. The
larynx was not bruised. Witness should say that
he was " burked"—was suffocated by pressure on
the mouth and chest. The head had been held
forcibly down, and produced a lacerated scalp.
The Coroner now read over to the prisoners the
evidence that was given at the first inquest, and
told them that they would have an opportunity on
a future occasion of calling any evidence that they
wished to bring before the jury.
Lilley, Jukes, and Bills gave the names of several
witnesses whom they wished to be called. Lilley
impudently said that he should wish bis witnesses
to be called that night. The Court had heard evi-
dence against him, and it was now their duty to
hear evidence in his favour.

The Coroner said that a full opportunity weuld
be given to him on a future occasion, when he might
also make any statement he pleased.
Lilley then thanked the Coroner, and sat down.
The inquest was then adjourned till Friday next.
The sitting occupied eight hours.

This morning the magistrates were engaged in
privately hearing a confession of four of the pri-
soners.

The public examination commenced at half-past
one, before the Rev. IL S. Fletcher and M. J. N.
Bagnall.

Great excitement continues to prevail in the
town, and both within and without the Petty Ses-
sions Court there was a great crowd of persons.
The inquiry had been adjourned till 10 in the
morning; but considerably before that hour the
magistrates nr.med assembled, and were engaged
till one o'clock in hearing a confession from Had-
docks; and it is understood that three other of the
accused were with him before their worships. These
were reperted to be Bills, Webb, and Liiley. Mad-
docks was the spokesman, and his statement ;occu-
pied 18 briefsheets. This statement the magistrates
decline to give to the press until after it comes out
in public court. It will, so they say, on Friday
next, to whichthe proceedings were to be adjourned
at the close of the inquiry to-day. The sur stance
of the statement is understood to he that Mullighan
and Brandrick only entered the deceased's house;
that he (haddocks) watched the house for them,
and that the other four prisoners had nothing to clef
with the affair. If this be the purport of the confes-
sion, it must be taken for only what it is worth, as

, -
it does not tally with the statements of some of the
witnesses, and denies the statement that there were
three men upon the premises on the night of the
ihure,er, which, however, there is Liiimisialeable
ts.viLrec.!.

The wilneßses who I.verc !?IT.Enined before
he coroner were being examieed by the magis-
trates, when, at half-past three, Mr. 'Sheldon, soli-
citor, said he appeared to defend Maddocks, who
had just informed him that he had made a state•
ment to the bench in private, but if he had known
that a solicitor was engaged to defend him he should
not have made the statement. Now, he was so en-
gaged, and, as he had made a statement, he (Mr.
Sheldon) could not defend him unless he saw the
statement: It was further necessary that he should
seethe statement, because,although he had applied,
he had been refused permission to see his client.
Every obstacle had been placed in his way. He
had been kept outside the court, and had had
to jump a wall to get into the court. Mr. Claydon,
barrister, and Mr. Bartlett, solicitor, were also
engaged with him in the defence of one or other of
the prisoners, and they too had been refused per-
mission to see their clients.

Mr. Bartlett—lt is a matter of the very gravest
importance and of the greatest impropriety.
Mr. Bagnall—At what time did you apply ?
Mr. Bartlett—At about 11 o'clock.
Mr. Bagnall—You could not see him (Bills) then
we were engaged with him.
Mr. Bartlett—You had no right to be so engaged
with him. Having been refused permission to
see my client, and understanding that he was being
subjected to a private examination, I applied to be
present at the examination.

Mr. Sheldon—l made application to see my
clients before half-past 10 o'clock, and I joined with
Mr. Bartlett in applying to be present at the pri-
vate examination. I was even refused to be
admitted within the precincts of the station.
Mr. Fletcher—The Bench had no intention to
keep you from the prisoners, or from the court.
Mr. Bartlett—We make no imputation upon the
magistrates, but the restrictions of the police were
not becoming. It was very wrong of Colonel Hogg.
Mr. Claydon joined in censuring the police for
their not allowing the prisoners to be seen. If his
client bad a statement made behind hie back by
which he was affected he ought to hear it ; and Mr.
Sheldon was justified in making the application for
the statement.

The prisoner sladdoeks had at his own request
been taken out of the court just before Mr. Sheldon
commenced to make his application.
The magistrates retired to consider what reply
they would give to Mr. Sheldon.
As they were retiring Mr. Bartlett desired them
to bear in mind that this was a matter of life or
death as affecting the prisoner.
The Magistrates remarked that the observation
was superfluous.

Some time afterwards Mr. Sheldon was called
into the magistrates' retiring-room, where he was
shown a statement that Maddocks had just made.
In that second statement he alleged that Mr. Shel-
don had spoken to him in the dock, recommending
him to deny the accuracy of the first statement.
Maddocks, in The second statement, added that he
had not employed Mr. Sheldon as his solicitor, nor
did he wish Mr. Sheldon to defend him.
Mr. Bagnall drew Mr. Sheldon's attention to this
statement.

Mr. Sheldon denied that he had given the pri-
soner any such improper advice ; said he only in-
formed him that he was employed to defend him,
and that, understanding that he had made a state-
ment, he wished to know what it was. Policemen
must have heard the conversation, and he appealed
to the magistrates to describe which of the two,
himself or Maddocks, was the more worthy of belief.
The magistrates said that the prisoner denied
having employed him (Mr. Sheldon) to defend, or
that he wished him to defend him ; and they must
therefore decline to let Mr. Sheldon see the state-
ment, which in due course would come out in evi-
dence.

Their worships then returned into open court, the
taking of the evidence was resumed, and it was being
proceeded with when our report was despated.

INDIA'S LAST AIVD BEST DIAMOND

When reviewing the operations of the geological survey
some two years ago, we asked if it were not possible to col-
lect mining statistics in India, similar to Mr. Hunt's valu-
able records published from time to time in England. It
unfortunately happens that India is the despair of the
statist, Figures- collected in India, unless only by Euro-
peans and relating to Europeans, are valueless except for
very general purposes. Any attempt to obtain statistical
information from a native, if conducted by a European offi-
cer, is at once regarded as a preliminary to taxation of some
sort, and is met by a refusal or by deceit ; while, if made by
native agency, it becomes a source of gross oppression, and
the result is ludicrously inaccurate. What is called the
census of India, for instance, which fixes:the population of
the British territory at 132,000,000, was taken very much in
this way :—The police were called on for a return of the
number of houses and huts in each town, and the whole
was multiplied by five to represent the population. Not-
withstanding the difficulty, however, Mr. Oldham, the able
and zealous director of the Geological Survey of India, has
collected and published the first of a series of mineral sta-
tistics. The returns refer to coal, and will be followed, we
trust, by similar information regarding iron, copper, lime,
building stone, slate, golddust, and precious stones. Mr
Oldham does not pretend that his first attempt is free from
errors. But he did his best, going from pit to pit, cross-
questioning the superintendents and making inquiries of the
proprietors and agents of the several companies. He has
succeeded in giving us figures for three years from the
Ist of October, 1857, to the same date in 1860, all accounts
being made up to this period, known as the " coal year,"
from the circumstance that before the construction of the
railway all the Raneegunge coal was sent down the river
Damooda, so long as its waters, swollen by the rains, per-
mitted the transit. The result is not a cheering one for
India. Over the vast peninsula, which has an area of
800,000 square miles, coal is found only in the valley of the
Ganges, and neighbouring hills, in Rewah to the south
of the Soane, in the Nerbudda valley, and in the Sylhet
hills on the far north-east. There is no workable coal else-
where in the North-Western Provinces, none in Oude, the
Punjab, Scinde, Bombay, or Madras. This fact is the less
cheering that iron and lime are generally associated with
coal in the same formation, and that India, except in the
east, is comparatively destitute of these great elements and
necessities of modern civilisation. It is no great consola-
tion to say that where coal exists it is abundant, that Beer-
hoom, for instance, is one mass of mineral wealth. India
is as large as Europe, and the eoal of Raneegunge or lime
of Sylhet is more useless to the cotton mills and building
firms of Bombay or Madras than that of Newcastle is to
Moscow. Coal is most bulky for carriage, and railway
carriage will always be so expensive that it will probably
be cheaper for Bombay to use good English than indiffe-
rent Bengal or even Nerbudda coal. The following ab-
stract contains the result of Mr. Oldham's inquiries :
Districts 1858 1859 1860
Raneegungo coalfields 5,917,000 8,919,600 8,559,097
Rajmahal hills
Kurhurbari
Talamow
Sylhet hills ..

Total in maunds 6,162,319 9,961,928 10,088,113
Or in tons
These figures show the healthiness of the trade, which, not-
withstanding the local fluctuation, has steadily progressed.
In the Runeegungo coalfield, which is now tapped by the
East Indian Railway, and which will shortly be pierced by
two branches, there were last year 49 collieries with 27
steam engines at work. This is the result of little more
than 20 years' operations. The number of collieries in the
United Kingdom is 2,654, and the out-turn of coal is
72,000,000 tons annually, or 200 times that of India. Our
readers will form a better estimate of the coal-producing
power of India if we place in order, with the assistance of
Mr. Hunt's mining records, the out-turn of all the coal
countries in the world, in 1857. We regret Mr. Oldham
has not given the proportion of the coal area to that of the
whole country :
Countries Proportion in area. Production in tons.
itish Islands.. 1-10 66,000,000
Belgium l-22 5,700,000
France -100 4,500,000
United States -9 4,500,000
Prussia -90 3,500,000
British N. America 1-20 900,000
British India
Bohemia -20 300,000
Spain l-52 2.50,000
Of the nine countries India is thus already seventh on the
list. What a future for America is involved in the fact that
nearly a fourth of her whole area, so far as investigated, is
covered with coal. India raises a third more than Spain,
and about the same amount as Warwickshire.
i The con-
sumption of coal in India and by vessels leaving its ports we
may estimate at 700,000 tons annually,the amount imported
in 1857 from England being 329,157 tons. Reckoning the
price of Indian coal in Calcutta at 5 annas a tnaund, or 17s a
ton, and English coal at the same rate (though it is higher).
we have mere than £500,000 spent on coal yearly in India,
As the trade and manufactures of India increase, and as
machinery comes to be more and more largely introduced,
indigenous coal will become more important. The fact that
the supply is in certain districts inexhaustible, and that the
demand is annually increasing, is one full of hope for the
coal companies and proprietors who already occupy, or like
the Bengal Coal Comr any, monopolise the field. It is pos-
sible the Nerbudda fields, worked by the company just
established, may supply Bombay and the southern por-
tions of the North Western Provinces on the completion of
the railway. But Oude, the Punjab, and Madras must still
look to their forests, which, cn both sanitary and commer-
cial grounds, it becomes daily of more importance to utilise
and renew.—Friend of India.

SAILING OF THE ETNA.--The Liverpool, NE yr
York; and Philadelphia Steamship Company's screw
steamer Etna sailed from Liverpool yesterday for New
York. The Etna took out upwards of 60 cabin Paueuge"
and had 179 bola of cotton freight.

EXTR,AORDINARY OUTRAGE AT

FFIELD.

At the West Riding Court, Sheffield, on Tuesday, a seri-
eus charge was preferred apitM a sergeant, of the 58th, and
Michael Mason, of the -Pair:kid lan, ITillfoot. The ser-
geant is in custody at the barracks, but Mason was brought
up before the Bench. The prisoner, it appeared, was driv-
ing an ammunition waggon, which formed part of a baggage
train proceeding from Sheffield to Newcastle, and it was
whilst so occupied he committed the offence with which he
was charged. Abraham Frudd, the son of a farmer resid-
ing at New England, staled that about seven weeks ego he
met . a cart driven by the prisoner, and three soldiers
in his company. One of the latter, a sergeant, forced
him off his pony, stating that he was " on the Queen's
service." The sergeant had previously smashed a bottle
the boy was carrying, and struck the lad himself on
the back with the butt end of his rifle. Witness
then ran off to his father, who was working in a field, with
several other persons, about a quarter of a mile distant.--
Mr. Isaac Frudd, the boy's father, stated that he at once
went down the road in company with several neighbours.
The prisoner was standing on the shafts of the waggon ; one
soldier was leading the horses and another was walking a
little ahead. The last-named soldier was intoxicated, and
the prisoner seemed very "fresh." The sergeant was walk-
ing about 50 yards behind the cart, and was rolling about.
Mr. Frudd spoke to him about the assault on his son, and
the sergeant, after giving an abusive reply, ran forward and
got upon the back of the cart. Witness distinctly saw him
screw his bayonet on the muzzle of his rifle, and heard him
call out, "Now come on, I am ready for you. I'm a soldier
and I can die." The soldier that had been leading the
horses came up to Mr. Frudd and hoped he would excuse
the sergeant, who had too much drink. After some further
parleying, Frudd saw the sergeant in the act of firing his
rifle. The soldier who was conversing with him, called out
to his comrades to go on, and he would overtake them,
but the sergeant fired again, and the prisoner also dis-
charged a rifle, both being pointed at the party. Frudd
heard something whizz past him after they discharged, and
he then got behind the wall. Six or eight shots were fired.
Luke Dearden, farmer, corroborated the evidence of the last
witness. ;,Witness heard the balls pass him. One of the bul-
lets glanced along the wall immediately in front of him,
and left a mark. Another bullet entered the house of a man
named Peacock, and buried itself in a board in the chamber.
Benjamin Middleton said he saw a soldier fire towards the
place where Frudd and several other persons were stand-
ing. The carter fired quickly after the soldier, in the same
direction. He was standing on the shafts, but he got down
on to the road, and witness saw him load his gun a second
time, and fire it again ; and the soldier fired again at the
same time. Previously to the second fire witness heard
the carter say "He would blow their - heads off," and
the soldier said he would " Blow a - hole through
them." The cart was then driven on, but the witness after-
wards heard other shots fired. He could not identify the
carter; but the prisoner very -much resembled the man he
saw. Mr. Overend said the case must be adjourned, and
he would call on Col. Peacocke and arrange as to the ser-
geant being brought up along with Mason. His (Mr.
0 verend's) view of the case, so far as it,stood, was, that it
was a drunken "lark." He was quite willing to admit the
prisoner to bail, on his own recognisances in £5O, and two
sureties in £25 each. Mr. A. Smith said that Mr. Overend
might find occasion to modify his views of the case when
further evidence was produced, because the gravamen of
the charge against the prisoner and the sergeant was,
whether they really did or did not intend to inflict grievous
bed ly harm. The prisoner was remanded for a week.