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

THE MURDER IN DEAN FOREST.

W e (Western, Daily Press) stated on Wednesday that the
four men, Thomas and George 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 irodrefiner 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
brceien 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 —ln 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 sh.ould 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. He said to me " This is a bad job, sir." He then
closed his eyes. About 7in 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. Ile 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. He 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•
sorters were then taken up two by two. He looked at each
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 them
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 Spoech-house, stated—On Monday, the 19th,
hesseenaed 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 caa't stand this, T shall die." He had a dis-
charge of blood from the ear, and he seemed relieved. At

another time the same day he to me, "If Guest had
come when I called him I shou'd 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 ;
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—l 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-houge,
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
know 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 Speeci.house. As
soon as we had the nets 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 Gwilliara, 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 ho 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.