The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-09 00:00:00

THE striv, :LONDON, WEDNESDAY E VENI NG, OCTOBER 9., 1861.

whom be had been employed at Easton's, Pilgrim-
street. ( q
The witnesses, chair-makers, named MgDonald
andllodds, were sent for, and the case proceeded.
Thomas Hand, musicseller, who was, unable to
attend at the Coroner's inquiry, was now called and
deposed to seeing the prisoner come up from be-
hind and thrust a knife into Mr. Frater's neck.

.The prisoner, who had been standing with his
back to the Court, suddenly turned round and said,
—Gentlemen, in olden times, when we used to put
a knife into any man, the blood ran down his
clothes. Now, he says it spirted up, and I want to
ask him that.

The Mayor—He did not say anything about that.
Prisoner—You've nothing to do with it, my good
man. (Uproar.)
,Mr. Blackwell (to witness)—You never saw any
man stabbed before ?
-Witness—No.
The prisoner repeated his question.
The Bench—He gives no opinion upon it.
Witness (to prisoner)—l will not answer you.
Prisoner—Then you go out. (To Bench)—Yon
must mark him out of the roll.

The Mayor—He will be dealt with.
Prisoner (turning to the court)—What are those
persons whispering to him for ?
The Mayor—You will have an opportunity of
examining him.
Prisoner—Hold your tongue, you old wife. Do
you imagine I am a fool because I've working
clothes upon my back. (Sensation.)
Dr. Septimus W. Rayne was' then called, and
reiterated the evidence given by him before the
coroner. Upon stating that Mr. Frater expired
about seven minutes after :the wound was inflicted,
The prisoner remarked, " Hear, hear—go on Mr.
Rayne, you are doing very well."
Mr. Main—Do you think the deceased could have
been saved by any aid whatever ?
Witness—No, sir, not if everything had been
upon the spot.
The Mayor interrupted him, and observed that
the questions were irrelevant to the cage.
The magistrates committed him for trial at the
next assizes, on a charge of wilful murder.

Prisoner---Decidedly. Of course I appoint as
well as. you. .
He was then removed,. and on making his ap-
pearance in the street was received with a perfect
ovation of hissses.

TILE CONFESSION OF THE W 00D-

LANDS .111UR.DER.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES.

• FROME, TUESDAY.
This morning the soldier, Joseph Seer, was again
brought up at the police-court for re-examination
on the charge, on his own confession, of having, in
September, 1851, murdered Sarah Watts.
It having been announced that ' evidence of a
very important nature would be forthcoming, con-
siderable excitement was manifested in the town.
Long before the arrival of the prisoner groups lined
the road to the station, and the court-room was
filled quite an hour before noon.
The prisoner was brought from Stephen Mallet
Gaol in the custody of Police-constable Watts. He
appeared somewhat paler than on Tuesday last,
otherwise there was no alteration in his demeanour.
The magistrates present were the Earl of Cork
(chairman), Dr. Harrison, and Zr. Sinkins. The
chief constable of the county was present.
Superintendent Deggan said—Since the Ist inst.
I have made further inquiry into the case, and I am
now in a position to produce evidence which will
lead to the identification of the prisoner, and to his
having been in this town at the time of the murder.
James Payne, an old man, said—l live in Broad-
, street, Frome, and am a cooper. I know the prisoner
Seer from his childhood. I well remember the mnr-
-1 der of Sarah Watts. .I knew the prisoner when he
was a baby. I knew him in childhood, and I knew
him in manhood. I lived near him—a quarter of a
mile off. When he was about seven years old he
lived in a lane called Birched-lane, in a house built
by Samuel King. After he was seven years of age
I missed him for some years. I saw him and knew
him at different times during his life, but I cannot
mind when it exactly was. The last time I saw him
before the murder was in Badcox (Frome), where
he wished me " Good morning." That was about
three weeks before the Woodlands murder took
place—between the Ship and the Sun. I should not
have known him if he had not.spoken. I looked
round and wished him the, rams. I then gaidto
him, " That's Seer." I said, " How are you, Sz er P"
He said, "I am pretty well ; I hope you are the
same." I did not see him again—the murder was
don.e on a Wednesday—till the Saturday week
niter. I went into the Castle Inn, Frorne, that
evening, to find my wife. I found my wife there
selling some lace—she was a lacemaker by trade.
When 1 found she was there, I saw she was selling
some lace to a girl I called Maria Staff. I never
knew her name. At that time Seer came into the
room. He brought in a pint of beer. He was quite
intoxicated in beer. My wife and Maria Staff were
talking about the murder that took place in the
Woodlands. Seer then, after hearing this discourse,
stood up and said he had done all he could do with
the woman, and then he murdered her because he
should never be found out. Well, I should have told
of it at the time, but my wife persuaded me that I
should be murdered if ever I should tell of it. I
said to Seer, " If ever I should see you in Frome
any more, I shall have you taken up if you don't
give yourself up ;" but he gave hinieelf up, for I
saw him. My wife has been dead two years coming
December. I wish she was living. Immediately
after this took place I left the Castle Inn, and told
Seer I would go out and get a constable. My wife
then ran after me, and caught me three or lour
yards before I came to Mr. Nicholl's who was at
that time a constable. My wife said, "Ifso as you
do tell of it, you will be .murdered as sure as you be
born."

By the Bench—l did net know the girl's name.
She travelled about with her mother buying lace.
I have seen her several times since. I saw her three
years come Christmas. I called her Maria Staff,
because she came from Staffordshire. She always
' stopped at my house when bhe came to Frome. Her
mother did not stop at, my house. I cannot men-
tion one in Promo wtio know the girl. I did not
think the people at the Castle knew her. My wife
was a laceinaker arced used to sell lace to this girl.
There was.no orAe in the room besides this girl, her
mother, my wife, Seer, and myself. No waiter
was the at the time. This was between six
and se-,,en. o'clock, and the house was not then full.
I do not know, I cannot say, that any one of my
wife's acquaintance knew the girl, for she did not
stop:at my home more than one night at a time.
The Chairman—Do you wish to ask the witness
any question, Seer ?

Prisoner (touching his forelock)—No, sir.
The Chairman (to the witness)—You have lived
in Frome many years, and you knew that there were
persons tried for this murder.
Witness—l have lived in Frome 40 years. I told
my wife when Frome Bob was taken up that I
would tell about it. She told me if I did she would
murder me. I never know that Promo Bob was
tried for it.
During the examination jot' the witnesses, the
prisoner frequently smiled, but made no other mani-
festation.
Mrs. Edgell said—l live at Prospect-buildings,
Bath, and remember the time of the Woodlands
murder. Some days after the murder—before
I had beard of it—a man came to my house
to ask for assistance. He appeared very agitated.
His thumb was scratched, and! he had a scratch
on the left side of his forehead. He said he came
from Frome, tend had been to Bristol to try to get
a ship, and was going to London to try to get em-
ployment or go for a soldier. He appeared to have
been drinking, but was not tipsy. I cannot say
that the prisoner is the man. The man was stouter,
and hi.s hair was lighter, but he he was about the I
saint height as the prisoner. I observed that his
thumb was bound up. I asked him what was the
/Latter with it. He seemed in great agitation, and
said he had hurt it. Ido not say the prisoner is not
the man. I gave him some relief. Ido not exactly re-
member how he was dressed, but he had on either a
dirty white jacket or a smock-frock and a cap. If
I had heard of the murder I certainly should have
had the man taken up on suspicion. We were
then at 13, Friar's Bellevue, Bath. He
the height of the prisoner, with rep-ad features
..Ws.'a aout
—not unlike the prisoner. It w-ds betwee„ix
and seven o'clock in the ererrin
The scratch on hi:s g, and it was
forehead was two or
three days old, I renle.m/.:Ar. I am not able to
identify the prisoner as the man, hat I am not
satisfied that he is Lir
jr.
The Superinte.:
thumb, ndent said—With regard to the
der a bloo.d--
I wish. to state that at the time of the mur-
i thumb-mark was found on the wall.
The Pr.isoner said he had no question to ask the
witne7a.
4.obert Hurd, alias "Frame Bob," 6re volunteered
o give evidence. At the suggestion of Mr. Crutt-
well, the clerk, Hurd communicated to the superiu-
tendent what he had to say.
The Superintendent said what Hurd had to say
would not be evidence now, but it might lead to im-
portant results.
James Vallis said—l am a shoemaker, living at
Is.eyford. I know the prisoner. I saw
him three
say
He
uncle lived. I direset
hspoewiceinatnoy_it him several years ago. I cannot
Weeks ago. I saw
poke to him
mayea bheunfivetoori ivnooordelayn:asr.s
Aagiro..
and asked to know where his
HaredPpeared very reluctant. to say any-
uTnhti,s ofly
iltineeysfsmo
thing.
Len Atepped vim five 'ears

next December the p,isoner amp" to He is
distantly related tome. had not seen him till
that time since he was taken to London after his
mother ran away and left him.
Whore being no further evidence to bo produced,
the chief constable applied for a remand.
After some consultation, the prisoner was re-
manded till Saturday next.

sothething to cause a miscarriage. I told her
that I wished to know the truth, when she
charged me not to tell anybody. She said that
she had been to Mr. Vale, of Henry-street, Lime-
house-causeway, and she added that her husband
had persuaded. her to go. I said he must be a
strange man to do that. She said that Mr. Vale
had used an instrument, with teeth in it, and opened
with a spring at the end. She said that Mr. Vale
was to have a half guinea for his services. She
said that she had been twice to Mr. Vale's
house, on which occasions he had used the
instruments. She said that her husband
had been the instigation of her going to Mr. Vale,
and I " biowed her up for going." Mr. Vale called
on the Saturday before the deceased died, and she
was then delirious. My opinion is that the deceased
has died from the use of instruments.

After the examination of several witnesses,
Dr. Corner, of Mile-end-road, stated that he was
called on Sunday morning last to the deceased,
whom he found suffering great pain over the bowels,
&c., but she aied on the following morning. He
had since made a post-mortem examination of the
body. The membranes of thebrain were rather con-
gested_ The lungs, chest, and other organs healthy,
excepting that the heart was thin. There were
three indistinct marks upon the mouth of the womb
which might have been the result of puncture by the
instrument referred to, but the exciting cause of
inflammation was most likely from Hueli punctures,
in the absence of any other known cause.
The Coroner then called Mr. Vale, the surgeon,
into th© room, when he cautioned him in the usual
form.

Mr. Vale made a long rambling statement, and
denied the allegations made against him. lie said
that ho had never used any instruments upon the
deceased.

The Coroner summed up the whole of the facts,
when

The jury unanimously agreed to a verdict of
Wilful murder against Benjamin Vale and Wil-
liam Garrett, for killing and slaying Eliza Garrett."
The Coroner then made out his warrant for the
Committal of the accused, who were placed in a cab
and conveyed to Newgate by Mr. John Smith, the
summoning officer of Bethnal-green, to await their
trial at the-ensuing sessions of the Central Criminal
Court. •

The prisoners when they left were greeted with
loud hooting and yelling.

THE ALLEGED JVCIRDER OF 4 CAP-

TAIN ON THE HIGH SEAS.?

PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE EXTRADITION
ACT.

Mr. Darker, the chief clerk in the office of the
American Consul, waited on Mr. Corrie, at the
Bow-street Police-court, in order to reau.est that a
time might be 'fixed for the examination of William
Henry Hawkins, a man of colour, late steward of
the American merchant vessel the Lammergier, in
custody of the police on a charge of murdering his
captain, William Henry Adams, on the high seas.
The vessel, it appeared, sailed from London on
Saturday, 21st Sept., and the murder was alleged to
have been committed on Sunday, 29th Sept., in the
Channel. The mate took the command of the ves-
sel, and put back to Loudon, where the man was
given in custody of the Thames Police, and was
taken before Mr. Selfe, the sitting magistrate at the
Thames Police Court, on Thursday last. Mr. Selfe
was of opinion that the matter was out of English
jurisdiction, being more than three leagues from
the shore, and therefore decided that the case must
he proceeded with under the Extradition Act. Ac-
cordingly an extradition warrant had been obtained,
and the police were prepared to bring him before
this court. In all cases under the Extradition Act
it was necessary that the proceedings should take
place at this court.
Mr. Corrie said he would take the case as seen as
the prisoner was brought before him.
Inspector Cox, of the Thames Police, who had at-
tended with Mr. Darker, subsequently proceeded to
the police station at Wapping, in order to fetch the
prisoner, who was ultimately brought up, and placed
at the bar shortly before 5 o'clock.
The prisoner, though stated to be a mulatto, is as
black as many full-blooded negroes.
The charge having :been stated to the prisoner,
the foliowin; depositions were taken :
Dennis James Stetson—l am the chief mate of
the ship Lammergier, of New York. I sailed in
that ship from London on the 21st of September
last, hound for Callao. On the 28th September, at
breakfast time—about eight o'clock—l and the
captain went into the cabin to breakfast. The pri-
soner, who was the steward, was present. The
captain found fault with him, and it ended by the
captain striking the steward. After breakfast I
spoke to the prisoner, and told him that the captain
was a strange man, and he had better not argue
the point with him. The prisoner said " I am a
strange man too, and no one on board knows me
yet." On Sunday morning, the 29th, I went on
deck about half-past seven. I saw the prisoner in
the, carpenter's shop. About 10 minutes to nine
o'clock I went to the captain's state room and
knocked at the door several times, calling out,
" Captain Adams." I could hear him breathing, but
received no answer. I returned on deck, and in
about 10 minutes went back again, and again
knocked and called, but receiving no answer I went
into the state room, which was dark. I put my hand
on the captain's shoulder, shook him and called him,
but received no answer. I then went on deck and
saw blood on my hand where I had touched the
captain. I then called the second mate and the car-
penter, had the blinds of the state room opened, and
then went into the state room with me. I then saw
the captain lying upon his back, and a wound upon
the right side of his head, from which the brains
protruded. He was not at that time dead, but he
died at 20 minutes past 10 o'clock. The prisoner was
put in irons. None of the crew were in or about the
cabin whilst I had charge that morning, and when
all hands were called aft they all came except the
prisoner, who did not come till ho was called by
name. When he was put in irons he made no objec-
tion, and did not say anything. I afterwards re-
ceived from the carpenter an axe, which was wet at
the time.
Cross-examined by the prisoner—lt was about
two minutes after the crew came before you came.
Vim did not answer wheu first the men were called
aft. The cook came aft before you did.
John Henry Myers—l am second mate of the
ship Larnmergier, of New York. I sailed in that
ship on the 21st September, bound to Callao, Peru.
Wm. Henry Adams was captain. On the 28th, at
breakfast time, I was in the cabin with the carpen-
ter and the prisoner. The prisoner said to me, "It
is the first time I ever was struck on board an Ame-
rican ship." lie Added that he had been many years
a steward, and that he would give ue all a chance to
get back again to London. I told him if he had any
threats to make he had better do so out of my hear-
ing, and I advised hi,m, V4hatever he did, not to com-
mit himself. On SuntilgY morning, the 29th, I had
charge of the watch fr%.-m four to eight o'clock.
6 o'clock. I called
The captain went below an',°net,
.came out on deck,
the mate abont half-past 7. 1213
call the captain.
and after cleaning' himself went Is.'
At half-past Bhe came to me and 84: id he could not
wake the captain, anci that he (the eelPtain) was
breathing heavily. At 10 minutes to 9 .he. again
went to the captain's cabin. I saw him go a-n, and
he tried to wake the captain. The room at .this
time was dark, as the shutters were closed. Whael
the chief mate came out I saw blood on his hand,
and he said " My God, the captain is all over blood."
We then called the carpenter, got the shutters open,
and all three went into the room. I saw the cap-
tain lying upon his back, his head on one side, and
a wound in it from which the brains protruded.
He was still alive, there being a gurgling in his
throat. I said "My God, the captain is murdered.
Call all !lands aft." All hands came aft, and I then
called the prisoner and put him in irons, and the
crew were IZormed of what had occurred. We
were at this time 12 miles from the Start Point at
sea. The vessel's ceeLrse was then altered, and we
returned to London. lkrns.ne of the crew could pos-
sibly obtain admittance into the cabin without the
knowledge of the officer of the w?tch, but the
about im and
pri-
soner slept in the cabin, and I saWte up
between 7 and 8 that morning.
John Miller—l am carpenter on board Pe Lam-
mergier, and sailed in her from London on Leila 21st
September. On the 28th I and the second nnate
breakfasted together in the cabin, after the captain.'
and chief mete. The prisoner spoke to the second
mate, and I heard him say that he had had words
with the captain, and that he would give us all a
chance to get out of her (the ship). In the after-
noon I was down between decks, and I asked the
prisoner what the disturbance had been between
him and the captain. He told me that the quarrel
was about the breakfast, and that the captain had
struck him; that it was the first captain that had
ever stre7ll him, and that he (the prisoner him-
self) would he d the last man the captain would_ ever
strike. He adder. " I will cut his G
V or tho first time I have a
g-- out before supper,
"1 him." The prisoner
m 111
chance. lam bound to kin. ore to C. The
then went on deck, and said ii - tittle before six
next morning I saw the prisoner a . -- me to my
o'clock, and about half-past six he es. 'ere the
room, which is in a house upon the deck bee. es
main hatch. Ho appeared a good deal excited, -
if from drinking. He asked if I was a freemason,
and told me ho had the first degree of freemasonry,
and if I would give it him, he would try me ; and
added that he wanted me to stick to him as a
brother. I said, " All {right, steward ; so long as
you act as a brother, I will act as a brother to you."
He naked me if I ever drank anything, and said
he would give me some whisky. He then went
Int int returned ill II phut time and rowt 019703.