The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-16 00:00:00

SHOCKING MURDER IN DRUIEI'•

CO URT.

Yesterday about three o'clock a shocking murder was
discovered to have been perpetrated at No. 10, Drury-court,
Strand ; the unfortunate victim being a little girl about 11
years of age, named Mary Ann Reeves, and the murderer,
it is supposed her brother, Richard Reeves, a lad of 17.
The unfortunate child, it appears, on account of the out-
do -)r occupation of her parents, was usually left in charge
of the younger children, and early yesterday she was
seen in the court. Towards the middle of the day she was
nowhere to be found, and inquiries after her were set on
foot. A number of the companions of the poor little
child, searched about the neighbourhood, but without
success. Two boys named Carney and Lynes were
also engaged in the search, and when near
St. Clement Dane's Church, the brother, who had been
walking with them, told them it was no use looking about
for his sister, and directed them to go home and tell his
(Reeves's) father that he had strangled his sister in the
coal cellar, and that he intended to drown himself. The
lads, horrified with this intelligence, ran to the residence of
the lather, who was found in a state of intoxication in his
room on the second floor, and quite incapable to understand
anything that was communicated to him. As soon as the
other parties in the house heard the message young Reeves
had sent home they proceeded to the cellar, and there the
poor child was found quite dead, with a piece of rope
tied tightly round her neck. In a short time after the dis-
covery of the murder, Mr. Allfrey, of King's College Hos-
pital, arrived, and he pronounced life to have been extinct
about four hours. The police took possession of the house,
and Rogers, 17 F, despatched a brother constable to the
station in Bow-street, in order that steps might be taken
for the apprehension of the lad Reeves. The father has
for years been employed by the tradesmen of Covent-garden
market in mending selves and baskets, and the lad usually
helped him in his occupation. Young Reeves is so well
known in the neighbourhood, that it is almost im-
possible for him to elude the vigilant search that is
now being made after him. He appears to be
a person of the most vindictive disposition, as but a few
days ago he attacked his mother with a knife, and very
severely injured her.

N o motive can at present be ascribed for the perpetration
of the dreadful crime.

The discovery of the murder has occasioned the greatest
exuttement in tne crowded neignoourhood of Drury Lau..
About half-past four the police succeeded in apprehend-
ing the lad Reeves in Carey-street, Lincoln-inn-Fields. On
being taken to the station-house, he made a statement,
which leaves no doubt of his guilt. A photograph of the
prisoner was found in his father's room, which was at once
taken possession of by the police, and no doubt facilitated
his capture. He is diminutive ;in stature, and has the ap-
pe3rance of not being over fourteen years of age.

EXAMINATION AT BOW-STREET (THIS DAY).
The prisoner was placed at the bar of Bow-street Police-
court this morning, before Mr. Corrie, when
Mr. Burnaby, the chief clerk, read the charge against
him, which was, that he, Richard Reeves, of 10, Drury-
court, was charged with wilfully murdering Mary Ann
Reeves, aged 10 years, by strangling her with a rope.
The first witness called was the prisoner's mother, Mary
Reeves. She said—l reside at 10, Drury-court. I last
saw my daughter alive about 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
Her name was Mary Ann Reeves. I saw her last night;
she was then dead. The prisoner is my son-in-law. I
married his father, and I have had the care of him since
he was seven years of age. The little girl Mary Ann was
my own daughter.
Mr. Burnaby—Do you ask your mother-in-law any
questions ?
Prisoner—No; I ask her nothing.
John Lynes—l reside at No. 7, Drury-court, I have
been porter at an hotel. I know the prisoner. About ten
minutes to two I was standing at a lamp-post at the end of
Drury-court, when the prisoner came up and said he had
lost his little sister, and he asked me and Wm. Carney to
take a walk down the Strand to find her. We agreed to do
so, and went as far as the Pillars, opposite St. Clement's
Church, when he told us it was no use looking any further
for her, and said I was to go home and tell his father that
if he wanted Mary Ann he had strangled her, and that he
would find her in the coal cellar. The prisoner then left us,
when I and Carney ran to the house of the prisoner's father.
I saw the father, who was tipsy, and told him what Reeves
had said. The father stopped at the trap at the entrance
of the cellar, but did not go down the trap. I did so.
Mr. Darkin here explained that the cellar formed a por-
tion of the back kitchen ; when the trap door was raised,
any person descending had to drop into the place.
Witness continued—l went down and found the body of
somethe
all oloyailnog pnuheorn
othh
ee
ecko. a l sI qtuo iotek dt
he
ea d
b.
dTyh eurpe
awnads
carried it as far as the trap-door, when I gave it to Mrs.
James and Mrs. Griffiths. As soon as I got up Carney and
myself ran off to King's College Hospital.
Mr. Burnaby—Tell the magistrate 'whether there was
anything round the child's neck when you found her.
Witness—Oh, yes. There was a piece of clothes line.
The rope produced is like it.

Mr. Corrie—Do you wish to ask the witness any ques-
tions ?

Prisoner—No, sir.

William Carney—l reside at 7, Drury-court, and am a
carpenter's labourer. I have known the prisoner some
time. I also knew the deceased. I recollect seeing the
prisoner in Drury-court, I was with Lynes about two
o'clock. I said to prisoner " Hallo, Dick, let's go and
look for your little sister." We all three went up the court,
and when we got to St. Clement's Church prisoner turned
round and said, "It's no use going any further, Bill; if you
want to find my sister, tell my father he will find her in
the cellar, and that I have strangled her." He then went
away, and I and the last witness went to the father's place.
Mrs. James—l reside at 10, Drury-court. My husband
is a stage carpenter at Drury-lane. I know the prisoner
and the little girl. Yesterday morning, about half-past
nine, the little girl Mary Ann was last seen. About that
time I heard the prisoner call out, " Polly." She said,
"What is it you want ?" He said, "Bring me the keys
of the back place down." She said, " Dick, I don't know
where they are." He said, "If you look on the table near
the back window you'll find them." Shortly after 1 heard
her say, "I've got 'em, Dick," and she went down stairs.
I did not hear her come upstairs. About ten o'clock I heard
Mrs. Reeves call out, " Polly, are you upstairs ?" I called
out, "No, she is not." I know she was missing about a
quarter to ten. I don't know anything more about the cir-
cumstance until the body of the poor child was handed up
from the cellar by the witness Lynes. I placed the body of
the child on a sofa which was in the front shop. The string
was tied tightly round the child's neck. There were two
running knots on the right-hand side of the child's neck.
The rope was here shown to witness, and she identified
it as the piece taken from the child's neck. The rope had
a loop at one end, through which the other had been passed,
forming, when pulled tightly, a large slip knot. I have
known the prisoner to quarrel with his sister about eating
the bread. I have also heard him threaten her.

Mr. Charles Henry Allfrey—l am at present house phy-
sician at King's College Hospital. I was fetched yesterday
by the two boys Lynes and Carney to No. 10, Drury-court,
there I found the dead body of a child. The rope was
handed to me, and I compared it with the mark on the
child's neck. It corresponded exactly, Death was clearly
caused by suffocation through strangulation. There were
no other marks of iolence on the body of the deceased.
Jemima Kedge, a girl about 18 years old, said—l live at
2, Chair-court, Ship •yard. I know the prisoner. Yester-
day morning, about 10 o'clock, he came to me and said
"I've murdered my sister." I said, I can't believe you've
done such a thing," and he said "Yes, I have." He after-
wards said " Where's Lizzy ?" I told him she was up
stairs. He asked me to go up stairs and tell her he wanted
her. She came down stairs, and he asked her if I had told
her anything—and he then said he had strangled his sister.
I was going out when he said, " Good bye, I shall see you
again about six." I was afraid to tell anybody what the
prisoner had said. About half-past 2he came to our place
again, and said, "I can't rest, so I've sent two chaps to
tel mother what I've done.
Mr. Burnaby—Do you wish to ask the witness any ques-
tions ?

Prisoner—No ; nothing.
Police-constable, F 96—Yesterday afternoon, about four
o'clock, I went in search of the prisoner. At about a quar-
ter to five, I saw him leaning on a post in Carey-street, at
the corner of Serle's-place. I went up to him, and putting
my hand on his shoulder, said, " I want you ;" he imme-
diately replied, " I know what for, I'll go with you—l did
it." I said " You are charged with the murder of your
sister, be cautious what you say, for what you tell me I
shall use in evidence." He then said again, " I did it ; she
aggravated me to it." I took him to the station, searched
him, and found a purse with three pawnbroker's duplicates
in it, nothing else.
Mr. Durkin said that was the whole of the evidence.
Mr. Corrie, addressing the prisoner, said you have heard
the evidence against you. I now have to ask you whether
you wish to say anything in answer to the charge, but be-
fore you do so, I have to caution you that what you do say
will be taken down in writing and used in evidence at your
trial.

Prisoner—l won't say nothing.
The witnesses were then bound over, and the prisoner
was fully committed for trial for wilful murder.
The prisoner was then removed.
During the whole of the examination he exhibited the
greatest carelessness, and seemed to treat the whole of the
proceedings with the greatest indifference. He is rather an
intelligent•looking lad, with a fair complexion and light
hair. He was dressed in a brown frock-coat, tweed waist-
coat, and corduroy trousers.
The crowd outside the police-court was very great.

The steam line-of-battle ship Massena, carrying
the flag of Rear-Admiral Jurien de la Graviere, left
Toulon on Tuesday for Oran, where she is to take on board
the 500 men of the 2d Regiment of Zouaves, who hold
themselves in readiness to embark. The steam frigates
Guerriere and Ardente left Brest on Tuesday for Marti-
nique, where the vessels of the French division for Mexico
are to assemble, All the troops and stores Wilt have left
by the Wt.