The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-05 00:00:00

THE CHESHIRE GAME MURDER--
COMMITTAL OF TWO MEN.

The examinaticn of the six men charged with
being concerned in the murder of Jas. Beech and
fhos. Maddocks, gamekeepers, in the employ of
Mr. H. Akroyd, I)oddington, in Nov. last, has at
length, after a protracted series of adjournments,
resulted in the committal, by the Rev. J. Folliott,
of the two prisoners' John Danks and. R. Boulton,
for wilful murder. The whole of the examinations
have been conductedwith closed doors, an d whether
this has served to promote the ends of justice is a
question which admits of great doubt. The coroner's
court has been held four times ; three were open,
the last closed. Little evidence of importance was
adduced at the first three, material witnesses being
withheld by the magistrate. The final adjourned
inquest took place on Saturday last, at the Boar's
[Rad, Walgherton, befoi a Mr. H. Churton, coroner
for the district. Although the public and the re-
presentatives of the press were excluded, yet the
latter found no difficulty in obtaining from the wit-
nesses who were examined a knowledge of the
whole case. _ _ _

Of the four prisoners charged with being con-
cerned in the murder, two, named Malkin and
Oakes, give very important evidence against the two
charged with the murder, which evidence is corro-
borated to some extent by others not implicated.
Early on Sunday morning, the 28th Nov., the pri-
soners assembled together, and on setting their
nets in one field, immediately caught four hares;
the party then separated, three—Danks, Boulton,
and Oakes, being the only men with guns—enter-
ing a wood, while the remainder went round it to
await their return. On entering the wood, Oakes,
seeing a bird, shot it; and then he says he was pro-
ceeding to load his gun when he heard an alarm
given that there were keepers approaching. He
then threw himself into a ditch, and immediately
he heard one gun fired and then another from the
direction in which Danks and Boulton had gone.
He remained in the ditch for some time, during
which he heard one of the poachers captured ; re-
membered their conversation, heard the keepers
send for a cart and the cart arrive, and when the
bodies had been carried away he went to Boulton's
house. This witness bears a very bad character, and
has been tried for murder. In respect to his evidence
Boulton makes a direct contradiction. He (Boulton)
says, that when they entered the wood, and Oakes
fired, he handed Oakes his double-barrelled gun,
that Oakes then went after another bird, and while
he was separated from them they heard the watchers
—that some one fired a gun, who he does not know,
that a second gun was then fired, and then he and
Danks ran away. The gamekeeper, who lived a few
hours after being shot, described the murderers as
a tall and a little man, and Danks is a little man,
Boulton being the taller of the two, while Oakes is
a short man.

Malkin, another of the poachers, in evidence
stated that immediately after the fracas, he went to
Boulton's house, where he met with one or more men
and that on boulton's arrival, he asked him whether
they had shot the dogs, whereupon he replied, " No,
but the men ; Danks shot first, and then I shot, and
I was sorry the moment I did it." This witness
also bears a notoriously bad character, and has
been convicted of various offences. With respect
to the evidence against Danks, one man, a relation,
affirms that he, with several 'others, was awaiting
Danks' return, and when he came he said to those
present, " You'd better go, the police will be here
directly." The witness then went upstairs with
Danks, when he said, " I believe I've shot a man,
and Boulton too."

Against the whole of the witnesses, Danks and
Boulton, while the jury were lunching, expressed
themselves with great bitterness. Boulton cursed
Malkin very vehemently, and said that Oakes had
crept out of two murders, and wanted to put them
in for the third. Both the prisoners conducted
themselves with great effrontery, talking and laugh-
ing with their friends, and telling most indecent
anecdotes of the obnoxious witnesses.
Danks and Boulton were committed on the
coroner's inquisition for wilful murder, and were
lodged in Chester Castle on Monday afternoon.

THE CHARGE OF SETTING FIRE TO A
HOUSE AT WANDSWORTH.

Annie Collyer, who was charged last week at the
Wandsworth Police-court with setting fire to her
master's house, at West Hill, Wandsworth, was yes-
terday re-examined. On the last occasion only one
witness was examined, and she stated that five sepa-
rate fires had occurred in the house in one day, the
28th ult. This witness was a young woman named
Cotterell, residing opposite the house in which the
fire took place, and which was occupied by Mr.
Mellor, a gentleman 85 years of age. There were
no other persons living in the house except Mr.
Mellor and the prisoner.
Mr. Haynes defended the prisoner.
Mr. Thos. Richard Chidley said he was a mer-
chant, and resided four doors from Mr. Mellor's.
He was going down West Hill, when he heard the
alarm of fire. He heard some person knock loudly
at the door, and when he got up the door was open.
Mr. Mellor was standing at the door at the time.
Witness went up stairs and saw some garments
behind the door of Mr. Mellor's bedroom on fire.
The door was also on fire. There was a jug of water
in the room, and he threw the contents over the
flames. Mr. Mears also came into the room, and
they both saw that the fire was thoroughly extin-
guished. He then left the house, and about twenty
minutes afterwards there was another alarm of fire.
He ran in, and saw that the adjoining room was on
fire. Previous to his leaving the first time he went
into that room, and he saw no appearances of fire.
Witness saw the prisoner in the kitchen at that
time, and remarked to her that the breaking out of
these fires was very strange, and she accounted for
them by saying that Mr. Mellor was in the habit
of using flannels in bed, and that he himself aired
them before the fire, and that she supposed one of
them had caught fire and he had thrown it on the
bed. She appeared very much excited, but he could
not say from what cause.
In cross-examination, the witness said he took
the jug of water hiMself from the basin. The pri-
soner did not give it him, as she was down stairs.
Mr. Wm. Mears, a builder, living next door, gave
similar evidence.

.Frane:s Payue, 88 V, said that on the alarm
being given he went to the place •and saw flames
issuing from the up stairs room window,
which he afterwards ascertained belonged to the
prisoner's room. There were several men assist-
ing in getting the furniture out, and he also.
assisted. He afterwards saw Taylo, , another con-
stable, and some others forcing Mr. Mellor from
the house. He was taken to witness's home oppo-
site, where he remained for some time. He saw
the prisoner in the road, and she was decidedly the
worse for liquor. From what he afterwards heard
he took the prisoner into custody. This was about
twenty minutes to four o'clock. He told her the
charge, and she said, " I did not do it. lam inno-
cent." She also said she would go anywhere with
him, as her conscience was clear, but she did not
wish the people to see that she was a prisoner.
Mr. Ingham inquired if Mr. Mellor was present.
Payne said he was not. He did not think he
was in a fit state to be examined from his age and
infirmities. The witness then said he afterwards
found a writing-desk at one the houses where some
of the furniture had been taken. In the desk he
found two promissory notes, drawn by Mr. Mellor
in favour of the prisoner. They were dated the
24th of February, 1858, and one was for £2O, and
the other for £3O. He was about to explain what
Mr. Mellor had said about them, when

Mr. Haynes objected, as he thought it was not
right to receive any statement made by Mr. Mellor;
whose intellect was said to be unsound.

The witness then said he found a gold buckle in
the desk, and a linen stamper with the name of
Annie Collyer upon it.
By Mr. Haynes—When be saw the prisoner in
the crowd, the fire was nearly out. The prisoner
has claimed the desk. He did not know that she
had said that her things were destroyed by the
fire. She asked him if anything had been seen of
a gold watch and chain. lie asked her if she was
aware that she had the promissory notes. She
said " Yes," and then told him she had received £5O
for a railway accident, and that her master had the
money. She also said that the money had since
been paid to her father, and her master ordered her
to destroy the notes : but she had neglected to
do so.

William Taylor, the other summoning officer of
the court, said he accompanied Payne to the fire.
He saw Mr. Mellor endeavouring to go up stairs,
and he told him to remain down, as he would get
burnt if he went up. He said he wanted to go up
stairs for his shoes, and witness was obliged to use
violence to get him down and out of the house. He
afterwards saw the prisoner at Payne's house, and
she was the worse for liquor.
The young woman who first gave evidence wcs
then cross-examined by Mr. Haynes, but nothing
additional was elicited.

In answer to questions by Mr. Ingham, she said
Mr. Mellor opened the door to her in the morning.
He was:sitting in the parlour. On the second
occasion, when the prisoner called her over, Mr.
Mellor was out and walking in the town. He re-
turned when witness and her father were there.
When they left he was in the parlour. When she
went the third time she could not say where he
was. She believed he was in the parlour. She did
not see him at the third fire.

Mr. Ingham here said he thought he ought to F. e e
Mr. Mellor.

Payne said he could fetch him in a few minutes,