The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-26 00:00:00

DISCOVERY OF THE BODY OF

AN ATTEMPTED MURDERER.

BARNSTAPLE.—About tea months since an attempt
was made to murder the coachman of William Arun-
dell Yeo, Esq., high sheriff of the county, at Frem-
ington, about three miles from this town, at which
time a reward of 50/. was offered for the apprehension
of the suspected person ; but from the fact that no
tidings whatever had been gained of him, it was
supposed he had committed suicide by drowning,
which supposition was strengthened by the finding
of a pair of pistols at the mouth of Fremington
Pill, and within a. short distance from the scene
of the outrage. From what we can remember of
the circumstances at the time of the occurrence, it
appeared that John Lillycrap, who had been in Dr.
Yeo's service as coachman, for about ten years,
had been discharged therefrom on the 2d of
January last, from which time the situation had been
filled by William Symons, a young man about 25
years of age, who had been for several years in Dr.
Yeo's service. From the time of his discharge, Lilly-
crap appears to have entertained the determination to
be revenged on his successor, (who he believed had
been the means of procuring his discharge) and had
been heard to declare that he should never drive the
high sheriff. On Tuesday, the 19th of February, he
was at the George Inn at Barnstaple, which place he
left in the evening, saying he was going to Ilfracombe;
he had previously dispatched his boxes to Exeter. On
the same evening Dr. Yeo had been dining with
Captain Davie, at Newport, and had ordered the
carriage to be waiting at 10 o'clock, soon after which
time the carriage left Captain Davie's for Fremington,
driven by William Symons, and arrived shortly before
11. The coachman had just driven the carriage into
the coach-house, and was in the act of fastening the
doors, when he was fired at by some person, who at

the time must have been concealed in the shrubbery,
close by. The shot took effect in the neck, and but
for the timely assistance of Dr. Yeo, there is but little
doubt that the wound would have proved fatal ; he
was shortly afterwards removed to the North Devon
Infirmary, where he soon recovered, and was enabled
to perform the duties pertaining to his situation.
Nothing, however, has been heard of Lillycrap, and
it has generally been supposed that it being high
water about the time he would have reached the river,
he had committed suicide by drowning, and the body
had been carried out to sea ; but on Wednesday last,
G. H. Marsack, Esq., and his son, Capt. Marsack,
were shooting on Yelland Marsh, in the parish of
Fremington, where they discovered the body, with-
out head or arms. They immediately gave infor-
mation to James Dobb, hind to Dr. Yeo, and
some men having found it, at once removed it to
the New Inn, at Fremington, where an inquest was
held on the same day, before Richard Brembridge,
Esq., M.P., and a verdict of " Found drowned."
The coroner ordered the money and watch to be kept
under seal until the arrival of deceased's relatives.
It is understood that he has a sum of 2001. in the sav-
ings bank at Barnstaple, which could not he reco-
vered until the death of the depositor could be proved.
There was found in his boxes, which he had for-
warded to Exeter, the sum of 701., besides other pro-
perty. Deceased was 42 years of age, and was about
to be married shortly after the time at which he de-
stroyed himself. It is somewhat singular that the
body must have been in the position in which it was
found for nearly three weeks, as the tide had not since
that time been sufficiently high to have left it there.—
Devonport Independent.