The Sun.
London, England, 1826-12-12 00:00:00

THE. FETCHAM MURDERS.

Continuation of the 'evidenne against William Page, alias
Cobbler Will, and Mary Ayres, on &aspiciotl of having murdered
John Akehurst and Elizabeth Haines.

Robert Hall, the chief constable, examined.—On Tuesday, the
7th day of November last, I took the two pair of stretchers
(pincers), from some bumpers in the possession of the informant,
Thomas Watson, the constable of Weybridge, I fitted the largest
pair to the cuts on the night-caps of the deceased persons, and
found that the blows corresponded exactly with those cuts. I
was present at the examination of the two prisoners before the
'Magistrates at Union Hall on the 9th of November, and, upon
the small pair of stretchers being put down upon the table, Page
those stretchers are mine. I will swear to.them." . And
upon the large pair being put down before hiu►, prisoner drew
back, appeared much agitated,
.aarl, upon the Magistrate (Mr.
Chambers) saying to him "What do you say to those?" prisoner
said " they are not mine." I then said, " I took both out Of your
kit." Prisoner then said, "1 had three pair like them, hut I
can't say those (taking the large pair in his hand) are ►nine."
I had a pair like them, but how du I know who may have put
them there ?" A spot (apparently the mark of blood) was then
pointed out to the prisoner upon the large pair of stretchers.
The prisoner said, 4‘ If it is blood, the constable must have done
it." On the Ifith day of November I was at Fetcham church-
yard, and there saw the bodies of the deceased persons. I applied
one of the claws of the stretcher to the forehead of the deceased
Akehurst, and both the claws to the wounds in the back part of
the bead of the deceased Elizabeth Haines, and tOund them to
fit the wu►utds in every particular. The blow on the side of
Akelmrst's head also cone:Ton:led with the hammer part of the
stretchers.
John Orassn►ith examined—On the 7th of November last, I
apprehended the prisoner Page at the Bull public-house, at Pet-
chem. I searched him, awl found upon him the watch and
clasp knife produced. I asked the prisoner where be got the
watch?. He said he bought it of a person in the country, along
time ago, and that the knife was his. The next day (the Sth)
I went to. Uxbridge, and took from him a quantity of things in
the possession of Watson, the constable, the flannel jacket, and
in the course of the same day, I saw the informant Hall, take the
pincers also produced from the same things. There appears to be
blood on the jacket. The ruffs are either torn or roughly cut off,
and the pockets also. I think. the marks on the sleeves of the
jacket are from an open small hand. .1 have no doubt it is not
from a donkey's back, and there appears to be small spots of
blood round the wrist.

Thomas. Watson examined--I apprehended the prisoner Maty
Ayres on Saturday the 4:th of November iu Weybridge. I asked
her where she was going to.' She said she should go to Leather-

head and get a hed-thlti night. I'asked leer if her name was
Mary Ayres. She said, yea. .I said I sin an officer, and you
roust go with ins to Ketcham. She said she was glad of it.
• WITNESSES ON BEHALF OF THE PRNONERS.
Hobert Bignell examined—l left Page near Seven Thorns, at
Liphook.- 'On SlMlley •morning, the tith, prisoners came up with
us at Old Alreaford. 'On Weft*lay Morning I went 'up to Way-
hill by myself, and net Pao coming down towards Andover,
riding on his gray pony. I did not see the prisonere again until
the Tuesday.following, at 401iilmry fair, where we tented toge-
ther in a chalk-pit, and toontetirues met at differeticfaira, until -we
met at Marlow. We got there on Sunday night; the little girl
from podalming and Alary Ayres went into Matlow, end when
she came hack she was, crying. Page asked her what was the
Matter with her, and idle said " Worse new* than ever—her
grandfather was murdered." We wet a man, .whn.said, " Will,
Will, I am glad to see you," and called him on one side ; and I
heard Page say, " I have heard of it before." And, as we were
coining back, we met another man, who said, " I suppose you
have heard what lam going to tell you." Page said,. " I don't
know what, it is yet." The man then *aid that Mary Ayres's
grandfather was murdered. Page said, " I have been told of it
by a chimney-sweep and three girls," and if they wanted him they
Must come after him, as he should not put himself out of the way
about it, for he should go to another fair or two, and work round.
The first man said that there was 20/. reward to take him, and
that he had. hoard there was Mg - Page said " They are paid
for looking after me, and they must find me." I told hint that,
if.l was in his place, I would-clear up my points before I would
lay under the scandal of such a thing, for it is in the mouth of
every person we meet. • Page said he sheuld work his way to
Qakingliam fair, .and then Mary and he should go over to her
mother's, and know the rights of it.
Mary Pipe% said—On the Tuesday evening that we arrived
at Weyhill fair, I and Elizabeth Morly went into the fair, and
met Mary Ayres.atul Lucy together. Mary asked Morly where
she bad been all day? She replied she had been with us. Mary
said, suppose I should he obliged to go or fly away a hundred.
Mike in the night, where should 1 find you? I made answer and
eithi, that it was not very likely that she should go away in the
night. On Wednesday night I went to the fair with Morly. I
saw the prisoners there. Murly told me that she had drank with
Page at the Star. -On Thursday night, I went into the fair after
tee, but did not see the prisonersthere. We stopped at the fair
until Monday following, , end on Tuesday met the prisoners near
Salishitry, and tented together in a chalk pit. On Friday even-
ing I was at Waybill fair, but did not sat the prisoners there. I
heard when at Marlow, the report of the murders, anW heard
Page say, " it is well known
.it was not us, s we were miles
enough off at the time." I saw Lucy several times at Waybill fair,
but I did not see Mary Ayres after Wednesday night. I did not
see Page after Wednesday nig'at at fair, and then he had
a lug stick in his great coat pocket. Mary Ayres said, on the
night she Cams home front Madow,, when she heard of the mur-
den, that there was a clock and a feather-bed in the house of her
grandfather which belonged to her, and that they could pot do
her out of them ; that they could not hell the house without her
consent ; that she would take care that she would not give her
Fonsent, but that her Mother might go and live there if she liked,
find she' dared to say' he would.
George Coleman examined.—l left Weybill 'on Friday night,
d went on to Mathborough that night. At Marlborough I saw
fighting with au Irishman, on a Sunday morning. After
the fight was over, the Irishman went away. Page had on the
same jacket whilst fighting that he has on semv.
Elisabeth Morly,—The first time I WV the prisoners was at
iant Eghant races; and neat at Calm ine Ilill.faii., and continued
ravelling with them to Weyhill. We. reached Andover on Sun.
lay night ;' on Monday Wonting we walked to rt` lane near Way.
ill. I slept in their (Pages) tent on Monday night ; pri-
oneriquerrelled, because prisoner (Mary Ayres) and I went ROWn
t.)
ito the town together. FannyßigneWand I went into the fair in the
/evening : Mary Ayres and Lucy were standing together ; Mary
paid to me, "You are a pretty 'creature, an't youwhere have you
;been alt day ? Suppose any think should happen that 1 Vika
!forced to go or fly a hundred miles away in the night, white shOillil
it know where to find you ; and where you have been to-tiny
iyou may go to-13ight...yatCwill neither do yourself any good
Ina nobody else. I continued with Fanny and Bignell thir-
!ing Salisbury Fair.. We all went towards Devizes ; they went
I", and we stopped at a public-house. We went on together on
Sunday as far as Marlow, where we tented together on Sunday
'night; 1, Pne, smith Mary,-walked into , the town together ,- on
t-eturning, we met a young woman, who spoke to. Mary, and she
told me the young woman had told her,- that tome permit had
killed her grandfather anti the old woman. Mary liiiist 'into'
tears. I asked the young woman' if it was true, and AP told me
it was, and repeated the worth, over again, and said Mary and:
Will weie suspected. ' ' When Mary Ayres came horne tat the
tent, she opened the tent-cloth and horst out a crying, she be-
gan unlacing. her 'boots. paiti asked hei. what ,was the niatter ;
she made answer that some one had been killing her grandfither
and the old woman. Page said, never mind, girl, come into bed,