The Sun.
London, England, 1828-04-02 00:00:00

LENT ASSIZES.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—YORK, MancH 31.
William Dyon, aged 45, late of Morton Carr, in the
county of Lincoln, farmer, and John Dyon, aged 23, late
of Pilham Carr, in the said county of Lincoln, labourer,
were put to the bar, charged with the wilful murder of
John Dyon, late of Brancroft aforesaid, farmer, on the 16th
day of February last.
The prisoners, at half-past eight, entered the dock.
They did not appear dejected by their awful situation.
Mr. Sergeant JONES stated the case for the prosecution,
after which the following witnesses were examined :
John White--I was labourer in the service of the late
Mr. John Dyon. I was with the prisoner, William Dyon,
from Christmas before last to September last, at Morton
Carr, when I went to live with Mr. John Dyon. I was
recommended by the prisoner, William Dyon. I lived at
Partridge Hill, near Austerfield-lane, my master living at
13rancroft. I never saw Wm. Dyon at my master's house
until about a week before the death. I saw him on Friday
night week before the death. It was the next day week.
Ile was in my kitchen. I bad been in bed and asleep.
We generally go to bed between eight and nine o'clock. I
was lying awake, and beard a noise at the kitchen door. I
got up and went down stairs. My wife was asleep at the
time. I shouted " Hallo," and William Dyon answered
" Hallo, John," and I knew him by his tongue. I then
opened the door, and Wm. Dyon and John Dyon, the pri-
soners, were there. They had each a gun. One was a long
one, a duck gun, and the other a common one. I can't
say which had the long one. They came into the house,
and I asked them what they were doing on here ; they
said they were come a wild fowl shooting. I said there
were not any about here, and the old man said they were
net with that intent. I asked Mr. Dyon what they had
come for, and he asked me if our master was going to
Doncaster next day. I told him I had heard lie was not
going, and that he was not going. He then asked me if
he would go as on next Saturday week. 1 told him he
would-be ante to go as on next Saturday, for be never
missed a fortnight together. He asked me if they might
leave the guns there till they called again. I told them they
might leave them. He asked me if I would take care of
them, of any body seeing them, and I sail I would take care
of them. I asked them what was the reason for it ; and they
said they had conic with intent to make away with my master;
and 'asked them what was the reason for it ? They said my
master had gotten his and their property, and all together,
they could not bear it any longer. William Dyon said
this. They said they had come intending to make away
with him. They said they would give me 101. if I would
not tell. They said they should fall to Brancroft, and
would take the Partridge Hill farm, and I should live on
it, as long as I lived ; and therefore if I told any thing that
they told me, they would make away with me. They made
me promise that I wouldint tell, and I did promise. I
then went to bed and left them in the kitchen. I got up
next morning about five o'clock ; they were then gone, and
the kitchen door was enecked. I took the gnus into the
granary, and put some straw into the muzzles, and hid
them behind some straw and oats. On Saturday night,
the murder was done, I again saw the prisoners. I had
been at Bawtry, end got home about seven in the evening.
1 was ungeering the horses when they came into the
stable. Wm. Dyon said, "I have been waiting for you;
at least, I looked into the kitchen window." They asked me
for the guns, and I fetched them. They both came in the
stable. It was the old man who spoke, and asked for
the guns; I fetched them down from the granary and
gave them to them in the stable. They asked me if my
Amster was at Doncaster, and I said he was. William,
Dyon then said, "We are going to shoot your master to-
night : and if you tell, I'll shoot you and all." I promised
him I would not tell : I was like for fear of losing my life.
They went about their business, and I went into the house.
The stable is about 100 yards from the house, and nearer
than the house. I went out soon after to supper up the
horses, and heard some one pass on the road ; I thought it
*as my master, but could not tell. There were two per-
sons on horseback, and they were talking. The prisoners
wes e dressed that night in smock-frocks : they had them
on also on the Friday.
Joseph Hakes--1 was shepherd to the late Mr. Dyon.
On the morning after his death, ,about seven o'clock, I
went to the spot and found at the gate leading to my mas-
ter's field the footsteps of two men. I traced them across
a wheat-field of Mr. Dyon, and a fallow-field of Mr. Rad-
ley's ; then into a turnip-field, as far as Mr. Wagstaff's
plantation. One tread was a particular one : the man
walked widish, and turned out his toes a great deal. I
have known Wm. Dyon 22 years, and lived with him half
a year, when he resided at Austerfield. He walks stiff with
his knees, and torus his tees out. The marks I saw were
done by a man who walks very much like him.
Edward Beata- Denison, Esq.-1 was one of the com-
mitting Magistrates. On the morning after the murder I
went to the place and found some footsteps near the gate
where the body was found. The marks were evidently
those of two men, one of whom appeared to have turned
his toes out very much, and the other had worn right and
left shoes or boots. The elder prisoner turns his toes out
very much when he walks.

john Wilson, by Mr. illrrAczn---I am a farmer at Mis-
perton. I was at Linesln fair in April last, where I net
William Dyon. As we were going to Gainsborough to-
gether on horseback, be said his brother, John Dyon, of
Austerfield, was a rogue, and that some day or other
he should be as good a man as him.
Samuel Kelsey, by Mr. Sergeant JoNEs—I am a mil-
ler, at Morton, and know the prisoners. I met John Dyon
at the Nag's Head, in Gainsborough, about a fortnight
before the murder. He said his grandfather had left his
uncle 30,0001. and his father very little, but he would
see how it should be done, or something to that effect.
I told him the least said about it in public company was
the best.

The Rev. John Rudd (by Mr. Sergeant JonEs)—l at-
tended at the inquest, on the With of February. Win.
Dyon, the father, was asked in the absence of his son,
where he was on the forenoon of the 16th of February.
His answer was, that he was thrashing with his son until
after one o'clock. He was then asked where he was in
the afternoon, and he answered, he was warping with his
son from four, and was back again by five o'clock. Im-
mediately afterwards his son John was called in, and said
he was never warping that afternoon.
John Wildboar, by Mr. STA R E. •-•-1[ am a shoemaker
at Morton, and mended soom boots for John Dyon about
three months ago. They were rights and lefts.
After further evidence, which went to establish the pri-
soners' guilt, had been adduced, the Jury pronounced both
the prisoners " Guilty," and they were sentenced to be
hanged on Wednesday, and their bodies to be dissected and
anatomised.