The Sun.
London, England, 1827-12-31 00:00:00

Mop theiate proprietor. of some Kennington coaches,
exeikclicansiderable interest in a point bf law. -
. _ .

The Hon. Charles Law attended for the defendant.
Byers, the informer, had laid an information against the
ceachNo. 6,933, for travelling in the Strand, when. it was
only licensed to go from Gracechurch-street, in the city, to
Kennington.
Aaron Rawlins, the informer's witness, proved the case,
and a clerk from the Stamp-office produced the register of
the licence.
Mr. Law addressed the Sitting Magistrates, G. W.
MARRA= and D.' G. GREGORIE, Esqrs., and in a most
ingenious speech contended that his client was not liable
to the penalty.
Byers said the Act was imperative : the name on the
coach was sufficient evidence of, the proprietorship.
Mr. MARRIOTT should take time to consider the objec-
tions raised.
The case was then adjourned until next Wednesday week.
UNION-HALL.-2-On Saturday Hannah Wilkinson,
an interesting-looking girl, 18 years of age, who described
herself the daughter of a farmer at Bantree, near Roches-
ter, was brought before the Sitting Magistrate, J. T.
HONE, Esq., charged with having been drunk and dis-
orderly in the New-cut, Lambeth, on the preceding night.
The poor girl related a tale of misfortune that excited the
sympathy of all who heard it. She had been itt custody
about three months ago on a similar. charge, on which oc-
casion she represented that she had eloped from her fa-
ther's residence, about nine months ago, with a young
man, who brought her up to town, and deserted her soon
afterwards. Not having the means of providing for her-
self, and fearful of returning to her parents, she soon
became a prey to vice and prostitution, and mixed with
the abandoned of her sex who frequented the theatres
en the Surrey side of the water. The Magistrate, per-
ceiving that the unfortunate girl evinced great contrition,
and was anxious to obtain the forgiveness of her father,
sent her to gaol, in order to keep her out of the streets,
and in the' mean time directed Mr. Staples, the chief
clerk, to write to her parent apprizing him of the situation
his unhappy daughter was placed in, and expressive of her
anxiety to reclaim, and that she should be immediately
liberated on his coming up to receive her. The letter was
ascertained to have been received, but no answer was re-
turned, and at the expiration of a fortnight the poor out-
cast was discharged, and once more thrown upon the town
destitute. After her liberation she was not heard of at
this office until Saturday, when it appeared by the state-
ment of a watchman, that she was discovered near the
Coburg on the precedininight in a state of intoxication.
Mr. HoNZ.—We have already written to your father,
but he has not even answered the letter. We, however,
shall try the experiment again, and perhaps he may at
least reply. In the interim I shall send you to the gaol,
where you were confined before for a fortnight, in the ex-
pectation that before the period elapses your father will
relent; and save you from destruction;

SHOCKING MURDER.

(From the Hampshire Telegraih.)
On Monday an inquest was held at the Golden
Lion Inn, Fareham, before Mr. B. Longcroft,
Coroner, on the body of -William Armsworth, la-
bourer, who was found murdered on Saturday night
last, in a ditch, in Puxall-lane, by the side of the
turnpike-road, at Fareham. The deceased left his
lodgings, at Brockhuist, near Fareham, on Saturday
evening last, about seven o'clock,, in company with
Moses Shepherd, a labourer (who lived next door
but one to deceased's lodgings), and a man of the
name of Thompson. About nine o'clock the de-
ceased and Moses Shepherd were seen drinking to-
gether, by several persons, who knew them, at the
. Lamb .public-house, at Fareham: Whilst there,
Shepherd was invited by one of the witnesses, who
was taking some beer (T. Goster), to take part of a
hock of pork and penny loaf ; after being pressed,
he consented, and cutoff a part of - the hock, at the
joint, with a large knife, which he took from out of
his jacket pocket. Soon afterwards the • deceased
said to Shepherd, "Come, Shepherd, lam going, an't
you almost ready to •go ?" Shepherd seemed in-
clined to stay, but got up and went out of the room
with the deceased :. Shepherd had the meat and
bread and knife in his hand at the time : it was soon
after nine o'clock. They were seen, shortly after-
wards, walking together and talking in the direct
road to Puxall-lane, and to the spot where the body
of Armsworth was afterwards found; they did not
appear to be tipsy or quarrelling. Between nine and
ten o'clock, Henry Tatford, who lives in a cottage
nearly opposite the same spot,, was 'induced, by hie
dog barking very mueli,.ta look out of doors, when
he heard a rustling noise in the hedge; he did not
hear any one call out for assistance; he thought it
Must be some one chopping the hedge for Christ-
mas boughs. John Tatford, a labourer, going home,
a little before eleven o'clock, found Armsworth lying
in the ditch, quite dead, his throat being cut, so that
his head was nearly severed from his body ; a great
quantity of blood was about the head and neck.--
Henry Harris; constable, being called to the spot,
saw the deceased, as last described, and the handle
of a case-knife lying under his head : fourteen shil7
fillip and Seven-pence, his tobacco-box, and other
articles, were found on his person. Harris went and
took Shepherd into custody the next morning, at
his father's house, at Brockhurst; told him, it was
on a charge of murder ; he changed colour, and
was much agitated. Harris found at Shepherd's
father's, a great coat, which was wet, particu-
larly the' lower part of the sleeves, which ap-
peared to have . been lately washed and wrung
out. A handkerchief, spotted- with blood and a
small clasp-knife, were taken from Shepherd's
person.—lt appeared from the evidence -of John
Churcher, that at between 10 and 11 o'clock Shep-
herd came into the Three Tuns public-house, st
son, much frightened and agitated; he called for o,
pint of beet ; he ,was then wet up to his knees; bad
on a great coat, with.the Sleeves up to the elbows,
which appeared to .be much more wet than the other
parts of the coat, and to harelbeen wrung to squeeze
the wet out. Churcher told the landlord (Seyshott).
that he had better turn Shepherd out of the house,
for he thought from his manner- that he bad been
doing something that he' ought not.
. Ann Burgess, of Brockhurst, knew Armsworth
and Moses Shepherd; the former was- a lodger At
her uncle's house; had 'walked out of an evening.
with the deceased, but never with Shepherd. Sbep-
herd called at the house, on Saturday.afternoon last,
between fire and six o'clock, for the deceased, when
Shepherd p
he went away on finding that he was not returned
d h
from work. The decease 4 returned home about
seven o'clock, paid forhis lodging, haringtakerii
his•basket and
whento tools"
t), he was aout she (which werei the
same as pro-
ducedhadby one,
lwitnessesm that hat
ing the house,
been inquiring for him again, when he replied " Who
or what is it the wants ?" As he was
making the remark, and she was tying on his hand-
kerchief, Shepherd came into the house, and said—
." Come, my lad, Thompson is waiting without."
They then went away together.
Mr. Longcroft, the Coroner, then ordered that the
body of the deceased, -which- was lying in a barn
near Blackbrook, where the Jury had viewed it,
should be brought in the mangled state it was found,
to the Golden Lion, at Farehain, where the
.Jury
was then sitting, in order that Shepherd, who was,
then in eustody under a Magistrate's warrant, on
suspicion of the murder, should be shown the body,i
in the presence of the, Coroner and Jury ; this was:
done, and on Shepherd being taken into the room
where the body was laid, he was fearfully agitated,'
but said he knew nothfng of the murder; the
Coroner told him, if that was the fact, he could have'
no objection to follow his example, by laying his
hand on the body and saying, " I am innocent of the
murder;" this 'Shepherd positively refused to do, and:
shrunk from: the body, on being requested by the
foreman of the jury to touch it. Shepherd was then
removed to another room in which was a bed, on
which he immediately threw himself, and nearly
fainted away. Upon his recovering himself, he was
again brought, before the Coroner's Jury, and ad-
dressed by the Coroner in a very feeling and im-
pressive manlier.
Coroner to the Jury, who, without hesitation, re-.
The whole evidence was then read over by thei
turned a verdict of " Wilful murder" against Moses
Shepherd. The Coroner immediately Issued his,
warrant to commit Shepherd to Winchester gaol to
take his trial at the next Assizes for the murder, and
bound over a parish officer and the witnesses to pro-
secute and give evidence.