The Sun.
London, England, 1818-08-13 00:00:00

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1818

HORRID MURDERS AND PARRICIDE!

TRIAL of CHENNF,I, and CI-1 ALC RAFT fur the MURDER
of Mt. CHLNNE I. am! h,'s HOUSEKEEPER.

GUILDFORD, WEDNirinve, Auo. 12.

At P very eaily hoar this' morning the Court,
and ail the avenues leading to it, were filled op,
so great was the public anxiety to hear the trial
of these prisoners.—At eight o'clock Mr. Se►jeant
LENS proceeded to the Court, whet► the prisoners,
George Cheiinel and J. Chalcraft, were arraigned
tor the wilful murder of 0. tOtonel , at Godalming,
on the l(Mi of November last ; and on a second
indictment, for the murder of Eliz. Wilson, by
fracturing the skull with a hammer, and cutting
their throats.
The followiwg Jury were then impannelled and
sworn :

George Trimmer
John "raylor
Samuel Savage
Eder. Cherry:llan
Thomas Chu-Le
John Matthews
The following Gentle
the prisoners :
Ed. Lewis I Wm. Chandler
John Will..JaCkSoll
Jl4lll Arnold ItOilinson.
Mr. GURNEY then, as leading Counsel for the
Crown, stated the case to the Jury in a speech
most admirable for flic lucid arrangement of the
circumstances. In his preliminary observations,
he said, that even the hurt ill crime of murder had
its gradations of atrocity. It w,,, aggravated

James Street
Richard Dare
Cll.
Nmith
Thomas lioxall
John Fry.
Mien were challenged by

when committed by the strong upon the feeble
and unresisting---when by tare-sewsit against his
toaster—and, above all, when by the son e.;airist
Iris aged father. The last was the dreadful charge
which was imputed to the IR:soot:Fs—the one was
the son, and the other the servant of the de-
ceased. He mentioned this riot to excite their
passions ; on the contrary, they most not suffer
themselves to be transpoteed by their indignation
at the crime, to be caused, by a premature jl,l,lg-
ment, to pronounce the accused guil,y. They
must discharge front their minds all they had heard
elsewhere, anti fouod their verdict only upon the
evidence which *tumid ire athinced before them,
tor upon. (het aiene they had sworn to found their
verdict. With respect to that evidence from
which they must torm the result of their opinion,
it must of necessity be collected from a variety of
eirenmstan,es, all tending to tire same end. The
murderer did not do his foul deed in the presence
of witnesses. Fie chose night and solitude for the
perpetration of his crime. "line deceased Mr.
Chennel was a respectable tradesman at Godal-
mhig, near this place, and mil also a titan of
ronsiderable property. Tine prisoner Chenuti wits
his sou, and the other prisoner his carman, and
had been so for many years, he !taking a little
farm in addition to his trade of a currier. hiiz.
lVilson, the other person murdered, was a hat un-
less old woman, who had been also for many
years Iris housekeeptri, The prisoner Chemist!
lodged in the town of Godahning, and usually
took his meals at hit father's, but did not lodge,
and it would be proved hail not that filial feeling
which it son oeght to have for a father. On the
morning of Tuetday, the 1 ith of November last,
about seven o'clock, the town of Godahnin NV a 3
alarmed with the account that 111 r. Chennel and
his housekeeper were both found murdered in their
house, which was in the middle of the street at
Godahning, tine old gentleman in hiti bed, and the
housekeeper in what was called the front kitchen.
They were last seen alive about 8 o'clock on the
Monthly evening, and front circumstances the
murder must have been committed front 9 to I()
o'clock, The ohl gentleman was a very regular
man, and went to bed usually at 9 ; his house-
keeper sat up after him for some time, and usually
retired to rest at 10. He was found in his bed,
and therefore it was done after be had retired;
she was found in the kitchen at work, not having
been to bed, and the work which lay 'rear her was
a shirt of the prisoner's, which she was mending ;
it was therefore pt.esumed that it was before her
usual time of going to rest. The person also wino
lived in the next house, and whose bed-room ad-

joined to Mr. Chenoers, went to bed at 10
o'clock, and could hear any thing that passed in
his room, but did not hear any noise after that
hour. Its addition to this, a person was passing the
house about half-past oinc, and heard a scream,
and afterwards something fall, but di:l not suspect
any thing of the dreadful deed which wa3 then
most pl:oliably in perpetration. The next morn-
ing, when a farming servant of Mr. Cliennel's
came to the stables for the horses at shout six, he
found Chalcraft there, as usual, and it was the
conduct of Chit'craft that excited suspicion against
him. They dressed tli it horses, and went to the
house, where usual y' the old gentleman and his
housekeeper e:oiiid be stirring at that hour. The
door was oleo, but no one appeared ; at length
Chaletaft went into the front kitchen, and the
otlicr heard him calling his noisier, but no answer.
No..r it would tie proved that the mordered body
of the housekeeper lay iu such a position that
when he °petted the door he roust have seen it,
and, indeed, most 1 IVC Fit'pred over it to get to
the stair-foot door, stud therefore his affecting not,
to see it was matter of great suspicion. In adoi-
tjoo to this, when the atarm was given, he stated
that his master W;JS tttttt tiered up stairs, before he
or any out• had been tip stairs. Ile was known
to be i!,e consrlot companion of the other pri-
soLer,Clientiel, and there fote he was immediately
serf for, and on searching the box of Chennel,
two is Ilaok-notes %vete found, one of them
slightly tinged with blood, which notes would be
traced to the possession of the father a few days
before. The prisoner t 4: once acknowledged the
notes had been his father's, and said his father
gore them" tw hint Oct the preceding Sunday

should, however, call evidence to prove that the
prisoner, in the early part of Monday, could not
pay a sum of ; but about 10 o'clock on
Monday evening, after the murder was supposed
to he committed, he went to the Richmond Arms,
in that town, and squandered money very pro-
fusely. As they were both suspected, they were
regnired to say where they had been, and whether
t hey were together on the Monday evening. They
both agreed that they had not seen each other
• since the pee, ding Friday.. The falsity of th s
statement would he abundantly proved, for bath
Chalen& and Chennel- were seen on the spot at
half past 9 on the evening of the murders, and
Chennel was seen standing at the very passage
which led to the deceased's honse ; and it Witt,es
afterwards passing by saw a wonoan walking back-
ward and forward before the door, apparently on
the watch. This woman, it was now evident,
was one Sarah Hurst, an accomplice ; and Chid-
craft was seen walking towards his home, Hurst
following him ; and Chennel at the same time
went back to the Richmond Arms, which he had
left some time before, he insisting that he went
to look after a woman, and was gone so short a
time, that the pipe be left behind him was horn-
ing when he returned. It was also singular that
Chaleraft had a short time before -declared that
" there would be a bigger blow up before long
than Godalming had ever seen." With respect to
Chennel, the prisoner, he was separated from his
wife, and was in the constant habit of using in-

vectives against his father and the old woman.
These were the circumstances of suspicion ;
but in addition to this, he should call Mary
Hurst, the accomplice of the deed. Tile Jury
knew that an accomplice wag an infamous cha-
racter, and ought not to be believed unless con-
hr►t►ed by other testimony ; and, in justice to the
prisoner, he was bound to state that his accom-
plice, Hurst, ha►l accused A and B—he would not
mention names, who, upon investigation, were
cleanly innocent. They would hear the whole
case, and decide impartially.
George Woods is a baker at Godaiming ; knew

Le late Elizabeth Wilson, Mr. Cliennel's house-

keeper ; saw her kst on Alouddy, the 10th of
overnher. He parted with her et eight o'clock

in the evrning. He saw no more of her after-
wards. His bmise is about lOU yards from Chen-
nel's• She Caine for a loaf of bread ; she had,
besides, pork awl cheese, which she had bought
at a chandler's shop.
Charlotte Anstio was at the George public.-
house, next door to the late Mr. Chennel's. Re-
membered seeing Mr. Chennelen Monday tie 10th
of November, at eight o'clock in the evening. lie
'Vas in the kitchen of his house. Witness had
gone to carry a pint of beer. His kitchen was
behind the shop.
John Carrington was farming servant to the late
Mr. Chermel. He lett him on the Monday even-
ing at half-past eve. He saw his master about a
quarter after seven. He went to the house on
Wednesday morning at halt-past six. He took
some horses from a field to the stable. The
stables were behind the house. He saw there
Chalcraft. He found hits in the store-room,

Ist within the door, at hilt-past sir, The

door was open. Chalcraft had the corn-sieve
in his hand. Witness bad never found that door
open before, till his master had risen. His master
used to leave the corn in two-peck measures at
the top of the stairs. The key was usually kept
within the door of the front kitchen. To get that
key it was necessary to enter the kitchen. Wit-
ness, after cleaning his horses, went up to the
back kitchen to breakfast, with George Sweet-
man. They found the door on the latch. Chat-
craft went home to breakfast. Whets he came
back they went to harness their horses. He re-
turned about half-past seven. The-0 i.ought out
their horses into the street : no person was up in
the house. Winless told Choleraic that he want-
ed small beer for breakfast, and told him that the
back kitchen-door was open. Chalcraft said, how
the deuce did that come open ? Mr. Milliner the
shoemaker rattled at the front door to wake his
master ; time:, Chalcratt and witness went down
the passage, went through the cellar, and called

his master 3 or 4 tittles. Witness did not see how
tie wenr,but heard him call. Witness heard the
dour of the kitchen rattle ; was not sure it it was
the door of the kitchen. Atter having called,
Chalcratt came back the way he went through the
cellar. Prisoner afterwards rapped the window i►►
front with his whip, at the chamber where Mr.
Chennel slept. Witness did not then► know that
his master slept there, but now knows. Chalcralt
returned down the passa►;e again, and unlatched
the kitchen-door, when witIICSS or prisoner• found
pg pluidte of blood by putting down I.is hand.
Prisoner then shoved the door to. Witness men-
tioned to prisoner that it was blood. They went
tip the passage as fast as they could, and gave the
Chaleraft risked whom he should call.
Chaleraft met Mr. Earl, who came to the house.
People then collected.
Examined by the JUDGE.--Witness said, that
when he observed it was blood, by dipping his
finger in the puddle, Chaleraft n►ade no reply.
The prisoner being asked it he had any questions
to put to the witness, replied no.

Chatiotte Haynes keeps the Little George, in
Godaltoimg. Her house i 4 next Mr. Chenners :
her sleeping-room is next Mr. Chenners, divided
from it 'uy a very thin wall, whether brick or not
she dill not kno.v. She knew the room was Mr.
Chennel's bed-room. Site could hear Mr. Chen-
nel cough in going to bed or getting up, and Re-
ise droiw the curtain. He usually went to bed
utbout nine, or a little after, in Winter. She
recollected the night of the murder. Witness
had gone to bed ahont ten minutes before ten
o'clock. She was vcry poorly, and wislied to go to

[PRICE SE ENTENCE.

3

bed, and she therefore shut the (1, urn, which inade
her observe the time. She did not go to sict.,) till
a little betOIC eleVen, when het d 4tig' I.Lr co.vie to
bed. All was Trier in Mr Chennel's room She
did not hear him go to be 1. Site hears; whai
happened on Tuesday :corning, ril;0111 noir-past
heard it atter she was ~p, and went
out. She then saw Chaleratt stair !ing et Ustris
the butcher's door. fie was saying no fling, but
standing with his right hand oft the door. Pri-
soner looked very bard at her across the street.
Witness saw Mr. Milliner siding at Mr. Chen-
nel's door, and proceeded to him. She int.!) saw
the law wi,ntss, Currington, coming up the
passage. lie C,illeff out loud, " :hink they are
hod) unordered." Witness asked him, for what
reason he thought so ; and he replied, because
there was a great lamp of blood in the kitchen as
big as his hand. Witness went to the kitchen,
and saw blood just within the door. Witness
returned immedidtely, and met Chalcralt in the
passage, who made a mewling noise, and asked
witness if she thought they were murdered
Witness said, site was afraid they were. She then
ran up to Mr Knight's to give the alarm.
Examined by the Court.—Witness said she was
sure she was lint asleep before eleven. \lllness
usually goes to bed about ten, or a little after-
wards.

John Knight, jun. deposed, that on Tuesday,
the 11th of November last, be came to Chtntiel's
passage about half-past seven. ChalcrAft was
there standing at the entrance of the passage Irma
the street. lie wits fusing the other side of the
street. Nothing shout ptisonel's manner at-
tracted witness's attention at that time. Witness

went to the door of the kitchen, followed by Cal-

craft. Having °rem(' the door, he saw the bntiv*
of the woman lying on the ground e door
could not open completely on :account of the body.
Chaicraft did not enter, and when witness asked
him to go up stairs, he replied he could not go,
find s.eemed very much agitated. Prisoner just
looked in, avd. witness did not go up.
left prisoner in the pa,sage. lVitness said that he
believed that a person opening the kitchen minor
to call up stairs roust have seen the body, kVit-
ness did not observe the dress of the woman.

i\l r. Henry Catistun was next door neigh I,our
to Mr. (Amine'. Witness is a baker. The back'
of his premiSes opens into the yard to which Mr.
Chenners irtssav,e leatif!. Wiiness has a door
nearly opposite Mr. Chennel's f ont kitchen, open-

ing into the passage. On the night of Monday
vitne,s vent down the passage at it(iliarter be-
fore ten citvartis the strcer. He (lid not go' by
the kitchen. Every thing was then quiet. lie
retnrneci, and entered his own house ar the front

clout*. Ile then went out at his 1)1c1:-noor into the
passage to the pump for water. Hi, door is nemly
opposite the kitchen window of Mr. Chennel.—
There was no light in the Eitchen then. tie must
have seen the light it there had been any, as one

nail or the window was not covered with the
shutter. There was nu person there. Witness
then went to bed : his bed.room k just over Mr.
Chenncl's door. There is only a thin partition
between the house of witness and that of the de-
ceased, so that every thing could be heard in
Chennel's house : his room is a pinst Mrs. Wil-
son's bed-room. l\ fitness heard no noise in Mr.
Chenners house, so long as he remained awake.
On Tuesday morning witness heard the alarm,
about 20 minutes beiore eight. I-Ic was standing
at his trout door, and Chalcratt in the middle of
the road, with his arms toldcd. Prisoner said,
" isle master and Bet are both murdered to-
night." Witness said, " Good God, what do you

neat), Cholerau ?" Ile answered, 4' Bet lies
in the kitchen, and master is up stairs."---
Witness directly went down the passage, and
met John Knight at the top, corning truss the
house. Witness, went iiown, and saw the house-
keeper lie on the floor of the front kitchen. She
had on a light coloured shawl. Her stockings
were white. She had a white handkerchief about
her neck. Witness went and informed his family,
and made an alarm. He returned and bound John
Earl standing in the kitchen. Witness thought
the body of Mrs. Wilson had been moved a lis tie,
as the door conld not otherwise open mice; the
door to the passage came against her head as she
was fisst lying. Witness (lid not take partienlar
notice of the masks of violence, hot observed
blows on the temple, and the band had nearly
been en) off. Wittles did not go op into Mr.
Chennel's chamber. The prisoner Chennel
not live in the house with his father, but he fre-
quently had his meals there. Wi.ness lived next
door neighbour to Mr. Chennel seven years. 'Die
prisoner and his lather lined on very bad terms.
Witness had heats! the prisoner Clieno,f in,ke use
of expressions regardine his lather about a M0,1(14
Or two months belie his lip her's decease. The ex-
pressions conveyed Vile Ilat!ICS, and he wished bet
were dead. His language for several years past.
was so much agsiinst his father that Witness has
often shuddered at it. The expression of a svi he
that his father were (lead had been used about a
year before. His language against the hosisek epee
was violent. He is ished his father would turn
out of doors, as she told his ta,her tales of bins,
and was making mischief between them. Witness
saw Cheney] at his tather't oat Sunday, at one
o'clock. He Caine lo WIIIItsS's shop for his lather's
dinner. He stayed about 10 minutes, and then
. • -
Went away. 7 4. , • •
•
John Eat! k a shoemaker in Goddmini.z, and
used to work for the late Mr. Chennel.• lie re-
collected the Monday when the murder took place.
He saw Mr. Chenuel about a quarter pus: seven.
Airs. Wilson was in the hack kitchen. :le
heard of the murder about twenty minutes
before eight. He was in the street, end saw
the prisoner standing -in the street with 1...!1

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