The Sun.
London, England, 1827-12-13 00:00:00

INQUEST ON THE BODY.

The inquest was held, pursuant to adjourn.,
ment, on Monday night last, before GEORGE
CECIL, Esq., Coroner for the city and county
of Oxford, and a highly respectable Jury, at the
Three Crowns Tavern, St. Thomas's. The in-
vestigation excited the most intense interest, and
the utmost anxiety prevailed throughout the

town as to its result, as a person resident in the
neighbourhood, and who was in attendance upon
the inquest, was strongly suspected of being a
party implicated in the dreadful affair. •
The. Jury having been empanelled and
sworn, proceeded with the Coroner , to view
the body of the unhappy girl : it was
lying at her lodgings, at the house of
Mrs. Cox in St. Thomas's. The corpse was re-
marked by the jury to be the most handsome
they had ever before seen, the limbs being cast
in nature's finest mould, and of the most delicate
symmetry. On the left breast there were disco-
loured marks of a man's thumb and four fingers,
and similar marks upon both alleles ; her left
side was much discoloured, and various other
contusions were •visible about her Person, but
which delicacy prevents our describing. The
marks on the breast and ancles are considered to
have been produced by two monsters, by holding
her down perhaps whilst a third inflicted the
deadly injuries on the unhappy girl.
On the return of the Jury, the following evi-
dence was taken by Mr. CECIL, the coroner,
touchingotn theued g e
sd affairrsewaodi.f.nu.l—am
:
John the porter at All
id morning
last, at about a quarter past 12 o
Saints' College in this city. On Flock,,c.ay
laorrrti
arrived
home at my house in Blue Boar-lane, near the
Racket-court, and on approaching the door I found
a female sitting on the step ; her head was lying on
the step, and her heels in the gutter. I could-per-
ceive she was intoxicated, and unable to speak. I
knocked at the door, and my servant, James Champ,
came out, and we removed her into a narrow pas-
sage close by, where we left her with her head rest-
ing against the wall. I went to look for a watchman,
leaving Champ with ber. In Bear-lane I saw a
ng man namcd Llewellyn, and a female named
Harriett Mitchell, in conversation. I asked them
if they had seen the watchman ? and they said they
had not. I then told them' that a female was
lying in the passage intoxicated, and that I wanted
a watchman to carry her home to her lodgings.
The young woman Mitchell said she knew her well,
that it
was. Ann Crutchley, a friend of her's, and
that she woidd help her home. She further said,
that she
and Crutchley had been drinking together
at Brazenose College, but that she (Mitchell) was
not so tipsy as her. Llewellyn and the girl Mitchell
then returned with me to the deceased, and Ave there
found a watchman, and a man named John Wil-
liams, a painter, living in Oxford. Williams and
the young man Llewellyn lifted the deceased up
upon her feet, but she was unable to stand, and it
was then proposed by them to remove her home to
her lodgings in a wheelbarrow, upon which I and
my boy Champ went away, and I saw no more of
her till after her death.
CORONER—When you first saw her sitting at
your door, did you observe any blood about her, or
. on the Pavement ?
. Witness answered in the negative, he was sure
. there was no blood about her.
• Ihlß°ll--Who was the watchman that you found

with Williams, on your return to the deceased with
Llewellyn and Mitchell ?

witness—His name I believe is Field.

Richard Llewellyn swern—l am apprenticed to
Mr. Wm. Allen, of this town, tailor. On the night
of Thursday last I heard a woman squalling and
laughing in the High-street, and on my going up, I
found it to be Harriett Mitchell; I stood talking to her,
When the last witness came up, and asked me if I had
seen the watchman. On his telling me that a female
was lying in the passage drunk, I returned with him
and found the deceased lying as he had described.
Her cap was off her head, and her black silk apron
was lying in the gutter. I attempted to raise her
on her legs but she could not stand. Field, the
watchman was there, and Harriet Mitchell asked
him to let her stop in his box, but he, replied, 44 No,
I'll see her first." , I remained with her about
twenty minutes, and then went away, leaving one
young man with her, I believe it was Williams; I
proposed to him to carry her home, but he would
not assist me.

CORONER—At the time you left her, did you see
any blood upon her person, or upon the ground ?
Witness.—No, I did not, sir, I can swear there
was no blood about her at that time.
JUROR.—Did she speak at all ?
Witness answered in the negative. I heard her
groan once, but I saw no blood.
Harriet Mitchell sworn.—l have been acquainted
with the deceased two days only. On Thursday
evening last, about seven o'clock, I met her, and we
walked together from St. Thomas's to Brazenose
College. When we came there, the deceased went
up to the •s'mdow of one of the gentlemen's rooms,
and seven or eight of the gownsmen came to the
window, and one of them asked her if she would take
any thing; she answered, " Yes, a little wine." One
of them said 'he had no wine, but he would
give her a little brandy if she would have it. She
consented ;,and the gentleman then said, as he could
not get a glass between the bars, she must drink it
from the spout of a tea-pot, which she did. She
drank twice in this manner. After this I and the
deceased walked away together, but she ran away.
CORONER—Do you know any thing about her
death ?
Witness—No; I do not, Sir.

Witness continued—l followed her into the High-
street, and saw her talking to Cox, the watchman,
and heard her ask him the way into St. Thomas's
parish. He told her she was tipsy. She then turned
back, and went towards Carfax, and on getting to
Blue Boar-lane she turned down very fast. I then
met with Llewellyn, and whilgt we were standing
together the witness Hedges came up, and told us of
the circumstance of the deceased lying near his
house. I and Llewellyn went back with Hedges to
the deceased, and I found that she could neither
stand or speak. I went away to procure the assist-
ance of Cox the watchman of St. Thomas's parish,
where the deceased resided, but I was so overcome
that I cannot recollect any more that took place till
about half-past one o'clock, when I found myself at
my lodgings. The deceased was about twenty-four
years of age.
By the ofiry—The liquor the deceased drank ap-
peared to be brandy. Does not think any drug had
been introduced into it.

Mr. Joseph Dickeson of the city of Oxford, sur-
geon and apothecary, sworn. On Friday morning
last, about eight o'clock, he attended Aim Crutch-
ley, at her lodgings, in St. Thomas's parish ; she was
then completely insensible from the loss of blood
from the womb; there was no external injury. I
could not account for the loss of the blood,• there
being no external marks of violence whatsoever.--e
She appeared to be dying, I adopted the plans ne-
cessary in cases of flooding, and left her. I returned
in the evening and found her getting worse, and she
died about two o'clock next morning. I asked her
what she had drank, and the only answer I had from
her was "Port." There were symptoms of her
having swalloWed something of a poisonous nature;
the symptoms were sickness, and loss of motion,
vieleilt pins in the stomach after swallowing, pulse
imperceptible, and dilation of pupils.. In cense-
quenee of these appettran'ceS T deemed it necessary
to open the body, which • I did in the presence of
Mr. Paxton, surgeon and apothecary, of this city.
Onexamination I found all the contents of the ab-
domen in_ perfect health; and no' sign of a ruptured
vessel connected with the womb. On examining
the womb internally, about two inches from the ex-
ternal part there were two cuts about two inches in
length, apparently as if they had been done with a
double-edged instrument; and the parts were so
much lacerated as to cause the flow of blood which,

in my opinion occasioned her death. The injury
must have been inflicted 'by some other person, and
not by the deceased; and that at the time it was
done she must have been in a state of insensibility.
James Champ, servant to Mr. Hedges, sworn—
Between the hours of twelve and one o'elock on
Friday morning last, I returned from All Saints'
Hall with my master, Mr. Hedges, to his house, in
Blue Boar-lane. On our arrival we found the de-
ceased lying as has been described by my master.
and Mr. Hedges lifted her up, and removed her
three or four yards from the door. She did not
speak a word. She seemed very drunk, but at
this time there was no blood about her, nor
did she seem at all injured. My master called
to a man named John Williams, who was
♦walking by the end of the passage, along Blue
Boar-lane, and he came up; Llewellyn and Mit-
chell asked him to stay with her (the deceased)
whilst they, procured some one to take her home.
Williams said he would stay with her for an hour.
The young man and woman then went away, as
also did I and my master, leaving Williams with the
deceased. I and my master remained with her till

the young man and woman went away, and I am
certain they did not use any violence towards her.
I heard Llewellyn propose to Williams to assist her
home to her lodgings, and Williams offered the
watchman a shilling to carry her home; the watch-
man said, he would take her home if he could get a
wheel-barrow; Williams said it would be the best
way ; Williams and the watchman then tried to lift
her up to carry her, but said she was too heavy;
Llewellyn then said, he (the watchman) had better
put her into his box. The watchman replied, "No,
I'll see her first." The watchman and Williams
did not come up to the young woman together; wit-
ness will swear that no person has persuaded him to
keep back any thing he knows respecting the affair,
awl lie has disclosed every thing he knows about
her death.
CoßoNEß.—Then Williams was left alone with
the deceased ? _

Witness.—Yes, Sir, lie was.
CORONRIL—Did he make any more observations
whilst you were present, than you have told us ?
Witness.—None whatever, sir.
CORONER.—And you will swear you have not
been induced to withhold any thing from us ?

Witness.--4 will swear that. -
CORONER.—Did you hear Field, the watchman,l
on being asked to allow the deceased to sit.in his
box, say, C. I'll see her first."
Witness answered in the affirmative.
Several of the Jury here spoke with great indig-
nation upon the inhuman conduct of Field, and
hoped the Coroner would not fail in making it known
in a proper quarter.
The CORONER assured the Jury he would repre-
sent his conduct as it deserved to the Committee.
Richard Field sworn—l am a watchman of the
parish of All Saints. On Friday morning,
between
twelve and one o'clock, as I was going my rounds
I saw Williams standing in Swan-court, and he
walked with me to Mr. Hedges' house, which is
adjoining Blue Boar-lane, and after we, had pro-
ceeded about 100 yards we saw the deceased,iying
on some straw in a passage, two or three yards from
Hedges' door. We looked at her and found she
was in liquor, but at this-time there were no signs
of any blood about her person or upon the ground.
Whilst we were there Llewellyn and the other girl
came,up, and Llewellyn asked me to take the girl
into my box, which I refused, but he did not ask
me to assist in carrying her home. I said to the,

person who asked me to take her into my box, that
I would see them -- first. I then went away,
leaving Williams, Llewellyn, and the girl Mitchell
with the deceased, and I did not see them again.
About two o'cloCk in the morning I returned to the
spot again, having previously told Cromwell, another
watchman, that a girl of the name of Bailey had
left another girl drunk in Davis's-passage (the pas-
sage where the deceased was left), and we returned
together. The deceased was then sitting on the
ground and alone. I said nothing to her, but went
back and met Cox, the watchman of St. Mary's,
and told him of the circumstance, and lie said,
as soon as he had been rounds, be would
go and see her. I afterwards saw Cox, and
he said he had been,. and that there was a
large quantity of blood about her, and on the
ground, and that he thought the girl was dying.
I then procured a barrow, and with assistance I
wheeled her home. Her clothes were soaked in
blood, and she was in a senseless state, and appa-
rently lifeless. I carried her in the wheelbarrow to
Mr. Simmonds, the apothecary, and he advised me
to take her to the Hospital, but I subsequently took
her home to her lodgings, at Mrs. Cox's, in St.
Thomas's parish, and I went back and requested
Mr. Simmonds to go and see her. He said lie would
not, and desired me to apply to the Parish Doctor
(Mr. Dickeson) ; I left her at Mr. Cox's, under the
care of Mrs. Cox. I afterwards went to Mr. Dic-
kerson's and requested him to go to the girl, which
he promised to do. I did not call the hour of one
around Davis';-passage.
CORONER—The Jury think you have acted ex-
tremely negligent in this affair. You were requested
to permit this unfortunate girl to sit in your box,
and the answer you made was—" I'll see her
first." lam of the same opinion, your conduct was
most inhuman and barbarous, and you may depend
upon it that you will hear of it hereafter.
Field denied having said. so ; he told the person
that asked him, that he would see him first,
but he did not mean it to apply to.the deceased.

One of the Jurors obseried, that it was most ex-
traordinary that he omitted calling the hour of one-
that morning. In all human probability had he done
so, this inhuman murder would not have been per-
petrated.
Field could not explain why he had neglected so
to do.

Esther Stimpson, of the parish of St. Thomas, in
the City of Oxford, spinster, sworn.—Between twelve
and one on Friday morning I was going down Saint
Aldates in Oxford in company with Maria Burley;
we met Field the watchman, who told us there was
a female very tipsy lying in Blue Boar-lane, in con-
sequence of which we went there and found Ann
Crutchley lying on the ground in Davis's-passage
apparently very much intoxicated, her petticoats
were then up as high as her knees; there *ere no
marks of violence or blood upon her ; she had no
cap on and was quite insensible; there was ,a young
man of the name of Williams standing by her, and
no one else; Williams said he should wait there till
Mitchell came back, as she had gone to call Mr.
Cox to fetch her home; I and Maria Burley staid
about five minutes and then went away, leaving
Williams with the deceased; Lewellyn had come
up when I and Maria Burley went away, Lewellyn
went with us. Williams, when we went up, was
standing about half a yard from Ann Crutchley;
does not know whether Williams was acquainted
with the deceased.

James Paxton, of the city of Oxford, surgeon and
apothecary, sworn—On Saturday last I accompanied
Mr. Dickesen, and assisted in opening the body of
Ann Crutchley ; I found the body exceedingly pale
from loss of, blood, the womb was perfectly healthy,
there were two wounds in the vulva, apparently cut
with a knife, which had caused a great effusion of
blood and occasioned death; the stomach was per-
fectly healthy, and I do not believe her death could
have been caused by intoxication; I think that a
sharp instrument had been introduced into the vulva,
which had two wounds and were much lacerated ;
there were several severe bruises on the left breast
and arm, and on both the legs and thighs of Ann
Crutchley, but those bruises were not sufficient to
occasion her death ; I do not believe that she could

lave inflicted the wounds herself, the bruises were

recent.

Anthony Cromwell, watchman of St. Aldates'
parish, sworn—On Friday morning, about one
o'clock, I met Richard Field in the High-street,
who told me there was a woman lying drunk in Blue
Boar-lane. I said I had not seen her. I after-
wards went to Davis's passage, and found the de-
ceased lying there. Williams, the painter, was
standing near her with his watch in his hand. There
were no other persons with the deceased but him.
He told me he had been there 15 or 20 minutes
expecting a man and woman to come back. I then
went on my duty, leaving Williams still with her.
She was sitting when I left her apparently asleep.
At 'this time there were no appearances of blood
abQut her or on the ground, and her clothes appeared
to be down. At about a quarter past one I returned
and met Williams opposite Mr. Badcock's house,
about One hundred and fifty yards from where I had
left the girl. I asked him how -slle was ? He
said, "Just the same as when you left her."
He then proceeded on. In about five minutes after
I returned to the deceased and found her sitting as
I had before left her. When I left her the second
time it was not sufficiently light to distinguish

whether there was any blood upon or near her; bui

the third time when I went with Field and Cox to
assist in carrying her home, I perceived that she
was covered with blood and quite insensible.
Williams is now in the house. Williams said to me

on Saturday evening.—" It must have been ten
minutes past one o'clock when you left me." I
replied, " It must have 'been twenty minutes more
than that, which you ought to know, us you had
your watch in your hand. ' He made no reply to
this, but went away.
Mary Ann. Cox, the wife of James Cox, of the
parish of St. Thomas, Oxford, watchman, sworn—
The deceased had lodged with me about four
months. She Was frequently in the habit of coming
three, st
she was brought to my
lotlwat m en. I
by Field, Cox, and Cromwell,
d the went clown stairs and took her in, an .
home tipsy late at night/ oneFiir,iodghmalfo-rnaisntg
watch-
men left her in my care; she was laid on some
blankets by the fire, and I went up stairs; there
was a light when the men brought her. I thought
she was only tipsy. After I had gone up stairs a
quarter of an hour, I heard her groaning; I went
down and got a light, and examined leer, and found
her in a bad state, and tlukt she had bled a great
deal, and was then bleeding. Mr. Dickeson came
about five o'clock, and knocked at Mr. Tandy's,
the next door to my house; I looked out at the
window, and asked him what he wanted ? He
said he had called to attend a young woman ;
I told Mr. Dickeson the girl was only intoxi-
cated, and he in . consequence went away, The
s
dtma
pfbaopnerle, nebmdui
rtll
les9hieeedaksi:eds
aona
nnno
dtlt
akg
ags
oivenwe,s,
vi.c
dosmbhheee
edci‘bacvamia:slee,.
deceased afterwards got worse, I then asked
o'clocka
that morning and again in the
b
of St.
Mary's parish, in
evening,
her
‘lvnbredoi
ifinye sgsehss,i ogealmivnllletedan
butj oslillen,dcieodx,thlevafotellhomwainng morning,
morning Oxford, sworn-c--eAasbodu
twelvetcame up to m
o'clock
me at
° th Fda
St. Mary's-Hall lane, and asked the way to St. •
miis, s vamp. I told her the way, and she went up
e t or ip ofy
the street. She appeared to have been drinking, but
could walk straight. The next time I saw her was,
when she was lying in Davis's passage. She was then
weltering in her blood, and appeared to be dying. The
moon's beams shone upon , her, which enabled me
to see her situation.
A. discussion now took place between the Coro-
ner and Jury as to the propriety of examining the
man Williams, against whom strong suspicion rested.
It was ultimately agreed that he should be called in.
On his entering the room Mr. Cecil, in.a very
plain and • explanatory manner, told him that he
was not bound to answer any questions that

might be •.put to him by the Jury without he
thought 'proper, and more particularly he can
tioned him not to give such answers that would
tend to criminate himself with the unhappy woman's
death. He would say there were some suspicious :-
circumstances against him, and in justice to him he -
would also say there were some favourable to him.
Having thus placed him upon his guard, he was at
liberty to give what account he pleased to the gen-
tlemen of the Jury. He merely said he was quite
innocent in having any participation in the death of
the woman, and what he had done had been from
motives of humanity. He had offered the watchman
a shilling to carry her home, but he would not do it.
Mr. Cecil said, he must. admit that that circum-
stance was in his favour.

Williams said he could only say as he had d'o'ne
before that he knew nothing whatever as to the
manner she came by the injuries that caused her
death.
He was then desired to leave the room.

Mr. Cecil then read over the evidence, and com-
mented thereon at considerable length as he pro-
ceeded. That the deceased had come by her death
by the injuries as described by the surgeons, there
could be no doubt, and the fact sworn •to by them,
that it was impossible for her to have perpetrated
them herself, placed it beyond all conjecture that she
had been most brutally murdered. The next point
for their consideration would be, whether they
could safely say by whom the murder had been
committed. He feared there was no evidence
to enable them to do so. There certainly seemed
some suspicion against Williams, but he certainly
must say that it was so slight, that no Jury would
ever convict him upon it. It however would be
for the Jury to weigh the testimony of the wit-
nesses in their mind, and return such a verdict that
the facts sworn to would warrant them in so doing.:
The Jury consulted for several hours, they being
divided in their opinions. Some were for returning
a verdict of wilful murder against Williams, and
others for wilful murder against some person or per-
sons unknown. However, there keing a majority
for the latter, a verdict of " Wilful Murder against
some person or persons at present unknown"
recorded.
MEETING OF THE MAGISTRATES.
_ _

was

On the day after the Inquest, a meeting of Ma-
gistrates took place, for the purpose of taking into
consideration the best means to be adopted to bring the
inhuman murderer to condign punishment : and the
result was, the offering the amount above stated, as
a reward, and immediately after, large hand bills
were printed and widely disseminated, stating the
determination of the meeting, and we sincerely hope
that it will be the means of a speedy arrest of the
murderer.