Star.
London, England, 1822-03-18 00:00:00

ESSEX.-MuRDER.

Friday, Daniel Seward, alias Sayward, was in-
dicted for the wilful murder of John Ballard, at Rom-
ford, on the 3i of October last, by stabbing him in
the abdomen with a shoemaker's knife, of which he
died on the 4111 October, in the parish of Hornchurch,
as first mentioned in the STAR the day after.
The prisoner was a shoemaker at Rainbow, and
lodged at Dagenham in this County. He had formed
an attachment for a young woman named Deborah
Smith, who, after a courtship of some months, trans-
ferred her affections to the deceased ; and it was al-
leged that the assassination of the deceased arose from
motives of jealousy.
James Ba,ket said he was a shoemaker, living at
Romford.—On the 3d of October I remember seeing
the prisoner at my house two or three times ; the first
time he came was at one or two o'clock ; he borrowed
nothing of me. About five o'clock my wife asked
me if I would lend the prisoner a knife to cut a stick?
I sanctioned the lei ling of it. When I went into
the shop the prisoner was gone. The knife lent to
the prisoner was a long sharp shoemaker's knife. I
can't tell the length of it. It is a knife with a handle,
and a sharp point. The blade was about four inches
and a half in length. The prisoner came again to
my house about nine the same evening. He told me
he had been as far as Rush-green ; that there he met
with a young man and woman. He did not mention
their names. He told me that, whilst he was speak-
ing to the young woman, the man came up and
knocked him down, and in the scuffle he had lost my
knife. He offered to pay me for my knife, but I did
not receive anything. He asked me to go to the White
Horse public-house at Chadwell, to see if anything
was the matter; which I refused. Chadwell is two
miles from Rumford. There was blood on one side
of the prisoner's face. I wished him not to go home
that night, but to get a lodging in the town, lest he
might get into any trouble. I thought he had been
fighting. I worked journeywork with the prisoner.
Deborah Smith examined.—l have been called Mary
Smith in service. The prisoner had been a sweetheart
of mine at one time. All intercourse had been broken
off between us for five or six months prior to the 3d
of October. The prisoner came up to me in the
market-place at Romford, on the morning of the 3d
of October, and he asked me how I was, and whether
1 had received any letter from him ? I was then alone.
I said no, I had not received any. I had, in point of
fact, received one; but I did not acknowledge that
to him. Ile then asked me what time I was going
home? I lived at the White Horse, Chadwell Heath,
which is about two miles from Romford. It was about
one o'clock when this conversation took place. I told
him I did not know what time I should go home, and
it did not signify to him. I don't know whether he
was satisfied with me or not. I left him. We did not
part in anger at all. I saw the prisoner shortly after-
wards. 1 saw him all the day frequently watching
we. I did not speak to him any more that day.—
Directly I left the prisoner I got into company with
trio young women and Mrs. Watts. About two o'clock
I got into company with the deceased, John Ballard.
I had sight of the prisoner a great many times during
the day, at Romford. I thought he was watching
Inc. He kept in sight of me. I went into different
shops with my female friends. John Ballard waited
without, bnt still kept in company with us. When
we came out of the shops I saw the prisoner walking
on the pavement. This happened a great many times.
We went to the Lamb public-house in the course of
the day, and afterwards we went to the Sun public-
house, about six in the evening. The prisoner fol-
lowed us from the Lamb to the Sun. We were to
meet some friends at the Sun public-house—namely,
Mr. Watts, Mrs. Watts, Mr. Scott, and his daughter.'
Mr. Scott is the constable. We remained at the §un
until about ten minutes after eight. The prisoner
came into the room where we sat twice in the course
of the evening. He opened the door, looked round,
but said nothing. Left the Sun in company with Mr.
and Mrs. Watts, Mr. Scott and his daughter, and
Ballard. We went by the barracks home. We all
went in company together as far as Ruth-green. A
hurdle .maker lives there. Rush-green is about a mile
from Itumiord. Four roads there meet. We parted
there ; the Watts's, and Scott and his daughter left
us, and I and Ballad went on together towards Chad- j

well-heath.' We went the neared way h come. When I
was asking-Mrs.Watts the nearest wayhome the pri-
soner passed closely by us. The prisoner was ndar
enough to hear what Mrs-Watts said. She said we were
to go the right-hand road. Mrs. Watts saw the prisoner.
Mr. Watts -bid the prisoner good night, but he did
not know him. The prisoner passed on before us,
saying nothing. We stopt a very short time at Rush-
before we parted. We went in the dirgtion of
ree:tnry-heath. As we were walking towardi it, the
prisoner came from the side of the hedge. When he
came from the hedge he took hold of my arm ; Bal-
lard, the deceased, was then with me. I had hold of
his arm. The prisoner took hold of my left arm.—
He asked me whether I would go home with him, for
he wanted to speak with me ? I asked him what he
wanted ? He said he wanted to speak to me. I told
him J did not want to have anything more to say to
him, for I had done with him long ago; and he
might go about his business. He then called me
abusive names. He said nothing more. Then Ballard
stepped up. Ballard had stepped a little aside, when
the prisoner said he wanted to speak to me; the de-
ceased said to me, " You had better go and speak to
him, Mary." I then stepped aside with the prisoner,
and then he had the conversation I have mentioned.
When he called me these names, the deceased stepped
up and took him by the collar, and told him he should
not ill-use me in that way—let me be what I would,
he should not ill use me—if he was a man, he should
behave himself like a man. Then they began to fight.
I saw them strike, but I don't know which struck
first. They fought two or three rounds, and then the
prisoner put out his foot, and threw Ballard down.—
They then scuffled on the ground. The prisoner
was then down as well as Ballard. I don't know what
passed on the ground. I saw them scuffle. Ballard
got up first; then he knocked the prisoner down
again. He gave him two or three blows and knocked
him down again. He said—" There, you rascal! lie
there, will you!" Then Ballard said—" For GOD'S
sake, Mary, run, or he will murder you as well as me."
The prisoner was then on the ground, from the blow
the deceased gave him. There were no blows struck
after the prisoner was knocked down. Ballard then
tan, saying his bowels were out ; he ran straight for-
ward to some cottages. I ran myself with Ballard.
I saw no appearance of the wound, but be removed
his shirt, arid said, " See what a condition I am in."
I asked him how the prisoner would murder me as
well as him (the deceased)? I asked him how, and
with what ? He said, with a large knife, which
he felt in his hand when he was fighting with him.—
The prisoner was then close by. Ballard removed
his shirt, and I perceived it was all smeared with
blood. When we ran away, the prisoner did not do
anything but follow us up to the cottage. When I
got to the cottage, I shrieked out " Murder !" and
called for assistance. The prisoner then stood at the
other side of the road. Directly a maa made his ap-
pearance he ran down the road to Chadwell. When
the deceased shewed me his wound he said he was a
dead man. When he used that expression it appeared
to me that he meant he should die. When we went
into the cottage I saw his bowels. I asked the man
at the cottage to fetch some assistance, but the de-
ceased said it was of no use, it was all over. I took
out my handkerchief to tie round his body, where he
was stabbed. I saw his bowels projecting from the
body. When I tied the handkerchief round him, he
said it would be of no use, for he should, in a very
short time, be a dead man. He said, " Mary, see
what I have done to spare your life." I understood
him to mean that he had got murdered himself to
spare my life. The prisoner had said nothing to me
for a long time Info, e our meeting at Romford. When
I told him he should not keep on the acquaintance
any longer, he said it would be worse for me. He said
that several tittles ; and that he would not break off
the acquaintance if I did. He said, if he had me not,
nobody else should. He said this about three or four
months before. I was walking with children on the
road, at Chadwell Heath, when this took place. On
the 3d of October he said nothing of that kind. The
deceased Was taken to the Crown Inn, that night, at
Haveringwell. I remained with him until he died.
lie was attended by Mr. Carruthers, and died the fol.
lowing day, about twenty minutes before six. He was
sensible to the last. About an hour before he died,
he asked if Sayward was taken? I said no. I asked
him if he had anything to say. He said he bore him
no but he wished him to suffer punishment
for what he had done to him.

James Cross examined.—l live at Dagenham. On
the 3d of October I was at Romford. I was at the
sign of the Sun, public-house. When there I remem-
ber seeing the prisoner. The last witness and Mr.
and Mrs. Watts were there. I saw the prisoner was
uneasy, and went out and in to the tap. I asked him
to drink. After I had been in the tap a little while,
I went out, and the prisoner met me. He took me
to the window. The curtains were rather undrawn,
and I saw the parties together in the room. After he
had shewn me them, then he begat: to say that he
had behaved very much like a man to that young
woman—and then he began to Say that he had made,
shoes for her and the child, as much as would amount
to 18s. He said that she had behaved towards him
like a brute. Then he began to say he did not like
it, and then said that something would happen to him
before long—said there would be mischief done if
he was hung for it. I told him not to think anything
more of the young woman. All this passed at the
window. After that I went into the tap again. I saw
the prisoner again in about half an hour or twenty
minutes. I told him I wished him to go home with
me to Dagenham. He told me he should not just
yet, for he was in a hurry. After a good deal of per-
suasion I prevailed upon him to go home with me,
and he said he would. We went together part of the
way, in about half an hour, but only a very little
way. Parted with him jusc by the barracks, and he
stopped all at once, and told me he should not go
home yet. He said that it was not his way home, and
that he would not go home yet. I again asked him
to go home with me, and he would not, and I bid him
good night; and, before we parted, he said that I
should hear of something that would happen to him
before a twelvemonth was at an end:

Several witnesses were called for the prisoner,.who
gave him a good character, as a peaceable and good
tempered man.
Mr. Baron GRAHAM summed up the case with the
greatest minuteness, charging the Jury, that if the pri-
soner had had rto previous malice, and the unfortu-
nate affray in which the deceased lost his life arose

from a sudden provocation, the prisoner could only '
be found guilty of manslaughter; but that, if the pri-
soner, having previous malice (which was to be judged
of by his borrowing a knife, andsharpening it), sought
this occasion to pick a quarrel with the deceased, who I
had supplanted him in the affections of the young
woman, and had lain in wait for that purpose, the
prisoner would be guilty of murder, though the de-
ceaspi was the first aggressor in striking- a blow. The
intention of the prisoner upon the question of malice
was to be judged of by his previous conduct :—his
borrowing the knife—sharpening it—watching the
parties during the fair—his subsequent expressions—
his lying in wait—and his expressions towards the,
young woman, tending to provoke the deceased to
interpose in her behalf.
The Jury found the prisoner Guilty—Death.
The Learned Judge then pronounced the awful
sentence of death, and ordered the prisoner for execu-
tion on Monday (this day).. The prisoner seemed stub-
bornly unmoved during his trial, and retired from
the bar apparently unconcerned. At Romford he
was designated as the " Dandy Cobbler." He is about
twenty-two years of age.

MCIlbeR or MILL DON.#I7e.—TIATTON-GA RDZW.--Saturday, at
ten o'clock, a Committee of the inhabitants of the parish was
held at the Workhouse, when th - subject of the late atrocious
murder was considered. Many of the witnesses already eaa-
mined were brought in and questioned, but nothing new was
elicited. The deed by which the relatives of Michael Donatty
transferred their interest in the reversion of his property was
produced, and to this it appeared that David Donatty, as well
as a man named Samuel Donatty, a butcher (not yet examined),
I were parties. A Gentleman on the Committee, who has taken
a very active and zealous part throughout the investigation, said,
that be had just received communications which it would- be im-
prudent hastily to disclose, but which, be hoped, would furnish
a clue to the perpetrator of the murder. The name of David
Donatty (the supposed nephew) was mentioned; but the Gen-
tleman in question expressed his perfect conviction of his inno-
cence. The sack and sheath were once mute produced, and it
was resolved to describe them more minutely than hitherto by
advertisement, and to fix a place for their full inspection by all
who might be able to throw a light upon the subject. The sack
has the appearance of having beets used for seed. It is of course
canvas, and capable of holding about four bushels. The mark
G-7 (formerly mentioned) appear; to have been painted, and is
of long standing. The li underneath is rather clumsily executed
with ink, and is much blotted. This had evidently been a mo-
dern and additional mark made by some recent possessor, and
having no connexion with the first mark. In one corner of the
sack, near the mouth, are the figures " 4," which a Gentleman
present said was the probable weight of the tare of the sack. Tkis
was also written in ink. The sheath, which it is believed contained
the knife with which the murder was perpetrated, consists of two
pieces of wood, surrounded with a piece of white riband, and
bound together with pack-thread. It is very roughly manufac-
tured, about six inches long, and is glued, or cemented, in the
bottom of a brown cotton case, which has the appearance of
having been an old umbrella-ease. This case is about two feet
long, and draws together at the top, with a running string.—
The bottom has a greasy or tarry coat, as if it had long been in
use. It was suggested by a Gentleman present, that such a
sheath might serve to protect the very sharp knives which ars
used by the Jew butchers in killing their cattle. These knives
are often two-edged, and are kept extremely sharp by the use If
a hone, instead of a common stone or steel. The surgeon wha
examined the deceased, and who was in attendance, was clear:y
of opinion that the wound in the neck of the deceased had been
inflicted by some person acquainted with the vital arteries and
nerves of that part of the human frame—indeed, he said he
thought it bore exactly the character of such a wound as a
butcher would give to kill a lamb or a sheep. It was incidentally
stated, that the deceased had a wound on the top of her head,
another on her hand, and that there was the mark of a blow on
her face, as if, when her murderer entered, he had struck her
down with his fist : her position, with respect to the door, con-
firms this supposition. A female friend of the deceased, who
knew her when she lived in Acton-street, said that she had a
sister, ten years ago, who Lived with her husband in Norwich-
court, Castle-street, Holborn. This woman has four children,
but she has not been heard of since the murder. Thirty pounds
were found in a drawer of the deceased's house on Friday after-
noon ; but it has not been discovered that she has made any will.
His Majesty's Governmert have detfrmined to offer a pardon to
any, but the actual perpetrator of the murder, who shall come
forward and assist in the detection of the criminals. While the
Committee was sitting at the Working, Mr. Lance was conti-
nuing his inquiries at Hatton-Garden Office. David Donatty
was again in attendance, but upon being seen by the women who
had described the persons whom they had seen near to the house
of Mrs. Donatty on the night of the murder, they said they did
not recognize him alone of those persons. Ile was consequently
discharged • upon a promise to come up again when wanted.—
Thus it would seem that, up to the present moment, no decisive
trace has been discovered of the offenders.

UNIVERSITY INTLLLIGI.NCE.

OXFORD, MARCH 16.

Thundsy se'nnight, Charles Awdry, Esq. was admitted Fel-
low of New College.
Tuesday the following Degrees were conferred:

BACHELORS IN DIVINITY.
Rev. Godfrey Faussett, some time Fellow of Magdalen CoIL

Rev. Wm. Firth, Fellow of Corpus Christi College.

SIASTERS or ARTS.
Reginald Chandos Pole, Esq. St. Mary Hall, Graud Com-
pounder.
Rey. Samuel Grover, Fellow of Exeter College.
Edward Barton Lye, Exeter College.
John Garnett Atkinson, Brasennose College.
11ACIILLOR OF •Rrti.

Wm. Hairy James, Pembroke College.
CAMBRIDGE, MARCH 1 S.

The Chancellor's two Gold Medals for the best Clacsical Scho-
lars among the commencing Bachelors of Arts, are adjudged this
year to Mr. George Long and Mr. Henry 31aiden both.of Tri-
nity College, and both University Scholars upon Lord Craven's
foundation.

►'ednesday, at a Congregation, a Grace paced the Senate to
confirm proposals for the institution of a previous examination of
candidates for the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor in Ci-
vil Law, and Bachelor in Physic. That there shall be, every
year, a Public Examination in the Senate House, in the last
week of the Lent Term, to continue for three days; the sub-
jects of examination to be one of the four Gospels or the Acts of
the Apostles in the original Greek, Paley's Evidences of Chris-
tianity, one of the Greek and one of the Latin Classks. The
first of these Annual Examinations to take place in the Lent
Term of 1824.

At the same Congregation a Grace passed the Se•nate to adopt
the plans proposed by :Ur. Mead for the erection of au Astrono-
mical Observatory in this University.
• The following Gentlemen were on the same day admitted to
Degrees ;

MANTRA OF ARTS.
Rev. Bartholomew Goe, Catharine Ila
SACHIWRS IN CIVIL LAW.

John Cleobury Prattent, Pembroke
Rev. Henry Morgan, St. John's College.
The candidate► for the office of Librarian of the University,
vacant by the death of the Rev. Dr. Clarke, are—Henry Gun-
ning, Esq. of Christ College; the Rev. John Lodge, Fellow if
Magdalene; the Rev.. J. C. Franks, Chaplain of Trinity Cul-
lege ; and George liurges, Esq. of Trinity College.