Star.
London, England, 1830-03-12 00:00:00

THE ODDINGLEY MURDERS.

WORCESTER, TituRIDAY, 111.utot 11.
It was not till half past seven o'clock last night that the Grand
Jury returned their bills in this case. At that hour the Grand Jury
came into Court, and returned the following bills, via. -A true hill
spinet Thomas Cleves, George Banks, and John Barnet, as ac.
cessaries before the fact, in the murder of Mr. Parker ; a true bill
against Thomas Clewes (ignoring it as to the other two prisoners),
as accessary after the fact, in the murder of Mr. Packet ; and a true
bill against Thomas Clewes (ignoring it as to the other two prison-
ers), as principal in the murder of Hemming.
In consequence of the return of these bills, the trials were ap-
pointed to tale place the first thing this morning, before Mr. Jus-
tice Littledele.
After some discussion respecting the order of proceeding it was
bully arranged that Clewei;should, in the first instance, take his
Vial alone on the indictment, the question on the Coroner's inquisi.
don standing over for the present.
Banks and Barnet were accordingly removed frent the bar ; and
the Jury being sworn, they were charged with the deliverance of
Thomas Clewes for the murder of Richard Hemming.
Mr. Cuiwoon stated the case and the following is part of the
evidence called foe the prosecution :
Charles Burton saids.-I live in Smikehill, in this county; I was
employed by Mr. Howard to take down a barn ; it is in the parish
of Oddingley, in this county ; I was employed to take it down on
the 28th of nher; I remember removing the foundation neat
a small pool ; it was some weeks after 1 began to take down the
barn. It was on a Thursday in January, at tour o'clock I removed
the foundation. I found the remains of a human body, a pair of
shoes, and a carpenter's two-feet slide rule. These were two feet
six inches below the level of the bay in which they were buried.
They were in the second bay, close to the wall, next to the pool, and
about three feet from the door. 1 did not proceed with my work after
finding these things. I coveted them up. Next morning 1 went
to Mr. Allen, at Droitwich, and stated I had found something.
1 afterwards went to a magistrate in that borough. He sent me to
Mr. Smith, the coroner. This was on Friday, the 22d of January.
I returned the same night to the spot where I found these things.
I took two men with me. I remember Mr. Smith and Mr. Pier-
point coming there on the Saturday morning. I have known this
barn thirty years. It is situated on Netherwood Farm. Ido not
know who occupied it 30 years ago; I remember the Rev. Mr.
Parker ; he was shot on the 24th of June, to the best of my recol.
lection, in 1806 ; 1 knew Richard Hemming, he was married to my
sister ; he was a carpenter and wheelwright by trade; before Mr.
Parker was shot, Hemming was living at Droitwich, which is
nearly three miles from Oddingley ; he (Parker) was parson of that
pariah ; I never saw Richard Hemming after Mr. Parker was
shot ; there was a great deal of inquiry made afterhim ; I never saw
Hemming since Mr. P. was shot ; at the time Mr. P. was shot, T.
Clewes occupied Nctherwood farm ; Hemmings was five feet three
inches high; he usually carried a basket with tools; I do not know
whether he carried any thing on his person • the barn is 16 yards
from the farm-house on Nethcrwood farm; I do not know particu.
larly how long Ckwes occupied this farm after Mr. Parker's death ;
it might be four or five years ; there was no floor on the bay of the
barn; Hemmings was a short stiff man ; there was much stiff clay
on the bay of the barn ; it was loose marl where I found the re.
mains ; found three halfpence, a sixpence, and a knife, in addition
to things already mentioned ; there were no remains of clothes, ex-
cept part of a cord breeches and some buttons ; 1 showed the remains
of Hemming as they were to Mr. Pierpoint, the surgeon.
Elias Newbury—ln the year 1806 I was the wife of Richard
Hemmings ; we then lived in the Borough of Droitwich, in the pa.
rah of St. Nicholas ; he was a cupenteer and wheelwright ; lilt
Parker was shot on the 24th June, 24 years ago, next Midsummer.
day:; I saw my husband that morning r he left home about half-
put five in the morning ; he was dressed in a dark blue long tor
coat, and, to the best of my recollection, corduroy breeches ; he car.
tied a rule in his breeches pocket at all times ; there was a mark at
the top of the rule; it was cracked on one side, near to the rivet;
my husband was a short thick man, with a tall mouth and teeth,
and he stood one inch under the standard of the militia ; his teeth
were very sound and strong, and tolerably white ; his shoes were
low, nailed in the heels, and tied in front; he trod very '
much back on the heel, which wore that part of the shoe ;
I do not remember any thing particular in the manner of his
tying his shoes ; I heard that Mr. Parker had been shot
about ten o'clock in the evening; I never saw my husband
sherwards ; Mr. Richard Allen came in search of my bus.
bed that night ; he came three times to look for him. [The shoes
woe shown to the witness.] I firmly believe those shoes to have
hem my husband's [the pointed particularly to the nails in the heels,
asst the wearing away of the toes as corroborating her opinion.] I
skis believe that this rule [the rule was shown her] was my hus.
head's rule ; I described the marks upon it before it was shown to
me; the mouth of the skull is like my husband's ; I could swear
to the teeth having been my husband's teeth ; I know the prisoner
se die bar; he came to our house three times to inquire for him
this was some time before the death of Mr. Parka; I knew of no
muse of enmity between my husband and Mr. Parker.
Joseph Colley—l am a little farmer, sad am 77 years old ;in the
year 1806 I lived in the parish of Hinley, the adjoining parish to
that of Oddingley ; I have worked for the prisoner ; I have seen
Hemmings and Clewes in company together at Droitwich and at
the Chequers public-house; Cletus was drinking with Hemmings,
and drinking "to the death of Buonaparte of Oddingley ;" Han.
mings said, I have a nasty job to do at Oddingley, but it was too
late to go to do it then ; he said this generally to the company in
the kitchen ; this was about five o'clock in the afternoon ; I remem-
lber the death of Mr. Parker ; the conversation at the Chequers was
before the death of Mr. Parker. Cross.examined.—l did not hear
Hemmings say that he was going to draw some black mud from a
pool, when he talked about a nasty job ; there were other persons it
the room when this conversation took place ; the Chequers is no:
saunb Red
.lic-house now ; the Chequers oleo had the name of the
Sarah Rogers—l am 44 years old ; I lived at Oddingley till
within these eight years ; I remember the time when the Rev. Mr.
Parker was shot; it was Midsummer-day ; I then knew Thomas
Clewes ; there was apiece called the Pigeon.house upon 31r. Bars
ten's farm ; there was • cellar under this pigeon-house, in which
the cider was kept. I heard a great noise, and my sister and I were
sitting up late—about twelve o'clock ; I sat under the trunk a a
On not lofty yards from the pigeon.house ; I could hear what was
there; there were five people there ; I knew their voices well
to know who were there; Mr. T. Clewes was one of them ;
I hoed them drink one another's health ; and to the parson's health
the drank to him kft.handed ; a dog then made a 111.
Mebane., and I went away ; two of them came out, and I followed
one to my fatha'sloor ; Clewes was not one of those; this might
be about a month before Mr. Parker was shot.
A number of other witnesses were then examined, whose evidence
was to the same effect, and
Mr. Clifton being sworn, was examined by Mr. Sergeant II trs-
sne.—He is a county magistrate. He signed the warrant for the
committal of Clewes ' • he saw Clewes several times in jail ; he has
a distinct recollection of seeing him thrice; no ore was present at
these interviews; has had a correspondence with the Secretary of
State on this subject ; he thinks he told Clewes he would commur i.
este with his majesty's government; he certainly tol4 him he would
use all his endeavours and influence to prevent any ill consequences
from falling on him, if he would disclose what he knew respecting
the Oddingley murders. This was before he had made any state-
ment. Witness is a clergyman, and was ,particularly anxious to
have the mystery cleared up.
Ite.examined--Witness went home immediately after making the
cZat, and wrote to the Secretary of State, to the effectdha that
he
be had been indiscreet in making the promise, anwithout
etejeg_the particulars of the confession, asked if the promise could
iko INN pod provided it turned out that the prisoner was not the
Sea As 'buck the fatal blow ; witness had so qualified his prondse
the poisoner. He received an answer from the Secretary of State.
end histeady called on the prisoner and saw hint for the third time,
aced held him thee be bed utterly failed in obtaining any promise or
bap fir Ms hem Seesentat—that the letter be then held in his
hod ha bed the seesived from the Secretary of State, from
width he des Neil • sthepart which contained the reasonswhy
s, Peel candied MN not be extended one of the rea-
le. Wag that he Lat
he 111101t_golity person now living of
&see eenserned In the transsedem The letter is not now in exist.
wsee; He bad net sesienieeted to any body the particulars of
what the prisoner bed mil et him. Witness told the prisoner that
sight still conadiedu iesowleit:seiflocked up in his own breast,
that be (witness) SlMMidhred in the double light of a
awl a mg &mild make no mention of what
=MI lbw bet tlessied rather to mibmit to
be assibeil W tbe dews IS arompe than disclose who had
vela beeves Ile 'deem sea bhmelf. Mier NM Ss phew
that there was ea el et hope la the scrooges pad* boweer,
and more than 111Wa
[The trial Salt when our account left Worcester,
which was at abnß AWL]

CORN—EXCHANGE, MARK—LANS, MARIN IL
IMPORTATIONS UN= MONDAY.
Mut, &Oa (qrs.) . 4,400 Batley, Forsigo
Irisk • —••-• Oats, Egli* •
Foreign . 1,550 Potsdam
Darby, Assisi • 4750 Irish •
Irtsk • • --. Fleur (sacks)

. ......-
4r130

MA RBI= .
Thursday, et et. Clement Dame, Mr. John Parminter to Marla
—at the same Church and at the same time, Mr. William y, to
Jano—twin dentate, of Wm. Innen Clement, Est of Entealla
____--------.

Lomat : ?dotal and Published by Joni Ways, at the Ikea-
Orme No. t. Plehett.place,Teospe Bat.