Star.
London, England, 1807-03-21 00:00:00

ASIZE2.

KING.ITON, MARCH 2e.
MURDER OF MRS. POOI.EY.
.701: Pop: and :John Maycock were brorght to the
bar on a charger f murder committed on Mrs. Anaa
Maria Pooley, of St. lam's, Southwark.
The Common SeRJEAN r, on behalf of the profecu•
tion, fated, that the murder charged in this indict.
Mem, was of the molt aggravated nature, and it was
committed in the courfe of the perpetration of a rob-
bery. The deceafed was a perfon of the age of 68 years:
—B 7e lived in a lionfe in Free Schootareet, in the Bo-
rough, and had Come pecttliarites which expofed her
to the ridicule of the thoughtlefs paffenger. To avoid
this fort of contempt, the fbut up her houfein the frcnt.
She had likewife a habit of living her money with
peculiar folicitude, and the report of this difpofitinn
got abroad. This lady not having appeared for Come
time, it was fuppofed that fume accident might have
befallen her, and her filer was made acquainted with
the circumftance. In confequence of this communi-
cation, Mrs. Sarah Pooley ordered that the premifes
thould be entered and lurched, and the deceafed was
difcovered in one of the apartments, lying. on her
back, not only dead, but in a putrid nate. Her poc-
kets were turned inlide nut, and this led to the ful-
picion that the had been murdered with the view to
plunder her property. A farther infpeelion of the
premifes left no doubt that this was the ohje& ;—the
drawers were in •confufion, aN the valuable property
was removed, and by the evidence it would appear,
in the clearelt manner, that the murder was commit-
ted by the prifoners, if the indruitions of the Learned
Connfel were correFt. If it fhould be imagined that
any doubt arofe in the cafe of Maycock, every potll.
bilk), of queflion was removed in the cafe of Pope,
for he had confeffed the murder. It was true, that
he did not fay that the life of Mrs. Poole', was ex•
tinguithed with his own hands, but on the contrary,
that the fatal a6l was done by his companion. How.
ever, as he was prefent, under the circumnances
ailed, in the eye of the law, he was as much guilty
of the murder as if he were the firle initrument of
her death.

Mrs. Sarei Pooley, filler of the deceafed, (fated.
that her fitter lived by het fell at Horfleydown, aid
in fo retired a manner that her windows, which
looked into the Rreet, were conttantly kept !hut.—
The la it time (he taw her was on the 26:h of July lA,
when the called to p..y her tome money, and in coo-
fequence of information the received of her fitter not
having been feen for tome time, (teps were taken
which led to the difcovery of the murder. Witnefs
limed, that her fitter always kept money in her houfe.
John Mackwell Garret for ctd his way into the
houfe of the deceafed, by defire of her tiller, on the
2eth Augutl. Having done fo, he found the deceafed
dead in the wail) hook, lying on her back, and the
body in a cutrified hate, infomuch that it was impot
fible to afcertain whether there were marks of vio-
lence about her. Her pockets were turned infide out,
and Tome tliAing articles were lying by her, and on
whiles going over the houfe he found that the
drawers, &c. had been ranfacked. Witnefs opened
the door, and let in a Mr. and Mrs. Humphries, and
it was difcovered that Come bricks had been taken out
of the watts houfe, by which a perfon might unbolt
the window (hatters, which he found fattened.

Mr. Thomas Brickington, furgeon, faid, that he
examined the body of the deceafed on the day the
Coroner's Inqueft was taken. He could not afcertain
what was the caufe of the death of Mrs. Pooley, as
the body was much putrified, to fuch a degree in-
deed, that the fealp was feparated from the &till.

Thomas Griffin, a corn porter, is acquainted with
the paw= Maycock met him about two months
previous to the murder; when the prifoner laid—
., Tom, I'll put you into a grad job." The Witnefs
atked, " What it was ?" When the prifoner replied
know an elderly lady, who lives in a houfe
by hetfelf, which is (hut up, and (he is worth a deal
of money ; you and I, and a flout young fellow who
works with Mr. Burges, will do her out of it."—
The prifoner did not tell the witnefs where the lady
lived. He laid leis companion was formerly a barge-
man at Wart. The witnefs refuted to have any con•
cern in the robbery ; and when he heard of the mur-
der, communicated the circumttance to his brother,
who brought Mr. GRAHAM to his houfe (the witnefs
being ill) to take his depolition. Previous to this
communication, and fublequent to the murder, he
had feen the prifoner, who told him that he had
plenty of money.
At his Crofs-examination, he laid, that he did not
mention to any perfon the propolition which the pri
foner had made to him, becaufe he did not think it
neceffary ; but when he heard of the murder, it
(truck him it was the fame houfe which the prifoner
had hinted at.

Thomas Cockburn, foreman of the corn porters at
Mr. Burgefs's, hated, that the prifoner, Maycock,
worked at his Mailer's at the time of the murder ;
and that on Saturday the 9th of Auguft, he was paid
in common with the other men, at Mr. Davis's, the
Barley Mow, in Freefchnol.ltreet. He came to finilh
his job on the Monday following ; hut he did not fee
him again until he was apprehended. This witnefs
proved that the wages which corn potters earn are not
very great ; the labour being fo fluctuating.
The next witnefs was John Gray, the landlord of
the puslic.biasfe in which Maycock and his wife
lodged. This witnefs proved the intimacy between
Pope and Maycock, and that the latter was abfent
all one Saturday night, :a bnot the time of the mur-
,
der, and that he did not return home till lafe on the'
Sunday; ; that he told the witnefs he had been on the
water with Pope, and had not cat a model all the
day. Pope's wife was with the wife of Maycock ;'
and in a few minutes Pope came in. Maycock
afked if any one had inquired after him ? and dile&
ed the witnefs to fay that he was ill, and gone into
the country.
TWO .Ither witne!Tes were called to prove, that
Maycock had ordered and paid for tome new clothes,
purchafed a watch, &c. ; from which it was inferred,
that the money with which he made the purchales
was dilhonefily obtained.
A. Graham, Efq. identified the prifoners, and de-
poled to the accuracy of in examination taken before
him of the witnefs Thomas Griffin, to whole place of
abode in Bermondtey lie weal, Giffin being confined
to his bcd.
A paper was then produced, addreffed to A. Gra.
ham, Efq. espreffed in thefe terms
joln Pope, do buintly beg hi, NT•ylly‘k Mat grrintif par.

don for th: mierder of Anna Maria P,..)1,y. TII udirdrr was
=mitred by John Maycock, on Sunday naming.
" Witnefs, " JOHN POPE."
_ _ _

Mr. Gunner, Conde] for Join Pope, interpofed—
" I meals to (hew, that there were tho'e hopes held
out to this prifoner, which would make it the moll
{hocking violation of the ellablifited rules in the ad
rninillration of juflice, to make at of Pope's con-
fefrion. The King's Proclamation was proffered to
him, which declared, that any one not manually oc-
pied in the murder, (hould receive Isis Majelly's par
don, if he would give evidence againll the murderer.
With this Pope had complied,, and he had a sight to
the benefit of tie Proclamation."

After fome obfer varions in reply, by the Common
Serjeant, the Proclamation was read, and the offer
of a reward of tool. by Sarah Pooley, to be paid upon
conviaiun to fuch per fun or perfons as lhould dilcover
the murderer.

A long conteft enfued between the Learned Coon-
fel on both fides, on the claim of the prifoner Pope
to the benefit of the King's pardon; after wl.ich,
under the dire lion of the Chief Baron, the Jut y ac
quitted John Pope.
A queftion now arore, whether under the peculiar
circumftances, John Pope having not only been in•
dided but arraigned, he could be admitted into the
witnefs box, to depofe againft Maycock. Mr. Morris
contended, on the authority of Mr. Seijeant Haw-
kins, that his evidence was inadmiffible. TL e Corn.
mon Serjeant, on the contrary, argued, that Pope
was acquitted of the offence charged ; that he was
reaored to his full credit, and ought to he faltered to
give his teflimonr; with which the Learned Judge
concurring,
John Pope was called—He raid, that he had been
a corn-porter ; he had known the prifoner a year and
a half ; he was acquainted with the houfe of Mrs.
Pooley, and with the time and circumflances of her
murder. Maycock afked him to go with him about
fix weeks before it happened. He ofked the witnefs
to go with him to rob an old woman, who lived in a
huggermugger way at a (hut up houfe. So it went on
till Saturday, 9th of Aqua ; he then afkeil the wit-
nefs to go with him, to which he agreed. They raw
each other at Davis's, at the Barley mow. Inftead
of going home, after drinking till ten o'clock, they
went into the back premifes of the Barley-mow, and
got through a loop-hole, and In into the yard of Mrs.
Pooley. There they waited till one in the morning,
and then they took fume bricks out, and undid the
(hotter. The witnefs pot his hand through, and un-
did the bolt. The door was barred, which went into
the pottage, and having no tools they could not get
further. There they remained till daylight ; and
when day light came, the witnefs went twice into
the public houfe, being alarmed, but Maycock per-
fuaded him to return. They went down into the
cellar, and there flopped until the Old Lady came
down (lairs. It was eight o'clock when the murder
was committed by his watch. Maycock went to the
top of the (lairs, as loon as he heard the door open,
the witnefs raw Maycock ru(h out, and the old Lady
cried Oh !" or fame fuch thing. He caught hold
of her, and threw her down. Then the witnefs went
tip, and law her down upon her back. Maycock had
his arm upon her neck, and he held her till fhe was
dead. He held her for a quarter of an hour. He faid,
" She is dead." The witnefs and Maycock then
went up (Lairs, and to the bell of his recolledion,
found 901. in halfpence, hives, gold, and notes.—
They found a bottle of brandy, which they drank.
There was a piece of cloth whichMaycock kept laying
it would not make hvo thins. They (topped in the
houfe till the watchman went pall ten o'clock on
Sunday night. They took the ke; s out of her pockets
to unlock the drawers.

On his crofs examination by Mr. MORRIS., he faid,
that he never knew he was charged with Healing corn
before he came today. He now underftood that he
was inditied for it. He could not help people hatch-
ing things up to do him an injury, becaufe he Hated
the truth. He did not charge Maycock until he was
accufed himielf. He charged Maycock according to
the Proclamation, and to cafe his mind.

The prifoner Maycock was now informed by the
CHIEF BARON, that if he had any thing to fay in his
defence, he thould now be heard.
The Prifonet --a, I am, my Lord, quite innocent
of the charge."
The CHIEF BARON raid, that the principal witnefi
flood in the fituation of an accomplice, and it would
be the duty of the Jury not to admit his evidence to
have weight on their minds furth* than to the extent
in which it was confirmed by the teflimony of others.
The witnefs admitted himfdf to be as iniquitous as
the prifoner. His Lordfhip then went through the
particularsof the evidence feriatior ; and the Jury, after
a (port deliberation, found the prifoner Guilty of the
murder of Anna Maria Pooley.

In pronouncing the awful fentence of the law, his
Lnrdthip laid, that the experience of no man fur-
nithed an inaance of a murder fo atrocious. Not
the fmalleft apology oould be made—it was cold,
deliberate murder, for the purpofe of plunder, ac-
companied with a degree of infenfibility the itu a
remarkable. He defired the prifoner not to deceive
hirnfelf, as there was not the leaft chaLce of his ob-
taining mercy.
The prifoner continued unmoved during the whole
proceedings, unlefs, perhaps, exhibiting an increale
of audacity as they approached their termination ;
and when he retired from the Bar, at the moment
the Learned Judge pronounced 44 The Lord have
mercy on your foul," he Paid, in a manner fuffici-
ently audible to be heard by feveral per lons in Court
" 1 thank you for that ; a'm done frog enough."