Star.
London, England, 1823-12-12 00:00:00

MURDER IN ESSEX.
The murder of Mr. MUMPORD appears to have been
epctrated at a spot which afforded too great a facility
lat, a deed of darkness and of blood.—Widdington is
ihout a miles from Saffron Walden, and twelve from
Great Dunmow ; which in summer time appears beau-
tifally diversified by hill and dale, but in winter pre-
cos dreary waste, and where, to a stranger, it would
appear that the road had been taken from the open
kids but a few years, a great portion of land still lying
jilting part uninclosed. There is, just at this particular
n,rt of die road alluded to, a distance of nearly a mile
P her way, in which not a cottage or vestige of security
,esentsitself.
r ft was in such a dreary spot that the murderer at-
vcked the unfortunate victim of his revenge—it is about
• toile from Whittington, in a narrow road, where the
two are thrown up so as to exclude any distant view
bye day, and pi event the voice from being heard
ght; at this spot, aril in the darkest period of
Achy evening last, when fatigued in his endeavours
wcend a very steep hill, Mr. ititimford appears to
hoe been attacked, and that with such remorseless fury
silo render all resistance unavailing.
%h. James Mamford, who was thus inhumanly
ordered, was the son of. a most respectable farmer,
ampying Nor'* Hall, In W,iddington, a farm of 300
grey, belonging to one of the Colleges of Oxford.
John Pallett, the prisoner, charged with the horrible
biro, is the son of an indu.trious labbirrer, who has
boa in the employ of Mr. Mumford for a number of
; and the father bears a good character. The son
is about twentyome years of age; he also worked for
ltir.Murnfoid, and last with Mr.Whisken, of the Fleur-
de-lis public house, in Widdington.
The prisoner is a stout athletic man, of great mus-
oiar power; he has that pale- unsound appearance
which we frequently observe in those whose earnings
are spent in di unkenness.
!. prisoner Pallet, or Parrot, underwent an
ezanli-
Datien on Tuesday, at Walden, and was remanded until
the result of the Cisroaer's Inquest was made known.
At half-past eleven o'clock a crowd of persons were
wen approaching Widdington from Newport, and in a
fee minutes two taxed carts drove op to the Flower-de-
lace; the first contained, besides the drive: and the pri-
mmer, Mr. Mead, the jailer, and an officer ; they alighted
tithe door of the public-house, add the prisoner was
ontlucted into a private room, being properly guarded.
Ile was handcuffed and heiteilf ironed by both legs ; he
seemed very much depressed, and his countenance be-1
tr.” eel an inanimate expression that would scarcely lead
a person to conclude he was possessed of the Courage
accessary to perpetrate such a dreadful crime.;
• THS CORONEtt'S IIItaUEST.
Early yesterday morning, William Gibson, Esq. the
Coroner, arrived at the sign ofohe Flower-de-luce, kept
by 'Mr. Whisken, in the village of Widdington, and at
twelve o'clock the Jury were sworn..
The Coroner and Jury then retired to view the body ly-
ing at the deceased's father's house, a short distance from
the public-house. It was in a dreadful mutilated state;
indeed, so much so, that it was impossible to recognize
a single feature, the head being completely beaten flats.
It remained in the same state as when it was found.
Robert Smith, of Burchanger, in this county, pubs
bran, was sworn, and deposed as follows :—Moaday
sight last, about half-past eight o'clock,. I left this
house (the Flower-de.loce), to go home, and in my way
I saw a body lying on the road, from my horse having
shyed on reaching the spot. I got off my horse, and
heard a groan proceed from the body. The clothes
were much. disordered ; his. shirt sleeves were torn, and
be laid on his back with his coat nearly off his arms; I
believeit was Takeoff one arm : his,hat was off ; I per-
ceived no blood then, but I supposed some. dreadful
act had been committed, and having removed the body
to the side of the road I rode directly back to the Flower
desluce, at Widdington, and alarmed the inhabitants;
tire Flower-de-lute is nearly half a mile front where the
body lay. He was alive when I left him; I sent some
people on towards the body with a lantern, and ordered
s cart to be dispatched after them with all possible haste,
as I told them a murder bad been committed. I then
rode to Mr. Hains's, the overseer, but lie was not at
Mae, sled I then rode towards he body, which was
then in the care of the personslhad sent, and was about
30 rods nearer Widdington than when I left it ; there
were several' persons With the body, but they were
strangers to me. The cart having anived; the body
Imo put into it; it was brought up to this house, and it
seemed covered with blood; and the head appeared to
be much beaten; a cut was also observable under his
F thin; the deceased appeared to be quite dead when be
was put into the cart. I knew the deceased when alive,
bat could not recognize him when dead, in consequence
of his mutilated appearance. From the. time of first
leaving the body until I saw it a second time, not more-
dray ten opines hadelapsed. The road where r found
the body was the one leading from Widdington into the.'
high road to London.
A Jarman—Did you seethe prisoner at that time?
irstana—No; not until afterwards. I assisted in handcuffing
him whew he was taken, and he made a great deal of resistance. •
John Reid, of Widdington, carpenter; sworn.--I was
in 1114 house when the -last witness came ,in, about a
*tarter An nine o'clock on Monday night, and said that
some ,person was murdered in the road, and he seemed
much' frightened ; the left Peeve and side of Smith's
great coat were bloody ; he also said he thought the man
was not quite dead, for he had heard him groan ; the
man, be said, was lying on the at on the top of the se-.
void hill, on the road to Quendon. My son, my brother,
another labouring man, Matthew Dellow,and.l, set off
immediately ; we went to Mr. Mumford's old farm for
a lantern, which I bid under my coat, and then pro-
ceeded towards the.place Smith had directed us; when
we got to the top of the first hill we stopped and Hs-.
'mil, but could hear nothing ; they then went clown
the hill very gently, and I heal d some person say " Hoy r
t%,e person was in the road, and within three or four rods
a us. I knew the voice to be John Pallett's ; besides
lloy," be said, " Here is Jem Mumford r he added,
" I picked him up on the road; the body was on his back.
I put the lantern close to the deceased's face, and >aid,
41 I am sure it is not James Moniford ;" my brother also
said the same ; I had known the deceased for many
years; I took the body off Pallctt's back ancrset it on
my son'a knee, until the cart came up; 'Fallen remained
and assisted in putting the body into the cart; Pallett
walked rolnistaa ily towards this house, and insisted that
the body was that of Mr. Mumforti, but I thought not;
when he was brought to this house and_put into.a chair,
I examined his cheek for..a mole, .which I found, and
then believed it was Mr. Mumford ; his shirt was marked
".1 M. which confirmed it ; his head was knocked to
Pieces, a large piece being cut out from the bead k Fal-
len then sat down, and commenced drinking in the tap-