Star.
London, England, 1826-10-16 00:00:00

THE MURDER NEAR LEATHERHEAD.

CORONER'S INQUEST—FURTHER PARTICULARS.
Saturday evening, at five o'clock, a Jury was em-
panelled at the Bell public house, at Fetcham, two miles
from Leatherhead, for the purpose of investigating the
cause of the deaths of John Akehurst, aged 96, and
Elizabeth Haines, his housekeeper, aged 74, who had
been barb irously'murdered by some person or persons
unknown.

The Jury, accompanied by the Coroner and several
Magistrates, went to the cottage of the deceased per-
sons, to view the bodies. The house stands surrounded
by fruit trees, and is so much concealed thereby, that
only the chimney top could be discerned by those who
passed down the lane adjoining. The Jury examined
the bodies very minutely, and it was.their opinion that
a hammer had been used by the murderer when he'
dealt upon the poor unfortunate creatures. The old
man, though nearly 100 years of age, and so debilitated
from decay of nature as not to be able to raise himself
from his bed, was in possession of his mental faculties
to the last. He was constantly visited by the Clergyman
of the parish, who read to him, and prayed with him.
He would at times converse freely upon public events,
and his memory was so good, that he was a living his-
torian, and could narrate the battles which had occurred
from the time when the couutry was thrown into such
a state of alarm by the Pretender, in 1745 ; he was then
a fine young man, nearly 20 years of age. The poor
old woman, who had been faithful to him even unto
death, was of short stature, but her form was most de-
licate, and in her youth she must have been a very
pretty little woman. She had a remarkably small foot
and hand. The deceased persons had lost all their
teeth, and very slight force would have been sufficient
to destroy such feeble creatures. The Jury having in,
spected the bodies, house, and grounds, returned to the
Jury room, and the following evidence was taken t
Mr. WOODS (of Godalmiug.), the Coroner for that
division of the county, having sworn the Jury, stated to
them that they were assembled on this melancholy (sc.
casion for the purpose of discharging a most important
duty. It was necessary that they should be particular
when viewing the bodies, to ascertain if any marks of
• violence were thereon. It was not for him to anticipate
facts which would most likely come out in evidence
before them, and he knew they would discharge their
duty to their country conscientiously, and consonant
with the ends of justice.
Thomas Brown—l live at Fetcham, am a labourer;
and am 21 years of age ; I have known the deceased
persons from my infancy, having lived 'in a cottage
with my mother not 150 yards from the deceased; I
saw Akehurst on Wednesday last, the 11th inst. about
eleven o'clock in the morning ; I had finished gathering
apples for him in his orchard. Akehurst was in bed;,
he was very infirm; I went to him, and told him I had
finished gathering the apples; the housekeeper assisted
me in getting the fruit; he said, that the housekeeper
and myself might have the swan egg pears from one
tree as a compensation for our trouble; I saw the house-
keeper on Thursday morning, about nine o'clock ; she
came into Mrs. Sherlock's to borrow a tub; I never
said that the deceased had money. I received 4s. from
the housekeeper on Friday week, for work ; she brought
the money down stairs in her hand. On Friday morning
last, about a quarter past sir, I went to the deceased s
cottage, to borrow a basket of the housekeeper. On
arriving at the door, I saw it was partly opened; I
pushed it open and entered; seeing no one inside, I
called to the housekeeper, but received ocr Itilover ; on
going out of the front door, I saw that the wash-house
window was open, and that a pane of glass in the centre
of the window had been taken out, and also an iron bar
which fastened the window frame from the top to the
bottom of it. The wash-house communicates with the
kitchen by a door; I picked up the iron bar or stan-
chion a few yards from the window, round the corner
of the house; I saw no foot marks that I particularly
noticed. After I observed what I have stated, I went
to my mother, Elizabeth Brown, and told her; she
came to the deceased's cottage instantly, and went up
stairs. I heard her scream out, and she exclaimed,
" Mrs. Haines, the housekeeper, is murdered I" I was
standing about three steps up stairs; I had not so much
courage as my mother ; I ran to Mrs. Sherlock, and
informed her of what my mother had said; and think-
ing that more assistance was necessary, I went to a
neighbouring farmer, named Gibbs, and told him of
what had happened; I said to Gibbs, " that Master
Akehurst and his housekeeper were murdered;" my
mother did not tell me that Akehurst was murdered ;
but in my hurry I said so ; I returned with three men to
the cottage, who were sent by Mr. Gibbs; I was absent
nearly an hour, and went up stairs with the men; I saw
the old woman lying on her back in a heap of blood, in
her master's room, by the left side of his bed, with her
head beaten to pieces ; I went round the bottom of the
bed, to the right side, and saw the old man lying in
bed covered with clothes ; I instantly turned out or the
room, and went down stairs, being sati'fied they were
both dead ; I observed the throat of the housekeeper,
wit ch appeared to have been pinched by some person'•
fingers, and bore black marks; there was a good deal
of blood on the sheets on Master Akehurst's bed.

Elizabeth Bennett deposed—l am the mother of the
last witness, and have known the deceased persons 25
years. I saw the housekeeper the last time, on Thursday
evening, about five o'clock ; she was carrying s:,me wet
Illicit from the garden into the house. I did not speak
to her. On Friday morning last, about half past six,
my son called me, and told me that lie was afraid
something had happened at Akehurst's cottage, because
the t% inuow was broken, and the door open. I said,
'1 LOUD have mercy, Tum, you don'tsay so?" I weotJ

with him to the door of the cottage, and called the
housekeeper by her name, and afterwards I called
"John Akehurst." I called at the door for some time
before I entered, and ou receiving no answer, I walked
up the stairs, and saw the housekeeper lying on the
farthest bed-room f10.,r, by the side of her master's bed ;
the room door was wide open; I did not observe the
window; I went down stairs and fetched Mrs. Sherlock
and another woman.. On entering the room with Mrs.
Sherlock, we saw the housekeeper quite naked on the
floor ; the bed in. the first room, in which the house.
keeper slept, had been lain in, and the clothes were much
disordered. I did not see the old man till Mr. Gibbs had

arrived ; his bed-curtains were drawn on the side where
I stood, and intercepted my view: When Mr. Gibbs
arrived, I went up stairs again with Mr. Sherlock, and I
saw the old man in bed, and from the horrible-state in
which I saw him and his housekeeper, covered with
blood and motionless, I was satisfied they were dead; I
left the room, but did not touch them; I saw some of
the drawers and boxes open. The housekeeper generally
purchased the necessaries for the family. I never saw the
old man with money, and I do not think be had much.
The old man has a daughter, named Ayres, and three
grandsons ; they reside at Oxsbot, near Esher.—
One of the grandsons, John Ayres, visited the old man
about a month ago. About a month ago, I heard the
old man say he had made a will, and that his daughter
should have his property as long as she lived ; he said
nothing about having money by, him ; he often said he
had none, and that, if he lived twelve months longer, he
must mortgage some property to raise money to sub-
sist upon. if I speak the truth, I must say, that I did
not believe the old Gentleman when he said be had no
money ; I thought, and so did many others, that he
had property; I was of opinion that he wished to con-
ceal the fact of his having property ; I remember, about
fifteen years ago, the deceased (Akehurst) called to me
by my first husband's name (Brown), when he was
taken ill in the orchard ; I went to his assistance, and
helped him into his house, when he told me that he had
one hundred guineas.
Mt. James Bright sworn—l am an assistant to Mr.
Baker, surgeon, of Leatherhead ; I was called from my
bed on Friday morning, between eight and nine o'clock,
by a servant of Mr. Baker's, who informed me that two
persons were reported to have been murdered in the
neighbourhood of Fetcharn-common ; I made the best
of my way to the cottage of the deceased, and saw the
bodies ; I saw three or four women in the kitchen, and
announced that I was a medical man ; I went through
a bed-room en the top of the staircase, (which I was
informed was the housekeeper's bedchamber,) through
a door leading into another bed-room on the same floor;
I saw an aged female lying on her back, her feet towards
the door at which I entered, and her head near the foot
oftpe bedstead ; having ascertained that she was dead,
prOceeded to examine into the cause, being directed to
k by the blood which had accumulated upon the floor
round hie head. I- examined the posterior part of her
bead, and there found a lacerated wound, with partial
,depression of the occipital bone, which must necessarily
byte been the cause of her death. There were also marks
round the neck of violent pressure by is hand.
Coroner.—Do you think the marks were caused by an attempt I,
to strangle the woman, by pressing her tightly round the sea
Witness.—l think the marks were caused by tinsel
one holding her down with their hands round her neck,
while striking her. Upon critical examination of the
bruises on her head, I think that the injury was not
caused by a sharp weapon, but by some blunt insuls..
went, the face of which was of the size of a crown.
piece ; such an instrument as a small mallet, or a ham-
mer ; I then turned my attention to the old man, whom
I found lying on the bed, on his back, with his band a
little raised ; he was inside the bed, and his body was
partially covered with the clothes ; I saw blood on thel
pillow, and a severe lacerated wound on the right tem-
ple, and, on closer examination, I found a division of
the temporal artery, with depression of bone, which had
caused his death. There were other marks of violence
about the neck, hands, and other parts of the body ; it
'appeared that the same kind of instrument had been
used to inflict the wounds on the deceased's person. I
think they must have been dead, when I saw them, five
or six boos ; I have no doubt the murder was commit-
ted on the preceding night. The lower jaw of the old
man was fractured on the right side, and one of his hands
was severely injured in struggling with his murderer.
The Coroner ordered proclamation to be made for any other per-
son who could give evidence touching this inquiry W come forward.
No person answered.
The Foreman of the Jury, J. B. Hankey, Esq. said,
that he and his brother Magistrates had used every
amnion to discover the murderer, but he was sorry tol
say without success; for so secretly had the clime been
contrived and executed, that they had not been able at
present to obtain any thing in the shape of legal evil-
dence against any individual.
The Rev. Mr. Bolland said, that no person of a suspicious at-
tester had been seen in the neighbourhood where the deceased
Masons resided, except one man, who was observed to be larking
abase there a fortnight ago.
• Mr. WOODS, the Coroner, said, if there was a like-
lihood that other evidence, tending to bring the author
of this crime to justice, would be brought forward in s
day or two, be should feel himself bound to adjourn the
inquiry ; but when he was informed by the Magistrates
present that they entertained little hope of bringing for-
ward further evidence, he thought it would be a waste
of the time of the Jury to bring them from their homes
on a future day, when, in all probability, no further
evidence would then be brought before them. It was
manifest, from the evidence given, that a murder, as
cold-blooded, cowardly, and inhuman, as ever stained
the annals of this, and he might say with truth, of any
other country, had been perpetrated by some person or
persons unknown.
The Jury, without consulting a moment, returned • verdict of
a Wilful Murder against some person or persons unknown."
It will be recollected that in our former account of
these most savage and atrocious murders, it was stated
that Hall,"the chief officer of Union-hall, in the course
of his examination of the premises on the morning that
the murders were perpetrated, dilcoveied the old man's
will in the drawer of a chest which was in his bedroom.
This will was executed in the year 1805, by which it
appeared that the cottage and grounds appertaining
to it were to remain in the occupation of Elizabeth
Haines, his housekeeper, for one year after the testator's
death, and at the expiration of that period, she was
to resign all claim to the property; which then de-
volved to his daughter. There was a codicil to this will,
bequeathing several articles of furniture to his house-
keeper on her resigning the occupation of the cottage,
which were to be selected by herself from the stock oh
the premises. And in the event of his dauAbter's dea h,
it expressed that his little c ipy hold estate should be sold
for the benefit of bier surviving children. The daughter
is a married woman, upwards of 60 years of age, and

resides with her btisband, tie aged man, about 8 miles
from her father's cottage. On being made acquainted
with the murder of her parent and his housekeeper, the
daughter and her husband immediately proceeded to
the cottage, and took possession of it; and it was re•
marked by several persons who were present on the
occasion, that neither of them exhibited the slightest
horror on witnessing the murdered bodies of the de-
ceased persons, but that strangers, to whom the unfor-
tunate poor creatures were unknown, manifested greater
feelings of sorrow on beholding the horrid spectacle.
The Rev. Mr. Bolland (who has been indefatigable in
his exertions to find 'oaf some clue to the discovery of
this shocking murder), on perusing the will, and also
on being made acquainted with the apathy of feeling
displayed by the daughter of the deceased en the occa-
sion, thought proper to examine her very minutely with
respect to•her own family. In the course of the ques-
tions put by that Gentleman, after considerable reluc-
tance, she acknowledged that she had a daughter, who
had cohabited with a man of very bad character. She did
not know how they gained their livelihood, but knew
they were in the habit of tramping about the country.
She could not take upon herself to say whether they had
not been lying about on the commons in the neigh-
bourhood of Fetcham, and was not aware that either of
them had been seen at the late Leatherhead Fair. In
reply to Mr. Rolland, she also said that she had not
been in the habit of visiting her father recently. During
the time occupied by these interrogatories, the husband
sat by the side-of the fire, and remained perfectly silent.
When the examination closed, the daughter seemed
only anxious about her father's will, knowing that it
had been taken out of the box. She seemed to be in a
terrible fright, exclaiming 46 Where is the will, Gentle-
men ? It belongs to me; I am the rightful owner of it ;
the property is mine now." Mr. Bolland checked the
very improper and unnatural feeling displayed by the
woman, whose whole thoughts appeared to be absorbed
on the subject of the little property which came into her
immediate possession, in consequence of the murder of
her father and his housekeeper. .
Mr. Bolland having obtained no information where
it was likely the- two characters alluded to could be
found, gave immediate directions that every exertion
should be made for that purpose.

Saturday a young man, named Jones, was taken into
custody by one of the turnkeys of the King's Bench
Prison, on suspicion of beipg implicated in the murder.
It appeared, that Jones had just arrived from the
country, and on walking through the Borough, met
with a young man casuallz, with whom he entered into
conversation on the subjedrof the murder. They pro-
ceeded together towards the King's Bench Prison, and
on their way, Jones said, that the old people, meaning
Akehurst and his housekeeper, had been murdered by
knocking them on the head with a hammer; and the
person who committed the crime, he said, only got 11.
ss. in the house. The person to whom this conversation
was addressed, surprised that the stranger should know
so much respecting the circumstances of the murder,
immediately suspected that he had a hand in it, and
accordingly mentioned the above facts to a turnkey of
the Bench, who brought him down to Union Hall
police office. When Jones was apprehended, he bad a
bundle of new clothes under his arm, which he alleged
to have purchased that morning for 17s. and Bs. more
Wog found in his pockets on searching him, the sus-
picion was strengthened against him. Oo being
ques-
tioned where be had got the money, and from what part
tif the country he bad arrived, be equivocated very
much, but at length said that be had come up that
morning from Leatherhead, and added that he had
foued the money that purchased the new clothes, and
part of which was in his pocket, tied up in a white
handkerchief, in Leatherhead fair, on Thursday night.
When Pople the officer proceeded to ask him some
questions relative to the murder at Fetcham, Jones said,
pulling up the sleeves of his coat, al You may see that
I have no blood upon me ; and if yon examine these
clothes, you will not find a speck of blood upon them."
The suspicion excited against Jones was therefore
considered so strong as to warrant his detention, and
he was immediately Wrist down to Fetcham, where
be underwent an examination before Mr. Bolland ; in
the course of which he equivocated so grossly, that
scarcely a word he uttered was to be believed. At
length, however, bn being threatened with committal
to prison, be became exceedingly alarmed, and told a
different story of the finding of the money. It plti-
mately, however, was ascertained, that a man, named
Ball, had been robbed at Leatherhead fair; and that
a handkerchief found on the person of the prisoner
belonged to that person. Mr. Rolland accordingly
committed him for further examination; at the same
time observing, that there was considerable suspicion
attached to his conduct. The prisoner was, therefore,
locked up in the cage on Saturday night ; and the per-
sons from whom he declared he had obtained the parti-
culars of the murder were directed to be sent for, in
order to discover whether there was any truth in his as-
sertions. During the examination, Jones frequently
protested his innocence of having any participation in
the murders; and before it concluded be was attacked
with fits, which lasted for a considerable time. Indeed,
this man's conduct and behaviour since his apprehension
have been so mysterious, that, independent of the charge
of robbery that will be preferred against him, the Magri-
crates will strictly investigate whether there are grounds
for suspecting that he was implicated in the murders.
The consternation excited throughout the county of
Surrey, by. this diabolical act, is indescribable, and the
scene of this tragical event has been visited by thousands.
The only crime recently committed in this county,
which can be parallel u kb the present, isthe murder of
Mr. Chennel and his housekeeper, at Godalming, about
seven years ago, for which George Cherinel, the old
man's son, and William Chalcroft, a labourer, suffered
the penalty of death. The cottage has five rooms in it
—three upon the ground floor, and two sleeping rooms
above. There is a door in the centie of the cottage,
and a small window to the front kitchen, with paues
of glass of a diamond shape on each side the door.
There is also one window to each of the bed-rooms in
front. The cottage is in the centre of an orchard. The
perpetrator of the deed (and it is the general opinion
that only one person was concerned in the murder, and
one who knew well the habits and defenceless condition
of the old people), to obtain admission into the house,
took out of the window the centre pane of glass, and,
having introduced a hand, opened the window, and
wrenched away a thin bar of iron. Whoever the mur-
derer was, he could not be very large in person, as the
aperture through which he entered the wash-h,use win-
dow is not above 15 inches in width, and two feet in
depth. The stairs leading to the bedrooms are close
to the frost do sr, on the right hand. In the room at
the top of the staircase, which was miserably furnished,
having nothing but a tester bed and an old chair therein,

.•••=":&.-

'slept Elizabeth Haines,-who had been for thirty years
the ciasispanion of the (Adman, John Akehurst. From
the situation of the clothes of her bed, it was evident
that she had got oat of bed in great haste—probably to
assist the old man when he was contending with the
murderer; on passing through a doter leading from the
bed-room of Elizabeth Haines to that of the old man,
the first object that presented itself was the body of the
unfortunate female, lying on her back, with her arms
extended, her right hand across her breast, and her left
close to one of the legs of the bedstead ; her right eye
was blackened by a violent :blow, and there was a se-
vere injury on the right side of the neck ; the blond had
I flown so copiously from the back of her hea f, that it
actually had passed through the bed-room floor and the
ceiling of the kitchen to the kitchen-floor, and an earth.
enware pitcher had been placed to receive the blood as
it dropped. The old man •was so infirm that he had
been nearly bedridden for a considerable time. His head
was shockingly beaten at the back, and his few remain-
ing grey hairs were clotted with blood, and the pillow
on which he had rested was soakei with blood ! at a
chair by his bedside was a snuff-box, a can of water,
and a handkerchief, for his use. Under a hedge, in a
close next to Cock.lane, were found a new pair of shoes
and a scarlet waistcoat, belonging to the old man,
which the murderer had carried off and thrown away,
after he had left the house. ft is slot believed that much
property was carried off by the murderer. There were
marks of dirty shoes against the wall, under the window
through which the murderer entered ; and part of the
brickwork, which projected,• had been broken off. The
old man, some years ago, Was in the employment of
J. Barnard Hankey, Esq , of Fetcham Park ; but lat.
terly he had contrived to subsist upon a little money
which he had saved by industry and economy, and
the produce of his orchard, which he sold upon the
average for about SOL per annum. The daughter, and
one of her sons, sat up all Friday night with the bodies.