Star.
London, England, 1826-10-17 00:00:00

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

On Saturday night, at the conclusion of the Inquest
that took place at the Bell public house, Petcham, on
the bodies of the unfortanate individuals who were mur-
dered on Thursday night last, Mr. Hall, the chief con.
stable, and Pople, the officer, set out for town. On their
road home, in passing through the village of Merton,
they were informed by the landlord of the Bells public
house, that a man dressed is a fustian jacket and trou-
sers had called there on Friday morning, about ten
o'clock. The stranger took his seat in the tap room,
and called for a pint of porter. There were several
labouring men there at the time, all of whom were
conversing on the subject of the murder that had been
committed the previous night at Fetcham. The pint
of porter having been served to the stranger, on putting
it to his lips and drinking out of it, the landlord, as well
as two or three others in the room, observed that there
were spots of blood on the wristband of his shirt. The
circumstance excited some surprise at the time, and on
more close observation, there were also spots of blood
seen on the front part of his shirt. The man appeared
to be in a hurry, and having finished his beer, he left the
house, and proceeded on the road towards London.—
Mr. Hall, on hearing these particulars, expressed con.-
siderable surprise that he was not detained, in conse-
quence of the very suspicious circumstances under
which he entered the house; but the landlord Laid, that
only having just heard of a report of a murder having
been committed, and not certain as to the truth of it, he
took no further notice, but allowed the man to depart.
When Mr. Hall arrived in town, he communicated
the above facts to Grassmith,,an active officer, who had
immediate instructions to proceed in search of this per-
son. Grassmith was successful in his inquiries, and
apprehended a young man in the parish of Bermondsey,
precisely answering the description of the suspected per-
son, who was brought up to Union-hall Police Office
yesterday morning, and underwent an examination
before R. J. Chambers, Esq.
Grassmith stated, that the prisoner's name is John
Corney, and that on Sunday night, in the course of his
inquiries he ascertained that the person whom he wanted
was seen in a low public house in Kent-street, late on
Friday night, and that he had every appearance of
having just come out of the country. The officer fol-
lowed up the search, and at length took the prisoner
into custody at a public house in Bermondsey; in the
•tap-roam of which, it appeared, he had been very com-
municative to the company on the subject of the mur-
ders. Grassmith immediately commenced an exatnina-
tion of his clothes, and on looking at his shirt he
observed a large spot of what he was convinced was
blood on the bosom of it. He questioned Corney as to
the cause, when the latter replied that it was caused by
some port wine splashing upon it, while is the act of
drawing the cork out of the bottle.
The shirt was here produced before the Magistrate, and the spot
of blood alluded to was perceptible.
Mr. C11A31511141 then proceeded to put the following questions
to Carney:
What are you?—l am a labmirer, Sir, and have worked some
time in the employment of Captain Everard, of Lock's-fields.
Have you been in the country lately ? Yes, Sir, I have been down
in Surrey.
What part of Surrey ?—Near Leatherhead.
How long had you been there 3—Since the commencement of
Leatherhead fair.
What were you doing there?—Why, Sir, I was sent by master to
Mr. Bruce, the landlord of the Rising Sun public-house, to assist
him in his business during the fair.
What distance is the Rising Sun from Fetcham 7—lt is a little
better than balf a mile. _ _ _

--Did you sleep at Sun every night ?—Yes, Sir, and.liir.
Bruce can certify that I slept there.
On Thursday night are you certain you slept there?—Yes,
Sir. I am.

What part of the house did yea sleep in tLat night ?—I slept in a
two-bedded room, at the top of the house.
Can hlr. Bruce speak to that fact 7-11 he can't, Anne, the ser-
vant girl, can.
___

What time did you go to bed?—t at up rather late, in account
of the company; I should think it was after one o'clock when I
retired to rest.

Did any other person sleep in the room with you, and tell me bis
name?—There was another man alert in the neat bed; he was a
farmer•like looking person, but I cant t say what his name is.

At what hour did you rise in the moruhse?-4 should think about
wren o'clock.
And %hat did you do on getting up P.I cleaned the
pots ; and while standing at the door of the Rising Sun,
about ten o'clock on the Friday, a Gentleman, I think
his name was Gibbs, told some persons in my hearing
that a shocking murder had been committed the previous
night at Fetcham.
What did you do afterwards, for you must be parti•
cular in giving me a very minute account of your time
up to your arrival in tows ?—I am not afraid to state
every thing that I know, Sir, said Corney; and after I
had done cleaning up my pots, as Mr. Bruce did not'
want me any longer, he paid me for my services, and I
left and came up to town.
Did you call et the Hells pobliabouse, Merton, on your way to
town ?—Yes, I did, Sr, and bade pint of porter there, and left the
house immediately after drinking it, as I was in a hurry to get into
London.
CiLtwases.—There appears to be a spot of blood on the
breast of your shirt; how do you account for that?
4' It is not blood, Sir; it is the stain of port wine, that splashed
-out upon me while I was drawing the cork of a bottle of wine at
the Rising San."
The Magistrate, although persuaded that the mark
was caused by blood, directed Graumith to take the
shirt into the Infirmary next door, and have the opinion
of the medical men as to whether it was produced by
blood or by wine, as had been asserted.
On the Officer's return, he told the Magistrate that
it was the opinion of the Surgeon, that it was a stain of
blood, and that it presented an appearance of having
been very much rubbed, in order to obliterate the mark.
At this stage of the investigation, a messenger arrived
from Fetcham, with a letter from the Rev. Mr. Bolland,
who, together with the other Gentlemen resident in the
immediate neighbourhood of the murders, have been
indefatigable in their exertions to obtain some clue to
the discovery of the perpetrators. The letter was ad-
dressed to R. J. Chambers, Esq. or the Magistrate then
presiding at the office, and was as follows:
FITCHAM, OCTOllit 16.

" Sta—l have evidence of the best description that a grand-
daughter of the old man murdered at Fetcham was at Leatherhead,
to the fair booth, on Wednesday and Thursday last, and that she
was then in company with two young fellows. Indeed, I have
also reason to believe that she was seen travelling with these com-*
panions on the road from Leatberhead to Esher, within three miles
of the spot where the deed was done, at halt past ten o'dockon Fri-
day morning—the murder having bees then pretty publicly known
for three boors,' William Smith saw Mary Agnes (the grand-
daughter) at Leatberhead fair, on Thursday morning, about eight
o'clock. I met her in a passage, and spoke to her. She was in
company with a man in a round frock. The man was tall and
thin, and of a fresh colour. Mary Agnes Is a thin young woman,
about 0 years of age, a thick waist, paleish face, and fair, with
lightish hair. She is quite a tall woman: She had on high-laced
shoes, with nails, a light gown, something of a pink, a flower run-
ning all down, and a black beaver bonnet.'
"' Isaac Sheath saw three men, one oldish, with his face wrapped
up as if from rheumatism, and two young hearty fellows, with
Mary Agnes, at half past ten o'clock on Friday morning. This was
at Oakshot, two miles from Leatherhead; they were travelling
towards Esher. My attention was drawn to them, because they
were driving their donkies very fast. One of the men asked me
what o'clock it was? I have known Mary Agnes all my life; she is
a good-looking girl, used to be jolly ; she is about k 4 years old.'
_ " Michael Derby saw Mary Agnes at the fair on Wednesday.

•
She was in company with two men, one had on a velvet jacket, tie
other bad on a brown frock. I was coming from the air at four
o'clock on Friday morning, and was going towards Fetcham. Be-
tween Leatberbead cage and Leatberhead bridge I met a man and
a woman; they were whispering. I was frightened; I could not
distinguish their dress.'
" This is all I caw collect. It is my opinion that no stranger com-
mitted the murder. Everything favours :he presumption that the
perpetrators, either directly by themselves, or indirectly by others,
were cognizant of the lonely and helpless state of the inmates of the
house, and expected to find money. because the did creature had
freehold property. I shall be at Sessions to-morrow, and will bring
Isaac Sheath. If you think it advisable to let HaU or Pople meet
rne, Sir, I am clearly convinced of the necessity of finding Mary
Agnes. Pray excuse haste.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
" J. G. HOLLAND."
On the perusal of this important information, Mr.
Chambers immediately directed the chief officer, Hall,
to lose no time in setting out to apprehend the suspected
persons. Post-chaises were ordered to be in readiness,
;tad by half.past one o'clock yesterday Mr. Hall, Pople,
and Urassmith, the officers, were on the road, and bad
taken different routes, in order to come up with them
as expeditiously as possible.
The young man named Corney underwent ao further
examination, the Magistrates having permitted him to
go back to his master, Captain Everard, and to come
up on a future occa%ion should he be wanted.
Corney strongly protested his innoceace of having any
knowledge of the murders, and during the period of his'
examination, frequently declared that the spots or marks
on his shirt were not caused by blood, but in the man-
ner he had already stated.