The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-12-23 00:00:00

HORRID MURDER AT KIRTON LINDSEY.

The county of Lincoln during the, past week has been thrown
into the greatest conSternatiou by the discovery of a deed which
has not been equalled in the calendar of crime in England 'for
-malty years. The unfortunate victim's were an aged couple,
brother and sister, of quiet and industrious habits, residing at
KirtOn. in Lindsey; Omit seventeen miles north of Lincoln,
where for a number of years they had pursued the occupation of
gardeners, and by dint of frugality and persevering labour had
saved money etiough, with the addition of a mortgage, to pur-
chase the premises whiph they occupied, a very respectable
Hhouie nearly adjoiting, and foat acres of laud. William Mar-
shall was the name of the man, and Deborah Elizabeth Hut-
chinson that of his :sister; the latter lived some years ago with
Lord Wiliiani Beanclerc, and was at that time noticed for her
saving disposition.
The house where the murders where perpetrated is situate at
the top part of the town; 'and abuts on the high road to Lincoln;
it r firms an angle wish the iesidenee of Mr. Itobekson, solicitor,
whicit is very hide more dozeu yards distant, in an easterly
direction ; amid on the west, at a distance of eight yards, there"
are two or three inhibited houses, one of which is occupied by
Mr. Palmer, printer, whose' office is directly opposite Marshall's
house. There are several other houses in the immediate neigh-
bourhood. Two women, named Elizabeth Beech and Rosamond'
Sampson, worked for Marshall and his sister, and were accas-
toaied to go to the house about eight o'clock in the morning,
and leave at five o'clock in the evening. On going, as usual,
on Saturday morning, the 10th instant, they were both informed
that a zuspicious.looking fellow had called the previous evening,
during tea time, and first asked to purchase some apples, next
some potatoes, and at last sonie. onions. The latter were pro-
cured for him, but he made an excuse for not taking, them away,
saying he had no baiket, and he promised he would call next
day : the old people, in describing him, said he was muffled
about the neck with a " comfortable" (or cravat,) wore a dark
jacket or coat, had long projecting teeth, smoked a very short
pipe, and looked very much like an Irishman named John Dim•
sey, who formerly lived in the town, but who had been away
seven or eight months. Marshall brought his pistol down stairs
while the man was there, to show he was armed; and Hutchin-
son said, to intimidate him, if he had any evil purpose, that she
expected her two wtonen and their husbands. The stranger
afterwards left. but did cat call the next day, according to his
promise. _ _

On Monday morning, which was Kirton fair-day, Elizabeth
Beech went to her work as usual, and again left at five o'clock
in the evening, having first put a pot of potatoes an the tire. On
proceeding to Marshall's house on Tuesday mornin, she found
.the shutters as she had left them the previous night': • but upon
applying her hand to the latch of the dour it immediately flew
open, when she entered, and, unclosing the shutters, perceived
the legs of her mistress beneath sonie bags. She speedily called
assistance, and, the hags being removed, one of the most horrid
spectacles presented itself it is possible to conceive.
Thire lay the body of the unfortunate woman, the head and
.face covered with wounds and clotted blood; her features were
scarcely diseernible • the socket of her left eye was empty,•and
the eye was found adhering to a sweeping-brush which was under
her; the right jaw was broken, -the cheek-bone also, the temple
beaten in,. and other parts of the skull fractured :• beneath her
head and shoulders was a pool of coagulated blood, the upper
parts of her garments being completely saturated,in it. like
head was leaning against a door which leads to the staircase;
her legs were lying towards the middle of the room, which is
about four yards square, and opens into a space immediately
adjoining the street or high road.
On proceeding to the staircase, which is separated from the
room by a'eort of Closet about a yard square, the body of Mar-
shall was next discovered, presenting au equally ghastly object,
being surrounded by another pool of blood, and the features
front the injuries received alike undistinguishable ; the. poor old
creature's-head was resting against the wall, his right arm was
on the bottom step of the stairs; undone of his legs near touch-
ing the bead ,:f his unfortunate sister; his hat was foundonder
hint, bent by his weight, and the indentation was filled with
gore; his snioCkfrock appeared as though it had been dipped
in blood. The bone of his nose was broken, and the nose
pressed apon the right side of his face; there was a deep wound
extending from the left eve to the temple, another upon the
skull which had penetrated to the brain, and three others
from one to two inches in length. The injuries appeared to
have been indicted by a bricklayer's brick hammer user) at both
ends.

The murder, it is supposed, must have been committed be-
tween 5 and half-past 8 o'clock in the evening, as the old people
usually went to bed at the latter hour, and their dress when
fOund was the same as they had on when Beech left them It
is thought the old man bad gone up stairs to measure some
onions (for a half-peck was found under him smeared with blood,)
nod that while there, the sister was despatched. and upon Mar-
himselt coming down, the murderer attacked and killed
him also. The surgeon who examined the bodies is of opinion
death must have been instantaneous in both cases. It is remark-
able that no screams were beard by.tbe neighbours, although
living so close, and although the Murder must have been com-
mitted early in the eveninv. •
Alter completing his deadly work, the inhuman wretch pro-
ceeded up stairs and 'took the clothes oft HUtchinson's bed,
which he placed over the window to prevent• the light being
seen; he then broke open Marshall's box, and todk out a purse
containing, it is supposed, about H sovereignsi4ome silver
spoons which were in the box were left behind, as well as a silver
nsedeure and sugar-tongs; indeed, the only articles missing be-
sides' the money were a great coat, a cavalry pistol, and a piece
of cooked bacon.

• John Dimsey, he person wham the old people suspected the
stranger tole who called on Friday evening, was strongly sus-
pected of the font deed. Dimsey arrived at Kirton on the very
evening and about the time Marshall and his sister were visited
by the stranger. He is proved to have worn a dress correspond-
ing with the description given by Mr. Hutchinson, and not to
have gone out of the house where he was staying at Kirkton
fram the time he entered till about half-past 6 on the evening of
the murder, when he left, and said he was going immediately to
Geinsborough. Instead of going in the Gainsborough direction,
however, he was seen proceeding towards Marshall's house,
which is an opposite road, and two hours afterwards he was
found walking on the Scotter road. There was, moreover, a
ishort pipe found under the corpse of Marshall, which was of
!different make from the Kirton pipes, and answered the des-
cription of the pipe which Dimsey generally smoked..
It is singular that Marshall, who seldom kept lettcb money
in the house, had to pay £l5 interest money the day after the
murder,: and it is surmised that this fact must have been known
;to the party.. who committed the deed, and that was the object
which promptea bum. Active steps were taken to apprehend
Dimsey, and the parties who pursued him succeeded in taking
him at Sheffield,- from whence.he was conveyed to Gainshotough
and thence to Kirton on Saturday, to undergo an examination.
An inquest was held on the bodies on Thursday morning, and
the facts which have been explained in the preceding summary
were.detailed in the evidence then given. The jury consulted
for some time, and at length returned-a: verdict of " Wilful
;murder against some person or .persons unknown." Two -of the
jurors refused to sign the verdict, they being of opinion it ought
to have ,been against John,Dimsey. I'lse investigation tenni.
nated shortly before midnight.—Tinto.