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 consternation by the discovery of a deed which
has not been equalled, in the calendar of crime in Eia„ulatid for
Many years. Ihe unfortunate victims were an aged couple,
brother and sister, of quiet and industrious habits, residint at
Kirton. in Lindsey, about 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 enough, with the addition of a. mortgage, to pur-
chase the premises, which they ocenpied,,:a very :espeetable
house nearly adjoining, and four acres of William Mar-
shall was the name of the man, and Deboyab !Elizabeth Hut-
chinson that of his sister; the latter lived soiree years ago with
Lord William Beauclerc, and was at that time noticed for her
saving disposition.
The house where the murders where perpetrated is sifuate at
the top part of the town, and abuts on the high road in Lincoln ;
it forms an angle with the residence of Mr. Robertson, selicitor,
which is very little more than a dozen yards distant, in, an easterly
direction ; and on the west, at a distance of eight yards, there
are two or three inhabited houses, one of which is .occapied by
Mr. Palmer, printer, whose officeis directly opposite Marshall's
house. l'here 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 accus-
14itieci 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 suspicious-looking fellow had called the previous evening,
during tea time, and first asked to purchase some apples, next
some potatoes, and at last some onions. The latter were pro-
cured for him). but he made an excuse for nut taking thein away,
saying he had no basket, and he promised he would call next
day ; the old
,people. in describing him, said he was muffled
about :he neck with a "comfortable". (or cravat,) wore a dark ,
jacket.pr coat, had long projecting teeth, smoked a very short
pipe, and looked very much like an Irishman nained Jobia
Lim-
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, dire had any evil purpose, that she
expected her two women and their husbands. The stranger
afterwards left, but did not 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 on the fire. On
proceeding to Marshall's house on l'uesday morning she found
the shutters as she had left them the previous night; ,hut upon
applying her hand tQ the latch of the dour it immediately .fleW
open, wlhen she entered, and, unclosing the shutters, perceived
the legs of her mistress beneath some bags. She speedily called
assistance, and, the bags being removed, one of the most horrid
spectacles presented itself it is possible to conceive.
, There lay the body of the unfortunate woman, the head and
face covered.with wounds and clotted blood; her features were
scarcely discernible; the socket of her left eye was empty, and
the eye was found adhering to a sweeping-bruh which was under
her; the right jaw was broken, the cheek-bone also, the temple
beaten in, and other parts of the skull fractured ; beneathlier
head and shoulders was a pool of coagulated blood, the upper
Parts of her garments being completely saturated in it. Ihe
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, end opens into a space immediately
adjoining the street or high road. .
: On proceeding to the staircase, which is separated from the
room by a sort of closet about a yard square, the body of Mar-
shall was next discovered, presenting an equally ghastly object,
being surrounded by anotner pool of, blood, and the feattires
from the injuries received alike undistinguishable ; the poor old
creature's head was resting against the wall, his right arm was
-tin the bottom step of the stairs; and one of his legs near tocich-
'hag the head of his unfortunate sister; his hat was found under
him, bent by his weight, and the indentation was filled with
gore; his smockfrock appeared as though it .had been ,dipped
in blood. The bone of his nose was broken, and the nose.
pressed upon the right side of his face; there was a deep wound.
extending from the left eye to the temple, anothet: 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 inflicted by a bricklayer's brick hammer used at both
ends.

. .
The murder, it is supposed, must have; been . committed be-
ten &and half-past 8 o'clock in the evening,tai the old periple
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 had gone up stairs to measure some
onions (for a half-peck was found under him {smeared with blood,)
and that while there, the sister was despatched: and upon Mar-
shall himself coming down, the murderer attacked and killed
him also. The surgeon who examined the bodies is of opinion
1 death must have beet) instantaneous in both cases. It is remark-
' able that no screams were beard by the neighbours, although
living so close, and although the murder must have been com-
mitted early in the evening.
After completing his deadly work, the inhuman wretch.pro-
ceeded up stairs and took the clothes off Hutchinson's bed,
which he placed over the window to prevent the light being
seen; he then broke open Marshall's box, and took out a purse
containing, it is supposed, about 11 sovireignm;. some silver,
spoons which were in the box were left behind, as well as a silver
measure and sugar-tongs; indeed, the only articles rcissing be-
sides the money. were a great coat, a cavalry pistol, and a piece
of cooked bacon.
John Dimsey, the person wham the old people suspected the
stranger to be who called on Friday evening, was strongly sus-
pected of the foul 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
from the time he entered till about half-past 6on the evening of
the murder, when he left, and. said he was going immediately to
Gainsborough.. Instead of going in the Gainsborough direction,
however, he was seen pioceeding towards Marshall's house,
which is an opposite road, and two hours afterwards he visas
found walking on the Scotter road. There was, moreover, a
short 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 much 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 prompted him. Active stept were taken to apprehend
Dimsey, and the parties who pursued him succeeded in taking
bini at Sheffield, from whence he was conveyed to Gainsbot °ugh
and thence to Kirton on Saturday,. to undergo an examination.
Au 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. Tim investigation termi-
nated short!) before midnight.