The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-08-25 00:00:00

CHARGE OF MURDER

games Seddon, 17, and Joseph Dean, 12, were placed
at the bar, charged with the murder of George Ray, in
Manchester. The elder prisoner is a heavy looking lad,
with rather a forbidding countenance, one of his eyes
being apparently distorted, and both sunk in his head.
The younger boy has nothing decidedly bad in his ap.
pearance, except a smirking look—rather out of price,
considering the serious position he occupied. Neither
appeared affected. The mother of Seddon, who was in
court, and cried much at the appearance of her son, was
advised by his counsel, Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, who was
retained for the defence, with Mr. Taylor, to withdraw.
On the jury being sworn, three were objected to, on the
ground of their residence in the locality of the murder.
The witnesses were ordered out of court. Mr. Pol-
lock was for the prosecution, with Mr. Owen, and
stated the charge, that, on the 19th of June, they had
murdered George Ray, a boy of about thirteen years of
age. The case, the learned counsel remarked, was one
depending for proof upon circumstantial evidence, which
was not all times to be depended uron ; but in the pre-
sent instance, the crime was established by so strong a
chain of circumstances as sufficed to fix it upon the pri-
soners. The younger boy, Dean, would be proved to be
in the habit of tending cows in Chorltott, in the suburbs of
Manchester. The prisoner Seddon had for some period
before the murder supported himself by keeping a coal-
yard in Jenkinson-street, where his parents keep a small
provision shop in a cellar in the same street. The learned
counsel handed over to the jury plans of the locality
for their guidance.
On the morning of the ]9th, the deceased left his home,
with an ass, carrying tins of blacking, in which be dealt,
accompanied by his brother, who generally assisted him
in carrying on his business. About eight o'clock in the
evening they first met the prisoners; and the deceased in-
tended to call upon Seddon's father to sell some of his
blacking. He had at the time received about four-
teen shillings. At about a quarter past tea o'clock,
the two prisoners were seen again in company with de-
ceased ; and they were proved to have offered a bet
to the deceased as to the amount of money he had
in his possession. At about twenty minutes to eleven
a witness saw the prisoners with the deceased
again, who on that occasion had been joined by his little
brother ; and the deceased had in his hands a knob stick,
which was afterwards found near his body. A little after
eleven the

ceased was seen in search of his little brother,
who had again left him. and the three persons (said to be
the two prisoners and the deceased) went in the direction
of the coal yard of the boy Seddon, which they were seen
to enter,Seddon himself stating that the object of the visit
of the deceased was to see a Bantam hen. About a quarter
of an hour after entering a noise was heard in the stable,
and shortly afterwards the deceased came out and went to
a house in the neighbourhood for a candle to look at the
hen. This was the last occasion on which he was seen
alive, and about a half an hour afterwards the candle was
returned by the young prisoner Dean. About a quarter
to twelve o'clock the prisoners went into a provision shop
in the neighbourhood and Seddon asked for something
to drink ; but Dean was apparently very ill and could not
drink. He seemed "down-hearted," and shortly both went
to the coal-yard. At nearly one o'clock a witness saw
two persons come out of the coal yard, one of them car-
rying a burden covered with a wrappering, and went down
'rue:, street, in the direction of the Black Brook, where
the body of the deceased was subsequently found. The
younger prisoner carried a box and a stick, both of which
were subsequently found near the body ; and a witness
deposed to a noise being heard, as of some rubbish being
thrown into the brook, and two persons answering the
description of the prisoners, were seen leaving the spot in
the direction of Ormond-street. About four o'clock the
body was discovered, laid in such a position as gave
reason to believe that it had been carefully deposited, and'
the circumstances forbid the idea being entertained that
the deceased had fallen in. A contusion was found on
his temple, which accounted for his death. Several arti-
cles, identified by the mother of the deceased, were found
in geddon's stable, some of which were claimed by Dean.
The box in which the deceased carried his money was
found carefully 'secreted in the stable, and in various
parts of the stable money was found hidden, and some in
the box of Seddon.

Mr. B. Booth, the first witness called, deposed to the
correctness of the plans of the locality of the alleged
murder furnished to the Court and Jury ; but on cross-
examination by Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, it appeared that
there was some error in the plan, not showing accurately
in what places the Black Brook is covered or built over.
The witness admitted that neatly fifteen windows over-
looked the I:midge over the Black Brook, some of them
being those of the Eagle Tavern, where a number of flys
were kept for hire. There are also many courts in the
neighbourhood. The cabin of the elder prisoner is only
Atr.onavheml-srcia-kror-slal

Thcmas Ray, the father of the deceased, was the next
witness called, and deposed to seeing his child alive for
the last time at eleven o'clock in the morning of the 19th
of July, when he sent him out with goods for sale (black-
ing and blackleadj. He had with him a boy, Charles
Holebouse; eleven years old, and a donkey carrying his
goods in twalliquare boxes and two other boxes. He had
also a round box for his money, which witness gave him
that morning. When the boys did not return at the usual
hour went in search of them and found the little boy cry-
ing in Jenkinson-street with the ass. After searching in
vain forthe deceased, returned home. Only foupa two
of the boxes with the ass. Went out again and found his
son's body at about four o'clock, a crowd being round it.
(The witness was here considerably affected.) Nothing
material was elicited on cross-examination.

Chas. Holehouse Ray, brother of the deceased boy, was
next called, and deposed to his accompanying his brother
during his day's round, and to the latter counting his
money about eight o'clock at night, in Green Heys field,
when he had fourteen shillings. The younger prisoner,
Dean saw him count the money. Both were beside de-
ceased and saw the money. Dean offered to pay for a
glass of rum if the two boys would drink it. They after-
wards played a game at cricket, the prisoners looking on,
and the deceased then sent witne s away with the ass.
telling him to wait for him in Jenkinson- street. Deceased
put his money in his box, which he carried on Lis back.
Ilia silver was in a small box placed in the large cne where
he put his copper. It was never taken out until he left
him. Witness met his brother again when he was going
to serve Seddon's shop. No one was with him at that time.

Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant WILKINS. The de-
ceased was a head taller than witness—about the size of
the elder prisoner, but stouter.

Richard Melling, examined by Mr. Owens, deposed to
meeting deceased and the prisoners, in Coupland-street,
Greenheys, about 8 o'clock in the evening of the alleg d
murder, when Dean gave witness a challenge to fight Sed-
don. Prisoners were sitting together on the flags, and de-
ceased was getting something out of his panniers. All
three went together to Greenheys field.
George Gillespie, examined by Mr. Pollock : met the
prisoner and the blacking boy at a quarter past ten on the
night of the murder, at the corner of Chatham-street.
Eleard Dean ask the blacking boy how much money he
bad, when the latter replied that he had more than Dean,
who offered to bet a penny it was not so. Seddon and
Dean afterwards walked down Booth street, to the cor-
ner of Jenkinson-street, where Seddon's coal-yard was.
When prisoners went away, deceased said something to
witness._ Seddon and Dean came back in five minutes,

and the latter whispered to witness to know if the blacking
boy had been saying anything to him, and be gave no an-
swer. Left them all together.

Joseph Green examined : saw the prisoners and de-
ceased, at twenty minutes to eleven o'clock, going towards
Bootle-street. They stopped opposite him in John-street,
and deceased went down an entry on the right hand of the
street. When he came out, they all went on towards
Bootle-street. Deceased had a stick in hie hand.
Elizabeth Cooper lives in Burns-street, and at past
eleven o'clock on the night of the murder, saw three
boys, one of whom came to her and asked if she had seen
a little blacking boy with an ass. The ocher two stood in
Jenkinson-street, near the cellar of Seridon's father.
The boy who asked the question was the murdered boy.
Could not see who the other two boys were. The mur-
dered boy joined them, and they went away. About half
an hour after, the smaller of the blacking boys came up
with the' ass from Jenkinson-street.

Cross-emanined by Mr. Sergeant WILKINs. A
person named Lambert lived nest to the coal shed; was
about to be confined. A great number of people were
about their doors in the evening. There had been a row
in one of the courts in the neighbourhood, which con.
tinued from eleven till after one o'clock, and the police
were obliged to disperse the people collected by it.

Judith Grimshaw, lives in Burn's- st. eet, heard the pre-
ceding witness, asked if she had seen the blacking boy.
At the time it was a quarter to eleven by her clock.
Heard the other boy inquire for his brother about half-
an-hour after. Saw Seddon abort ten minutes pasE
twelve opposite her door, and heard him call out Joe ; and
Dean came out of the court in Burn's-street, where the
row was. Seddon asked Dean what he stopped so long
for ; and both went towards the coal-yard. About twenty-
five minutes to one saw them again coming from the
Bootle-street end of Jenkinson-street, and Dean went in-
to the court again, and was driven out with the rest of
the people by the police. Seddon afterwards went into
the court and sat on a step. He afterwards came across
to witness's door, and whilst speaking to her All Saints'
clock struck one. Told him to go home to bed, and he
went towards Tuer-street.
Thomas Jackson.—lives near Seddon's yard, and saw
the prisoners and deceased go into the gate of the yard
about a quarter of an hour before he beard All Saints'
clock strike eleven. The blacking boy had a box and his
stick. A abort time after thought he heard a struggle
inside the stable. A policeman came up, and he spoke
to him. The policeman knocked several times at the
stable door, but was not admitted, and went on his beat.
Was past the stable door again between twelve and one,
when all was quiet, and when be came home his wife told
him something. Found a stick (produced) in the Brook
next morning.
Witness was cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant WILKINS
as to what he had said to the policeman on the night of