The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-12-18 00:00:00

THE LATE MURDER AT NEWCASTLE.

(From the Tyne Mercury of Tuesday.)
Mr. Bolam's wounds were but slight, and it will be seen
that on the afternoon of that melancholy day he was brought
to give his evidence before the coroner. His face had an
haggard appearance, which was to have been expected, what-
ever may have been his part in the previous night's transac-
tion ; but he was perfectly calm and collected. He was in
the same dress in which he had been found in the morning,
with the exception of his neckerchief and stock, which had
been taken possession of by the police, and in their stead a
silk handkerchief was carefully tied about his neck. The
breast of his shirt was bloody, but it was so placed that but a
small portion of the blood was seen ; and his black coat and
waistcoat exhibited numerous cuts and tears. The plaster
on the cuts on the throat was very apparent, and this, toge-
ther with his being unshaved, might make him look more
haggard than he otherwise might have done. He walked up
the room to the Coroner with a firm step, and although the
whole of the vast assemblage were on tiptoe to get but a
glance of him, he never ventured to meet their gaze, but
kept his eye steadily on the ground. On arriving at the head
of the room, be sat down on the chair that had been occu-
pied by the former witnesses, and confined his look to the
Coroner. The room was as still as if no person had been
present when the Coroner stated that it was his duty to cau-
tion him as to what he was about to say; but Mr. Bolam
heard it without betraying any signs of emotion. When the
Coroner asked him if he had any objections to be examined
on the inquest, he firmly replied, " No, most certainly not."
His answers to the questions were clear and distinct, and
with a deliberation which showed that he was weighing
everything to which he gave utterance. On one or two oc-
casions he corrected himself, but generally he went on with-
out hesitation.

After his examination he was taken to the Savings' Bank
to view the body of the unfortunate Millie; he went without
the slightest hesitation, but shuddered when placed beside
the corpse. We may be excused for saying here, that this
should not be taken as a proof of guilt, tor many who could
have no concern in the unfortunate transaction had done the
like in the course of the day ; and it might almost be expected
that Bolam would do so, if his statement were substantially
correct, fur the scene itself must have been fraught with
many painful reflections. He was taken from the Bank to
the Police-office, in the Manors, and placed before Messrs.
Dunn, Batson, and Potter, the magistrates. The police here
made a statement as to the suspicions entertained concerning
him, for the purpose of having him committed to prison.
This statement was committed to writing, and on it being
read over to him his courage gave way, and he broke out
into a violent fit of grief. He was conveyed to the gaol,
where he spent a most restless night, being heard to moan
most heavily. In the morning he had a most cadaverous
look, and was examined by Mr. Baird, the surgeon, of Nor-
thumberland-street, This gentleman examined minutely the
cuts on his clothes and stock, and compared them with what
wounds there were on his person, and his evidence will be
extremely important when brought before the coroner. In-
deed, from the very first it was seen that the best surgical
evidence that could be obtained would be necessary ; and
we heard the matter urged by one who was able to judge.
After the examination of Mr. Baird, the police procured for
Bolam a change of clothing; and this no doubt has given
rise to a report that a bundle of clothes had been seized, which
would be important in establishing his guilt. Bolam's house
was searched, but nothing particular was discovered. It has
been often stated that the housekeeper should have been ob-
tained at the first examinaiion, and it would then have been
seen if her statement corresponded with her master's, before
she could have become acquainted with what he said ; but
due cafe was taken of this, and it was perfectly ascertained,
on the evening of the inquest, what she had to say, and we
believe she will not be an important witness.
Mr. Millie was 54 years of age, but had the appearance of
being somewhat older. He was a quiet, respectable-locking
old man. He had his office sleeves on when found, so that
he must have been engaged in his usual avocations when the
attack was made upon him. Inspector Bell, one of the first
persons that entered the bank, and whose evidence will be
very important, will p-roduce a key found in the inside of the
door of the large room, which can be identified as Millie's.
He was interred on Sunday afternoon, at two o'clock, at the
Ballast Hills. It is fortunate there is no stoppage in the
business of the bank, which was proceeded with as usual on
Saturday.

ADJOURNED INQUEST—WEDNESDAY.
(Abridged from the Newcastle Journal.)
On Wednesday last, pursuant to adjournment, the jury
met the Coroner at the Blue Posts Inn, at two o'clock, when
the inquiry was appointed to take place in the New Police-
office in the Manors, which was speedily crowded to excess.
The court having been opened in the usual manner, the jury
answered to their names, and the following witnesses were
examined:—
Elizabeth Millie, daughter of the deceased, said she was
12 years of age. The deceased lived in the Croft-stairs. She
saw him last on Thursday afternoon, about half-past one.
He came to his dinner at half-past twelve, and left at half-
past one, to go to the Saivngs' Bank. He was a clerk there.
He had a pair of black cotton sleeves on above his coat. He
said nothing, but just bid them good afternoon. He never
came back again. She was in the house all the afternoon.
She went to bed about two the next morning. She is sure
he never came back during that time. His regular time for
corning to tea was between four and five. He generally
came home to tea. She never took his tea to the bank. He
never staid away from his tea. When he went from dinner
he did not say that he would be later at the bank. She knows
Mr. Bolam, who was in the bank with her father. He lives
at Gateshead. She has been at his house. She went to his
house to get pieces of meat by Mr. Bolam's desire. The
meat was for her and the children. That was often the case.
He was very kind with her father. Never heard of any
quarrel between them. Her father dined at Mr. Bolam's
house yesterday week. He came home at nine o'clock at
night. Mr. Cree dined there with her father. No one came
home with her father. Does not know very well who Mr.
Cree is. Her father got no part of the meat which she got
at Mr. Bolam's. He knew that meat was got from Mr.
Bolam's.
The Coroner then read a letter, dated Whitehall, Decem-
ber 10, which the Mayor had received from Mr. S. M.
Phillips, acknowledging the receipt of the letter, containing
the reward of £lOO. for the discovery of the murderer, and
stating that Lord John Russell had promised her Majesty's
gracious pardon to any one except the actual murderer of the
deceased.
Mary Walker said she was housekeeper to Mr. Archibald
Bolarn. He lives at Sedgwick-place, is Gateshead. She
has been his housekeeper three years last November. On
Tuesday morning last he left his house- about nine o'clock to
go to the bank. He did not say anything when he went out.
There was no one there but her when he went out. He had
dark checked trousers on, and a black coat and waistcoat,
with shoes and black gaiters. He did not come back to din-
ner. He only sometimes came to dinner. She next saw
him at two the same day, when she took his dinner to the
bank. Was in the habit of taking his dinner there. She
took some potatoes and veal put together in a white basin.
She did not leave that basin. He took his dinner while she
was there, and she took the basin home again. At the same
time she took him some tea in a glass bottle. It was a wine
bottle, and would hardly hold three gills. She left that bottle
at the bank. Mr. Bolam used to put the tea on the fender to
warm. She knows no other means be had of warming it.
He had no teacups or saucers that she knows of. She took
some bread in a paper. She did not take anything else. He
had no knife nor fork at the Bank that she knows of. She
took a knife and fork for him on that occasion, which she
took home after he had finished his dinner. When she went
away he said nothing to her as to his coming home. 'When
she was over with his dinner he had a black coat on. He
had no sleeves above his coat. He was formerly in the habit
of writing with sleeves on, but she has not seen him do so
for a long time. She has seen a blue office coat which Mr.
Bolam had, but lie gave that coat away. He gave it away
in the last back-end, after the throng time was over. It was
this year, but she cannot tell how long since, it may he four
or five months since. He gave that coat to Joseph Millie,
the man who is murdered. She saw Bolam give it to him at
his (Bolam's) house. No one was present but herself when
it was given. She has seen that coat often upon Mr. Millie
since. Millie carried the coat away with him. He did not
put it on there. There were yellow-ribbed buttons on it. She
cannot fix the time when Mr. Bolam gave him that coat.
She cannot say how many weeks it is since Mr. Bolam's
uncle died; but he has been in black ever since that time.
Before he went into black he wore a blue coat. She knows
where the blue coat is now. He has it on. He had no other
office coat after he gave that one to Millie. That blue coat
was at Bolam's house on Thursday last. It was sent for on
Friday night by Air. Bolam, who wrote a few lines request-
ing her to send a suit of clothes. The lines were not directed
to anybody ; but were brought to her by some of the police.
Besides the blue coat and the black one, Mr. Bolam has a
green coat, which is in the house. Since he gave the coat to
Millie he has had no other coat but the three she has men-
tioned. After leaving the bank on Thursday afternoon she
called at her sister's house, which is in Swan-streer, Gates-
head. Her name is Mole. She there saw her mother and
sister. She did not remain long, perhaps an hour at most.
She then went home. That would be about four o'clock. She
remained at home all that night, and never was out till the
next morning. When she went to the bank at two o'clock,
she locked the door of Mr. Bolam's house in Sedgwick-
place. She took the key with her in her pocket. When she
returned at four o'clock she found the door locked, and she
opened it and went in. She had been in the house about
two hours before anybody came to it. Mr. Bolam then came
in. He opened the back door with a speck key. She was
then in the kitchen, and he came to her immediately. He
had no opportunity of going to any other part of the house
before he came in to her. When he came in she asked him
what he had come home to do, and he said, " I have come
for a key which 1 bad forgot." He said she was to shut the
window shutters in and make all safe. He said he was only
cautioning her lest any person should make an attempt to
break in. He did not say why he was cautioning her. He
did not tell her he had got an anonymous letter that day.
She did not say anything after he told her this. The win-
dow-shutters of both kitchen and parlour at the time were
open. Mr. Bolam's house is one of a row of eight or nine
houses all close to each other; there are other streets close
adjoining. He went out immediately after telling her ibis.
Before he went out he went into the parlour. He was there
only a few minutes—it might be five minutes. When he went
into the parlour she went with him, with the candle. He went
to his desk and opened it, but she does not know whether he
took anything from the desk or not. He had the same dress
on that he wore when he went away in the morning. On
leaving his house he did not say what time he would be at
home again. She sat up till two o'clock the next morning,
and then she went to bed. From the time he left, at six
o'clock, till two, when she went to bed, she never saw Bolam
again. There is a pane of glass broken in Mr. Bolam's
kitchen window. She broke that pane on Wednesday night.
No one saw her break it. She was putting up her window,
and her hand went through it. Nobody saw this broken pane
before the Friday morning. Does not exactly know Mr.
Bolam's age. Thinks he is about 40 years of age. He kept
no company, except sometimes his relations came—his
brothers and sisters. Millie, the deceased, she thinks, bad
been thrice in Bolam's house; the last time was on Tuesday
week, when he dined there in company with Matthew Cree,
the door-keeper at the savings' bank; that was the last time
she saw him there; she had not seen him there for a long
time before. The last time before that was when he got the
coat. The coat given to Millie had been used by Bolam as an
office coat. She took it from the bank to Bolam's house. Mr.
Bolam had no key by which he could get into the house
whilst she was out. She has never said that when she went
home on Thursday night she found Mr. Bolarn in the house.
She never said that Mr. Bolam broke the window in order to
get into the house. She saw her sister Mole on Friday. She
did not tell her that. She saw Mr. Bolam on Friday morn-
morning, between nine and ten o'clock. He was then at
Mr. Glenton, the surgeon's, in Pilgrim-street. He was up
stairs in one of the rooms. He came to her walking from
another room. She asked him how he was, and he said
he had had a narrow escape for his life. She said poor Millie
was gone, and Bolam said yes. She asked what time of
night it happened? He said Millie was on the hearth-rug
when he came back from home. Bolam said he went into the
bank, and that he was followed by a man, who knocked him
down, that he got up and ran towards the window, and was
immediately knocked down again, and seized by the throat.
That was all Mr. B. told her, and he said she was to go home,
and he would be at home in the afternoon. No one was
present when this conversation took place between them.
That is all the conversation she has had with Mr.
Bolarn. She has not had any conversation with any body
else about the matter. When the police came to see her
on Saturday evening, they asked her what Mr. Bolam had
said to her on the Thursday night when he was at home, and
she told them that her master said he had come for a key, and
she told them that that was ali he said. She also told them
about the shutters. After she had told them that her master
came for the key, no one put it into her head to say that
about the shutters. There was at that time the old woman
who lived with Mr. Bolarn before, Jane Dees, and three po-
licemen, who had come to Bolam's house; they asked her no