The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-15 00:00:00

N

The prisoner was then removed from the bar, and was af-
terwards conveyed in a coach, handcuffed, and strongly
guarded to Tothill-fields' Prison.

The removal of Courvoisier to Bow-street, on Sunday
night was effected in a very private manner, the police-officers
who since the melancholy occurrence have been in charge
of the house not being aware of the intention until a few
minutes before the removal took place. In fact, we under-
stand, it was effected as soon almost as it was determined on.
Courvoisier had for the first time since he had been in the
custody of the police retired to bed, on Sunda} night, in the
back attic, the room to which he had been restricted since
suspicions were first entertained against him ; and on being
informed, about half-past 11 o'clock, by Inspector Pearce,
that he was his prisoner, and that it was his intention to con-
vey him to a station-house, he without hesitation or making
any remark, beyond a fervent declaration of his innocence,
arose from the bed and commenced dressing himself. In
the meantime a hackney-coach was procured, and Courvoi-
sier was taken to Bow-street. Or. alighting, Courvoisier
was conducted into a private room, where the charge was
entered by Inspector Musgrove in the following manner :
" Francois Benjamin Courvoisier, charged with the wilful
murder of Lord William Russell, on the 6th instant, at No.
14, Norfolk-street, Park-lane," which, having been signed
by Inspector Pearce, Courvoisier was placed in a cell by him-
self, a serjeant of police remaining in the cell with him until
he was conveyed over to the police-court. He was dressed
in a brown frock coat, slate-coloured figured Valentia waist-
coat, black trousers, and boots. He is in stature above the
middle height, or if anything rather under, of rather sallow
complexion, with full face, the features of which are strongly
marked, and has dark brown hair.
Soon after 10 o'clock yesterday, Mr. Philipps, the under
secretary of state for the home department, visited the house,
where he remained until after 11 o'clock, and on leaving pro-
ceeded direct to the Home-office. Mr. Wing, his late lord-.
ship's family solicitor, also arrived at the house between 11
and 12 o'clock, for the purpose of proceeding with the inves-
tigation and examination of the premises. In the course of
the former, we understand the depositions of some of the
servants of Major Anstruther, next door (No. 15,) were taken,
but to what purport we have been unable to learn.
We.understand that on the day subsequent to the murder
(Wednesday) Inspector Beresford, while obtaining from Cor-
voisier a list of the articles supposed to have been stolen and
removed from the premises, asked him for a description of
the seals attached to his late lerdship's watch, when Cour-
voisier fetched a wax impression of a seal bearing the arms of
the Bedford family, saying that one of them bore that im-
pression. That seal was the one found on Saturday, by In-
spector Pearce, behind a leaden water-pipe, not far from the
skirting board behind which the articles first discovered were
found. Behind the same pipe was also found a signet ring,
usually worn by his late lordship, which had been bent and
nearly broken, apparently for the purpose of being destroyed.
It is also stated that, on an examination being made, on the
morning after the murder, of the bed in Courvoisier's room,
it appeared to have been rumpled and disturbed, but had no
appearance of a person having slept in it.
During the whole of yesterday the house was besieged by:
messengers from the royal family, the cabinet ministers,
numbers of the nobility and gentry, anxious to pay a tribute
of respect to the memory of his deceased lordship, urgently
requesting that they might do honour to his obsequies, by
their carriages, at the funeral, following in the mournful
cortege. It is also stated that her Majesty and Prince Albert
sent a similar request, but we understand the whole were
most respectfully declined, it being the wish that the inter-
ment should take place as privately as possible.
About four o'clock Mr. Commissioner,Mayne and Mr.
Hobler, jun., the solicitor for the prosecution, arrived at the
house from the examination of Courvoisier at Bow-street
police court. They were shortly afterwards followed by
Superintendent Baker and Inspector Pearce, when a further
minute examination of the several apartments was entered
into, but, we believe, without any further important disco-
veries being made. Mr. Mayne remained until near seven
o'clock, about which hour Mr. Wing also left, but Messrs.
Baker and Pearce remained to a much later hour.
About 10 o'clock the outer coffin was brought in a hearse
from the establishment of Mr. Richards, the undertaker in
Holborn, whose shop had been thronged throughout the day
by persons anxious to see it. It is a remarkably neat and
plain coffin, covered with exceedingly fine black cloth, and
studded by rows of richly-gilt nails on each side, and the lid
being divided into three compartments or pannels, in the
centre of which, on the sides, and at the head and foot, are
massive gilt handles, unadorned by any embossment. In
the centre compartment on the lid is a large brass plate, on
which is engraved the following inscription :
" The Right Honourable
LORD WILLIAM RUSSELL,
The son of Francis and Elizabeth, Marquis and
Marchioness of Tavistock.
Born August 20, 1767,
Died May 6, 1840,
Aged 72 years."
To the leaden coffin, in which the shell is placed, is also
attached a leaden plate, on which is engraved—
" LORD WILLIAM RUSSELL,

Died May 6, 1840,
In the 73d year of his age."

(From the Times of Wednesday.)
TUESDAY EVENlNG.—Throughout the day the crowd in
front of the residence of the late Lord William Russell has
been fully as numerous as on any of the preceding days, and
great diappointment was generally expressed when it was
found that the remains of his late lordship had been removed
from the house at the early hour of six o'clock, the general
opinion being that the removal would not take place till a
much later hour.
During the day the examination of the premises has been
further proceeded with, and we understand that part of the
gold key attached to the watch of the deceased, which is still
missing, has been found in the back pantry, only used by the
valet, Courvoisier. It was discovered in a small aperture
near the floor, between some bricks and the wall.
In the course o f the day the following description of the
gold watch was forwarded to the different police-stations, and
to the various pawnbrokers of the metropolis :—" A gold
horizontal repeating watch, with silver dial, jewelled in four
holes, engine-turned case, with Breguet pusher, No. 1212,
made by Barral and Contain. Two private numbers made by
the persons who last cleaned the watch will be found inside'
near tne hinge—Nos. 6119 and 10,085.
For the last two or three days inspector Beresford has been
•
engaged in making inquiries as to the truth of the statements
made by Henry Carr, which have been found to be perfectly
correct, and fully exonerate him from any suspicion of having
been concerned in the perpetration of the diabolical murder.
One of the persons who accompanied Courvoisier on Sun-
day night, on his removal from Norfolk-street to the station-
house, was Serjeant Driscol, C, 2 who, after the charge had"
been entered against the prisoner, and he was removed to a
cell, remained with him therein during the night, and up to
his removal to the police-office about two o'clock on Mon-
day. During that time Courvoisier remained very firm and
free from all the symptoms of agitation. He frequently ex-
pressed his confidence that he should be eventually honour-
ably acquitted of the dreadful charge alleged against him,
and told Serjeant Driscol that when again at liberty, he
should not forget him for the civility he had shown him.
In the Times of this morning appears a letter dated from
No. 1, Charles-street, Grosvenor..square, and signed " C.
Barry," in which an inquiry is made as to where his lord-
ship's dog was on the night .tbe murder was committed. It
appears that the dog in question, which was a very great
favourite of his lordship's, was usually kept during the night
at the stables, but was taken to the house in 'Norfolk-street
to be fed in the morning, and was also generally in the room
with his lordship during the evening. On the evening pre-
vious to the murder the dog remained at the house until
about nine o'clock, when it was fetched away by the coach-
man, and taken to the stables for the night.