The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-11-18 00:00:00

APPALLING MURDER

A horrid murder, accompanied with most extraordinary
and revolting circumstances, was perpetrated at the ham-
let
of Alsager's Bank, near Audley, Staffordshire, on
Wednesday last. The victim of this frightful tragedy was
a man named Adolphus Fielding, a quiet inoffensive per-
son, who for many years past had lodged with his uncle,
in Stoke-road, near Newcastle. Fielding, it appears, was
respectably connected, but for some time past had appa-
rently procured the means of subsistence by hawking lace,
cottons, and other trifling articles, from house to house,
the villages and hamlets around Newcastle forming the
sphere of his honest and unobtrusive exertions. On Wed-
nesday morning, while plying his vocation at Alsager's
Bank, he called at the cottage of a widow named Col-
dough. In the cottage with Mrs. Co'dough lived John
Dean, and; Francis Mycock, who cohabited together as
man and wife, a little boy, their son, and a man, the son
of Mrs. Colclough. At the time the ill fated Fielding
called with his wares, John Dean and the little boy
were alone in the cottage, the other inmates being tem-
porarily absent. What transpired between Dean and
the deceased, previous to the destruction of the latter
is for the present unknown ; whether any conversa-
tion took place is not ascertained ; but soon after twelve
o'clock the little boy ran from the cottage in breathless
haste, and meeting his mother said that Dean had "touched
the man that brought the teapot." This was an allusion
to the nrcumstance of Fielding having, a few weeks since,
sold Mycock a teapot. Mycock, in consequence of Dean's
previous conduct, anticipated the worst, and running to
the cottage,lshe found the door partially open ; peeping
stealthily in she was I orrified at the fearful sight which
there presented itself. On the floor was extended poor
Fielding, a lifeless, headless corpse ; Dean was ferociously
chopping at the remains with an axe hammer? The af-
frighted woman immediately raised an alarm, and the
neighbours surrounding the house attempted to force an
entrance, but they feared to approach the infuriated
homicide. After some time. a man named William
Scott took courage, and entered into the cottage,
having first provided himself with a rail as a wea-
pon of defence. Dean approached Scott in a furi-
ous manner, knife in band, hissing like a serpent,
and tl-e fragile rail breaking in the encounter, Scott re-
ceived a stab near his throat, and barely succeeded in es-
caping with his life, Dean then barricaded the door, and
proceeded to further and unheard-of atrocities with the
body. He dashed the brains of his victim through the
broken panes of the window, and remorselessly placed
the bleeding head on the fire ! The spectators on per-
ceiving this last revolting act, suggested that a quantity
of water be poured down the chimney of the cottage, in
order to extinguish the fire. This being done, had the
immediate effect of driving Dean up stairs, to escape suf-
focation. The little chamber to which the a retched man
retreated is approached by a step-ladder; this he took the
precaution to draw up after him. The door was then
broken open by the spectators outside, one party entered
the cottage, and another, at the same time, proceeded to
remove a portion of the thatch from the roof. Police-

constable Webb jumped through the opening, and pounc-
ing upon Dean, with the assistance of those around, se-
cured his prisoner, and took him to the police-station at
Audley.

A coroner's inquest was held on Thursday, when a ver-
dict of wilful murder was returned against Dean, who
was committed for trial at the assizes.

For several days previous to the murder, Dean had
exhibited signs of insanity. On Monday he went to his
work as usual at Apedale, but was sent away in conse-
quence of not performing it in a proper manner. Instead
of chiseling a stone, he applied a hammer to break it in
pieces. He then carried a razor with him, and holding it
open in one hand, he solicited a maid at the hall to go
into a shed with him, saying tie would show how " pigs
were killed." On Tuesday, Dean, Mycock, and the boy
visited some relations of Mycock's at Stone. They
returned in the evening as far as Hanford, where they
slept at the cottage of a relation, and arrived back at
Meager about eleven o'clock on the Wednesday morning.
Mrs. Colclough having occasion to go to Newcastle, had
left the cottage, and Mycock wishing to execute an etrand
at the village shop, left Dean and the little boy alone. in
the house. Within a few minutes after this, poor Fielding
was murdered. The general impression is that Dean is
decidedly insane.

L STANDARD.

THE COURT Ii" FASHIONABLE WORLD.

The Duke and Duchess of Cleveland are entertaining a
distinguished party at baby Castle.
The Duke of Sutherland has resigned the Lord-Lieu-
tenancy of Shropshire, and Lord Hill will be his Lord-
ship's successor.
The Duke of Newcastle and the Ladies Pelham Clinton
have returned to Clumber Park, from a visit to Viscount
and Viscountess Combermere, at Combermere Abbey,
where a select party assembled last week.
The Dowager Marchioness of Westminster will, it is
expected, on the Marquis of Westminster and his esta-
blishment removing from Grosvenor-square to Grosvenor
House, occupy the later mansicn.
The marriage of Sir Thomas Hesketh, Bart., with
L,cly Arabella Fermor, only daughter of the late Earl of
Pomfret, is, we understand, to take place immediately on
the worthy baronet's attaining his majority in January
next.

Prince Albert, the Duke Ferdinand, and the Princes
Augustus and Leopold of. Saxe Coburg, accompanied by
the Count Dietrichstein and the Marquis of Salisbury,
left the Castle on a shooting excursion on Friday. The
distinguished party returned to the Castle soon after two