The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-11-01 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST.
Yesterday roorolittga at eleven o'clock, the Coroner for
the County, Benj. Rook., EA. arrived at the• Argiehotge,
at Elsterst; did in a short time afterwards ----- ClO-
terbuck. Er.. ----- Mason,Esq.. end .--. Haworth,
Esq., Magistrates. ; Col Orinkwater, and a groat number
of kieetienieo. and several Clergycima of the int respects-
hilts in the Con ety, arrived.
tletween•ll pod 12 o'clock, tient. Probert. and Thalia,
Muriel' arrived at the inn in different Post-elsaiees. anew-
Fooled by Police Officers. Thomas T6artsll was attired
in e white grea coat; he is in person *boat five feet ten
inches-high and possesses a handsome face and perms.—
On descending froni the chaise he recognised a person
with whom he shook bands, and asked him heir be win ?
Hunt and Prober'. apiineed to feel very little; the latter is
a tine Raking fellow, witb a most expressive conatenance
and rentlemanly demeanour. The arrival of a brother of
the deeeased excited a eonsiderable sensation ; his distress
was so extremely great, during the whole of the inquiry
lie was weeping, and excited the sympathy of every one
4. presets+.
The following persons. respectpble inhabitaine residing
in the .neighhourtiond of the scene of tbieborrid traosection
were tewnen on the Jury :—Robert-Field, Potomao ;Richt).
*tor. Itichd. Brown, W. Masters, W. T. Harrold, Jno.
Drivn. Jno. Stacey, Jno. Young, Wm. feasea,J 00. Morrie,
and Josh. tdolineux. Theinry being swore.
31r. Nose., the Solicitor for the presentios, addressed
our Rep,wter to the following effect : . '
.. sea_ln- gnissequerice of what took plus befell the
Magistrates at Watford: when a London earlier felcced
to protnisehnt tb ptiblish parts of the proceeding' which
the Magistrates thought might defeet the gods of justice.
and to prevent Which the lc ..." istrate was compelled to
g
take forcible peer-mime of that Reporter') notes,. the Ma-
gistrates now present have deput me to inform you that
tl ey requite of you to avoid sending forth to die public
print for which you are employed, mach parts of Hunt's
ionf stion, sathey deem necessary to be segpreesed for the
prosoait."
The I;elorter said. that be certainly would not report
any easing that would at all tend to detest the ends of
justice.
A Itlaaistrate said—Then, Sir, you will not refuse to
Ana. us your report before yon peed it to pancloo.
The Reporter replied, that it wet a novel Wag ip a
('unit of Jostice ter a Judge to demand a sight of the
notes ota Remitter ; be certainly could sot accede W such
a pripowititin ; bat he would pledge 'Lis word that he
woulitgive no evidenie which the Coroner would be kind
el'elkeh IP Point out as improper for publication.
Mr, Noel: We are satisfied, and the reason we request
this is,-that when this horrid deed was inn discovered. the
- body could not befeand, and we bad strong suspicions
that it had been conveyed to Loudon and disposed of, and
that taidence to ionyiet the murderer was by that means
deetroyeal I and is order to obtain s knowledge where the
body was, the Magistrates held out to one of the parties
licensed, siipposed to be no less guilty &ban the rest, some
f stolr, if he would impeach liis acatinplices, and give In-
formation where the body was concealed ; the mote. in
ssonsegnence of these promises made to hien. did make a
confession, which confession. if published, may be the
means of causing the guilty to evade 'miniboom',
is. they will shape their dcfeice to meet this conks-
sien. The lifag istrates bad no objection to certain
rattc, or A summary of the confession, being published.
1 be Reporter said that he would gives seminary merely;
and the conversation terminated. •
Mr. Ward, Mr. Shiite, and Mr. Kendall, surteons of
. Watferd, wire thee directed by the Coroner to view the
bOdy, and see if they coubl discover the immediate egil,e of
depth. Itntliveo and Upaon, the oligers.and the sorgaenas
retained to the apartment where thiebody lay. and took it
out of the a ick.—The body exhibited a spectacle which
spade every one who viewed it shudder, and express awls
surprise that banyan beings were capable of an act so
" cruel, barbarous, and bloody." The to)ories are Pose-
'alai detailed le the evidence of the medical men.—The
Jury then viewed the body, and afterwards received
evidence. - ~
A Magistrate proposed to read the confession of Haat.
The Coroner said that it nal unnseal to retells evidence
before a Coroner's Jury, that bad been previously taken by
a Magistrate ; the most regular mode would be for him to
caantine Hoot, and take his statement from Meows lipe, as
he might detail facts now different from or in addition to
his saitten confession.
Mr. Rexworthy, proprietor of the billiard rooms, Spring
Wen.sworn ; said b knew it bens ot Mr.
Wear., of London, e who tookto Pot
lohe f himremai on Friday
morning, the 24th instant, and then had, to the knowledge
of witness, about 24/. Previously the deceased possessed
Bank Post Hills and other Bills to a considerable amount.
Witness left London as soon as be heard that John Thurtell
ties charged pith the murder of a man whose body was
not tuond. as he knew that Mr. Weare bad been invited to
ccompany 'llitirtell on a shooting excursion.
Me. Philip Smith. an inhabitant of Aldenham, gave
evidence similar to that which was !asserted in our paper of
yesterday. In addition, be stated that be forgot to mention
that prior to his hearing the pistol fired, be beard a chaise
coining in the direction from Highcross to Itadlet. He
afterwards heard groaning, but did not go to see the
cause, as he had his wife with bin). and they went home ;
He twat morning he informed Mr. Nicholls, a neighbour,
of the circumstance. •
James Fume° sworn.—He was going on the evening
of Friday. the 24th inst. to meet his wife, and passed
across * field leading into Gills Hill-lane, by Probett's
house, and when he came into the bun it was about eight
o'clock. and there were two gentlemen in a gig ; one of
them alighted from it for a rertaimpurpose. Witness sain
to the gentleman, " you have driven your .horse very fast`
it is very much out of a list! ;" they gave no answer.
Witness then said, " this is a veer dark: crooked. bad
lane tore. down in the evening." ho answer was made
to that, and witness walked on. The man who got out of
the chaise had a light great coat on, buttoned with a
Loop; there was no lights to the gig ; it was a clear
iairlight evening, so that his could distinguish persons
very plainly; it was a bay horse• in the chaise, with a
light face; the men had both Meek hats on; be fol.
led them for some disuse*, sod hives returned to meet
wife.
Elisabeth Freeman. the wife .ottest witness, sworn—
file met tivo gentlemen on the sight of the wirier,
travelling in a chaise, along Gill's Hill-lane; she described
them similar to her husband ; they were about a quarter
of a mile from Mr. Proberes, of Gill's Hill Cottage. when
she saw them. On Sunday last, she met Protint's boy,
and having teard previously that some gentlemen had to-t
with an accident in the lane, she asked him if hie master
bad. met pith a misfortune in his gig, and the boy
said that the gertleen in was overtuiced, and came house
very dirty wish spots of hlaod on his coat.
---- i tethering tun, a labourer, sworn—Was at work in
Oilt's Hill-lane. about six o'clock on nadir isi-oreio*: the
2-Isis inst.. and saw two men walking *Wiwi 30. yards np
the lane from Gill's Hill, towards tlattledore'samte, One
bad-a white and sits other a black hat on ; the tbmiier was
a tall man, with bla .k whiskers end the Odin sinwter,
with, a white coat. Tisey grabbed in the hedge; wime-:s
and a fel.olV-1:16011 re r, named Hunt, spoke to the
giotlemeo, and nee of them mid..." I *hi thrown
out of tuy chaise here last night." Witness we.
ante be *hoot& kpow , the fallen men with a whit-
bat, if he, were to, see' bite again. The witness, hi
order of the Corisiter, was Igloo into the rooms Where Rroheri,
Thomas Tim•telf, tjuni slid ocher persons were ; and pointed
eat Probert as ease. the *rift' but etatai4l,.uot,ielent ify alionest
them the man whit Meek :tnners, who answers the de4crip-
tion of Jplep Timetell. Witarse blind hie fallea-laheaeve,

THE STA:

.111ZSIILMOOM111.11011 if they were hen, Soil the tall one:
replied that he eamileed i but neither horse or gig were
overturned. After witness had 'breakfasted, be walked op
the lane again. supposing. If the gentleman had been over-
turned, that some wester might love-been thrown out of his
pockets. pod. on iserebusg. be found a knife, which toss co-
vered with blood. The knife was produced. About ten o'elbels i
-the same morning, he foiled a pistol in thebedge, near tbe "Mg
Iwhere he had previriusly seen the gelltiellise "Srahhtiolt."
Ilse plaint was Moody. Witness gave th,e pistol toMr:/412,'
shells, his employer, who was lo his shale. about 20 se*:
up
the lane, and hir. N. told Itim that Mr. P. Smith bad Ile',
fermedhis that he had beard the report of a gun in the WO'.
en the overnight. Os the spot where the • pistol was foiled,
witness kicked the leaves, and the sore be kicked thee the
pore blood was found • and Mr. Nicholls mild. "1 am afraid
that something very bad hes beim done here," Witness Odd
Mr. Nicholls. who Wei at that tints in his chaise, that he had
seen two gentlemen "grabbling " there. Mr. Nicholls told
Mu not to divulge any thing that he bed seen. This took place
about ten o'elok on last Saturday morning. About eleven
o'clock the same evening witness saw the same two gentlemen
come down Oill'whlll-lane. is a chaise; they were then neatly
dressed, and both bad black hats on. Ode of them (the same
person who about six o'clock in the morning had a white hat
on) asked *items how he did I This person was John Thur.
tell, whom he saw on Thursday last at Watford. These were
the sully tyro penes, who came down in a chaise that day.
A man came down with a large dog soon afterwards.
William Hunt, a labourer, sworn—Was in Gill's Hill
Lane, and saw two gentlemen on Saturday morning last.
about six o'clock, as they passed him on foot: one was a
short man, with a dark complexion, and wore a black cost
and a black hat; the other was a tall swarthy man, with
sandy wbiskPrs, and appeared to have a dark coat on. Oil
a White hat indented on both sides. • Witness said " Good
morning" to the tall one; and be replied, " You are go-
sag to Widen the lane?" Witness said " Yes; and where he
could not widen it, he should trim it up." The tall man I
Said, " This is a d—d dark lane; I was capsized out of my ,
gig here last night." Witness said, "Was you, Sir ?"
He said, " Yes." ' Witness Nit], " Did you bort your
horse?" be replied. "No, my gig never fell." Witness
answered, " It is strange, Sir, that you should be capsized
out of your gig, and your gig not be upset." The gentle-
men then went towards Gill's Hill. Pfltytollll to winch the
short man stooped in the bodge and returned with some-
thing which he carried in a yellow handkerchief on the end
of a stick when they went away.—[This handkerchief is
supposed to have contained congealed blood, which the
parties removed to prevent a discovery].
Mr. Nicholls, a respectable farmer, corroborated this eyl-
dence of his tenant, Hetherington. as to receiving b
bloody pistol from him, and discovering a " sprinkling "
of blood in the hedge. He received the pistol on Sitter.
day morning; and did not give it up. to the Magistrates
till Tuesday; witness did tell Hetherington that Mr. P.
Smith Lad informed him that he heard a gun or pistol
Ores' on Friday sight ; did not know that the Magic.
tratee sat at St. Alban's on a Saturday, or he should have
gives information to them ; witness was in company with
Probed on Sunday last, at his house, on private busi•
mess; he remembered saying on that occasion to Mr.
Probert, " What the devil manoeuvres were you at on
i friday evening List ?" Probert replied, " What wanton-
res do you mean, 1 know nothing of it ?" Witness
replied, " I suspect some one at your house fired a pistol
in Gill Bill Lane on Friday night." Probed said, " What
time was the pistol fired?" Witness said, " Eight o'clock."
Prolsert said, " It was not me. nor any one at my . house,
for I did not arrive at boom till long after that time."—
Witness bad this conversation with Probert before hie 'flak-
ing any communication to the Justices, and previous t s
this time be bad received the pistol from Hetherington.
which bad Wool upon it ; bad seen ;bloody knife found on
die spot, and had seen the blo4d en the ground, and heard
of the groans, and yet he did not aupect that a murder bid '
been committed. Rid not see the brains. or the hair on the
pistol till Monday morning. Witham had set wilfellAitoeuse
w le not communicating thews (acts earlier to lir.
'I trate ; for he thought that as them was a good deal
Al* :
going on at Probert's, that sow of them were go-
,. Lad le. and that some one belongiegto the family bad
alasislai ilissaahres in the kedge, and tired to alma their
as they passed. Coroner: You. have told us part
11111=ruseed between you and Probed on Sunday evening,
ilopOter remainder. Witness: Ile was not there above half an
liver with Probert.—Coroeer: Was notsomething said by Pro-
ton oboist dragging a pond I—Witness : There was. A lie.
Howard was present, and Probed spoke about filling up his
pad. Witness said it would be a pity to have the pond hued
'up. Howard replied, jokingly, "it shall be dragged first, and
.isome large flab will be found in it." At the time, it appears,
the body of the deceased was in this pond. Witness wrote on
.Monday last to Mr. Mason, and informed bla, that he ens-
peeled a murder bad been committed. The road to Probert's
,cottage was unfrequented by almost every one bat Probert,
sod the palms at Probert's hotted. Witness had for some
time bad a bad opinion of the persons frequenting Probed's;
but be did not suspect that they would murder one another.—
The Coroner reprehended the conduct of this witness In not
giving earlier information to the Magistrates, and was sur-
prised that after he had received the bloody pistol, heard of the
greens, Sc. that he did not instantly give information, instead
of visiting Probed. The consequence of this delay had been
the escape of one of the murderers (Hunt) from jostler, for
motet them had been admitted a witness for the Crown, by the
Magistrates, as they were afraid the body wait disposed of;
lithe last witness had given inforsadoa, the body. which was
set removed from Probert's,Pond till Monday night, would
have been found, and there would have been evidence in all
probability to convict Hunt also, who, In the opinion of the
Coroner,was equally guilty with his aceoloplices.-11r.Nieholls
regretted that he had delayed makingthe communication to the
Magistrates.—The Coroner said, that he acquitted him of any
intentional wrong, and knew him to be a most respectable man.
Susan Ann Woodrough, servant to Probert, proved that
her master came home en Friday, the 24th, from London,
about nine o'clock at night, with two other persons, viz.
Mr. Hunt and John. Thurtell. Hunt and Joho Thuttell
bad both white hats on when they arrived. Mr. Probert
gave witness some pork chops to cook, and told her not to
get them cooked till he came bark, ant he then went out
wish the other two gentleman. with a lantern and candle.
Mrs. Probert told witntss that they were gone to Mr.
Nicholls on business. They left the house about tea
o'clock, and returned about eleven, and when witness teak
the chops into the parlour, all three were there, and
sopped. Mr: Hunt and Mr. John Thartell sat up all
Friday night, smoking and drinking.; whether they went
out in the night she could not say. On Satnrduy morning
she saw John Thertell sitting on a sofa in her master's
room with her master's white hat oe, and Hunt was asleep
on a chair; Hunt and John Thurtell left the how's about
six o'clock, and Mr. Probed followed them t they returned
before Mt. Probed, and were absent about halt an hoar.
Mr, Probert has a lerge dug; she could notsac that the
dog went out with him on Saturday morning, 3frs. Probert
and her sister, Miss Noyes, were at Mr. Probert's cottage
on Sunday, and also the two Mr. Thortells, Mr. Hunt, and
Mrs Noyes, Mr. Probert's wile's brother; Mrs. Probert
was with the company in the parlour the grea'er part of
the day; and on Aloatlay morning Thos. Thuriell and
James, Mr. Probert's hay, wept awl}, in a chaise; witness
had 5 ern John Tituit,ta wits, a yellow handkerchief. U's
Monday evening tie Tourtella and Hunt came to Mr.
Probert's again, and 14t soon. afterwards in the chaise;
Mts. Probert let them oot a: tag Irate ; slie.dit not ploservt
any,thingpertieular, about.. the.fisn-powl,; ,she did no; hear
a report A' ipistut_aa•Prid.tip eight; Thos. Thattell dice
tot Write at Pro!iert'S till &Imlay Itet.
tif,Pfe. HVldif.drorn : I • the servant boy of Mr. Probed •
he recapitulated the statement:gixen before the illsgisteltee.
,rid inserted in our,vesterdtv's raper. In addition, he said
that M. Probert. Hoot, and John Thurtril, went. ogt, on
Priday.itight. about ten o'clock, and were absent, shout
thrCeluarters of an hoar, with a candle and ispt horn ; they
all retureed tegethee. It was a little before ren t,'emel;
wired he, saiJonn Thurtell spoaging his coat. %Vas col
;Ware ie Prober:,. Hunt, and bin% Tbur ell went towards
tbOlio:d On. PAttiy.night. at tea o'clock. (.% mahogany

boy, t double barrelled eon, ;nil a carpet bag used for tra-
velling. the pripevty of the deceitsed, were shown to wit-
ness;) witness saw the gun and the mahogany case at Mr.
Prebere't pa lest Saturday morning, he also saw a bag
rremitiag the ono produced. Saw Jolla Thurtell on
hater v otoirelog whoa he went (sway with Hunt about
,__. .
_._
Men 13 CLUCK ; Le soma wore Wellington boots very dirty
all wept, his tourers were very ditty about the legs his
Foot wps dirty .119 the back and arms, and he appeared to
have been qa thp ground. The sense morning John Thur-
tell bad hie blue drspis coat QC sod Hunt was sponging it
el it bong on the door to the kitchen; there was oo blood
his light great coat. [A cost found by Ratbveo in
ifpat's lodgings we se e produced.] Witne could not identify
1 ; a large piece of sponge produced wee identified by him
tp be that used byJaiho Thurtell and Uunt, in sponging the
istiody clothes. On Sunday. John Thortell, T. Thurtell,
1 Haut, Probert, Mr. Noyes. Air. Howard, and Mr. Nicholls
were at Peolaeoss; Mr. Noyes came alone in a chaise, and
Mr. Hayward and Mr.Nicbolls Male about business. On
Monday morning Probert told him to clean himself to go to
teyro with Mr. that and Trios. Thurtell ; he did so, and
oocoropenied them to London; Hunt drove them to St.
Clepsept's church, apd then got out, and went into a house,
but did not take any thing out of the chaise ; from there
they went to the Coach and Horses, Conduit Street ; left
witness there, and told him Mr. Probers would come to bin;
in two hours ; Mr. J. Thurtell got out of the chaise, and
limit drove away; lie did not. see Mr. Probert on the Mon-
day or Tuesday ; a Police Officer took him away on Wed-
aesday; witaess bad never before been taken to town.
Coaottais—'llie boy was removed out of the way by the
paities to avoid accidents.
Thomas Abel Ward, of Watford, surgeon, sworn.-1 was
present at the examination of the body of the devetsed
person, Mr. Was. Wear., this treeing. 1 believe the im-
mediate cause of the death waste wound on the asterior angle
of the paretal bone, given by KIM instrument, atrial,
from the marks, I am iuclined to believe was the barrel of
a pistol. Part of the skull was beat into the brains. There
I was another wound under the protuberance of the right
cheek bone, which had the appearance of a common gun
or pistol-shot wound, and the bell repelled by the cheek
bone. lam of opinion* that the wound on the right cheek
was not of a nature to cause death ; but that the deerued
,died from the beating on the skull with the pistol barrel.
The injury was of that nature, that I conceive the pistol
barrel must have been " mulched" with desperate violence
tato the skull ef the unfortunate man.--[Witness here pro-
timed a piece of deceased's skull bone, which he had en-
trusted from the brains of the deceased on opening the
bead.] 1 also observed a wound cut by a sharp instru-
ment on each side of the throat; the jugular on the left side
was divided, and the wound was sufficient to occasion
death ; the wound on the right side of the throat did not
injure any parts of vitality, but merely severed the flesh
.
11 antler the ear.
CORONER —it stems that after the deceased was shot, he
was able to struggle with his murderer, and that lie re-
ceived the blows on tbc bead when resisting and to make
sure, as " Dead men tell no tales,"
his murderers completed their horrid work by cutting Ida
threat.
MT. Thos. Joseph Ituthven, an officer of Bow Street,
sworn—On Wednesday, morning I apprehended John Thar-
tell, in consequence of some information which caused me
I
to suspect he waa concerned its the murder of Mr. Wear..
1 secured him at Mr. Truett's, the Coach eul Horses,
Conduit Street, and found a.piatol on his person, which I
produce. It is the feilow to the one pr.duced by Mr.
Nicholls. found in the lane near Proberl's house. le Lis
weiscoat 1 fouy.d ten swan shot.st,enknife. sada pistol key.
When 1 entered his apartment, be knew me. and began to
talk about the bill found against him and his brother for a
conspiracy to defraud the Fire Office, and I did not uu-
deceive him as to the nature of my earaoil, till 1 Lad put
the handcuffs an him. its offered so resistance.
Mr. Rex worthy recelled—ldentifsed the hells pranced
as the property of the deceased; witness bad It is bis band
on the. Friday the deceased left London, .*+d knew It by a
mark on the handle.
Mr. Ward, the Surgeon, of Watford. re-e.tataloed--Wati
of opinion that such an instrument as the knife Produmd
had been used to indict the wonods In the- deceased's

throat.
Rutliven re-examined-1 found a muslin neckerchief also
in Jno. 'l'hurtell's lodgings (he produced it), it is bloody,
and is marked "I'. Tburtell." Hestold we that be some-
times wore his brother's things: I also produce a shirt,
with no mark on it, aad a black waistcoat. which I took
off his back; it is bloody, particularly about one of the
pockets, as if a bloody hand bad been thrust into it.
also produce a coat, which I took off his back, which la
very bloody in several places. (Them articles were eg-
hibitri to the Jury). I also produce a horse pistol, which
1 found at Mr. 'I and Mr. Tetsall told me that he
had lost the fellow to it.
Coroner—Perhaps the fellow pistol may be found not fir
from hence.
Witness continued—On searching Hunt's house, on Thera'
day night, at 19, King-street. Goiden-square,l.ondon, t fomid
a double barrelled gun, maker's name •• Mouton," and a ma-
hogany backgammon board, containiog two dice boxes and a
pair of dice, also a large Image, and a shooting jacket, with
a call or whistle; l also found a travelling bag, containing
shirts marked " W.W." the Millais of the deceased; also
a variety of shooting implements, with shooting boots and
shoes, maker's name flow, York-street, Covent-garden.
Mr. Resworthy was again called, and identified a necker-
chief, and other of the property found In Hunt's lodging by
Ruttiven, to be that of the deceased.
Juror—The deceased brought all his shooting tackle with
him, Intending, no doubt, to sport in this neighbourhood for
some time.
Rothven continued : I also found a piece of cord, which I
produce (the cord bigeenompared with that by which the legs
of the deceased were tied, corresponded.)
Coroner—There au be little doubt but all this property be.
longed to the deceased.
ittithven—Mr. Coroner, I am requested by Mr. Probed, to
say that he wishes to make some communication to you, he
says " that he wilt not die with lies in his mouth."
Mr. Noar..—lle has applied to me to make a disclosure
C010:4111—If he has any thing to say I can have no objec-
tion to hear him, but he must be warmed that he does It at .bis
own peril. without soy promise or request on the part of the
Magistrates.
Thomas Bate, a boy in the employ of Mr. James Wardel
(the owner of Htli's Hill Cottage, which was let by him to
Probert, and who has taken possession of the same since '
Probert's apprehension), deposed that he was clearing out
Probert's stable on Thursday afternoon, and under a heap
of dung found a turn and bloody shirt, and a sack tied in
a bundle. The shirt found in Jno. Thnrtell's lodgings by
Itnttiveo, on being compared with the bloody shirt, were of
the same make, and marked with the deceased's initials.
The sack was soaked u ith wet.
A Magistrate observed, that it was in evidence that the
clothes of the deceased were cut off his body with a knife
before he was thrust into the sank..--Tine evidence allu led
to is part of.Hont's c.infession, we believe.
James 'amain, Probe, t's boy, was again called to idea;'
tify the sack, hnt could nut.
Mr. NOEL: We have proof that the body of the de-
ceased was first coovealed in Probert's pond, and afterwards
removed to the pond where it was found; and probably it
was fleet put into this sack with
,the clothes on and . dep-1.
sited in Probert's ponol, and subsequently removed, after
icing stripped of the clothee, luta the new auk in which
it was found. •
(The pond its which the corpse was discovered is above
two miles distant-from .Probert s cottage, and was re-
moved t 'tither. ots .51optlay.ukg4l, last, in the chaise, by the
murderers.)
Buthven entered the Jury room, and stated- to the Coro-
ner, that he
,Itad.beeti mitts Probers again' and had told him
that he understood that be (Probert) witted to 014 e some