The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-07-23 00:00:00

on arriving at the house of her brother. where she usually
resided; she became alarmed et receiving no intelligence
of the deceased, and search was immediately mad..
The prisoner being the last person with whom the
deceased, was seen, he was interregated as to where
he bad left her, to which be replied, that after they
bed parted, he saw her rolng into a field. but declared,
" if Hoe were to strike him dead," he had seen nothing
of her since, which expression he frequently repeated.—
The general denial did not disarm suspicion, and a guard
was Placed round his house, while the neighbours •ere
masse prosecuted the search. About one o'clock oe Sen.,
day morning, a man of the name of Hodge, who is re;
lated to the d d, went to the prisoner's hoes* with
another man, desired him to get up, and come with him,
for that he must koow what had become of her; he ac•
cerdingly got slit of bed, dressed, and tam* down main,
declaring his readiness to go to a convtaftrle or any
where else. Mr-Hodge asked him whether he would en
to IVitheridge, to be delivered op into custody or a &at
in the search, and he chose the latter. As Hodge knw
but little of thernighbourhood, be requested the prisoner
to lead the way, and he accordingly led him to various
places, always. rn a contrary did ection from the river ;on
the way he war asked whether she had told him she
was with child by him, and denied that she Mad ;
, bet a short time after, en the queztion being repeated, he
acknowledged, that :be tout him on the preceding
week. After select ing some ti me, Hodge proposed to go in,
the direction of the river ; upon whirls the prisoner stood
still, and appeared unwilling: just at this moment a per-
son tame up, and said the body had beets found in the
river; the prisoner said nothing in answer to all the
questions which were then put to him, hut he accompa-
nted them to the spot and when arrived there he teem.
bitsd exceedingly, without uttering a single word. He
I was then taken to Witheridge, and on the way, being
asked where the basket was, as it contained things
which a poor person could not afford to lose, be toi.l
them it was in Mr- Smith's Nrihay ire the marsh, which
proved to be true. After this he made a confession say-
ling. that on leaving the cortege where they met, n
they
walked on to East Worlington, passed her house: went
into the marsh, and sat down is the linhav for half an
hoc in a very friendly way ; they then stalked down
by the river stile, at the bottom o: the marsh, and that
" however had it in his thoughts till he did it ; and that
he should not have done it if he had nut been drunk
he would not say how she came in the river. The ho ly
was found floating by Win. FAlworthy,wie of the pereona
engaged in the search, having then b en missing thirty
boors; the water where the dec,ased was found is 16 or
17 feetdeep.
A Coroner's Inquest was 441 on Monday, e teen the
eirenmstances coneemed with this drevilful deed untie.-
went a patient hearing. and the preceding facts were eli-
cited. Ms. Coster. of Witheridoe, and another medical
gentleman, gave it as their opini.n that the ilee•oae.l died
by drowning only; there was a very slight bruise under
the ear, and another near the cheek; but these were sup-
posed to be caused by the body graing against the bot-
tom of the river by the action of the water; her apron
was found tied over her shoulders, the strings crossing
ber neck, but so very slack as not to rause the smallest
mark; the prisoner amends for the apron being so
placed, by saying that she did it herself to protect her
shoulders front a heavy shower of rain which fell as they
wow walking toisether.
We could add many other particulars to this rec:ta'w
but as the unhappy man will very shortly be placed in •
situation where as impartial and solemn investigwiun
will take place, we are desirous not to preintime the ion 6.
lie mind by detailing any circumstances that might have
such an effect.