The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-01-07 00:00:00

THE LEWISHAM MURDER.

Yesterday, a meeting of the Magistrates took placeta 1
Greenwich, to resume the exatnieetion of Jobe Celrness,l
who is in custody upon strong stinicioo of murdering
NI r. James Smith, in the night of Saturday the 21st of
December.
Some of the evidence was the same as that Wien be-
fore the Coroner, as to the fact of Mr. Smith Weill been
murdered by persons who were disturbed inikeiriltenapt
to break into Mr. Smith's house; and that ere of the
window-shutters of the parlour had been bored in fear
places with a centre-bit, which centre-bit, In the hurry
of quitting the premises, the assassins had left behind
them. -
Coleman had deliberately given an account of himself
on the Saturday and Sunday when the murder was com-
mitted, and his account was that be wept to the Black
Horse, Rushy-green, at half-past nine o'clock on biter-
' day night, and remained there till after 12; that he then
went to the Bull and Butcher at Deptford, and arrived
there about one o'clock, and went to bed and slept there.
He stated, that when, in the afternoon of Saturday, he
went from Rushy Green to Deptford, be had under his
arm a centre-bit, and one was produced which Coleman
stated was the one he was so carrying.
This account was this day contradicted in several
points by wi-nesses. One witness swore positively that
the centre-bit now produced by Coleman was not the
one he was carrying on Saturday afternoon, bat that the
one found at the late Mr. Smith's resembled that which
he was carrying. (The one found at Mr. Smith's Is
nearly a new instrument—the one produceellry Canaan
very black, old, and dirty.) .
Another.witness states, that she sleeps at the Sauteed
Butcher, in a room through which Coleman must go in
order to get to his room, as hie is an inner room
through her's, and there is only one door or commtrei-
cation with the stairs from the two rooms. This wit-
ness swears that she went to bed between 12 mad 1
o'clock on Saturday, the 21st of December, and locked
and bolted her door; that she did not get up till 1
o'clock on Sunday afternoon. and then she found the
door still locked and bolted ; so that Cpleman could sot
ache had affirmed, sleep lathe lamer nom and leave it
on the Sunday morning. ,sea. , • ; • •
The lock she admits is weary bad ese# and thong's
she has every reason to believe it did, lab whew she
turned the key upon going to bed ; yet Uhrifwould not
undertake to say, that whee.she turned "the key to -NW
lock the door in the morning, she pulled the door•loc.
the purpose of opening it, whew she found that the bolt
was still and eaten, and she yeas obliged to draw it !ditto
she could get the door open. . .•'e '4:,
The above are tia material contradictions to the
F
count given by Coleman of himself. and were the
principal points upon whiskit.weis material his aeco it
should hive been conirtned and correbotated beyondatll
suspicion. r •
The rear: bit fount, lipon,lts. Smith's premisesson
the night of the murder, and with which the holes in-the
shatter had been bored,.uras /flee, proolused‘ which was
glom,. and had the appearturee, of_beim almost new.
Upon its being examined by thcOagietrs, it bad the
sppvarance of the bit lazier; ban lUeal, in order to
maltq„it fit the mock ; 40 time, Ippearaoce was so ac.
copated for by. one of the witnuas.
A man residilig at Rushy Green deposed that the aid
ends swd•bit, (width tog.ethee formed• the carpenter's
:tea call acitotre.bit).,rescoibled very meth a stork and
kit affered Lobito for aleiii Jobe Celernie. at tardily :sit
fitfiaille424lllllllol I gillitigit‘atiti V° 1.
1".1511-41
at quaelitrof Illeesed plough. tale were prOdoti by.
the constable. Lashio., which bad been detain by
Duman, the landlord of the house occupied by , o
at Rushy Greene fox rent due from Coleman tette);
and those tools .he. (the landlord) bad dosteinegin the
21st, when Coleman 64)4 bona there. ' •
t ' ~
A part of these tool* had bees offetell by Coleman
' a one of the witnesses (Rowlett) fee ale, a very abort
'time before ,the murder of Mx, Smith. • ..):. . ... •
Auotharesitasos wove. Tout about, limitteitigtmaek
.ago, his shop at Deptford was broke* open, a great
quantity of files, ceetrelbite *ad ploughs, were stoke
therefrom. and amongst the. eat was the stock of a cen-
tre-bit without any bit to it; and this witness new iden-
tified the stock of the centre-bit left by Ow assassins
upon Mr. Smith's premises, and the files offered for sale
by Coleman. ea 4 the plough' tiatteloed epos Coleman's
premises by Ousotte. as &portal the lestressec,ts stoles,
from bit shop whets the same was broke*** out five
or six weeks age-
Such was the principal, betake all, the evident,. given.
Upon. this evidence. which forms a stank ground 9f
suspicion against Coleman. the Magistrates have coma,,
milted him to Maidstone
.gaol to take his trial; and it
is only astonishing that. ma case of murder. where no
property was taken away to assist the discoveryosod eel
living witness has been found who saw thamesseihs at,
the time, or after the murder was perpetrated, so touch,
circumstantial evidence has in so short a thee ban got,
together. •
Another person, a relative of the debp siJ, aaat aea
toriously bad character, is still in custody; 'maws the
Magistrates only went upon , the examination of Cole-.
man, we are net informed what evidence there may be.
to criminate him.
We-may. however, express ear conviction, from the
vigilance which is used to analysing and llowing up
every groin of evidence which is capable 'of furnishinp
a clue to the discovery of Mr. Srnhth'd murderers, that'
any accomplice concerned *lll, nay must be, erentualY
brdught to justice. ,
INGENIOUS Dacaenow.—There arrived the other

Clay at Leith, a oesth ceantsy coaster, lademisithotppajr.
fed
other necessaries of the season, a number of welr
geese, to supply the great demand during this festive
season. The Custom House boatmen boarded ber as
natal, and one of ahein, to satisfy his suspicions, on ac-
count of their great weight, must unceremoniously, cut
up one of the fattest, and to his satisfaction, if sot sur-
prise, dispovered a bottle of whiskey deposited inside.
As destructive ito attack was now _made upon the
whole.. when each was epeedily disencumbered of its

burden r
Oxroupdsrs. 4.--Monday, the passe agora by the An-
ima day coach, from Worcester, met with a providential
escapet; the coach had changdhorses about 12 o'clock,
as aortal, and proceeded at a moderate pace up Heading•
tea 'Hill, at the top of which a fellow was belabouring a
poor donkey.which had taken his station in the middle
of the road with a cart attached ; at this the leaders
took fright, and darted suddenly over a heap of rubbish
by the road tide, which jerked the coachman off the box
and thus freed the ardmals from all restraint ; imine•
diately thew darted off at Intl speed, and continued at
the rate of 16 miles an hour, fur about four miles; during
ebich three outside passengers contrived to escape be.
hind, and two gentlemen oho were inside climbed on
the roof and dropped off in the same way, leaving a lady
and child inside; when opposite forest 1,111, the coach-
man of the Worcester down coach, seeing the other
coming at so furious a tate without a driver, pulled up,
and the passengers instantly jumped off. One gentleman
made a desperate snatch at the leaders, and was dragged
a considerable distance, but fortunately, succeeded
.in
turning ; and by the timely aid of.the other pas.
sengers the whole _were rescued •from mcst imminent
danger, without *be alightest,injury bring sustained by
the passengers or COarb. 'lts coachman is not %Ale.
• eially injured.

•i ~.._ . _s•T

,TSSNIAN

MOUE UHILDREN BC ItY1"10 DEATH.

On Sunday last, an inquisition was taken at Hie Bull
Inn, in the parish of St. Stephen, before 51r. William
Bell, Coroner, on view of the hotly of Hobert Novell, a
Child aged 5 years, who, in- consequence of standing
too near the lire, at the house of Mary Howe, of Sprows•
ton, his clothes caught fire, aril he was so dreatifnllv
burnt, that he was conveyed to the Norfolk and Norwich
Hospital, where in a short time fifter he expired. It was
proved in evidence, that the said child, in company with
another, was playing on the Saturday evening, and by
venturing too near the fire, met with the melancholy ca.
tastrophe. The Joey, after a very minute and strict in-
vestigation, returned a verdict of—Accidental Heidi.—
(Noefidk paper.)
And on Wednesd:ty last, another inquest was taken at
! the lieorge Inn, in the aforesaid parish, by the same 1
Coroner, on view of the boilyof Thomas Clifton, a child
aged six years, whose death was occasioned by the same
accident as the former. Juror's verdict —Accidental
Death.—(lGid.)
On Thursilny last, an inquisition was held at Stens-
field, in Suffolk, by J. Wayman, (lent. Coroner for the
Liberty of Bury, on the holy of Sar.h Whiterod, an in-
fant o( four years old, who being left a few minutes by
her mother, in company only with two younger children
fell upon the fire, and before the mother's return was so
much burnt, that she died in the course of a few hours !
Verdict—Accidental Death. This is the third child that
has met the like death within the Liberty in the course
of a month.—(!bid.)
On iVednestlay afternoon, a little girl, about 6 years
:old, fell into the fire, while the persons who bad under-
taken the charge of her were in a state of intoxication;
and she was carried to theitoyal Infirmary so drett ifully
scorched and burnt, that her life was despaired of. We
trust that the erl:ninal law will be found adeqvutte to
punkeh inch premeditated' and very wilful neglect.
—(K. Star.)
least.,Tmsday, as the maid servant of Mr. Newing•
WO, Etchingham, was picking small birds before the
bre, her clothe* caught the dame, by which accident
she was dreadfully burnt ; but, we hope, not so much
as to endanger her life. A part of the unfortunate
girl'acinthes was burnt to tinder. Mr. Newington's
Elands were much burnt in his exertions; to stifle the
flames.

. .
Is , An attempt has been made by Creker and Randall
(rho &recharged with the murder of Needle and his
Wife) to escape from Aylesbury Omni. the plan of which
le supposed to have been instigated by the restless spirit
Of Banks. Mr. Sherriff (the gsokr) about a fortnight
age, observed something unusual in the manner of the
prisoners, which caused a suspicion that some plan of
escape was in agitation. He accordingly made a strict
search, after the prisoners turd been locked is their cells
for thettight ; and discovered, -on examining the day
room in which Croker and..ltandall are moaned, that.
under one of the flags, which they initlearefally replaced.
they had ouninenced digging—with the intention, it ap.
peered, ofmaking.their way into the sewer. Th. di.
realms afar} weft taking was opposite to that In widish
the sewer lay, and Mr. Sherriff permitted them till yes,.
terday to occupy their time in. an endeavour to escape,.
which lie was convinced would be fruitless. They hovel
been thris employed from the Wee-of the discovery ~tilt
Friday, talking care to replace diagnose every night Imp
forethey were locked npp and filling the interstices with,
sand, se es coleus on visible nsarkof their work, whie%
kasiteittmaitted eimay night. These, progress was slow,
* tortheillicult , of disposing oi• the soil whit
Opt' s rftsie -tbsr'tlinsteittlanthn, v.
elesetboronie efts was buret, and some of it was *thecitya
*over the waits of the gaol. On ilfedainday. it was ohi
sieved that they had changed the direction, and that
day were apylroachinp die sewer.;. it . wag eccerdingly
*fought expedient yesterday to put an end to their week..
anther and Randall were immediately put in. irons,
which they submitted to .without resistance. Bolin
however, whoa elday go nd was placed over bine, birr
saute very violent, audJoroke the lock of a chide
which be wen. united to another prisoner. end forge, weim.
necessaryto place another lock in its stead- The,anly
tool of the punnets was the hale of an old becinet I and.
the piece inethiclrthey werked being very desk, they
bed ingeaiously•made themselves candles with .the . fat;
if sheirmeat;making.thir wicks of strips tore ferias tusk
Shirts. Them deliperate fellows will now• *stet be
atone,. ruled being locked 's') with them both dpy and
night.—(Efieke Gazette.) • ••• • - • .. 1 .
/Oil tititeday evening, an liqUet wits held at the
Einy,'s Head-inn, Holloway, on the body Of Hindi'
Yielder, aged 21, a most interesting young (*mile, who
in an act of delirium put lits -end to her existence by
liangipg herself with a silk handkerehief. Mrs. Eli.
sixtieth .Whise Stated that she Ikea• near ilia Clock•house,
at Holloway, and is a tvidew:- Deceased came to her
items shent'olne o'clock, on Thurielay morning;, pe-
elers to that time she had not smoker for souse months.
beamed bail been there but Is few minutes, when she
limitlessly jumped up, saying she was going to High.
E;tette retuned again about half-past ten, and Collle
airied.of-heing very cold, oil account. of travelling aU
ght asdiday by the Chelteniutna coach. A bed. was
teparede and witness helped her to undress.. Two
r Ere efretdards witness went up, and found deceasad.
Its a mend sleep ; she awoke her, awl efferd her some,
chicken, but she refused to take it. Mrs. White left the
gha for some time; on going in again about ten
lack..idraeued was retching very mach, and requested
have SIMS teeter, whirls she hastily,drank ; deceased
erwardslaid down again, and witness left the room
until nine• o'clock, when she prepared seine water.
grit. with a glass of port wine in it, which deceased
, lif•dbe at that time expressed a wish for witness,to
• tar. wid,seying she was happy .;: then taking witness
the sight baud she kissed it, saying *. nod Islets
lre
or Witness left a light in the,rooni, and, tts she
tbongbt, deceased composed; didenot return until aims
Akar the next morning, when she went into the room•
serails with a cap of coffee and some toast, but found the
clothes weed aside, and discover edifie deceased dressed
exactly as when she went to bed, and standiog upright
behind one of the bed curtains suspend...l by a silk
handkercllief from one of the curtain rods ; on taking
,hold abet arm she fount her dead. Witness screamed
out .1 and a voting man employed in the garden came to
her assistance, and cut deceased down: Or. Mover was
'sent for; there wean° other person in the house, but
,Iritness and a man who worked for her. Witness has no
doubt detested committed the act herself, being. at the
Arne rather deranged in consequence of the milk flying
ep in her head. Witness also partly attrihnted it to
the fatigues of the journey; deceased's child was
born in witness's house in April last, but if deceased
saw it when she went up to Highgate she could not say.
—lt. Johe Chippendatl, Esq. of Great Queen Street,
Lincoln's Inn Field!, solleutdr, stated he knew the de.
'ceased, who came to consult him professionally in July
;41* August last: she appeared at that time in a distressed
listate of mind, crying' very mussels; indeed, her conduct
l was so very singular, and witness was so much struck
with her manner, that lie observed lie should not feel
the lean surprised if she destroyed herself. from that
time witness had not seen her, nor has he any further
knowledge of her but by two or three interviews. The
Jury wished to know whet it was that deceased consulted
him upon. • Mr. Chippendall answered wish regard to
matters that-Wete intrusted to him by deceased. He
mild* not with propritty reveal them, and hoped • the
Coronae would ptetht him:* there were 'certain matters
of delicacy in at, and sit-in AletesattY to Perim, a wo

man's repitatieneetity when dead; but he hail no ohiee.
dun to state that lie transmitted money to the deceased,
and that an offer was made to her to go into a family,
and her child would be provided for, but she seemed
very unwilling to part with it. The Jary wished to ,
know whether she had money, or how she supported
herself. Mrs. White stated she always had plenty of
money in her purse. Alr. Chippenslall said be remitted
her 9or 10 ruiners last August, but none since. Me.
Stirling intimated to the Jury that Mr. Chippendale had
ronminnicated to him a certain circumstance, but was
unwilling to reveal ally names-•it was, that theileceased
was to have been lint in an eligible situation; she was
to have had 1001. given to her, and her child to be taken
care of; but the onfurtunate catastrophe hail prevented
that frdui being carried into effect. The Jnry, upon
this, expressed themselves satisfied, antl.retornell a v,.r.
dict that " the deceased put an end to lire existence kr
hanging herself, being at the time in a tempuraty fit of
delirium." After the verdict was returned, the Jun'
wished to know what was to be done with the deceased's
child. 31r. Chippendall answered that every care bad
been ordered to he taken of the child.