The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-07-06


this information an investigation was had last
Saturday, (May g. before Justices Rattrav.
Greenway, Wise and Cowan. Joseph Pol.
lock, Esq, Of Manchester, appeared for the
prosecution, and Mr. G, Jones, a relation of
Lord Leigh, volunteered, in the absence of
the noble defendant, to appear for him, The
case was heard in the Grand Jury room, so
as to accommodate as many of the excited
crowds in attendance as possible.
The evidence, which here follows in de-
tail, chiefly by Barnett, the foreman on the
work alluded to, simply confirms the forego-
ing statements
The investigation lasted from o'clock in
the day until 10 o'clock at night; and it is
almost needless to say, the deepest interest
was taken in the proceedings. On Barnett
signing his deposition, in allusion to the spot
he had pointed out as where the bodies
were buried, he said to the Magistrates clerk,
" I'll lay my life down, Sir, if they are not
found.
This is certainly very extraordinary af-
fair and we trust it may be further investiga-
ted; as it stands now, it is almost impossible
to decide whether it is a conspiracy or rev.
citation.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.-Sinc re-
ceiving the above account the following addi-
tional particulars have come to hand by the
steamer Acadia
The London Despatch says that suisse
quently to the above investigation Mr. JONES'
who appeared before the magistrates at War
wick in defence of Lord Leigh, produced be-
fore the Police Court at Liverpool man
calling himself William Billinge, a stonema-
son, and the son Of Matthew Billinge, alleged
H. L I Al. I =
leigh Abbey. lie stated that he was present
with his father at the building of the bridge,
and that the reported murder was all lie
and hoax. That his father died in 1925 or
1926, whereas the bridge was built in 1914.
in 1922. The Despatch adds:
To the minds however, of those who know
the power of money, and the prevalence of
baseness the testimony of this witness does
not settle this terrible problem. We look for
still further investigation in this case.
From the Boston Traveller.
This case, aside from the fearful attraction
lent to it by these horrible details, is not with
out other interest to parties this side of the
Atlantic.
Robert Wilson, the owner of large agri-
cultural property in Stoneleigh, and of num-
Der of houses in London, died about 1914,
leaving by will his Stoneleigh property to his
son William, and his London property to his
; son Benjamin. Benjamin came to this coun-
try about 1865 and died in 1851, leaving Il
son Jeremiah, from whom the Wilson's in this
country are descended. His other children
left no heirs. William Wilson, to whom the
Stonelcigh estates were devised, died about
l / 35 without issue, leaving the descendants
of his brother Benjamin his heirs at law
!, Soon after his death, man calling himself
agent of Lord Leigh, Of Stonelegh Abbey,
came to this country and procured from Jere-
: miah Wilson lease Of the Stoneleigh pro-
perry for long term of years, at high rent
The counterpart Of this lease was stolen from
jeremiah Wilson by an Englishman, who, as
; a traveller, had Spent few days at his house
This of course left Jeremiah without any
evidence of title to the Stoncleigh property
! for William Wilson had the title deeds, and
upon his death they of course were placed in
:. the hands of his executor or administrator
and, there being no public registry of deeds
in England, with few exceptions, Jeremiah
Wilson had no evidence Of title in his hands.
All his rights rested upon the deeds and pa
pers in the hands of William Wilson's adj
ministrator
w men LiH' lease 10 ILOIu IISl1u
about 1875, the descendants of Jeremiah
, Wilson could make no claim TO the estates
save through those deeds and papers, May
not the seizure of those papers and deeds be
one of the secrets the Leigh family thus con-
coal in the gloom of murder? However i'm
probable the story told by the witness may
appear, it seems certain there is some mystic
~ connected with the title to the Stoneleigh
: property. 1t should here be added, that the
lancashire Lcighs received their claims to
these estates in 1914, and from information
communicated in the course Of their prepa.
rations, the charge was preferred against his
Lordship and the disclosures above set forth
were elected. 1t would not be surprising if
the Wilson heirs should in the course Of this
investigation find the evidence they have SO
long sought for.
There has been an association formed by
some Of the heirs of Jeremiah Wilson for the
purpose of establishing their claims to this
property, but as yet they have made no pro
gress beyond mere preliminary steps. 1t would
seem most desirable that they should put
themselves in a situation to profit by the
disclosures made in the subsequent stages of
this examination. ii.
GA CAIN 1.-The Montgomery (Alabama)
Journal learns from a gentleman recently
from Vera Cruz, the details of horrible case