The Sun. — 1836-07-15 (London, England)

CROWN COURT.—John Death?, an, aged 60, was indicted for the wilful murder of John Hall, on Sunday, the 19th June last.  The deceased was, and had beet for twenty years, the. letter chrrier between Bramdean, in this county, and Aires,ford. On Sunday, the 19th of June last, at half-past fivp in the morning, he started on his journey, but did not reach Alresford, nor did he return at the usual time. Search ;wits made for him, and about six o'clock on the Sunday evening his body ;vas discovered in Old Park -wood. It was lying in a little hollow a few yards from the road. His head was beaten to pieces ; and several stones, one of which was produced in Court, were lying about him, covered with blood and hair. His bag was by his side, his pockets were empty, and his purse was found empty several yards from his person, in the direction of the village of Ropley, which was about a mile distant.  The prisoner was a waggoner, but l►ad not been in any regular employ for a considerable tim'. On the Saturday previous to the murder, about twelve o'clock in the day, he went into the shop of a man named :Scoley, in AlrestPrd, whom be had known for some time previous, and said he was very badly off, that he bad neither money nor victuals, and thought he should go to his parish,, but did not know exactly where it was. Scoley gave him threepence, upon which he went away and immediately spent it. He was proved to have been in the neighbourhood of Alresford by the following incident. A man nameti Bile was employed all the night between Saturday and Stuidav in making some alterations in the road between Alr.L.sford and Petersfleld. About twelve o'clock the prisoner cams• up to him, and repeated the story of his extreme distress. They were in conversation a few minutes, when the prisoner left; and proceeded towards the place where the road turns off to to Bramdean. About half-past two a witness, who lived at Bishop's Sutton, was getting up, and, hearing footsteps, looked out of the window to see who was p,tisiug. He saw the prisoner walking towards the old Park Wood, where the mugder was committed. At half-past four a witness who was cutting some grass saw a man dressed es the preceding witnesses described him walking towards the wood, but he could not swear to his identity. This was the last time the prisoner was seen before the mur.ier occurred. About half-past six a woman, named Petts, who lived threequarters of a mile from the spot where ti►e body was found, and in the direction of the village of Ropley, saw the prisoner at a pond near her house washing his hands. After going to a beer house in the village be went to the Chequers and spent lid. While sitting there a little girl who came in observed on the sleeve of his round frock, which was tucked up, same blood, about the size of a man's hand. On that day he went to Southampton with a ►waggon, accompanied by another witness. They went to a man who kept . the Vine Tap, of the name of Cross►well. Crosswell said, " 'lbis is a terrible thing, the murder of the old postman." The other witness said. " Yes ; do you know whom they suspect ?" Crosswell said, "Yes; John Deadman there." Prisoner said, " How can they judge me, when .I wasn't in that part of the country at the time ?" The other witness returned with him to AlresfOrd on the next day. The prisoner paid for several things on the way. On their return thep went to an inn at Airesford. Shackell, a Bow street officer, came there, and-said to the prisoner," I apprehend you for the ►wilful murder of John Hall." James Lawes was then examined--I was in custody in Winchester gaol in June. I saw the prisoner in the same yard. He called me aside, and said, " Now, I tell you the truth ; - I was the man ►who knocked hint down with a stick, and then knocked his brains out with a flint, and threw him into a hedge row." (The prisoner here changed colour very much.) The jury returned a verdict of Guilty. The prisoner was sentenced to be executed on Friday next.