The Sun. — 1832-06-02 (London, England)

DREADFUL MURDER AT LEICESTER.  ( PROM A CORRESPONDENT.)  LEJCFSTER, JUNF. I.  A murder has been discovered here this morning (Friday), which, in point of horror and atrocity, has, I hope, never been equalled in this kingdom, and attended with such complicated guilt as to throw the deeds of a Burke or a Holloway into comparative shade. Last night, one of our police, in passing down Wellington-street, was attracted by an unusual light and intolerable stench to a small printing establishment, situated up a court in the same street, belonging to a person of the name of Cook, from whence he found both the light and smell proceeded. Struck with such strange appearances, he knocked at the door, and inquired the reason. He was answered by Cook's son, a man about twenty-five years of age, that they were burning some horseflesh, and at the same time he saw what he believed to be some. Satisfied with this representation, lie left ; but this morning, about twelve o'clock, the neighbours finding that the smell did not abate, insisted upon having the place examined, and the nuisance stopped. They inquired for Cook or his son, neither were to be found ; suspicion increased, the door of his workshop was burst open, and, oh God ! how can I describe the scene which presented itself. In the centre of the brick floor of that printing-house, and extended upon the yet smoking embers of an immense coal fire lay the almost consumed trunk of a human being, severed from the upper part of the body just below the ribs, and divided (evidently by an axe) from the lower extremities. About the middle of the thigh, part of a knee, part of a shoulder, and some other small remnants of mortality were found among the cinders ; and in another part of the room lay the feet, with the boots, and some parts of the trousers attached, divided from the leg a little above the ankle. The head of the unfortunate deceased was no where to be found, but a portion of the scalp, covered with grey hair, was left—a horrid spectacle. His silver snuffbox lay upon the ground, and some small, very small, remnants of his clothes. Amongst these was found a letter, addressed to Mr. Paas, Hay and Pheasant, Leicester. Inquiry was immediately made at the above most respectable hotel, and it appeared that a gentleman, " with grey hair," arrived there on Tuesday last, slept there, dined there on Wednesday, walked out in the evening of that day, ordering a bed again : the " Boots" sat up for this gentleman the whole of that night, but he never returned. The name of this gentleman not being known, his trunk was forced open, in the presence of two Magistrates, and two letters were there found directed to Mr. Peas, wholesale stationer, Holborn, London. His snuffbox has since been recognized. A lad in the employ of Cook and son, states " that Mr. Paas called on his master on Tuesday evening, with his account, and Cook told him if he would call at the workshop the following evening it would be settled— in the interim a large quantity of coals were conveyed to the fatal spot." Neither Cook nor his son are yet in custody. This is all that has transpired at present, but much more may, probably, come to light on the inquest, which will be held this evening. Surely with an action of such complicated guilt the annals of neither this nor any other town in Christendom were never defaced.  N. 8.—1 forgot to state, that two or three layers of the thickest brown paper were pasted over the windows in the work-shop.