The Sun. — 1863-09-28 (London, England)

THE MURDER AT TEIGNBRIDGE.  At the Town Hall, Newton Abbott, on Friday, before W. J. Watts, Esq., county magistrate, Jas. Stevens was brought up, charged with having murdered John Meers. at Teirabridge, on the night of Friday, the 14th August last. The prisoner, who is a very powerful man, and about 50 years of age, is a mulatto, and has lost the sight of his right eye. He is well known in connection with sparringbooths and shows at the different fairs, racecourses, and regattas, and was apprehended at Exeter on Wednesday evening g last. Long before the hour appointed for the hearing of the case the Town Hall was surrounded by a very large number of persons anxious to gain admittance. In this they were disappointed, as no persons but the witnesses and the representatives of the press were allowed to enter. About half-past 10 o'clock Mr. Watts took his seat on the bench, and, addressing the reporters, said that as the hearing was strictly of a private character, and that the ends of justice might not be defeated, he had to request that the details of the proceedings be not mace public. The prisoner was then brought into the hall, and the charge having been read over to him by the clerk, he pleaded not guilty in a firm tone of voice. The same evidence was taken as was given at the inquest. George Pike, a lad about 13 years old, was then sworn, and, after being duly cautioned by the magistrate, detailed the whole of the circumstances alleged to have taken place on the night in question, which, for reasons stated above, we do not publish. Witness was cross-examined at some length by the prisoner, at the end of which Prisoner requested that Mr. George G_ epson, of Plymouth, the proprietor of the boxing booth, should be communicated with to ascertain the time he (prisoner) was at the booth on the night in question. in the oehad Bench consented, and the prisoner was then removed to the cells. Simon Finightv a man about 26 years of age, who is also well Vnown as being connected with sparring booths, and who had been apprehended at Exeter the previous night by police-constable Mgernan, and conveyed to Newton the same morning by the mail train, was then placed in the boy, d with a party E a Barnstaple relative to what took charged with being an accomplice nodoubt, d willr. the murder. The prisoner denied his being at the Newton mur w r ty. He Races, a employ tPheenthedreictkaileodf the a conversation l\nlvaerrkseattilonnnh, ueo honfd Mr. stated that he was at the time place at the Newton Races, w give the police an additional clue to this mysterious affair. The prisoners were remanded until ten o'clock today, by which time it is thought the police, who are actively engaged in prosecuting their inquiries, will be in possession of some additional facts. On Friday afternoon, about four o'clock, policeconstable Mgernan, of the county police, apprehended another man by the name of Banks, alias Williams, who is supposed to be an accomplice in the murder. He was apprehended at Hollingsworth's lodging-.house, Edmund-street, Exeter. The prisoner, who is a middle-aged man, between 30 and 40 years of age, was taken to the head-quarters, Paris-street, and the charge entered against him. He at first gave his name as Banks, but afterwards said he was called Williams. It is stated that Banks, like the other prisoners, is well known in connection with sparring-booths. la —e appeared to be very much excited ; be was handcuffed, followed by a mob of people, and taken to St. Thomas's station, from thence to Newton Abbots,— Western Morning News.