Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1879-03-08 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SHOCKING MURDER NEAR  LEEDS.  On Tuesday a shocking murder was committed at Oulton, about five miles from Leeds, the victim being an old man named Wm. Metcalfe, aged 89 years. He was employed as a gate-keeper to Mr Calverley, of Oulton Hall, anti lived by himself at the lodge, situated some distance from the hall. Shortly before seven o'clock on Tuesday night o women who were passing along the road near the lodge heard a voice, which they recognised as that of the old man, scream out "Murder," and" For God's sake, do not murder me." They immediately gave an alarm, and told a young man named Fredk. Morley, who went to the lodge, looked in at the window and saw Metcalfe on the floor, and another man kneeling on his breast and apparently taking something out of his pocket. Morley then went to the door and took hold of the handle. On doing so the man inside came to the door and tried to pall it open. Morley, however, prevented him doing so. In the meantime Morley's father and another man named Walker, who had heard of the outrage, came to the lodge, and went to the hall with the object of preventing the escape of the man. On looking through a window, however,they saw that he had armed himself with some instrument, and making the remark, " This is going to be another Peace job," they retired from the door and sent for a policeman. Police-constable Ross, of the West Riding Constabulary, who is stationed at Oulton, arrived sh,rtly afterwards, and on entering the house found the old man lying on the floor in a pool of blood, with the left side of his head battered in in a shocking manner. He was then insensible, and a doctor was sent for, but before he arrived life was extinct. Behind the house there is a small plantation, and this was immediately searched, but no trace of the 1 murderer could be found. A niece of the deceased, however, who lives in the village of Oulton, informed the officer Ross that a man who gave the name of John D'Arcey, who had advertisedhims,lf in a Bothwell newspaper as a clock and watch cleaner, had been seen in the house a short tune before the murder, and she discovered that a silver verge watch, a half sovereign, and 8s in silver had been stolen from the house. =John D'Arcey, travelling watch and clock ckaner, was brought before the West Riding magistrates at Wakefield on Wednesday, charged with the murder of William Metcalf, lodge-keeper at Oulton Hall, near Leeds, on Tuesday night. On being asked if he had any objection to a remand, the prisoner replied I Save no objection to a remand, but I am innocent, thank God; and my principal reason for not having any objection to a remand is this, that I wish very maoh if there are any of the parties here for to speak against me as being the committer of that foul deed, I pray them to consider diligently what they are about, as I am a man of very good character, going about here as a watch and clock maker. Igo about in the county of York, and my reputation is • very fair about that county. I trust they will consider diligently, remembering that God is the only wise Judge to go before—not any earthly Justice. If it is deemed necessary that I should be remands], after I have made my statement, I have not the slightest objection."—No evidence was given, and the accused was formally remanded until Friday. Eli Oram, a collier, has also been taken into custody at Castleford, charged with being concerned in the murder.  RESIGNATION OF THE BOROGGH AOOOTINTANT or