The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1864-11-19 (London, England)

EXTRAOEDINARY MURDER.  A case of murder of a very singular character has taken place at Mitcham, the victim not being the party whom the murderer intended to slay. The scene ot the outrage was a four-roomed cottage, No. 5, Britaunia-place, near the New Cross-road, inhabited by men employed on the South London Railway, now in course of construction. The man charged with the crime, Richard Havelan, was formerly a soldier, in her Majesty's service, but latteily he worked under the railway company; and his unfortunate victim was a person in the same employ, named John Gillespie. The facts of the occurrence were detailed in the following evidence, taken before Mr. William Payne, coroner for Soathwark, at an inquest held on the body of the deceased at Guy's Hospital on Saturday evening. Richard Newman, 5, Britannia place, Mitcham, said that the deceased man, John Gillespie, lodged with him. He was thirty five years of age, and was a labourer on the South London Railway. A man named Richard Havelan, a married man, lived with his wife in a room in the same house. On Saturday week a man named Bailey was sitting drinking beer in the lower room, when Havelan end his wife came in. Witeas offered Havelan a glass of beer, when Bailey said no he shall not have any, for it is my beer and the lanala ly's." A quarrel ensued, and Havelan struck at Bailey, who in return hit Havelan oa the jaw and knocked him down. The deceased entered the room and sat down at the window, taking no part in the quarrel. Havelan cried out, "My jaw is broken," and took up the poker to strike Bailey, but it was taken from him. The quarrel then ceased, and Havelan and Bailey shook hands and drank together. They were both under the influence of liquor. Twenty-five minutes afterwards deceased and Bailey, who were sitting cioie to each other, fell asleep. Havelan walked round by the fireplace (witness did not see h m take a poker) and went close to Bailey and the deceased. He stood talking in that position to his wife for five or six minutes. Witness then noticed that his arms rose and fell three tim :s rapidly, and the heads of deceased and Bailey were both covered with blood. Witness's nephew snatched the poker from Havelan, and Bailey jumped up and struck his assailant. Deceased, was carried up stairs, when lie lost a ereat deal of blood, and Dr. Anderson had to be sent for in less than five minutes. Deceased kept his bed for three days. He then went to work for two days; but he had to go to the hospital, where he died on the Wednesday. He had been in good health before he was attacked with the poker. Eliza Newman garb corroborative evidence. Edward Bailey, a labourer, said that after the quarrel described by the first witness had been made up, he fell asleep with his head next that of the deceased. He was woke up by a terrible blow on the head, and he found Havelan with a poker in both hands striking at him. Witness's head was cut open. It was stated that the poker was bent by the force of the blows inflicted with it on the heads of the two sleeping men. Mr. E. Reynolds Ray, 'house surgeon at Gay's Hospital, said that deceased was brought into the hospital on the Sunday paralysed and unable even to speak. He died on Wednesday in last week from the result of injuries inflicted upon his head by means of a blunt instrument. Police-constable Weavel, 377 P, said that on Sunday week he heard of the occurrence, but deceased would not give the prisoner in charge. A week later witness tried to arrest Havelan, but the latter and his wife had. fled. Where they were at present could not be ascertained.—The Coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder" against Richard Havelan. The Coroner then issued his warrant for the apprehension of the accu ed on the capital charge.