The Sun. — 1867-07-23 (London, England)

OOLVER TON.  CONFESSION OF THE MURDERER. The inquest on the body of Martha Britten, who was killed and then burnt, was held yesterday by Dr. Wybrants, coroner for East Somerset, at the Red Lion Inn, Woolverton, before a jury, of which the Rev. C. F. Baker was foreman. The room was crowded. Mr. Messiter, solicitor, of Frome, watched the proceedings on behalf of the family of the prisoner, who was present. The prisoner is a somewhat aged man, grey haired, and dressedin a suit of black and appeared to feel his position. Mr. V. Goold, chief constable of Somerset, was present, and Superintendent Duggan, of Frome, in whose custody the prisoner was. As the prisoner has confessed the crime, it is unnecessary to do more than give his own statement. Superintendent Duggan said the prisoner, when taken into custody, said " It's a bad job." lie produced the statement written by the prisoner on Sunday morning. It was directed to Mr. Woolly, his brother-in-law, and was as follows :--"Mr. Woolly, —I do to you what I could not do to any one else. With shame and true abhorrence and repentance of the deed I have done, I confess it was I that foully murdered my poor wife. It was done in the heat of passion and in a fit of jealousy, and arose thus. I saw what I shall keep to myself—told her of it—she treated it lightly, which enraged me. I caught hold of the first thing that came to hand, struck her with it three or four times. Oh, how I wish I had been blind or God had struck me dead before I did so. Oh, what power the devil must have over me. It seemed as though I had almost a hundred devils in me, and I believe, had twenty people been there, I should, had they interfered, served them in a similar manner; but after it was done, and I reflected a little time, oh ! how I detested and deplored the act _viewed it with abhorrence, and oh ! what I would have gave to bring herto life again. I fully intended then to have destroyed myself, but was prevented by two thoughts—first, that, alone in the house, the child would come down and first find us, and no doubt would lose his reason, or something as bad. Second, that probably God may forgive murder even, but not self-murder. Then I thought of at once giving myself up, butthen the devil or my own evil heart tempted and induced me to try and. hide my act from the world, which I did immediately by carrying her poor body over the wall by the herpear tree into the malthouse, and finmishoegderthaendn night. I chose that place for reasons and of a friends will understand. The reaso take your hand was, I could not puhushand. Once hand not murderer into that of my sister's d tnthie take care of the boy. youn dotsooinnoe,wy?ouThweoruelids you said, if anything 11.appene Bank for £350 in my tahnis sake, and I hope, .ft onpo sthoefoorkiiiot may reward yo . u Oh, what I have tarudrnka poor fellow, he ni Bristol brought on bu myself .and friends and first begun and 711 h been my bane by false friends, w I.c as w I pity and feel for poor Elizabeth—you—your family—my boy Charles tehnrdoeudgh life. Oh, ho and Joseph. As for myself, now I feel my doom is fixed, and that since the last tragedy I deserve it, but not before. I have no wish to live. May God receive my wife's soul in his abode above, and may lie forgive me and receive mine at last also. As for man, I do not ask nor expect to receive forgiveness. Do let me again beg you and poor Elizabeth to take the poor boy into your care, and may God bless you all and him.—(Signed)