Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1859-05-28 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE MURDER IN HEREFORDSHIRE.  Detective Williamson, of Scotland Yard, is now engaged in investigating the circumstances attending this murder, robbery, and attempt at arson. This officer is now on the spot, in consequence of the application made for such assistance to the Secretary of State for the home Department by Mr Iliddulph (of the firm of Cox and Biddulph, bankers), whose cuuntry seat is Ledbury Park. The further the matter is invested, the more irresistible becomes the conviction that the dreadful crime was perpetrated by a person who had been on familiar terms with the deceased woman: and who, moreover, was acquainted with every minutite of the mechanical details of Mr Masa field's business. The appearance of Mrs Baker's sitting.room is favourable to the conclusion, that after Charlotte Jackson left, some other acquaintance of Mrs Baker's called upon her; that they both sat conversing together, one at least of them drinking gin and water, tltht had either been brought by the visitor or else produced by Mrs Baker (the evidence of the medical men shows that the deceased did not drink gin and water on that occasion), and that whilst they were so engaged she received a blow on the foreheAd. which felled her to the ground. Unconsciousness having been thus secured, the rope was thrown over the head, adjusted under the right ear, and drawn tightly till life became extinct. The house and its contents were then at the command of the murderer. Without any beating atn,ut the bush, he went straight to the only drawers in the house that ci ntained any money. The robbery having been effected, the corpse of the murdered woman would seem to have been draggtd upstairs, laid out in the entrance of Mr Mast:field's room, wl.ere tiers of shelves, laden with books and papers, would afford ready food for the flanns, and set fire to, an attempt at arson which, if it had proved successful, would have occasioned the death of the innocent child, who was sleeping serenely in the bed which should have been occupied also by the murdered women. The titre:24(dd crime completed, egress from the house was easy by the door, through' which with equal facility entrance was obtained, the door locked, and the key either carried away or thrown down near to the door, where it is alleged to have been found on the following morning. . .  During the whole of Sunday, the detectile and Mr Masefield subjected the clerk, Jones, to a course of rigid categorical examination, and the %hole of his property to a careful overhauling. To the latter he expressed some reluctance, fearing, he said, some of his private papers might obtain publicity. At length, however, Ire consented to a search being made, and .£lO in gold was found. The murdered woman was greatly and deservedly respected, for her cheerful and kindly disposition, as well as for her cleanliness and becoming behaviour. She was .51 years of age; had been married, when her first husband died, seven weeks only before Tier own death, scarcely seven years. Before her marriage, she had tived for ten years as housekeeper in the family of Mr Heywood, of Hope Eu.l, the uncle of Mr ; and for some time previously in the household of Lady Stanhope. Four sisters survive her, two single and two married. One of the former, a domestic at 18, Palace Gardens, Kensington, is now in Ledbury. The family name was Langtry. The parents were of the labouring class, and lived some years ago in Dover. The man Jones, to ahom reference has been made, is about 33 years of age, a bachelor, who has been to the diggings.' Ile received the injuries which occasioned him the loss of his leg, he has said, whilst bringing down a load of the precious metal from the auriferous 'field,' in company with his father and brother, both of whom, he alleges, were killed by the party by whom they were attacked. Before being taken by Mr Masefield into his employ, he had been for some time doorkeeper at the Ledbury workhouse.