The Sun. — 1861-10-05 (London, England)

THE BILSTON MURDER.  The " wanted" man is now in custody. He was arrested on Thursday forenoon, and his name is David Brandrick, The police seem to have been so close upon his track that he " ran to earth," put himself in communication with his friends, and afterwards with a solicitor. He obtained an interview with the latter at 3 o'clock on Wednesday morning. On Wednesday night the solicitor in question came from a neighbouring town to Bilston, sent for the Superintendent of Police to the hotel, said that Brandrick had consulted him at the hour named, and that he (the solicitor) would produce him before 3 o'clock the next day (Thursday). It was arranged that at the hour mentioned Brandrick should ba at the police-station at Bilston. The police were disposed at first to conclude that their informant was joking them, but his reply to their query was too emphatic to admit of chubt ; end when he assured them that the absent man was too securely ensconced in his hiding-place for them to!arresthim themselves they were disposed to wait the issue of the following afternoon. In the vehicle in which the solicitor drove to Bilston was a parish constable of Wednesbury (about three miles from Bilston), named Ellis. The police had not to wait for the afternoon of Thursday before they were gladdened with a sight of the object of their search, for at about 11 o'clock Brandrick was produced by the parish constable. At about noon Brandrick was brought up before the Rev. H. S. Fletcher. and Mr. John Hartley. He said that he should be 20 next birth-day. He is of slim build, He was charged with murder and burglary. The only evidence given was that of Superintendent M'Crea, who deposed that he had evidence to show that on the night preceding tho murder the prisoner was with the other men who had been remanded on the same charge. Mr. Fletcher was about to sign the warrant, when Mr. Hartley said, " Has he anything to say why he should not be remanded ?" The prisoner, who had before remarked in an undertone, but in the hearing of the officers who had him charge, that he knew nothing about it, replied, " I don't know nothing about it." He was then formally remanded to Stafford County Gaol till the adjourned inquest next Tuesday, and was at once driven off in the custody of the Chief Constable and one of the Chief Constable's men to Wolverhampton, to be taken by rail to Stafford. There was a great throng of people at the policestation door to see him sent away. It will be remembered that it was Brandrick's house that the police were watching when they intercepted him and Jones, and, it is supposed Jukes. Policeman Harrison, to whom that duty was intrusted, is prepared to swear that it was Brandrick who was carrying the clothes that were thrown down when he pounced upon them, and which clothes have been identified as the property of the murdered man. Since Sunday morning Brandrick has changed his attire. That the boots which he wore when he was arrested might be compared with the footprints in Mr. Bagott's yard, they were taken off his feet. As this was being done, the prisoner, in reply to Major M'Knight, said that he had worn them some time; but when asked if he had worn them a week he made no reply. These boots, as it was expected, do not correspond with those marks. They are not boots that a man in his position would be likely to wear, and a bootmaker is prepared to swear that he has not been accustomed to wear them. On Thurday Maddocks also was brought before the Rev. H. S. Fletcher to be remanded to Stafford, Superintendent M'Crea was the only witness. He deposed that he saw him on Saturday night in the same yard in which most of the other men were apprehended, and where there are five brothels. The magistrate told him hew as remanded, and he was asked if ho had anything to urge why ho should not be. He replied that he knew nothing about it.