The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1882-03-24 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE MURDER IN FINCHLEY WOODS.  ARREST QF THE SUPPOSED MURDERER. 'the murdered man was on Friday morning positively identified as a person named Hunch Clarke, an inhabitant ofthe Horough, a companion of thieves, and supposed to be connected with one of the most desperate gangs of burglars in or near London. As soon as the identification of the body was established, inquiries under the special direction of the Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department were rapidly pushed forward, and on Friday afteraeon Inspector Dodd and Inspector Fox. with some censtables in private clothes, surrounded a house in the Borough, and arrested a man who goes by various aliases, but whose real name is John Baker. He is a strong, powerful man, twenty-two years of age, and he gives his trade as that of a carpenter. As soon as the inspectors had secured him they at once charged him with the wilful murder of Enoch Clarke, his companion and confederate in the burglary at St. Allian's House. He. however, made no resistance, and he was then at once taken to the station, where the charge was read over to him. It is said that there is a very strong chain of evidence against him, and probably the discoveries mode will bring other extensive burglaries to light The man Clarke has been missing since the time of the murder, and that at that time it was known that he and the accused were away in the country som-where on a "burglary job." The accused man Biker returned to the Mint alone with a quantity of plunder, and stated that Clarke, the deceased, had been captured. He clothes were observed to be stained with blood, and he was questioned relative to it, but he replied that he was pursued by a mounted patrol, who overtook him, and that to defend himself he broke a bottle of port wine over his head, and that the Stains on his clothes were those of the wine and the blood of the patrol. These clothes he gave a day or two after wards to a man known as Muffin Jack, who on Friday finding that Baker had been taken into custody, confessed to the police that he assisted Baker to remove a quantity of plunder from Finchley Wood to his lodging in the Mint, and informed them of the whereabouts of the clothe+, which he had sold at a rag shop far a few pence. These are now in the pissession of the p ince, and have distinct hie id marks union them. In+p.ictor Fox, of the Criminal Investigation Department, has token charge of them. Another person in the Mint has given up a pair of boots, which ho says were given him by the accused, and which are believed to be a portion of the stolen property. A large number of the articles have been found at several pawnbrokers in the district, and there appears very little doubt that the accused is the guilty party. It has also transpired that Baker, the accused, has only recently underzone a term of imprisonment, and that during his incarceration Clarke, the deceasod, had been living with his wife. It is thought that Baker's disc ivery of thi+ may have roused his j-alouiy, and beers a tnotive for the horrible crime. Baker's wife was also arrested, and charged with being an accessory after the fart.  Tim weather in the Channel Islands is reported to have been remarkably hot during the last few days, and the mildness is causing a rapid advance in vegetation. Cherry trees are in full blossom, lilac trees are blooming, gooseberry bullies and strawberry plants are forming fruit. Potatoes are making ripid progress, and if no frost intervenes, very early and abundant crops are anticipated.