The Sun. — 1847-12-25 (London, England)

THE LATE MURDER IN LINCOLNSHIRE.—APPRERENSION OF THE SUPPOSED MURDERER. KIRTON IN LINDSEY, THURSDAY.—The Coroner's investigation into the circumstances attending the horrible murder of Mr. Charles Copeman, residing at Blyborough, in the public road leading from this town to that village, was proceeded with yesterday afternoon, before Mr. H. C. Holgate, the county coroner. A young man named Joseph Travis, the son of a widow who occupies a respectable farm in the neighbourhood, has been apprehended on suspicion of being concerned in the murder. The subjoined are the brief facts adduced by the several witnesses, all of which are purely circumstantial. On the evening of Saturday the deceased was at the Greyhound Inn, Kirton, with Travis and three or four other persons. Deceased and Travis had some words, and were about to fight, when friends interfered and the dispute ended. He left about half-past eleven, and was noticed going towards the Red Lion, Travis remaining at the Greyhound. Between twelve and one he was noticed standing by the Red Lion. Before this, Travis had left the Greyhound, and was afterwards noticed conversing with the unfortunate man. Their road home was the same, the deceased having the longest distance to travel. On the following morning, shortly after nine o'clock, a labouring man of the name of .Whelpton,. in proceeding to Kirton along a road leading from Grayingham, had his attention drawn to a dog sitting upon the body of a human being in a ditch by the side of the road, by the poor beast growling as he approached. The face of the corpse was downwards, and the dog was seated on the back. Whelpton endeavoured to examine the body, but the snarling and barking of the faithful creature prevented him, he being fearful that it would bite. To return to the conduct of Travers, it would appear that before he was suspected, he made a statement respecting the deceased of a very contradictory nature. It was stated that on the Sunday morning he changed a sovereign to pay a Mr. Hotchkiss three shillings which he had borrowed of him on the previous night. He is said to have worn a pair of drab trousers, but none of that description could be found at his residence. A striped shirt which he had on could rn t he seen, and it further appeared that a pair of his boots was missing. A bruise was discovered on his right collar bone, his throat scratched, both hands similarly injured, and a cut on his right hand. He was described to have arrived home on the Sunday morning about one o'clock, and seemed to be tipsy. The state of his dress at that period could not be ascertained. On being searched, two sovereigns were found in his packet, and in the course of the Sunday morning a third sovereign was picked up in the vicinity of the Red Lion. It may be observed that during the day he was perceived walking about near where the sovereign was found. Further inquiries and search brought to light a buck horn-hafted and two-bladed penknife, which was discovered near where the murdered man was lying. In the blood under the head of deceased was detected part of the end of a penknife, and which corresponded in size and make with a broken blade of the knife in question. It was besmeared with blood, and it was shown that on the 10th ultimo Travis purchased it in Kirton. The police found at his residence a pair of drab trowsers answering the description of those worn by the accused on the night of the murder. They were in a drawer in the prisoner's bed room, and they appeared to have been spunged in many places. A pair of garters worn by the prisoner were produced, one was stained apparently with blood in kneeling. The proceedings, after lasting several hours, were adjourned. The relatives have offered a reward of 1001. for detection and conviction of the murderer, and no doubt her Majesty's Government will also offer a similar amount.  tices and others, that such consent was duly g;ven. The concluding clause (the 11. th) is the formal one to amend or repeal the Act. In the schedule is the form to be filled up by a shareholder assenting or dissenting to contracts for now works.