The Express. — 1866-09-14 (London, England)

MURDER IN DERBYSHIRE.  At the Httoaeter petty sessions yesterday, William Stone, alive " Barney," aged about 20 years, and William Barker, alias " Stepham,. aged 16, of Church Bruughton, Derbyshire, labourers, were charged with the wilful murder, at Church Broughton, of Joseph Hanson. The circumstances of the crime were nal rated in the deosition of the deceased, taken previous to his death. He said :—" On Saturday the 25th ult., I met with the two prisoners, Stone and Barker, at the Holly Bush public. house, in Church Broughton. There were several other persons there at the same time. I don't know that I had any words in particular with them whilst in the house. Inspector Joliffe was there, standing outside. I saw him at the time I was coming away. He said to me: 'Go curay home, Joseph,' and these chaps, Stone and , made answer sad said, We'll see him home,' and I was going home, and they followed me close behind, and piur= and kicked me all across a pasture; And when they got into the Slang, near here, they fell bodily upon me, and kicked and abused me to that degree that I asked them if they were going to murder me on the spot. They both did this. I was not able to tell which was the worse. I shouted for help when they were abusing me, but I was not within reach of anyone, and no one cisme. They hit me before and behind, and in all fashions. I don't know that they used weapons, but their heavy boots and hands. I was also beat about my head where there is not a free place. They had me down upon the ground. I asked them their reason for abusing me like that ; and they made answer, both of them, 'Well kill you.' There was not a pin to choose in them. I feel myself to be in pmt pain and peril of my life at this moment. It might be about 12 o'clock at night when we left the Holly Bush. It was not a dark night. I could see the persons very distinctly. I was in no other company but theirs from the time I left the Holly Bush to the time I got home. I had gone to the Holly Bush public-house and Samuel Adams's beerhouse in quest of William Smith, who owed me some money for beer—Se. I cannot say that the prisoners tried to rob me. In feet, they hadn't the chance, as I hadn't much about me, sad I don't know that they offered."— Inspector Joliffeeorrobonited the statement as to what took place at the public-house, and said that when be apprehended the prisoners Parker admitted that he had hit Hanson, but said be did so in self-defence. From the evidence of other witnesses it appeared that the prisoner Stone and the deceased quarrelled in the publie-honse be fore Haneonleft, and that Stone then threatened to " put a tightener on him," and to "drop on the old man " that night. The medical evidence showed that the injuries which the old man had received were the cause of death, and that they would have been produced by such violence as that described in the deposition of the deceased. The • were committed to take their trial at the neat assizes ea the charge of wilful murder. William Barker, the youngest of the two, only made reply, and said, "He did not kill Joseph Hanson." Both pnsoners appeared comparatively indifferent to the proceedings spinet them.