Glasgow Courier. — 1853-05-21 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

JUVENME MIIRDIREH.  BRISTOL, BAT 14.—Considerable excitement has been created in the village of Keynsham, near this city, by the apprehension of a boy under 10 years of age, named Hucker,on the serious charge of murdering a companion of his, Win. Saunders, the son of a copper worker, residing in Milk Street, Bristol, by wilfully pushing him into the I river Avon at or near the Swinford copper mills, and drowning him. The accused is the son of an operative lime-burner, residing at Longwell Green, in the parish of Bitton. The deceased had been living with his grandfather and grandmother, by whom, owing to the death of his mother, he had been taken to when about eleven months old, and he was brought up at their residence, Willsbridge, Gloucestershire. It appears that, on the 26th of April last, about 9 o'clock in the morning, the deceased left his home for the purpose of going to school, and on wishing his grandmother good-bye, he said he should be home again at half-past four o clock, but she never again saw him alive. Search was made, and it being supposed that he might accidentally have fallen into a part of the river Avon, it was dragged, but, as it subsequently appeared, not the part where he was drowned. It seems that the accused, thicker, and a lad named Evans, witnessed the operation of dragging, but though they were both cognisant of the fact, they said nothing as to where the body was. No tidings were gleaned of the poor child for three days, when Hooker and Evans (the son of is carpenter) stated that he fell into the river accidentally. This statement, made at so late a period, naturally caused some suspicion, and this was strengthened by another statement made by Evans, who told his relations that he was in the meadow, and saw Hecker there lying down on the grass, and that the little boy Saunders came up and jumped on to his neck, at which Rucker got into a passion, and said he would hit his head off. Evans farther stated that, about an hour afterwards, he saw Saunders on the bank of the river picking some sorrel which grew on its edge, and that Rucker, who was behind him, pushed him into the river, and said, "D— it, he's in the river." Evans likewise stated that the copper mills were a little way off, that there were people there, and he was running to get some one to pull out Saunders, whom he saw struggling for five minutes, but that Hooker would not let him do so, but, on the contrary, held him down by his pinafore, and said that, if he Offered to go, he would push him in also and jump in himself. After this !fucker followed him nearly as far as Stoates Hill, and told him not to say anything about it, and he would give him something on the Friday, which was the reason why he did not tell where Saunders was when he was missed at first. This statement having become known to the police authorities, Polleesergeant 134, of the countv constabulary, questioned Evans, and, finding him adhere to his statement, he deemed it right to apprehend Hacker, and he was taken before Mr. Hughes, magistrate of Downend, and remanded (on bail) for farther examination. At this time the body had not been recovered, but on Wednesday last it was found in the river, close to the hatchway of the Keynsham mills, to which it most have been carried by the floods. The body, on being got out, was found tube in socks state of decomposition that recognition of either features or figure was impossible. There were, however, some peculiarity in the little fellow's boots and in &little bag he had with him,by whiehhisgrandfather was enabled positively to identify the corpse. Information of them circumstances was conveyed to Mr. Bruges Fry, coroner for North Somerset, and he at once issued his warrant for the prosecution of an inquest at the Lamb and Lark Inn, Keynsham. The accused was likewise apprehended by the police sergeant, and this afternoon he was brought into the inquest room. Both the grandfather and grandmother of the deceased were examined, and likewise a girl who, on the day of the occurrence, saw the three boys together crossing a bridge and going in the direction of Swinford mills. The boy Evans repeated the statement he had before made. The jury returned a verdict of ' Wilful murder' against Hacker, who was accordingly committed on the coroner's warrant.