The Sun. — 1861-07-17 (London, England)

ARTILLERY SERGEANT AT WOOLWICH.  Mr. C. J. Carttar, coroner for West Kent, yesterday held an inquiry at the Gun Tavern, New-road, Woolwich, relative to the murder of Sergeant Martin Murphy, Royal Artillery, by a gunner of the same corps, at the military guardroom of Woolwich Arsenal. _ .  The proceedings excited much interest, and the room was densely crowded. The jury having viewed the body of the deceased at the Royal Ordnance Hospital, the following evidence was taken : Sergeant Thomas Ashton, R.A., deposed that he is the chief officer of the newly-organised military police at Woolwich. On the night of Monday, the Bth inst., he was on duty with the deceased at the guard-room of the Royal Arsenal, when Peter Masterson, a gunner of the regiment, was brought in as a prisoner, for being absent without leave. The deceased asked the prisoner his name, when he replied, "I have had three months for you, and should like to pay you off before I go to India." The prisoner subsequently became quiet and sat down, but after a lapse of about 25 minutes he went stealthily across the room and immediately after struck the deceased a blow on the back of his head, under the right ear, with the iron bar produced, which was used as a poker, and which the prisoner took from the coal-box. The deceased was in the act of writing when he received the blow, and he cried out " 0 !" but did not speak afterwards. Several soldiers were in the room, but it was impossible to prevent the blow being struck, as the prisoner came so quietly to the place where the deceased was seated, and it was not perceived that he had a weapon. The prisoner.e subsequently told witness that he wishedtowgievn the himself up as a deserter from the 11th Foot, la i witness replied that he would have to aeant.er The charge of attempting to murder the serg _ rs in the out." The deceased had been 14 y prisoner then said, " I wish I had killed service. Marines, proved seeing Sergeant Starke, Royal . k the blow. He ran him right the prisoner Masterson sr was(' too late. He then forward to prevent it, thebu ddeliberation, and no iprisoner, who acted with person in the room had an the deceased in the act of assault. tthooekgrtheaetweset R A Bartholomew, . ~ deposed that Corporal Henry and other he was sitting close to er. The prisoner c reading a newspap came -very commit quietly behind the deceased and struck the blow. Witness caught the deceased in his arms. Gunner John M'Granary were examined, from whose evidence it appeared that the prisoner managed to concealwitnesses thebar of iron when taken from the coal-box until he struck the blow, when he said "There, take that you ---, I've had it in for you a long time." Assistant-Surgeon Smythe,A deposed—The deceased expired at the hospitalß. " Friday night on. last, from the effects b the of injuries received the right blow, which fractured the skull under right ear. A post mortem examination had been made by witness and Dr. the vessels of the Blake, when brain were found congested and gorged with ere to be blood, and the appearances presented fully proved that the cause of death was concussion by violence such as would result from a blow given by a weapon similar to that produced. In reply to questions from the jury, it was stated that there was no cell or separate place in the guard room for prisoners, who consequently sat in the same apartment as the military police. Inspector J. Linvell, of the B. division el police, produced the iron bar with which the deceased was struck, and which was a formidable weapon. The jury without hesitation returned a verdict of wilful murder against Peter Masterson, who was then committed for trial on the corone r'a warrant.