The Sun. — 1854-01-19 (London, England)

CONFESSION OF MURDER BY .I 1 SOLDIER.  PLYMOUTH, Jan. 17.—1 t will be remembered that, about three weeks since, a private soldier of the 50th Regiment, named Benjamin M'Donald, who had been apprehended for desertion, stated that he had murdered a woman named Thomas, who had followed the regiment from Preston, on Roborough Down, between this town and Tavistock. Since then the military authorities have flogged the man for desertion, and he has been too ill to bo removed to point out the pond into which ho says he threw the dead body. Some suspicion was thrown upon the circumstances detailed by M'Donald, but it appears that he had previously related the whole of the facts to a constable at Launceston, yet no notice of them was taken, probably because the county allows no expenses to the constables for the prosecution of such inquiries. On Thursday last the prisoner made another statement to the chaplain of the forces here, the Rev. G. W. Langmaid, in which he said that he bad also murdered a stepbrother. Tho chaplain went to Mr. 'Gifford, the superintendent of the Devonport police, and that official having returned to the military prison, the prisoner made the following confession :  " After the death of my father, my mother married a man named Lambert Heaton, a small farmer residing in the parish of Heaton, about two miles from Bolton, Lancashire. Mr. Heaton at that time was a widower, and had an only boy, named John Heaton, who was about fourteen years of age. About seven weeks after my mother married Lambert Heaton, a great disturbance took place between my father and mother about me. He took a dislike to me. I was at that time about fifteen years of age. Shortly after this my mother gave my step-brother butte on his bread, and would not give me any. She continued to do this, and it gave quietness to Lambert Heaton. About this.time John Heaton was taken ill with a cold. In consequence of my step-brother being allowed butter on his bread and I none I formed a dislike to him. Whilst he was ill I was working at a rope-walk on Bolton-moor, in the employ of a Mr. Riley. I one day told my mother that I was poorly, and could not go to work, and I remained at home. On the same day my mother went down the street to buy some vegetables. She at that time told me I might warm some milk on the fire for Johnny. During the time of her absence I took the milk down to the cellar. The milk was in a little tin ean. There was some poison in the cellar kept for poisoning rats, some of which I took and mixed with the milk. Afterwards I put it into a jug and gave it to my step-brother, who drank it. About two hours afterwards my brother, John Heaton, complained of sickness. He got worse, and about two or three days afterwards he died. (Witness) „BoBERT GIFFORD, CrishioenfeorfiPnotlhiceep.'r'e. This confession was signed by the P !Fence of the chief of police and the chief warden. Mr. Giffard has received notice from Brigade-Major Wetherall that the prisoner will be in a condition to • be taken 'out to Roborough Down on Thursday morning, at seven o'clock, when he will be accompanied by a military escort, to search for the body.