The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1866-07-20 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

MURDER IN STAFFORDSHIRE. Early on the morning of Thursday, a young man, named Thomas Smith, son of a gentleman farmer, residing on his own estate, at IVhiston Eaves, two miles from Oakmoor, and four miles from Cheadle, Staffordshire, was brutally murdered within a few hundred yards of his father's house. The perpetrator of the crime was William Collier, the oecupier of a small neighbouring farm. The deceased bad for Immo time suspected Collier of poaching on his father's property, and between two and three o'clock on Thursday morning left home, unarmed, for the purpose of watching a rabbit warren in a small wood, a short distance from the farm. He seems to have stood near a quarry, from which he could see the prisoner's house and the wood at the same time. On the same morning James Bamford, a labourer in the employ of Mr. Thomas Smith. the deceased's father, went to keep watch on another part of the farm, but does not seem to have communicated with his master's Eon before he set out. This man, on his return, passed by the spot where be knew the deceased would be watching, and not observing him there as he expected thought he had returned home, and went to the farm for his breakfast. Between eight and nine o'clock, the deceased's father having missed his can at the breakfast-table, became suspi. oious of foul play, and went in search of him, accompanied by Bamford. They first proceeded to the quarry, where they found the deceased's leggings, nmmkintosh, and a bag upon which it is supposed he had been lying while keeping watch. A further search was made, and in a hollow in the adjoining wood Bamford found the dead body of the young man, lying with his face downwards, and with one if not two gunshot wounds in his head, which had also been frightfully beaten with come blunt instrument. The grass and ferns near the spot were covered with blood also, showing conoltaive evidence of a fearful struggle. Police•Suporiutendent Woollaston, of Leek, was promptly on the spot, making inquiries, in censequenco of which the man Collier was arrested at his own house by Police Sergeant Perkins, at four o'clock on Friday morning. On Thursday, a ramrod and lock of a gun, with several bits of wadding, were found close to whore the body was discovered, while the deeeased's hat was found about 130 yards further up the wood. A search wan made for the gun, and at about half-past five on Friday morning, Thomas Moreeroft, a servant of Mr. Smith's, found the double barrels of a gun, marked with blo.d, pushed up a drain in a corn field, occupied by the prisoner, and near to his own house. Subsequently the other lock and several pieces of the stock of the gun wore found near the scene of the murder. The barrels and the locks exadly corresponded with each other, and were idea. tified by a gunsmith of Hollington as being portions of a gun which he had sold to the prisoner about a mouth before Christmas. The clothes of the prisoner, including his coat, trousers, and shirt, had blood upon them in numerous places; that on the trousera being on the lining of the knees, ths outside of which had been washed. The deceased was a fine young man, about 21 years of age, and was very much respected in the neighbourhood. The prisoner is a married man, with a wife and seven young children, his age being about 35 years. He was a well, known poacher, though he had never been convicted of the offence. 'Hie inquest had been opened and adjourned, and the prisoner has been examined before the magistrates and remanded.