The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1838-12-28 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MYSTERIOUS CHARGE OF MURDER.  On Saturday last, Samuel Lennox, of Low Hesket, in this county, innkeeper, was committed to our gaol on the charge of having been concerned in the murder of Thomas Hunter, a carrier, whom our readers will remember was cruelly murdered in November, 1837, near Orton, in Westmorland. The charge against the prisoner Lennox was beard before Major Wilde on Tuesday last, when it appeared that the sole accusation against him at present was confined to his voluntary confession of the crime, which, it is alleged, be made several weeks ago to one David Little, of Low Hesket, and with whom it would appear that the prisoner was not upon very good terms. David Little, in his examination said—l live at Low Hesket. I have known the prisoner, Samuel Lennox, since a little before Whitsuntide last—he took a house from.me at Low Hesket and lives there still. He told me he had lived before at Wasdale Head, in the parish of Shap—he said he had been three or four years hind to Mr. Matthew Atkindson, of Temple Sowerby. After he came to Hesket he went to the middle Falkirk fair, in September last. I went into his public house a day or two after he returned home, about ten o'clock in the morning. He said his wife had been telling me something—l said nonsense, and put by what she had told me. He said he thought we were too kind when she told me such tales. I had not told him anything his wife had told me, but be said his wife had told him what she had told me. I said it would be all nonsense what she had told me, and be said it was all true. He said he thought if that was the way he might make me a present of his wife. He said he had shot the Kendal carrier—he said John Wills and Edward Sisson were present at the time, and were as bad as him. Nobody was present when he told me this. I said it was a bad job, he being a learned man, to do such a thing. I meant a good sholar. He said Sisson had been near the place were the man was shot about a month before, and his heart had failed him, and they cast lots which of the three should shoot him. I asked him how they came together—he said Wills and Sisson came over to Wasdale Head. He did not mention the day--he set them a bit, and it was agreed that be should go over on Saturday to Tebay, on the day the Kendal carrier was shot. He said he did go over, and they had no shot at the shop at Tebay, and they cut pieces of lead and put it upon the powder. It fell to his lot toshoot the man. They all went together. It was Sisson's gun. He did not say who carried it. He said he was two yards off the man when he shot him in the head. The carrier was on the road near home. I asked him what money the carrier had got— he said he had Ea) and three shillings—they divided it equally amongst them. He told me Sisson had been at Low Hesket not long since, and was in very bad heart—they had sat up talking the main of the night, and they were not much in bed—only a little. He said Sisson got up before daylight and went off—he was not much seen. He said they corresponded with letters, and offered to show me one, but I refused to see it. He said he set the gun in Sisson's porch the day after the murder. Ile told me they were afraid of Wills disclosing the secret, and he was pining since he came out of gaol after last March assizes at Appleby. The prisoner confessed the murder again to the on the 28th of last November. I had given him notice to quit my house before Martinmas. I never mentioned what he told me before last Saturday. _ _ _  After the above examination had been taken the prisoner was removed to Appleby gaol. 'Wills and Sisson are both in custodv.—Carlisle Patriot.  Tux