The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1835-07-24 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MURDER IN BUCKINGHAM.  A most diabolical and cruel murder was committed late on Saturday night or early on Sunday morning last, on the body of Thomas Swift, an aged 'chimney sweeper, a recipient pauper of the parish of Fringford, Oxfordshire, but who residei with his son, James Swift, Gawcott-load, Buckingham. The particulars are as follows:—The old man was in his 96th year, and slept in a kind of outhouse on a miserable bed, or rather bedstead, at his son's house, which outhouse opened into a small yard, and not into the house. On Sunday morning he was found dead by his family, presenting an appalling sight of mutilation; they did not (as appears most unnatural) express any surprise, or make it known to the neighbours, of whom there are a great number ; but they took away the sheets, shirt, and nightcap (all of which were very bloody), and wrapped him up in a blanket; after putting a clean cap on him, and even pinning up his chin, an old woman was then calledin for the purpose.of laying him out, as was expressed, but who did not see anything about him amiss, except a very black and swelled eye, and, therefore, merely threw a sheet over him, and left; they even sent to the sexton to have the bell rung out for him. From these circumstances getting buzzed about, it was necessary to inform the authorities; and, iu consequence, an inquest was held on the body, before Mr. Thomas, the bailiff and coroner of the borough of Buckingham, on Monday, the 13th, when the above facts came out. After a port mortem examination of the body by Mr. E. Southain, he gave his decided opinion, that the poor old man had been murdered by some one; it being impossible that so many wounds or such extensive injury could be done by any fall or struggle of expiring nature. There were three distinct wounds on the head ; the skull fractured in a frightful manner; the right arm, above the wrist, literally smashed, it is supposed, while held up for protection; and the right eye black and much swoln. The walls of the shed were smeared with blood, as was also the bedstead, in large spots or sprinkles. The wound presented the appearance of having been inflicted with a blunt instrument. The son and grandsons underwent a long and rigid examination, but nothing could be elicited lix guilt on any particular individual; and, after an in-1 vestigation of ten hours, a verdict was returned of " Murder by some person or persons unknown." Since the above was written, a hammer belonging to the younger brother, who is a nailer, has been found under the bed on 'which the old man was murdered—the handle was bloody. The son and grandsons attended the funeral, the elder of whom trembled every limb at the grave, but shed no tears. We learn that this young man has not been considered of sound mind for some time. The inhabitants generally of the town are in a state of anxious discontent that a further investigation is not set on foot, On Thursday the grandson, Thomas Swift, confessed that he murdered the old man. When exmined he was perfectly rational. His trial•came on yesterday.—Bucks Gazette.