The Sun. — 1862-10-23 (London, England)

THE MURDER AT CJLLINGSTVICK.  HEREFC IR,D, WEDNESDAY.  George Hope, the returned convict, now in ,custody on the charge of havi' vg abused and raurde,,-ed the girl, Mary Corhf tt, was convicted at Hereford, in December, 185') , of stealing fowls, the p.Topel•ty of Mr. Skerrett, at Ullingswick, and of and robbery at the same place, for ,ntenced to seven years' transportation.ice been. twice convicted of misdemeanor, which sk:dan.sg so: using threatening language, foe tired ti ,rms of imprisonment. whi c h htleel_lha sa ssui It now appea xs that 1%1+:8. Skerrett, a respectable farmer's of wife, o e,eari living ssine the neighbourhood, firding some :; of house Keeping getting the rather low, and would not, iu all probability, last until she visited ,tiereford market on Wednesday, sent the deceased to the Drainer's Arms publica A op for the sale of groceries is house, to which attached.  _ The girl Mary Corbett was a remarkable specimen of the ruddy-comp, 'exioned damsels of ' Herefordshire, and was an exce, edingly fine and powerful hPirl for her age. When e entered the Drainer's Arms the first time, about 8 6 r 9 o'clock on Monday night, the prisoner was drinkini; with others in the kitchen. The prisoner agked her t 0 drink with him, which she prudently declined to do. This circumstance had, perhaps, something to do with her return to the house a second time, she having forgotten some, candles she had been ins tructed to bring with her. On her second appearai ice the prisoner repeated his importunities, and w ent so far as to order a glass of beer for her, whit h she had also the prudence to leave behind her. However, immcclately on the girl leaving the house he was observed to get from his seat and follow her, leaving behind him some beer, which he did not return to drink. Nothing further transpired to indicate the nature of the offen co that had been committed until Mrs. Skerrett, ill her state of uneasiness at the absence of the girl, g- 4, ve information to her husband's workmen, by whom it was immediately spread, and the facts that had to, nspired at the Drainer's Arms beeame a matter of common conversation. This at once threw suspicion upon Hope, and it was at first thought that the wan named Wm. Weaver had participated in the crime. This happily turns out to be unfounded,aud the evialence which will to-morrow be given tends to fix the oft."nce absolutely upon the prisoner Hope, who is a ii."spe rate character, as will hereafter appear. Inquiries having been set on foot, it was observed that at a ter tain point in the road a struggle had taken place, which had been followed up to a bank by the wayside. It was here observed that the knees of a man, having a peculiar kind of stuff in his trousers, had made i.adentationa in the turf and mould. Here, too, was fouLld by the prisoner's own brother who had joined in the search, a frail which the prisoner had with him at the Drainer's Arms on Monday night. Also, the net which had been torn off the head of the poor girl. The prisoner did not return to his lodgings that night, nor does it appear that he slept in any house,. His own statement is to the effect that he slept in a barn, which upon examination does not show izny trace of his having been there, It was also observed that, on Tuesday morning prisoner washed a portic;n of his clothes and had blood upon his forehead, which it is probable resulted from his struggle with the girl against the bank by the wayside, From this point steps were traced to an orchard some few hundred yards distant, where the corpse of the poor girl was found placed up in a sitting posture against an apple-tree, after the first offence had been committed.  N. Lanwarne, Esq., the coroner, will hold the inquest to-day.  COUNIBI  Lib.  NE