The Sun. — 1844-08-06 (London, England)

MURDER OF A POLICE OFFICER. IPSWICH, SATURDAY.—This county ,has of late acquired an unenviable notoriety from a succession of incendiary outrages. It has this week been stained by the still more hateful crime of murder. Committed, too, under circumstances of extreme daring and deliberate purpose. It is worthy of remark that the day on which this fatal event occurred was that on which the judges of assize had taken their departure from this town. The facts are as follows :—lt appears that in consequence of frequent robberies of farm-yards, the police had received strict orders to direct their utmost vigilance to the movements of strangers, trampers, or other suspicious characters, with the twofold view of securing agricultural property from incendiaries and thieves. On Sunday, the 28th ult., soon after midnight, a constable of the rural police, named James M'Faddon, who was stationed at Kessinglands, a secluded hamlet in this district, when going round his beat, perceived a party of men, five in number, approaching a farm in the occupation of Mrs. Button, the stable-yard of which stands close to the road. From the silence of the men, and their stealthy motion, both of which are unusual with labourers returning from the beer-shops, the constables concluded that they were bent on mischief of some sort. Determined to watch their proceedings, he crouched down close to the fence. The party, after looking round, proceeded to Mrs. Button's farm-yard, and went direct to the barn-door, the fastenings of which they forced off. One remained outside, to give notice to his associates in case any one approached. The four who entered speedily returned, laden with sacks of corn, with which they were preparing to decamp, when the policeman thought it time to interfere. Being then only a few paces distant, and supposing them to be unprovided with fire-arms, he resolved to capture at least one of the gang. Having first challenged them to surrender, he was advancing, when one of the party who had mounted a lain hedge, raised a gun to his shoulder, and fired with deliberate aim• at his victim, who received the greater part of the charge in his thigh. The policeman dropped into a dry ditch, and the gang ran off rapidly in different directions, concluding that the report of the shot would alarm the inmates of the farm-house. M'Faddon, though suffering excessive pain, managed to crawl to the house and aroused the servants, who rendered the poor fellow such assistance as they could command at that late hour. A messenger was dispatched to the superintendent of the force, and the wounded man was provided with the best medical aid. On the following morning, the symptoms assumed a character so decidedly serious, that the district Magistrate deemed it advisable to take the man's deposition, which was signed and properly attested. Although rapidly sinking, he was quite conscious ; he described distinctly the circumstances already narrated, Lend declared that the man who fired the shot was William Howell, whom he had previously known, and whose person he recognised when he presented the gun. As to the rest of the party, he was unable to speak with certainty. Poor M‘Faddon died the same evening, and Howell was immediately taken into custody. On Thursday Mr. J. E. Sparrow, the coroner, and a respectable jury assembled. The death-bed statement of the deceased was put in as evidence, together with corroborative testimony as to the, burglary, the removal of the corn sacks, and the medical evidence. The jury, after a long consultation, returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder against William Howell," who has been committed to take his trial at the ensuing assizes. The deceased bore a most excellent character, and was much, respected by his superiors as a spirited and efficient officer.  ------•