The Sun. — 1842-04-30 (London, England)

SUSPECTED MURDER.  About five years ago an engineer, named Duncan Crawford, was found dead under very suspicious circumstances, near to the Penny-hatch, leading from the Thames retry, opposite Greenwich, to Poplar. There were marks of violence found upon the deceased, and also a dark circle round the throat, and it also appeared that the body had been thrown over some spiked palings, between four and five feet high, into a pond formerly used as a seasoning pit. In consequence of information received by Sergeant Lovell, 15 It, about twelve months afterwards, a man of the name of Scottey was apprehended for the robbery, as a watch case and some seals were traced to have been in his possession and identified at the time as baylng been the property of Crawford, and Scottey was subsequently tried. found guilty of the robbery, and sentenced to seven years' transportation. A tnan who then went by the name of Harryman, who had been seen in company with Scottey, and a man named Tidy, all working together in a mud barge, absconded on Scottey 's apprehension, and had not been heard of until Thursday. when Mr. Mal'alieu, Superintendant of the R division, received information from the high constable of Dartford that a ?erson answering the description of Harrytnan, but now travelling under the name of James Curzon, was at work at Dartford Creek, and in consequ, nee of a tow that had taken place between his wife and another woman, information had been given that lie was one of the parties concerned in the murder and robbery of Duncan Crawford. Yesterday the prisoner was placed at the bar of the Greenwich Police Court, when Sergeant Lovell, IS R division, said in consequence of the above information, 1 went on Thursday night to Dartford, and at three o'clock yesterday morning I succeeded in apprehending James Curzon alias Harryinan. I was the officer in the case nearly five years ago, when Crawford was found, and have a perfect recollection of s. eing the prisoner in cons; any, on the evening previous to the supposed murder, ts ith Scottey an,: Tidy. I also recollect seeing the deceased, who was an engineer residing at Rotherhithe-e all, proceeding towards Blackheath-hill on Sunday evening-with some friends he was golly, to take leave of on their return to Dartford. I shall prove by the evidence of a waterman, that he did not cross the water from Greenwich until neatly twelve o'clock or, the Sunday night, and that he hod told his friends that he was going le Poplar to see a female. The night was remarkably stormy and wet. (The witness then described the finding of the body of the deceased.) I shall also be able to bring evidence of the fact, that the prisoner, in company with Scottey and Tidy, were rowed across from Deptford to the mud barge lying near the spot where the ho ly was found, and that this took place before two o'clock on the Monday morning, about which time the watchman at an adjacent factory heard scream• of distress, and went out with hiiStntern, but could see no one. The whole party were seen at Deptford again, long before their usual "hour, drinking at the Dog and Bell with some women. Scottey was transpor'ed for seven. years for the robbery, but was only detained three years and a half, and is now at work on the Croydon railway, and since his discharge has been heard to say, " If he had split he should have made the world squint. Ni'e whacked seven pounds among us." Mrs. Ann Phillips recollected the prisoner hying at her house at Deptford at the time that Crassford's body was found. He then went by the name of Harryman ; Scottey and, Tidy worked with him. Some seals were brought to be washed at my house, which were afterwards identified as having belonged to the deceased. The young woman who brought them said Scottey had given them to her. Mr. JEREMY then remanded the prisoner until Wednesday next.