The Sun. — 1847-04-17 (London, England)

THE LATE MURDER NEAR SHEFFIELD.-APPREHENSION OF THREE MEN, AND CONFESSION OF THE ROBBERY BY ONE OF THEM.  The mystery which has for the past three months shrouded the death of this ill-fated man, is at length unravelled, sad the perpetrators of the murder are in the hands of the law. It will be remembt red that on the evening of Monday, the 11th of January, Mr. Riley had been at the New Market Inn, in the Cattle Market, where he remained until nearly mit'night, and then proceeded towards home, on foot, along the Grimesthorpe road.  The particulars of this murder hare already appeared in The Sun.  In the absence of official information on the subject, we lay before our readers the following facts, which may be relied upon fur their accuracy, although from motives which the public will discere, we refrain from giving all the information which has come to our knowledge. The cause of the apprehension of the prisoners was from the circumstance of one of them, James Bradley, having al plied to a publican or beershop keeper, in Water-lane, to sell a watch for him. The publican accordingly took him to another man residing on Furnace-hill, and to whom the aforesaid watch was sold fur seventeen shillings. After the sale of the watch the three parties concerned retired to the " All Nations," another publichouse in Water-lane, and there while under the influence of liquor, the prisoner, James Bradley, made such admissions es left no doubt in the minds of his hearers that the watch which had beet: sold belonged to the late Mr. Riley. He also described the share which he had taken in the attack upon Mr. Riley, and told his auditors on what parts of the unfortunate man's body he had struck the blows, After this disclosure had been made, it would seem that the man who had purchased the watch did not feel himself exactly at case in having acquired the watch of a murdered man, end accordingly in the course of the Sunday night, after Mr. Riley died, this man made his way to Grinwstborpe-lane, and deposited the watch upon the grass plot, where it was ft.und by the undertaker's assistant, wrapped up in some black cloth or linen. James Bradley, it appears, in making the above disclosures, has also given information that he obtained the watch of his brother, and in consequence of the information so given, his brother George Bradley, also residing at Grimesthorpe, was taken into custody on Monday last. The evidence against the prisoners is said to be substantially the same as a great portion which was adduced before the coroner, strengthened in many particulars by new facts which have since come to light. The prisoners were altogether drinking at the White Lion, in the Wicker, and other places, and were subsequently seen in company together going in the direction of the Grimesthorpe-road. From that time nothing transpired of a tangible shape, either with regard to the murder or the robbery. Having given James Bradley's version of the affair, the statements made by the other prisoners may also be taken for what they are worth. Challoner, it seems, has intimated that James Bradley could exonerate him from the charge if ho thought proper, but on this point we have not heard what he says, or whether he says anything. George Bradley's version of the part he took in the affair appears to he, that on the night of the attack on Mr. Riley, he left the Fleur de Lie, in Angel-street, late at night, and went home along the Grimesthorpe-road ; that on arriving at the gates of Mr. S. Bailey's residence he saw a man drunk with his head against the wall, that he tried to assist the drunken man up, but that his assistance was refused, and that the drunken man d—d him, and told him that he could do without him. However, when the man was asleep again, prisoner admits having rubbed him of his watch and about lie. 6d. in money, and that after he had given the watch to his brother, James Bradley, he never spoke to him on the subject afterwards. - So far goes the information gleaned upon this melancholy subject. The case is said to be a very intricate one, and as the evidence on oath will so soon be laid before the public, we can only hope that it may be of so conclusive a character as to bring the perpetrators of this coldblooded and diabolical murder to justice and punishment.