Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1879-03-08 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

SHOCKING MURDER OF AN OLD MAN NEAR LEEDS.  At a quarter past ten on Monday night, a travelling watch and clock cleaner, thirty years of age, named John D'Arcy, who lodged with a person named Smith, at 30, Mutberry-street Hunslet, was apprehended by Detective-Sergeant Lumb, of the West Riding constabulary, and P.C.'s Foster and Hewitt, of the Leeds force, on suspicion of having murdered William Metcalf, eighty-nine years of age, who was in the service of Mr. Calverly, of Oulton Hall, as lodge-keeper. Metcalf lived by himself at the lodge, and has resided there for many years. About ten minutes to seven on Tuesday evening, as two women were passing, they heard the old man exclaim "Murder I Now for God's sake don't murder me!" They ran away and gave an alarm, and a young man named Frederick Morley, went to the lodge and looked through the window, and saw a man kneeling on Metcalf, and apparently engaged in rifling kis pockets. He also saw the man unlocking a drawer. Morley then went to the front door, and shortly afterwards he heard the door unlocked. He, however, still held it, and in order to secure Metcalf's assailant in the house, called to his father and a tailor, named John Walker, who happened to be near at hand, to go round to the back door and guard it. Morley, senior, and Walker went to the back of the house, and on looking through the window saw a man standing inside, armed with a weapon which appeared to be like a poker. Upon seeing him in this defensive attitude, they could not muster sufficient courage to enter the house, for, to use their own words, they feared it might be another "Peace job." They left the house, and youug Morley also left it, and went in search of a policeman. Tbe murderer, on finding the house unguarded, made his escape. An alarm quickly spread in the neighbourhood, and a crowd collected round the lodge. Mr. Walker, gardener at Oulton Hall, entered the house, and found Metcalf on the floor in a pool of blood, and with the left side of his head battered in. The old man was not quite dead, and a doctor was sent for immediately. On the arrival of the medical man, however, life was  pronounced to be extinct. A 'search was made in the plantation near the lodge for the murderer, but without avail. A Mr. Taylor, of Leeds, was the first to convey intelligence of the murder to the Hunslet Police Station, and shortly afterwards Police Constable Ross, stationed at Oulton, also" arrived at Hunslet with a description of the man seen in the house. Acting upon this description, and upon other information which was received, the police apprehended D'Arcy as above stated. It is said that the prisoner has been seen in the neighbourhood of Oulton for some weeks. He has advertised himself in a Bothwell paper as a watch and clock cleaner, and has asked in the district for watches to clean. It is also said that the prisoner has been seen near Metc.alf's house. Sarah Metcalf, niece of the murdered man, states that she saw the prisoner in her uncle's house on Tuesday afternoon, and heard him ask for a watch to okan. The property missing from the house includes a silver verge watch, a half-sovereign, and Bs. in silver. The prisoner' it is stated, was on Tuesday traced to the Methley Railway Station, from whence , he is supposed to have procceeded direct to Hunslet. John D'Arcy travelling watch and clock cleaner, was brought before the West-riding magistrates at Wakefield on Wednesday, charged with the murder of Metcalfe. No evidence wits given, and the • accused was formally remanded. Eli Oram a tramping collier, hag also heed taken into custody at Oastleford, charged with complicity in the murI der. The inquest on the murdered matt was opened, on Wednesday, and adjourded. '  . _ 149 Cid. GOVAIIAMANT INqulv AT 9EouiticsTox.—lliatt. ' AN Ccltnik,pl)6 9pe Akbal. ' Goiornniebi B9rl itill), VA re* tald'au; itHigillt it I 4 SO ) 1 W .9140Q4 thee*ea,FOn 'roc*. BPAt4 int this di fislp.g 0 its toy/4,841p, 4ito Witr.cia. Fevers' mel.o.ori c 4 t4e local board w era present, and there was no opposition, and it is expected that the inspector will present a favourable report to his board.  _4._•••. .'-,-- 1, 1.