The Sun. — 1842-05-28 (London, England)

PUBLIC EXECUTIONS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN " Murder, though it hath no tongue, will speak • With most miraculous organ."—SoAxsrzsi.• n,—The horrid deeds of Daniel Good, Greel3',7o and Cook are not the first instances of the mutbrag,' and dismemberment of the body after murder. first case in this country occurred in 1726, with:,;:, difference, that a husband was murdered by his As it affords another remarkable instance ot. brim butive justice, I will recapitulate the facts as as possible. 'ed Mr. Hayes was a farmer's son, who warrinlio woman of a somewhat indifferent character.' J-00 kept a house in London, part of which was let Ak in lodgings, and carried on the chandlery ant trade. in which they were very successful. Etc sive of his profit by shopkeeping, he acquired 3; deal-of money by lending small sums on p1e714 After having acquired a decent competendy,• off housekeeping, and hired lodgings near Ol°o road. Thomas Billing, a journeyman tto lodged in the same house, and a oil 0, was soon formed between him and Catherine Pair). the wife. Mr. Haves having g I.one into the 0911„1/ ,ghrt; his wife and Billings indulged themselves in "4"•-i• of extravagance. On his return some of his Pe- 0 hours informed him .of his wife's miscondu which he severely censured her for it ; and arising between them, they proceeded from wcn:;,ir blows. No doubt she formed the resolution of„,;01i Bering him at this time, as the quarrel happened r 0 six weeks before his fatal exit. At this period no Wood, an acquaintance of Mr. Hayes, arrivegoo the country, and being afraid of impressment, kindly took him into his house, and promised- t°,o his interest in getting him some employment. a few days' residence, Mrs. Hayes proposed to lledo murder of her husband ; but the man was siwe'l the idea, and told her that he would have no lot, in so atrocious a deed. In a short. however, by the repeated solicitations 91A.,0 Hayes, his scruples of conscience were rernono. was prevailed on to be one -of the execrable htiWicitlt Accordingly Billings and Wood murdered 11°01 a hatchet while he was asleep. The murderel;oo, consulted how they should dispose of the bodi' „toi to prevent detection. Mrs. Hayes proposed to the head, to which the villains agreed. She rtlitel ingly fetched a pail, lighted a candle, and a";:.,00 going into the room, the men drew the bodY_Scbtli off the bed, when Billings supported the hen,. Wood, with his pocket-knife, cut it off, and famous woman held the pail to receive it, trit4 careful as possible that the floor might not be _,6 ty with the blood. Billings and Wood then 01:1,0P pail with them, and threw the head into the tiono/ wharf, near the Horseferry, Westminster, leanor) pail behind. They were both found in th efeo the next day by a watchman. When the mujl,o4 returned home Mrs. Hayes proposed that the lic/ should be put in a box and buried, but the box 50,. she purchased being found too little to contain !Iso recommended the chopping off the legs and which was done; but, being still too small, the te, were then cut oft; and all the parts ti packed Lither, and the box put by till night, when'lirre Billings took out the pieces of the mangled 1)0%10 putting them in two blankets, carried them All house unnoticed, and threw them into a pord7recOl Marylebone. Meanwhile, the Magistrates that the head should be washed cleanl and tT;aOl.. combed, after which it was put ona—poOLlP churchyard of St. Margaret, Westminster,.V might be identified. After it had been exhibin y days, and no discovery made, a surgeon iviy sired to put it in spirits to prevent its" trifying, and keep it for the further 74 tion of all who chose Ito view it. At:na suspicion was excited ; Hayes was missing, 7 A friends began to inquire of his wife 103"i01 become of him, to all of whom she gave eves'i!fre different answers. Finally, after various subte the trio were taken into custody. The disire!A earl limbs were subsequently discovered, and Wr°7 fessed. the several particulars already relatelyl Billings made a similar confession. To. e(Ln.OOO Wood died in Newgate, and thus defeated execution of the law. Billings was executed Ito/ usual manner, and then hung in chains, not aril ill the pond in which Mr. Hayes's body was the:,f°esl., Marylebone Fields. The wretched woman, jTh murderer, was fixed to a stake near the gallow Qi an iron chain round her body ; and she was lit ed~ burnt alive.* Her body was not perfectl3r ashes in less than three. hours. What a horribi" from this life !—Your obedient servant, • C. F.'  At Tyburn, May 9, 1726.