The Northern Daily Times. — 1856-12-31 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

THE SOMERSEISHIRE MURDER.  EXTRAORDINARY SCENE AT AN INQUEST. The inquest on the body of John Aplin, who was found with his throat cut in a cart, in a gloomy lane, abent one mile from Wiveliscombe, on Tuesday last, was held before Mr. Munckton, the district coroner, on Saturday, at the Town Hall, Wivesliscombe. Mr. 'gratrend, solicitor, watched the proceedings at the request of the prisoner's father, a respectable old man, living at Upton. Mr. Goold, the chief constable, has offered a reward for the recovery of the purse in which the murdered man carried his money, of which a sovereign yet remains to be discovered. Eliz ibeth Hutchings, servant at the White Hart Inn, Wivelisee'mbe, stated that she saw the prisoner and deceased at their house on Tuesday last, and on the latter rising to go, the former persuaded him to partake of more beer. Samuel Willicombe, the 'ostler, deposed to the circumstances under which Nation went away with the deceased la his cart about pine o'clock on Monday night. He stated also, that Aplin while standing by his cart polled out his purse and counted five sovereigns. The evidence of several Other witnesses,, who saw the two men start off together, having been taken', john Hayes, labourer, stated that about half-past nine he was siting in his house, when he heard a cart coming down the road from Langley at a rapid pace. Ho heard the horse stop at the gateway, and went out with a light ; he saw a man lying in the cart With his throat cut ; it was John Aplin. He was not quite dead; his chin moved, and a goggling noise came from his neck. The body was warm. Dr. Edwards described the position of the body and the stains of blood deceased's clothes, &e. The waistcoat and right -breeches pocket had bloody finger marks upon them. The ;throat was cut, beginning two inches below the right ear and extending seven inches across, terminating one inch below and one behind the left ear. An instrument such as the one produced—(the blood-stained kuife found on the prisortel)—would make such a cut. Police constable . Collard said : In company with Tont and Rockett, constables, be arrested Nation, the prisoner, on the road near Lowtrow's Cross, about a quarter before seven, on the morning of the 24th inst. He told Nation fie apprehended him for committing a wilful marder the night before ; and .he replied, "You don't mean it At the Lowtrow Cross public house, he searched the prisoner, and found on him one sovereign, and tenpence in copper, the knife produced, and a watch and chain ; the knife was bloody, both the blade and handle. He asked Nation how it came bloody, . and he said be had been cutting a piece of beef. He searched the prisoner a second time, and found three sovereigns, and a bunch of keys, one of which unlocks the _carpet bag. Witness went with Mc. Feather. stone, and compared the prisoner's left boot with a foot track about fifteen yards from a pool of, blood, near the scene of the murder, and they corresponded. The coroner commenced his summing up, when almost immediately the cast iron girder supporting the cross timbers of the floor gave way and mapped asunder with a loud report. The court was crowded, and, as may be supposed, terror and dismay sat on every countenance. Many who were Themselves trembling with apprehensive nervousness, called out to the people to keep quiet, and at length, through the coolness and presence of mind of the- magistrates, who requested those fear to retire slowly, the court was cleared in half an hour, except of the officials and jury. Happily the timber sustained the weight, and no personal accident occurred. A verdict of wilful murder against Thomas Nation was returned, and he was committed on the c ironer's warrant, and subsequently by the magistrates, for trial at the next assizes at Taunton.