The Sun. — 1844-01-10 (London, England)

MURDER. OF LORD GRANTLEY'S KEEPER. CORONER'S INQUEST.—Yesterday an inquest (adjourned from Monday) was held at the Jolly Farmer, Brumley, near Guildford, before Mr. C. J. Woods, Coroner for Wust Surrey, on view of the body of James Edwards, aged 48 years, principal keeper to the Right lion. Lord Grantley. On Monday the jury proceeded with the Coroner to the club. room to view the body, which presented a frightful spectacle, there Lein.- upwards of a dozen wounds on each side of the head, evidently inflicted by some blunt instrument, in all probability the butt-end of a gun. After evidence had been adduced of the prisoner having beer, missed on Saturday morning, and the finding of the body in a heist called Lyne Ersh, belonging to Lord Grantley, Charles Ilollington was sworn, and stated—l am inspector of police at Guildford. On Saturday evening lad, between 9 and 10 o'clock, the prisoner James Elsley was brought to the station-house at Guildford by Joseph Jenkins. On Sunday afternoon the prisoner expressed a wish to see me. I went to the station-house, and he appeared very uneasy in his mind, and said he wished to speak to me. I cautioned him that whatever he might say I should take down, and that it might afterwards be used against him. On the following night, about 7 o'clock, I understdod that the prisoner wished to see me again. 1 accordingly went to him, and he made the following statement :  " On Friday evening I went home and took supper, but on entering the door I saw my son eating some victuals. I said to him, Where are you going Bill ?' He said, lam going to the raffle; and, father, will you come down to take part of a pint of beer James Sherlock is going to give me ?' I ate my supper and took a pint of half-and-half. My son and me went home together, and when we got indoors he asked my wife for some victuals; she said, What do you mean by that ? You had your victuals before you went out.' She cut bins a piece, and gave it him, and as soon as he had undone his shoes he went to bed. When he was gone, I said, How hard it is for us to be in such distress, we have neither butter nor cheese, er sugar ;' and whetber she had even tea I am uncertain, for when we had our supper ,we had but a piece of bread each with a little tea, without sugar and milk, and I had spent the last 2d. we had , so we were destitute, and it hurt my feeling*; so I said to my wife, ' I will go and get a bird or two, if I possibly can, for I can't bear to see us in such distress.' I went and shot a brace of birds, and I thought if I could get a sale for them it would get a little tea and sugar. I was coming to the river when I met the keeper, and he said, D—n you, I have got you now.' He then put up a stiA and said, I)—n your eyes, I'll kill you,' and he was going to strike me, but I pushed and threw him down, and I said, 'We will fight, life for life.' I struck him with the butt-end of a gun several times; the last time he fell into the river. I then went away, and left him. On going, home my wife said, Have you got anything ?' I said, ' Yes. She then replied, I hope nothing will happen from this.' I said something had already taken place." A great number of other witnesses were examined, but their testimony was merely a corroboration of the previous witnesses. The