The Sun. — 1870-01-11 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY CONFESSION OF A MURDER COMMITTED TWELVE YEARS  AGO.  At the . Bow-street Police-court, George Dyer, aged 47, a clerk, of diminutive stature and peculiar appearance, was brought .up before Mr. Vau,:han charged on his own confession with causing the death of George Wilson at the Loddon diggings, Victoria, in Australia. James Jacob Thomson, a superintendent of the Metropolitan Police, deposed that at eleven o'clock last Saturday night, Inspector Hubbard brought the prisoner from George-street Police-station, where ho had delivered himself up, to Bow-street. Witness asked the prisoner what he wanted, and he replied that he wished to make a statement concerning a murder that he committed at Loddon diggings. Witness duly cautioned him, saying that whatever he said would be taken down and might be used against him. The prisoner then made the following statement :—" He resided in Hilliford-street, and was in the employ of Messrs. Brown, Shiplake, and Co, ship merchants. He was married and had children. He left England for Melbourne with them, and arrived there in August, 1853, and stayed there till May, 1855. His wife died, and he sent his children back to England. He then went to the gold diggings at Loddon, took up a claim and wasted it there. About a month before Christmas, 1857, he met a man named George Wilson. As they each wanted a mate, they joined t nether to work the said claim. They got on very well for nearly a month when a quarrel arose between them in the prisoner's tent as to the quantity of gold realised. It led to mutual recriminations, and Wilson drew his sheathed knife. Prisoner to defend himself took up his spade and struck down Wilson. He split his head clean open and he died immediately. Prisoner t'irew his body into a well about fifty yards off a tent c intaining some Cornishmen, amongst whom he afterwards retired to rest. They were both perfectly sober when the quarrel took place. The Cornish party asked him afterwards what had become of his mate " George," and prisoner replied that he had gone off by the " Inglewood Rash" He (prisoner) afterwards left the scene of the murder, and ultimately returned to England—this was some years afterwards. During that period he had stayed at many places. On arriving in England he lodged with Mrs. Axtens, his married sister, and also at his son's residence. Not a soul knew of the murder but himself. He was perfectly calm and rational as he raf..da ibis statement, and fully realised the situation in which he stood by such a  confession. The fearful event bad preyed upon his mind ever since; and he had had no rest. When wandering in the street he gave himself up at a place where he saw the words " Police•station" written" up."—Witness said that the prisoner had been examined by this date. The medical certificate was in court. In cross-examination, witness said he did notice a slightly wild expression about the prisoner's eyes. He did not emplain that his son had attempted to poison him.—lnspector Hubbard, E division, gave similar evidence, and added that ho had been to see Mrs. Al ten, and he said there was no douLt that the prisoner was greatly affected by some delusion-ever since he returned from Australia.—Mr. Vaughan said he should remand the prisoner in order that the police might make minute inquiries concerning the case, and also that medical testimony might 1”. produce :1.