The Sun. — 1845-10-11 (London, England)

THE MURDER AT CAMBERWELL. Yesterday afternoon an inquiry of some hours duration took place at the Swan Inn, Park-road, Camberwell, before William Carter, Esq., coroner for Surrey, on view of the body of Benja.. min Booth, aged 45 years, a plasterer, whose death had been cc. casioned by a brutul attack made upon him, whilst in a defenceless state, by a man named John Welsh, a fellow-lodger, who has since absconded. John Jarvis, carpenter, deposed that he lodged with Mr. Mathews, No. 1, Malpas.street, Peckham New Town, Camherwell. Deceased and a man named Welsh also lived there. Welsh had been away for about a month, until Sunday last, when he returnei. They (deceased and Welsh) used to occupy the same bed, and with witness all slept in the same room. On Sunday night they went to bed as usual. Nothing then passed between them of an angry nature. On the following morning Welch got up first (about half. past five o'clock), and after he had dressed himself, he said to de. ceased, " Why don't you get up, Booth, and not lie there and lose your time ?" Deceased replied, " You be-, I don't want you to be troubling me at all I You had no business here. The Last time you slept wiih me my money fell out of my pocket, and you (Welsh) gathered it up and kept Is. 6d. or 2s. out of it." Welsh upon this became much exasperated, and angry words passed between them. Welsh then left the room for a minute, and on his return said to deceased, "Do you still persist that I bad your money ?" Deceased replied, " Yes ;'' upon which Welsh retorted, " I'll pay it out of you," and instantly left the room. In less than a minute he returned with a tailor's sleeve.board in his hand, and, rushing at deceased, struck him several blows on the head with it whilst he was in a half sitting position in bed. Deceased cried out, " Oh, Welch, don't hit me any more." Welch appeared to strike as hard as he could. Wituess immediately jumped out of bed and endeavoured to get hold of Welch, but before he could accomplish it he had struck deceased two slighter blows on the back. A man named Luney then came into the room, and who wrenched the sleeve-board from him. Witness afterwards went to work, and Welch accompanied him a short distance on the road, when they parted, he saying he should go to New. cross Railway station to seek employment. Witness had not seen him since. On their way, Welch said he was sorry for what he had done. Mr. Thomas Morris, surgeon, Peckham, deposed that he was sent for to deceased. lie found him in bed quite insensible, breathing stertorously. From his appearance witness attributed his condition to compression of the brain. He bled him, and re. sorted to all necessary remedies. Deceased never was restored to a state of consciousness, and died the same night. Had since made a post-mortem examination. On opening the head, he found a crack or fracture extending from about two inches above the temporal muscle to the babe of the brain; also found a mass of blood of about three ounces in weight pressing on the right hemisphere of the brain, between the dura mater and the skull, which arose from a rupture of one of the arteries of the brain. The jury returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder against John Welch. Welch being still at large, the Coroner issued his warrant for his apprehension.