The Sun. — 1847-09-21 (London, England)

LATE MURDER AT SWINTON.  It will be remembered that on the coroner's inquest held upon the body of Caleb Parker, at:Swintonbridge, evidence was given that a young man, answering to a certain description, was seen drinking at a public-house near to the spot where the murder was subsequently committed. This young man was talking in so strange and incoherent a manner, that suspicions were expressed at the time as to his character —and particularly as he gave no satisfactory account of himself. This man was the only suspicious character seen in the neighbourhood on the night of the murder ; and his description was minutely detailed by a man and woman who had seen him. He had on a blue coat and waistcoat, and moleskin trousers, in a dirty state, as though he had been employed as a navigator. This man removed from Swinton, and was afterwards suspected of committing a burglary at Great Houghton, and also of stealing a cow. From the house broken into was stolen a quantity of silver spoons, on which were certain marks; and on Wednesday afternoon some of these spoons were found pawned by the prisoner in %Vestbar, Sheffield. The man's description having been given to the pawnbroker, he promptly sent for the police, and Inspector Astwood went and took the prisoner into custody. He had been drinking for some days, it is supposed upon the proceeds of his ill-gotten booty, and on the previous evening, while drunk, had threatened to stab a woman with a butcher's dressingknife. When he was taken to the Town-hall he was searched, and the lower part of his moleskin trousers exhibited several distinct marks of blood. Whether this may give any clue to the discovery of the murder remains to be seen, but the description of the man seen at Swinton on the night of the murder, and that of the prisoner, correspondent in so complete and extraordinary a manner, that nu doubt seems to be entertained that he is one and the same person. At Sheffield he gave the name of William Shakspeare ; but at Swinton he said his name was Edward Garland, and that his mother was an unmarried woman, named Sellars. He was brought up at the Town Hall on Thursday last, before the mayor, in company with a man named Thos. Robinson. Mr. Raynor then informed the mayor that the prisoner had been taken into custody on suspicion of having committed a burglary at Great Houghton on the previous day, at the house of Mr. W. Brookes, as above stated. He was offering more spoons for sale in Westbar when he was apprehended. From the description given there was no doubt whatever that these formed a portion of the property stolen from Great Houghton. Besides this, there was another charge against the prisoner, viz., for stealing a cow, and which he was afterwards seen offering for sale in Rotherham market. Under these circumstances, Mr. Raynor added, he would apply to have the prisoner remanded. This was accordingly done ; and Robinson was discharged, the latter having been taken into custody because he was known to have been drinking with Edward Garland, the other prisoner. The latter appeared quite unconcerned before the mayor, and treated the charge against him very lightly. He, however, made no defence, nor did he deny the charge against him. It is expected that when further evidence is obtained against him he will be taken before the bench of magistrates at Rotherham.—Sheffield Iris.