The Sun. — 1850-03-05 (London, England)

CONFESSION OF THE CHILWELL  MURDER.  About twenty-three years ago a report was current that a pedlar or packman had been murdered at Chilwell, a village about five miles from Nottingham. The circumstances attending the case were these : In a lonely house, near the wood, there lived a garden labourer named Baguley, who was at that time thought to be in needy circumstances. His family consisted of himself, his wife, three sons, and a daughter. The daughter was approaching to years of maturity, but the sons were all considerably under age. A travelling packman, smitten by the daughter's charms, frequently visited the house for the purpose, it was believed, of paying his addresses to her. One night he was observed going into the house, but he was not seen to return, nor has he been heard of since, and what is most singular the debts owing to him by numerous customers in the neighbourhood were never inquired after or called for. These circumstances, connected with the fact that soon after the packman's disappearance Baguley removed to a more commodious house, and invested a little money in the purchase of live stock, gave rise to various rumours at the time, which were not much heeded. We have heard a statement that appears to be the most probable version of the murder, and the reasons for it, but forbear repeating it at this stage of the affair. Baguley lived uncomfortably with his first wife, who frequently threatened him when quarrelling, that she knew where his coat of arms was, and that he had better mind how he behaved to her. This was in allusion to the coat he is supposed to have worn at the murder, and which it is said she kept secreted. She died about six years ago, and it is said he never allowed any one to approach her during her last illness. Subsequently he married another woman. The cottage he had quitted has been for nearly twenty years notorious as " the haunted house"—the villagers asserting that they frequently hear strange noises in it, especially during the night, and many ghostly tales are narrated respecting horrible apparitions. In consequence of these absurd rumours the house is forsaken, no one being bold enough to brave its terrors. A fortnight since the old man Baguley lay upon the bed of death, and before his spirit left its earthly tenement he confessed to his wife that he, " twenty-three years ago murdered a hawker of shawls, blankets, and other wares, with a pick, and buried the pick at the bottom of the dyke near the house." A great number of idle reports are afloat, and the consequence is that Chilwell is daily crowded with visitors. On Sunday there were some hundreds of people round " the haunted house," and they, wanted to dig in the dyke for the pick, but the circumstances having been made known to the authorities, they were prevented. Baguley's widow, who was married to him about three years, says she has lived most uncomfortably with him, fur when asleep he was always visited by annoying and painful dreams, and he would frequently fight with his hands, as if struggling with some one, and jumping up would exclaim in great terror that some one was about to seize him. The affair is creating much gossip and sensation, and during the present week hundreds of silly curious people have visited what they call the " Ghost House," and minutely inspected the premises. It is a singular fact that the cottage in which the murder is said to have been committed has never since found a tenant who dared to stay for any length of time, and for many years there has been considerable excitement in the neighbourhood, and a great alarm amongst the superstitious, by the singular and hitherto unaccountable noises that have been often heard on the premises, de3ignated as " The Cbilwell Ghost " and " The launted House at Chilwell." We have received a variety of communications on the subject, with the names of parties who have heard and seen strange things connected with his ghostship, but we leave it for the curious and marvel-seekers to ferret out the mystery.—Nottinghamshire Guardian.  that a serious rupture isR rAkil‘