The Sun. — 1852-09-08 (London, England)

THE SHEFFIELD MURDER. SHEFFIELD, TUESDAY.—Yesterday we gave the particulars of the finding, of the dead body of a man, shockingly mutilated, in a hedge bottom, about a mile and a half from Sheffield. The medical examination shows, beyond all doubt, that the man has been murdered. That examination was made on Sunday by Mr. Roper and Mr. H. Payne, surgeons. At the back of the head was found a shot-wound, about an inch in diameter, and penetrating two inches into the brain, where were lodged fragments of the skull and a quantity of No. 4 shot. There was another shot-wound behind the right car. The shot in this wound had passed under the base of the skull, and lodged in the bones of the nose, fracturing the temporal bones, the floor of the orbit of the right eye, and shattering the internal structure of the upper jawbone. The destructive weapon, probably a small pistol, must have been held close to the head of the murdered man, for the flesh around the wound under the ear was discoloured with the exploded gunpowder. It should be remarked, too, that the shot found in the brain from the wound behind the head had not spread, as would have been the case if fired from a distance, but lay in a space little larger than the orifice of the wound. There were also three incised wounds on the right side of the face, one extending from the lower lip round the chin, in a semi-circular direction to the outer coat of the eye ; the others were of less extent. The lower jaw was fractured at the angle and at its centre (the chin) ; the upper jaw was also broken near its centre.  It was late on Saturday evening when the body was identified as that of Mr. Alexander Robinson, of Doncaster. His friends were communicated with immediately, and on Saturday his late employer, Mr. David Barber, draper, Doncaster, arrived at Sheffield. From information obtained from him it was clear that Robinson had been robbed of money, a silver lever watch, and his pack of drapery wares. From the active inquiries set on foot by the police, Robinson was traced to have dined at Gray's eating-house, in Watson's-walk, Sheffield, in company with a young man named James Barber, and two other young Scotch travelling drapers. After dinner Robinson and Barber adjourned to Naylor's publichouse, adjoining where Robinson was in the habit of staying. There they had something to drink, and Barber was heard to say that he would introduce Robinson to some good customers near Gleadless, a village about five miles from Sheffield. Robinson then made up his pack, and he and Barber left the house together, about 2 o'clock. As yet there is no evidence of Robinson having been seen alive after that time. About 5 o'clock Barber, it is found, entered the Royal Standard public-house, Leadmill-road, apparently in great haste. He placed in the care of the landlord a draper's pack, and at his (Barber's) urgent request, a cab was sent for. Between the messenger starting for and returning with the cab Barber asked for a clothesbrub , and was at considerable pains to cleanse his clothesand boots. He was driven to the Rein-deer Inn, t Devonshire-street, where he asked for a bed, b his own lodgings at Mr. Pigott's 5 landlord not being able to accommodate hune,u the he went to were enabled to obtain up to Monday afternoon. In the evening of that es were brought street. This was the only infolrom' Nw Meadowation the police to light which quickly led rctunastanc to the unravelling of the They then general description of the deceased's watch, intelligence within one hour from the receipt and dd a the watch was found in the posse sion of Mr. Beet, of the t ,of West-street, with whom it hadbeen pawned on Saturday evening for 30s. It having by bean found that the pack left at the Royal Standard Barber, on Thursday afternoon, was that belouging t the decease, d Barber was, at seven o'clock on Monday evening, as mentioned above, taken into custody. Ile was _ told that he was suspected of the murder of Robir son, but with great sang froid he denied the whole affair. On searching him, however, there was found in his pocket-book the pawnbroker's duplicate of the murdered man's watch. But, on being confronted with thepownWitr) it was loud that he was wit the