The Sun. — 1844-05-20 (London, England)

CONFESSION OF A MURDER COMMITTED NINE YEARS AGO. (From the Essex Standard.) A report having been circulated in Colchester that a native of Polstead, at present in the East Indies, had been apprehended for having committed a murder nine or ten years back, and for which an innocent man was hung, we have ascertained the following particulars : On Monday morning last, Sir Joshua Rowley, Bart., of Stoke-by-Nayland, received a communication from Colonel Dear, of the 21st Regiment of Fusiliers, stationed in the East Indies, with the copy of the Court of Inquiry on a case which has caused a great sensation in that regiment. A short time back a young man of the name of William Towns, a native of Polstead, whilst on guard, mentioned to one of his comrades that he was most miserable and wretched, and was determined on committing suicide, or else (pointing to a file of guns which were piled together opposite them) he must shoot one of his officers, or commit some deed in order that he might be hung, and that justice might be satisfied. His comrade advised him to get consolation from the minister of his persuasion ; but at this period of their conversation three other soldiers came up and inquired what it was that preyed so heavily upon his mind. He then told them, that nine years ago he went out poaching in Hintlesham Wood ; that he murdered the gamekeeper; and that an innocent,taan was hung for it, and he was present at the execution, with James Hills, of the same regiment. He added, that he had not been able to rest for some time ; and also stated that he saw both the men in his dreams, and was haunted by their visions day and night, till death would be welcome to him in any shape. A court of inquiry followed, and the soldiers severally deposed to the confession of the prisoner, who made no attempt to contradict them. Colonel Dear wrote for information on the subject to Sir Joshua Rowley, who placed the communication in the hands of his brother, Charles Rowley, Esq., of East Bergholt, as the murder was committed in the division of the county for which that gentleman is a most active magistrate. Thus—  " Murder may pass unpunished for a time, But tardy Justice still o'ertakes the crime ; And oft a speedier pain the guilty feels : The hue and cry of Heaven pursues him at his heels." It appears that, about nine years ago, the gamekeeper and his assistant, in the service of Miss Lloyd, of Hintlesham Hall, heard a party of poachers in the preserves, and when they got there, finding only three poachers, they attempted to take them into custody; but they were violently attacked by the poachers, and Byam Green, the gamekeeper, was barbarously murdered, his skull being literally dashed to atoms by a blow struck with a gun, which was left behind. A re• ward was offered for the discovery of the murderer, and a man of the name of Chalker, a French polisher, living at Ipswich, was apprehended on the charge. At his trial, the din was distinctly proved to have been his, as well as the g which accompanied the poachers, and it was further proved that he was seen in the neighbourhood, drinking, before the fatal affray took place. The evidence, although calculated to throw strong suspicion upon Chalker, was purely of a circumstantial character, and it was a matter of doubt whether the Government of the day would allow his execution to take place. however, in accordance with his sentence, the prisoner suffered the extreme penalty of the law, at Ipswich, protesting his innocence of the murder to the last, but acknowledging having been one of the party of poachers. We are informed that Green, the keeper, left a widow and a large family, as was also the case with Chalker.