The Sun. — 1861-07-17 (London, England)

CHARGE OF MURDER AT C/IMBRIDGB UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.  EXAMINATION OF THE PRISONER YESTERDAY. A case which bids fair to occupy an important position in the annals of jurisprudence for•the involutions and contradictory swearing involved in it, has just occurred at Cambridge. On the morning on Sunday, the 30th ult., a youth named Rumbelow, the son of labouring parents, was found not to have returned home all night, and his parents immediately commenced an anxious search for him in all directions, and the same was continued for several days without avail, until on the morning of Sunday, July 5, his body was discovered in the River Cam under the circumstances below stated. An inquest was held by the borough coroner, Edmund Foster, Esq., and this, after two sittings, in the course of which 30 witnesses were examined, resulted in a verdict " That deceased came to his death by violence, but by whom inflicted there was no evidence to show." The evidence of the witnesses was so contradictory that, coupled with the medical evidence, the jury had no resource but to return the above verdict, which was come to on Tuesday, the 9th. Public excitement, however, went on increasing, and the police, who took the matter in hand at the conclusion of the inquest, have been since indefatigable in their er:deavours to bring the guilt (if any) home to the proper parties. Public suspicion, in the main, all this while pointed at Pilson, a youth about seventeen, but there are those who believe deceased to have come by his death either by accident or suicide. Be this as it may, on Monday the Mayor and a large bench of magistrates were engaged for some hours in inspecting the depositions taken befcre the coroner, and finally they issued a warrant for "wilful murder" against Pilson, who was immediately taken into custody. The result is that all the previous evidence will have to be gone over again, with a large quantity in addition. On the body of the deceased his watch and a shilling and three halfpence were found, and this after having, as will be sworn, visited Barnwell on the Saturday night he disappeared. Some curious revelations, with regard to the life of the habitues of this infamous place, are expected ; but it will be sworn also that Filson said he had this watch, but thought it safer to " plant it back again, and if it was not in the pocket when he was found it ought to be there, for he put it there." The prisoner Pilson was brought before the mayor (C. F. Foster, Esq.) and a large bench of magistrates yesterday. He was undefended, and exhibited the utmost coolness and self-possession, with no sign of consciousness of guilt. William Seaber Moore, of Victoria-road, Chesterton, compositor, deposed that on the morning of Friday, the sth of July,:about ten minutes after six, he was passing over the high bridge at Chesterton Sluice, towards the common, and saw the body of the deceased nearly upright in the water. No part of the body was above the water, above the sluicepen, and about three or four yards from the sluicegates. Knocked up Mr. Banham, at the sluicehouse, pointed the body out to the Witerbeach postman and others who came up, and a hook being got from the sluice-house, the body was got out on the common side. Witness then went and gave information at the county police-office. The body was in the jaw of the sluice-pen, about the middle, 11 and a few yards from the pens. There was blood on deceased's mouth, and weeds on his arms, apparently duck-weed, small and a light green, but could not say positively. The man tore the coat under the arm with the hook getting the body out. Parsons Rumbelow, a labourer, of the Madingleyroad, deposed that he works on Mr. Scott's farm ; he first saw the body taken out of the river at Mr. Collins's lodge, in the sedge-yard, whither it had been conveyed, a little after seven on the morning it was found ; it was the body of witness's son, Harvey Rumbelow. Was too excited to notice anything more particular about the dress than that it was tue same in which he had left witness's house on the preceding Saturday evening, at about halfpast six. Saw him again at a quarter before eight ; he was standing near Barton's beer-shop, opposite the corner of Bell-lane. A straw hat, shown to him by Inspector Thompson, was his son's, to the best of his belief. His son was sixteen years old on the 16th of last May ; he worked with witness, for Mr. Scott. His son's work was to milk the cows and carry the milk about the town for sale. Does not believe he owed Mr. Scott anything. At the corner of Northampton-street witness said to deceased, " You don't want any money, do you, Harvey ?" He said, "No, father, I've got lls." Witness said, " Well, be a good boy, and get home is good time ;" and he said he would, and those were the last words they had. His son was sober then. Never saw him otherwise in his life. The Friday in Whitsun week deceased was out all night- ad seen his son in company with a young, man n namedq d Pilson, and when he missed him, of•hirn. Deceased had not been habits since Whitsun week befdooe n re regular an Never inw that was about Pilson with his son but once, and s hisa the Ist of last August. him when witness last saw him ;both with a seal. Deceased hiatd ahawdatachmweittahl Deceased's clothes were very guard and chain round the neck, m uddy when they were were given witness after the inquest, and verythere were small weeds on them. The shoes muddy. (The clothes have since been imprudently washed and the shoes cleaned.) Deceased was a still, well-disposed youth. When he was out all night, witness asked him next morning where he had been, saying he could do nothing till he knew, and, after some hesitation, he said he had been in Parker-street, and a man had fetched them some beer. By Pilson—Never breathed to you on the Tuesday after deceased was missing that my son was out at the fair till four o'clock in the morning wit young Spillman. Witness to the Bench—Pilson came up to witness two days after his son was missing (near the Great Bridge), and told him that on the Saturday night before he had a quart of ale and a bottle of  Filson put several questions to witness, but they were quite irrelevant. The prisoner's mother, who was just behind the witness, exclaimed, " You could not have seen him at the time you stated." At this stage of the proceedings, Mr. Chief Constable Turrall formally applied for a remand, which was granted till Tuesday next. The prisoner applied to be allowed bail, but the same was peremptorily refused, and the prisoner was conveyed to the town gaol, attended by an immense concourse of people.