|
From the North Wales Chronicle, 31 January, 1857.
DEATH OF A MAN UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.
At Lambeth Police-court on Saturday, Richard Smith, a powerful man
in the garb of a sailor, who has lost the right arm in the late war,
from the elbow downwards, was placed at the bar before the Hon. G.
C. Norton, on a charge of having caused the death of William Kieffe,
alias the Pecker by violence.
It appeared that, on Boxing night, Kieffe, who used to job about the
neighbourhood, was at the "Edinburgh Castle" public house, at
Riverhead, Peckham, and on the following morning was found in the
stable-left, bringing to Mr. Davis, the landlord, with a serious
wound on the top of his head, and otherwise injured, so as to be in
a dangerous state, and was at once removed to Camberwell workhouse,
where he lingered for about a fortnight and then died. An inquest
was subsequently held on the body and, from the evidence then
adduced, the opinion was that he had without any permission got over
the gates at Mr. Davis's stable-yard, and, while mounting the ladder
to get to the loft, had fallen and got kicked on the head by one of
the horses, and a special verdict was given to the effect that
Keiffe's death had been caused by the wound on the head, but how
that wound had been inflicted there was no evidence before them to
show. Since the inquest, various rumours had been in circulation,
attributing the death of deceased to the prisoner, who had been
acting as potman and ostler at the "Edinburgh Castle," and, in
consequence of such rumours, Mr. Davis, discharged him, and
Inspector Silver felt it to be his duty to take him into custody.
A witness named Osborn, said that on Boxing night he was at the
"Edinburgh Castle," and saw the deceased there. Between the hours of
eleven and twelve o’clock he (witness) went to the urinal, which is
situated between the house and the stables, and while there heard
the voice of a man, whom he knew to be the deceased, in the
stable-yard, say, "Don’t, don't." A scuffle appeared to him to ensue,
and immediately after he heard a blow struck and something fall
heavily. He called out, "What are you about with Pecker," the name
the deceased went by, and he heard the tread of footsteps moving
about. He also heard something heavily drawn along towards the
stable, and soon after the gate opened, and a tall man dressed in
dark clothes came out and ran away. When asked why he did not attend
the coroner's inquest on the deceased, or disclose these facts just
mentioned by him, the witness replied that he was reluctant to
interfere in the matter, and hoped the facts would come out in some
other way; but added, that his life had become a perfect burthen to
him, and his mind so wretchedly unhappy, that he had determined to
relieve himself from the weight upon his conscience, and told his
shop-mates; and since then he was a very different man, as his mind
was at rest.
Alexander, an aged pauper, who was in the same ward with the
deceased, from the time of his being brought to the workhouse up to
his death, deposed that Kieffe told him the injuries upon his head
had been done with a mallet on the Boxing night.
Mrs. Gardiner, the nurse who attended the deceased, also said that
Kieffe told her that he knew he was dying, and did not wish to
implicate or hurt any one, but that the blows on the head had been
done with a mallet by "Jack," and on the prisoner calling to see
him, pointed him out as the man.
The prisoner declared his perfect innocence of the charge, but was
remanded to give the officers an opportunity of making further
inquiries into the matter.
Mr. Norton, however, said he had no objection to accept two
securities in £50 each for his attendance on a future pay. |
