Part 5

WILLIAM HILL, porter at the dissecting-room, King's College, repeated the evidence which he had previously given, and added, that after he had communicated with Mr. Partridge, and had offered Bishop nine guineas for the body, May, who appeared to be tipsy, said, they ought to have ten guineas. May then slipped aside, and Bishop, who appeared to be more anxious to sell the body than May, said, 'I will bring it in for nine guineas; he (meaning May) is tipsy.' The witness then proceeded to state, that on the same afternoon, the four prisoners brought the body of the deceased in a hamper to the College, and after describing the appearances which it presented, and stating the suspicions which were excited in consequence, added, that Bishop wanted Mr. Partridge to give him whatever money he had in his purse, and said, they would call again for the remainder. While they were waiting to be paid, Bishop wished witness to give him but eight guineas in the presence of Williams, saying, that he wanted the other guinea for himself, and he promised witness half-a-crown for himself if he would do so.

BISHOP.--Yes, you get many a guinea in that way.

Mr. MINSHULL.--Is it customary for persons in your situation to receive such presents?

WITNESS.--Yes, sir, sometimes.

Mr. MINSHULL.--Did you perceive any marks of dirt upon the body, as if it had been scraped with a dirty sleeve, or smeared over with a hand?

WITNESS.--I did perceive such marks.

Mr. SWABEY.--Did they appear to have been made by design or accident?

The witness could not say; but in answer to a question by Mr. Corder, he gave it as his clear opinion, that the body had neither been laid out nor buried.

BISHOP.--It is impossible for you to tell that. You know nothing about raising bodies. Is there not a difference in soil? Besides could not clay have got into the coffin?

The witness went on to state, that when the body was taken from the sack, at the College, the left arm was doubled up. The hand also was clenched.

MAY.--When the body was laid on the floor, was the arm doubled up?

WITNESS.--Yes, and I unclenched the fingers myself, and observed that the limbs were very stiff.

BISHOP (smiling). The fact is, you are not in the habit of seeing fresh subjects, and you don't know anything about it. (Here Bishop and May both laughed.)

Mr. THOMAS suggested to the prisoners, that they had better be quiet, as they were doing themselves no good.

BISHOP.--I can do myself no harm at all events.

Mr. BEAMAN, the surgeon, who had minutely examined the body after death, was again called forward and re-sworn. He repeated his former opinion, founded on the _post mortem_ examination of the body, that death had been produced by extravasation of blood in the spinal canal, an effect, which must have been produced by violence on the back of the neck. The violence might have been produced by a blow from a round stick or bludgeon, or even by the wrist of a strong man's arm. It was barely possible, certainly, that the injury might have been occasioned by a fall down stairs.

Mr. PARTRIDGE, demonstrator of anatomy at the King's College, agreed with Mr. Beaman in every particular, in regard to the causes which had produced death.

Mr. MINSHULL.--Is it your opinion, then, that the boy came to his death by violence--in short, that he was murdered?

Mr. PARTRIDGE.--I certainly do believe that the death of the deceased was effected by violence.

Mr. MINSHULL.--Is it from the state of the neck merely, or from other appearances, that you have come to that conclusion?

Mr. PARTRIDGE.--I believe the immediate cause of death to have been a blow on the back of the neck by some blunt instrument, but I judge of the violence which must have been used, from other circumstances, namely, the freshness of the body, the rigidity of the limbs, the swollen state of the face, the bloodshot eyes, and their perfect freshness.

In answer to a question by Mr. Swabey, the witness said that the superficial dirt on the thighs, belly and chest of the deceased, might have been done designedly or by accident. Trailing the body along a dirty floor would leave such marks.

Mr. MINSHULL.--Could the deceased have committed suicide?

WITNESS.--It is just barely possible that a person might inflict a blow on the back of his own neck which would cause death. It was, however, exceedingly improbable, and almost impossible.

Mr. BEAMAN said, he could not see how suicide could be at all effected in that way. A man might certainly break the back part of his neck, by flinging himself from a height on a bar, but he could not, in his opinion, inflict the same injury on himself, by means of a stick or bludgeon.

Mr. THOMAS MILLS, a dentist, residing on Newington Causeway, having been sworn, stated, that on Saturday morning, the 5th of November last, the prisoner May came to his shop and offered him a set of teeth for sale, for which he asked a guinea. Witness observed that one of the front teeth was chipped, and said that it did not belong to the set: upon which May said, 'Upon my soul to God, they all belonged to one head, and that not long since, and that the body had never been buried.' He ultimately agreed to take twelve shillings for the teeth.

Mr. CORDER asked the witness, if he had not observed something peculiar about the teeth.

WITNESS.--Yes, portions of the gums were adhering to them, and part of the jaw-bone. There could be no doubt, but that the teeth had been forcibly removed immediately after death. I said to May, that from appearance the teeth belonged to a female. His reply was, 'the fact is they belonged to a lad about 14 or 15 years of age.'

While this witness was giving his evidence, the prisoner May appeared for the first time to change countenance, and lose that hardness of nerve, which distinguished him throughout the whole of the proceedings. He stared at the witness at first rather wildly, and compressed his lips while listening attentively to the evidence, and as soon as it was concluded, he endeavoured to resume his composure, and forced a laugh; but almost in a moment afterwards, his countenance underwent another change, and he muttered to himself, as he looked over to the witness, 'The b----y rascal.' He then asked the witness, if he was quite sure of the exact words he had used, when he brought him the teeth, with regard to the body not having been buried.

WITNESS.--You said that the body had never been buried.

Mr. THOMAS, the superintendent of the police, was then examined, and repeated the evidence he had given before the coroner. He went to the house of the last witness, who gave him the twelve teeth now produced.

The hamper and sack which contained the body were here produced, the latter had stains of blood upon it.

HIGGINS, a police constable of the F division, produced a heavy iron instrument, one end of which was bent and nearly as sharp as a chisel, and the other thick and round. He also produced a brad-awl clotted with blood. A question arose as to the use to which the latter had been applied, when May at once said, 'I took the teeth out with that brad-awl.'

The other instrument was then handed to Mr. Partridge, who gave it as his opinion, that the sharp end might have inflicted the wound on the forehead of the deceased, and that the thick rounded end was likely to have inflicted the blow on the back of the neck, and which, in his opinion, was the immediate cause of death.

The witness Higgins said, that he found these instruments, together with a rope with a noose at the end of it (which he produced) at the house of Bishop. He also found the pair of breeches now produced, belonging to the prisoner, and he discovered the marks of blood upon them. He saw some fresh blood on the floor of the room, where he found the breeches.

MAY explained that the blood was that of a jackdaw, which cut its leg, and afterwards hopped upon the breeches.

Mr. THOMAS said, that, in fairness, he must say, that as the breeches were not found until a week after the prisoner was taken into custody, he thought that the blood was entirely too fresh to connect it with the murder.

KIRKMAN, a police constable, proved that he was in plain clothes, in the station-house at Covent Garden, on the evening of the 10th inst., when the prisoners were brought there, for the purpose of appearing before the inquest, which was then sitting. He observed the prisoner Bishop reading a bill pasted upon the wall, announcing that a boy had been murdered, and was then lying for examination at the bone-house. As soon as he had read the bill, Bishop observed to May, in a low tone of voice, 'It was the blood that sold us.' He then got up and read the bill again, repeating the words 'Marks of violence on the body;' then turning to May again, he said, 'There were no marks of violence on the body, but only a few breaks in the skin;' and as he said so, he sat down, smiling.

BISHOP admitted that he had read the bill over, but denied the expressions imputed to him.

MARGARET KING, a decent-looking woman, in an advanced state of pregnancy, was then called forward and sworn. She stated, that on Thursday fortnight, about one o'clock, she was standing with her children in Birdcage Walk, near Nova Scotia Gardens, when she saw an Italian boy, whom she had frequently seen before in the neighbourhood of Bethnal Green, standing at the corner of Nova Scotia Gardens, with a little box slung before him. He stood about thirty yards from where she was standing. She never saw that boy since. He had his back to her, but still she was sure he was the same boy whom she had seen so frequently before. He had either a box or a cage with him.

Mr. MINSHULL.--Are you sure it was on a Thursday you saw him where you have just described?

WITNESS.--I am sure it was on a Thursday, because it was my washing day. It was on the Thursday before the 5th of November. I heard some gentlemen speaking about the awful murder that had been committed on the body of a poor Italian boy, and I immediately said, 'Dear me, I saw a boy such as is described, standing at the end of Nova Scotia Gardens a short time ago.'

Mrs. PARRAGALLI, who had been before examined, was again called forward, to prove that she knew the deceased, and had frequently seen him about the streets carrying a cage, with white mice in it. On the 1st inst. she saw him in Oxford-street, and had since seen his body at the station-house.

BISHOP.--Are you quite certain that the boy you saw in Oxford-street was the same boy whose body lay at the station-house?

WITNESS.--I have no doubt of it. He used to carry about his little cage, suspended in front by a string across his shoulders. At a distance, the cage might appear like a box.

Mr. CORDER was about to put in evidence the statements which the prisoners had severally made before the Coroner, when

Mr. MINSHULL said, that it would perhaps be better to defer receiving that evidence at present.

Mr. MINSHULL then, addressing the prisoners, told them that they would be remanded to that day week, when they would again be brought forward for further examination. He deemed it right to apprise them that other evidence would be produced against them, and said, if they wished to say anything, he was willing to hear them.

The prisoners declined saying anything, and were removed from the bar to the lock-up room at the back of the office, strongly guarded, and in custody of Dodd, the jailer.

The wife of Bishop, and Rhoda Head, alias Williams, wife of the prisoner Williams, were then brought forward, and remanded until the following Tuesday. Mrs. Bishop had been the wife of Bishop's father by a second marriage; so that his wife is also his mother-in-law. Rhoda Williams alias Head is Bishop's sister.

When the prisoners left Bow-street in the prison van, they were assailed by the groans of a large concourse of persons, who had been waiting for several hours to see them.

On the evening of the same day that the prisoners had been examined at Bow-street, an Italian, named Augustine Bruen, or Brin, the master of the ill-fated boy, arrived in town from Birmingham, with the view of identifying the body, for which purpose it was disinterred early on Saturday morning, the 19th. Although it was, of course, difficult to swear positively to a body which had undergone the operations of the surgeons, and was partially decomposed, the master appeared to entertain no doubt of its being the remains of the boy whom he had brought from Sardinia, and whose name, he said, was Carlo Ferrair, or Ferrari. He spoke positively to the colour of the hair and eyes, and also as to the height of the body, which particulars corresponded exactly with the description of the boy, who had left his service about a year ago, and had since been wandering about town, exhibiting his cage of white mice. The master having satisfied himself as to the identity of the body, it was once more interred.

We understand that this Bruen, or Brin, is the master of a juvenile crew of poor, ragged, half-starved little urchins, who are brought to this country as matters of speculation; and the following curious particulars connected with this tribe of travelling mendicants to which Carlo Ferrari belonged, will, we have no doubt, prove interesting to our readers.

The haunts of these unfortunate beings are in Vine-street, Saffron Hill, Bleeding-heart Yard on Holborn Hill, Coal Yard in Drury Lane, and in the purlieus of Shoreditch. Whole houses are occupied by these wretched boys, who sleep eight or nine in a bed. Each boy's monkey is chained near him every night on going to rest, and the other curiosities are placed in situations appointed to the owners; so that, on starting out in the morning, each boy takes his own companion. On the ground floors reside the men, some Italian and some English, to whom the monkeys, &c., really belong; and they provide each boy with lodging at fourpence a night, with a basin of gruel in the morning, upon starting on their peregrinations, having first paid the master for the use of whatever curiosity they may take with them to exhibit. The following are the charges made by the proprietors upon the juvenile crew.

For a porcupine (very novel, there being only two) and an organ, 4_s._ per day, being 2_s._ 6_d._ for the porcupine, and 1_s._ 6_d._ for the organ.

For a monkey (undressed), 2_s._ per day.

For a monkey in uniform, 3_s._ per day.

For a box of white mice, 1_s._ 6_d._ per day.

For a tortoise, 1_s._ 6_d._ per day.

For a dog and monkey (the latter may be frequently seen in the street riding on the dog's back), 3_s._ per day.

For dancing dogs, four in number, including dresses, spinning-wheel, pipe and tabor, &c., 5_s._ per day.

For a box of wax figures of the Siamese twins, 2_s._ per day.

For an organ with figures waltzing, 3_s._ 6_d._ per day.

Some of these boys, by their artlessness of manner and gesticulations, it is said, obtain six or seven shillings a day, and some more. One of them being asked, what was the largest sum he ever received in one day, replied, fifteen shillings, which he accounted for in the following manner:--One day he was ambulating about the Marine Parade, at Brighton, with his dog and monkey on his back, when a gentleman offered him fifteen shillings to allow him to throw a stone into the sea for the dog to fetch. The boy consented, the stone was thrown, and away jumped the dog with the monkey into the sea; the monkey fastened tight round the dogs neck, and both reaching the beach in safety, the boy received the premium.

To return to our melancholy subject. It having been intimated to Mr. Minshull, that it would be advisable that the premises occupied by the prisoner Bishop, in Nova Scotia Gardens, Bethnal Green, should be strictly searched, and the garden ground dug up, Mr. Thomas, and some of his constables, together with Mr. Corder and Mr. Cribb, who was foreman of the coroner's jury, proceeded to the spot on Saturday morning, the day after the prisoners had been examined in Bow-street, when a strict search was commenced, first in the house, even the tiles of which were examined, and next in the privy, which is situate in the garden, and is detached from the dwelling. After some delay and much labour, several pieces of human flesh were raised from the soil, and also the scalp of a head, which was evidently that of a female, from the profusion of dark brown hair which was found attached to it. It was supposed that the body to which these discovered portions had belonged, was a subject stolen from a churchyard, and afterwards cut up, in order to dispose of the limbs and other parts separately for the purpose of dissection; a practice which, we understand, is not unusual with those who follow the trade of body-snatching, and who often obtain as high a price for a muscular and well-formed leg or arm as for an ordinary body. Having made this discovery, Mr. Thomas directed his men to dig up the garden, in the hope that something more might be discovered connected with the horrible traffic in which the prisoners had been engaged, and possibly tending to throw additional light upon the case which is more immediately the subject of inquiry. Two constables were accordingly set to work with spades and other implements, and having dug up nearly the whole of the garden, without finding any thing of importance, that portion of it which formed a path from the house to the further end next attracted attention, from the circumstance that the clay, although much trodden, appeared to have been heaped together for some other object than merely the forming of a pathway. The two constables were then directed to dig up this portion of the garden; and an instrument called a searcher, having been made use of for the purpose, in consequence of the hardness of the soil, a child's blue jacket was dug up, and a pair of black cloth trowsers, corresponding in size, followed almost immediately after. The brace button-holes of the latter were torn, as if force had been used in pulling the trowsers from the body. Two pieces of riband, used as braces, were attached to the brace-buttons. The pattern of the riband is a white ground with red stripes. The jacket, which appeared to have been made for a boy of very tender age, and which was probably his first, was made of good blue cloth, with a double row of covered buttons on the left side. A shirt, corresponding in size with these clothes, was discovered. Having dug further, a coarse blue coat was next discovered, and also a pair of trowsers, made of coarse grey cloth, together with a striped waistcoat and an old shirt. These articles were apparently made to fit a boy of about fourteen or fifteen years of age. The trowsers were patched on the knees, and stains of blood were discovered on the waistcoat. The coat was of a peculiar cut, and resembled those worn by charity school-boys. After the discovery of these clothes, an application was made to Mrs. King, who, it will be remembered, had seen an Italian boy, with a cage slung before him, on the morning of Thursday, the 3d instant, in Nova Scotia Gardens; and her description of the coat which the boy wore agrees both in colour and cut with the one which was thus discovered.

These facts, with others that came to light in the course of the same day (Saturday), induced Mr. Thomas, and Messrs. Corder and Cribb, to wait on Mr. Minshull, at Bow-street Office, on Saturday night, for the purpose of requesting that, in consequence of the additional evidence received, a special examination of the prisoners should take place at as early a period as possible.

Mr. MINSHULL, to whom the additional evidence was detailed, considered it of so much importance, that he expressed his willingness to send for the prisoners that night, in order to proceed with the investigation at once, or, if necessary for the ends of justice, he was willing to devote Sunday for that object. It was subsequently arranged that the examination of the prisoners should take place on Monday at twelve o'clock.

In consequence of the advanced state of pregnancy of Mrs. King, who, it will be seen, is a material witness in the case, it was at first supposed that the trial of the prisoners must have been deferred until after the Old Bailey Sessions next ensuing. To obviate this difficulty, Mr. Corder applied to Mr. Minshull, to have the deposition of Mrs. King taken specially, and certified, in which case, he said, it was ruled by the judges, that it might be admitted as evidence on the trial of the prisoners.

Mr. MINSHULL at once agreed in the propriety of the application, and gave directions accordingly.

Consistently with this arrangement, Bishop, May, Williams, and Shields, were brought forward on Monday the 21st, for the purpose of undergoing a special re-examination.

Mr. Minshull presided on the bench, and was assisted by Mr. Halls, Dr. Robinson, and Mr. Mallard. Lord Montford and other county magistrates were also present, and the office was crowded in every part. Several hundred persons were assembled in Bow-street, to learn the result of the examination and catch a sight of the prisoners.

Mr. MINSHULL directed Dodd, the jailer, to place the prisoners at the bar, and in a few minutes afterwards they entered the dock, and answered to their names. Bishop appeared to be considerably depressed in spirits, and as the examination proceeded and new facts came out against him, his countenance fell, and his eyes, which are full and prominent, assumed a glassy appearance, as he listened apparently with intense anxiety to the witnesses. The prisoner May appeared also to pay particular attention to the evidence, and it was observed, that during the examination, he displayed, except on one occasion, none of that indifference and levity which marked his former conduct. Williams, who has evidently less nerve than either of his companions, betrayed a restless anxiety as the case proceeded, and on several occasions his colour changed, and his lips grew white and dry. As to the old man, Shields, who was placed rather apart from the others, and against whom no other evidence has yet been produced, except the fact of his having carried the body in a hamper to the King's College, with a full knowledge of its contents, he stood upright in the dock, in a sort of half stupor, without once changing his position during the three hours and a half which were occupied in the examination.

As soon as the prisoners were ranged at the bar,

Mr. CORDER said, that it would be merely requisite at present to produce such further testimony as would be necessary to fill up the links in the chain of evidence already brought forward.

JOHN ATKINSON was then sworn, and identified the hamper.

EDWARD CHANDLER deposed, that he was waiter at the King of Denmark watering-house, Old Bailey. On the evening of Friday, the 4th of November, he saw the prisoners May and Bishop, both of whom he had previously known, at that house. They came there about five o'clock, and witness served them with some tea. The witness Seagrove was there at the same time. The prisoners called for half a pint of gin, with which he (witness) served them. He drank a glass of the gin himself, and his fellow servant had another. May also drank a glass of the gin, and chucked a glass into Bishop's tea.

Mr. CORDER.--Did Bishop make any observation when the glass of gin was put into his tea by May?

WITNESS.--Yes, Bishop said to May when he did this, 'Are you going to hocus me, or burke me?'

Mr. MINSHULL asked the witness if he knew the meaning of the word 'hocus?' (This word has been erroneously spelt as _locus_.)

Mr. HARMER, who attended this and the former examination, to assist the prosecution, explained that the word was well known, in cant language, to describe the act of putting a man in a state of stupidity.