Part 7
Mr. THOMAS said, he would furnish her with a written order to inspect the clothes, and at Mr. Halls' suggestion, he added, that he would send a constable with her, to ensure her and her daughter an immediate view of the articles.
Mr. HALLS then asked a question as to the situation of Bishop's house, observing, that he understood it lay in a very lonely situation.
Mr. THOMAS replied, that Bishop's house formed one of what he might almost call a colony of cottages, but although placed in the immediate neighbourhood of each other, they were each divided by a low wooden paling, enclosing a small space of garden ground, attached to the separate dwellings. Bishop and Williams resided together in the same house, for the last eighteen months, and as the house contained but three rooms altogether, and those were very small, he was quite convinced that all who were inmates in the house must have been aware of what was passing in it. Besides, as he had before stated, Bishop and Williams had the use of the adjoining cottage, and as the discovery he had made that morning proved they had taken advantage of the circumstance, in order more effectually to carry on their abominable traffic, there was no doubt of their having chosen this very situation expressly for the purpose.
Mr. HALLS asked if the garden adjoining Bishop's had been dug up?
Mr. THOMAS replied, that he had left some of his men engaged in turning up the ground; but Bishop and Williams might have had access to nearly fifty enclosed gardens besides that, as they had only to step across some low palings to get from one to the other.
Mr. HALLS observed, that it would be well to search the gardens of some of the other cottages, and he supposed the persons who owned that ground would have no objection.
Mr. THOMAS replied, that it would be an easy matter to do so, for the poor people who lived in the adjoining cottages were so panic-struck with the recent discoveries, that many of them had left, and others were following the example.
Mr. THOMAS soon after retired, for the purpose of sending a constable with the mother and sister of the girl who is missing, in order that they might obtain an immediate inspection of the articles of clothing which were found in the manner described.
The clothes were accordingly inspected by the parties, who at once declared that they were not the same which the missing girl had on when she disappeared. The following is an accurate description of the articles found, and their appearance justifies the belief, that to whatever unfortunate woman they belonged, they had been violently torn from her body, either immediately after death or in a struggle with her murderers. A camlet cloak, a plaid gown torn up in front, a flannel petticoat also torn up in front, with two large patches of blood near the top, a shift torn up in front, a pair of stays cut up in front in a zigzag manner, and laced in the back in the usual way, an old muslin half handkerchief, a pair of black worsted stockings very coarse, black cloth pockets, a pair of female's shoes, the tops made of black twilled silk, and a pincushion of scarlet cloth.
These articles were found made up into a bundle. The garden ground was partly turned up, but nothing discovered. The house, it would appear, had been occupied by the prisoner Williams, before he married Bishop's sister.
On Friday, the 25th, the prisoners, Bishop, May, Shields, and Williams, were brought to the office, in Bow-street, for the purpose of being finally examined on the charge of murdering Carlo Ferrari, the Italian boy. Long before the hour appointed for the examination to commence, the street in front of the office was nearly blockaded by crowds of persons; and as the prisoners alighted from the van, at ten o'clock in the morning, they were again assailed by the groans and hisses of hundreds. The bench was crowded with magistrates, and the office itself was filled in every part.
At twelve o'clock the prisoners were brought in, guarded by a strong body of constables, and placed in front of the dock.
Mr. MINSHULL having intimated that he meant to confine the examination exclusively to the murder of the Italian boy,
Mr. CORDER said, he intended to produce five or six additional witnesses, for the purpose of strengthening the case, and completing the chain of evidence already made out at the previous examination. He then called
SARAH, the wife of John Trueby, who having been sworn, stated, that she was landlady of the cottage which Bishop had lately occupied. The houses Nos. 1, 2, and 3, Nova Scotia Gardens, belonged to her husband, for whom she collected the rents. In the month of July, 1830, she let the house, No. 3, to Bishop's wife. Bishop lived there until the 5th of November, 1831. About four months since, she let the house adjoining, No. 2, to the prisoner Williams, alias Head, and he lived there about two months. The house stood empty for some time, but it was now in the occupation of a man named Woodcock. The gardens of the two houses were separated by a paling, about three feet high, and there was a gate which opened from one to the other. Witness had frequently seen Williams in Bishop's house and garden since he gave up the occupation of the house next door. She had also seen Williams's wife there without her bonnet.
Mr. MINSHULL.--The question we want you to answer is this--Have you seen the prisoner Williams residing at the house of Bishop?
WITNESS.--I have seen him frequently there, but I cannot positively say that he resided there.
Mr. THOMAS said, that he took Mrs. Williams into custody at the house of Bishop, where she appeared to be residing at the time.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Who paid the rent of Bishop's cottage?
WITNESS.--It was sometimes paid by Mrs. Bishop, and sometimes by Bishop himself. Williams paid his own rent, while he occupied the house next door.
Prisoner WILLIAMS.--She knows I took the house to work at the glass trade.
ROBERT MORTIMER, of Nova Scotia Gardens, tailor, was then sworn. About two months ago he was employed to turn a coat for the prisoner Williams, and frequently called upon him for payment at Bishop's house. He appeared to be living there, up to the period of his apprehension on the present charge.
WILLIAM WOODCOCK sworn.--I am a brass-founder, and occupy the house No. 2, Nova Scotia Gardens, adjoining Bishop's cottage. I went to live there on Monday, the 7th of October last. I had frequently seen Williams in Bishop's house. I remember the night of Thursday, the 3d of November. On that night I went to bed at half-past nine o'clock, and about three or four hours after, I was awakened by a noise in Bishop's house. I got up, and heard a scuffling or struggling.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Describe particularly the sort of noise you heard.
WITNESS.--It was like men's feet; I can swear to three men.
Mr. MINSHULL.--At what hour do you suppose this occurred?
WITNESS.--I went to bed at half-past nine; and I suppose I might have slept for about four hours, when I was awakened by the noise I have described.
Mr. MINSHULL.--You speak of the feet of three men;--how can you tell the number?
WITNESS.--I can account for it in this way. After I heard the scuffling in the house, I listened, and heard the gate shut, and knew, from the sound of the feet, that two men ran away through the gate, from Bishop's house. They came back again almost immediately; and while they were absent, I heard the heavy tread of only one man in Bishop's house.
Mr. HALLS.--When you heard the scuffle you describe, did you at the same time hear the voices of the men who appeared to be engaged in it? did they say anything?
WITNESS.--I heard the voices of men, but could not tell what was said. I can speak to the voices of two of the men, but cannot speak as to the third.
Mr. MINSHULL.--To the best of your belief, were there three men?
WITNESS.--There must have been three, for I distinctly heard two of them run from the house, and at the same time I heard the foot of the third man in the house. Everything was quite still at the time, and I could have heard a mouse stir.
Mr. CORDER.--Then it was before the two men ran from the house that you heard the struggle?
WITNESS.--It was when the two men returned to the house, that all was still.
Mr. MINSHULL.--How long was it before the two men returned?
WITNESS.--About a minute, I should think. I thought it had been a family quarrel, and that two of the party had gone to fetch the police.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Did you hear any female voices?
The witness replied in the negative, and added, that as soon as all was still, and finding that the noise was not in his own house, he went to sleep, and thought no more about the matter.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Should you know the voices of the men again?
WITNESS.--I cannot positively say that I could swear to the three voices.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Are you familiar with the voices of the prisoners, May, Bishop, and Williams?
WITNESS.--I never heard the voices of either May or Bishop before that time, but I think I can swear to the voice of Williams. I have reason to believe that his was one of the three voices that I heard.
Mr. HALLS.--Did it strike you at the moment that you heard the voice of Williams?
WITNESS.--Yes, it struck me at the moment that it was the voice of Williams. Had I known that anything wrong was going on at the time, I might have put my ear closer to the wall, and might have heard everything that passed.
Mr. BURNABY, the clerk.--In what part of the house did you hear the scuffling?
WITNESS.--It took place in the front parlour, and my bed was in the front parlour of the house adjoining.
The prisoner Williams here observed, that on the Thursday night spoken to by the witness, Bishop kicked up a row, and broke his things.
WITNESS.--The row of which you speak, when Bishop broke his things, was on the previous Sunday night.
WILLIAMS.--No, it was on the Thursday; and I went for the policeman, who came with me to the palings, about two o'clock in the morning, but refused to go any further. I took care of my wife's bonnet and shawl, and also a looking-glass, to prevent Bishop from breaking them. The policeman was present at the time.
Mr. MINSHULL.--The explanation, prisoner, which you give is, that the row, as you call it, took place on the night of Thursday, and not on the Sunday night.
WILLIAMS.--It was either Thursday night or Friday night. The women can say which night it was. (Here Bishop whispered Williams, and the latter said no more.)
WILLIAM WOODCOCK, aged twelve, son of the witness Woodcock already examined, was next called to prove that Bishop and Williams were joint occupiers of the house, No. 3, Nova Scotia Gardens. Witness remembered Saturday, the 5th of November, because it was Guy Fawkes' day; and two or three days before that he saw Williams smoking a pipe in Bishop's garden.
THOMAS WIGLEY, of No. 17, Cock Lane, Smithfield, was then sworn, and stated that he lived next door to the Fortune of War public-house, in Giltspur street, and was employed as porter at the Cross Keys Inn, Wood-street. He remembered the night of the 4th of November. He went into the tap-room of the Fortune of War about half-past six o'clock on that night, and remained until half-past eight. About half-past seven, Bishop and May came into the room. Bishop sat next to witness, and May sat on the opposite side. Bishop said to May, 'What do you think of our new one? did not he go up to him well? I told you he was a staunch one. Don't you think he is a staunch one now?' (The face of Bishop became suddenly flushed as the witness repeated the words attributed to him.)
Mr. MINSHULL.--Did Bishop say anything more to May?
WITNESS.--Yes, he said to May, 'Do you stick by me, and I will stick to you. I know the other one is all right; he's nothing but a good one.' In about an hour after this, Williams came in, upon which Bishop said, 'I told you he would come; there's a good one.' (Here Williams laughed.)
Mr. MINSHULL asked the witness if May said anything in answer to what Bishop said.
The witness replied, that May said in reply to Bishop, 'I don't know what you mean.' Soon after, Bishop and Williams got up, and said they would go home. May said, I am going to stop a bit.' He then took up a newspaper, and Bishop and Williams left the room together.
Mr. CORDER.--Did you perceive that May, during this conversation, had anything with him wrapped up in a handkerchief?
WITNESS.--I saw that he had a handkerchief in his hand, which appeared to contain something, but I cannot say what. The handkerchief was wet.
The depositions of the witnesses previously examined were then ordered to be read over. When the evidence of Davis, the porter at Guy's Hospital, was read to him, he complained of a statement which, he said, appeared in the morning papers of the preceding day, and particularly in the Times.
Mr. MINSHULL told the witness, that if he had any addition to make to his evidence, he would willingly swear him; but he had nothing to do with what was published in the newspapers. If anything had been mis-stated, his proper course was to apply to the editors of the papers, who would, no doubt, willingly correct any error.
The reading of the depositions was then resumed, and having been concluded,
Mr. CORDER then read the statements made by the prisoners before the Coroner, and which had been committed to writing by order of the Coroner.
Mr. HALLS asked if it was in evidence that the body which was offered at the King's College was the same upon which the inquest was subsequently held.
Mr. HILL, of the King's College, who received the body there, and Mr. Thomas, to whom it was afterwards delivered at the station-house, proved that fact.
Mr. CORDER said, that the whole of the evidence was now gone through, as applying to the prisoners Bishop, Williams, and May. With regard to the prisoner Shields, it was not intended to offer any evidence against him.
Mr. MINSHULL then directed that the prisoner Shields should be removed from the bar, and brought round in front of the bench. The magistrate told him he was discharged from this offence, but that he meant to swear him as a witness. The oath having been administered to him, he went into a long statement as to the manner in which he met Bishop, who told him that he wanted him to do a little job on the Saturday morning. He agreed, and went to Guy's Hospital, Bishop having previously procured a hamper, for the purpose of conveying the body from that place to the King's College. He accordingly carried it from Guy's Hospital to the latter place on the Saturday, but knew nothing whatever of what the hamper contained. Bishop was to have given him half-a-crown for the job, but he had not 'as yet' received the money.
Mr. CORDER observed, that the statement of Shields differed in several points from the account which he gave before the Coroner.
Mr. MINSHULL.--You say you were not aware of what the hamper contained; do you still persist in saying so?
SHIELDS.--Upon my word, your worship, I knew nothing of what the hamper contained. I carried it as I would any other job.
A MAGISTRATE.--Did you ever carry any load for Bishop or May before?
SHIELDS.--No, your honour, never.
Mr. BURNABY, the clerk.--You know, Shields, you have carried bodies repeatedly to the hospitals. You should remember you are now on your oath.
SHIELDS.--I mean to say, that I did not know what the hamper contained that May and Bishop hired me to carry.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Have you heard any conversation pass between the prisoners relating to this murder, during any time you may have passed in their company since they and you were apprehended?
SHIELDS.--None whatever, your worship, except that I heard Bishop say he got the body from the ground.
Mr. CORDER.--It is quite clear that this man cannot be believed on his oath, and therefore it would be useless to make a witness of him.
Mr. MINSHULL said, he certainly should not allow him to give evidence; for every word which he had as yet spoken went for nothing. If he discharged him now, it would be on the condition of his undertaking to communicate to Mr. Thomas where he went to live, in the event of his removing from his present residence.
Mr. CORDER submitted, that Shields ought to be detained, at least for the present.
Mr. MINSHULL then told Shields, that as there might be a charge of another description against him, he certainly should not now consent to his discharge. He would take time to consider how he ought to be disposed of.
Shields was then removed in custody.
Mr. MINSHULL then addressed Bishop, saying, 'John Bishop, you have heard all the witnesses who came to give evidence against you. The whole of that evidence is now completed; and therefore, if you wish to say anything, now is your time, as this is the last opportunity you will have of appearing before me.
BISHOP.--No, Sir, I have nothing to say at present.
Mr. MINSHULL.--James Williams, alias Head, have you anything which you wish to say?
WILLIAMS.--Nothing, Sir.
Mr. MINSHULL.--John May, is it your wish to speak before you are finally committed?
MAY.--I have nothing more to say, Sir, than what I said already at the Coroner's inquest. This man, Bishop, can clear me of everything, if he likes to speak the truth. He knows I am innocent of the charge. The man says he got the body from the ground, but he don't like to say where, because he is loth to injure the two watchmen left to guard it. Things, however, are come to such a crisis now, that he ought to speak the truth, and I wish him to speak the truth--(he added, looking full in Bishop's face)--for I defy him to say anything to implicate me. I knew nothing of the body until I went to take it from Bishop's house.
BISHOP, in a low tone, said, I have said nothing against you. It is true what you say, you knew nothing of it till then.
MAY.--I did not; that is the truth.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Have you anything more to say?
MAY.--No, your worship, not now.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Prisoners, you will all be committed to Newgate, to take your trial at the ensuing sessions at the Old Bailey, commencing on the 1st of December next, for the Wilful Murder of CARLO FERRARI; and there will be another count in the indictment, charging you with the wilful murder of a person unknown. You are now committed accordingly.
The prisoners were then about to be removed, when Williams requested that his friends might be allowed to see him; adding, that he had nothing to say to any person that he would not be willing should be heard in the presence of the officers of the jail.
Mr. MINSHULL.--You will be lodged in Newgate, and whatever accommodations are customary there, will, I have no doubt, be afforded you. I have no power to interfere.
The prisoners were then removed from the bar, strongly guarded.
Mr. CORDER then, addressing the magistrate, observed, that he had done all he could to assist the prosecution, and on the part of the parish which he represented, he should, of course, proceed. He was, however, instructed to say, that the expense of prosecuting this case fell rather hard upon the parish, inasmuch as the body was not found in it; neither had the boy come by his death in the parish. He was aware that it was necessary that the body should have been removed, for safe custody, to the station-house, and therefore that, so far, the thing was unavoidable. The parish, however, was not in a very prosperous state, and he was fearful, from an interview he had had with a member of the government at the Home Office, that no pecuniary assistance was to be looked to from that quarter.
Mr. HARMER said, that being aware that the parish of St. Paul, Covent Garden, was not at present in the most flourishing condition, he had offered the parish officers his humble efforts gratuitously to conduct the prosecution.
Mr. CORDER said, he was bound to acknowledge the able assistance which he had received from Mr. Harmer.
Mr. HARMER said, that the difficulty of prosecuting such a case, in which there were so many witnesses, would be considerably lessened by the manner in which the evidence was taken and arranged by the clerk.
Mr. MINSHULL then directed the jailer to bring in the wives of Bishop and Williams.
They were accordingly brought forward, and Mr. Minshull told them they were discharged, and might go where they pleased. The cottage, however, in which they had lived was in the possession of the police; and, under all circumstances, he supposed they would not think of returning there.
Mrs. BISHOP said, they certainly would not.
They were then removed, and ordered to be taken care of by the jailer, and on no account to be allowed to go into the street while it was crowded by so large a concourse of people.
Mr. Thomas had previously told Bishop that his wife would be discharged that day. His reply was, 'I thank you, Sir. I hope you will look to her, and see that she is not insulted by the mob.' Shields was ordered to be detained for a similar reason; and it was not until late on the same night that he was liberated, after the crowds had left the street.
Notwithstanding the heavy rain that fell during the whole of the afternoon, the concourse of persons in Bow-street remained undiminished until the arrival of the van, when considerable difficulty was experienced by the officers to get the prisoners conveyed with safety into the vehicle. The yells and hootings which the mob set up on their appearance was deafening; and but for an additional guard of constables, the consequences might have been very serious. Williams and Bishop cowered down, as if to avoid at once the fury and the gaze of the assembled crowds. May, however, stood more erect, and jumped lightly into the van, which immediately drove off to Newgate, followed by the shouts and execrations of the people.
When May was removed to the lock-up room, after he was taken from the bar, he burst into tears, and declared solemnly to Dodd, the jailer, that he knew nothing whatever of the boy's death, and never saw the body until Bishop showed it to him in the box. He then said, that an acquittal would almost be as bad as a conviction to him; for where could he find employment after this charge? Bishop and Williams, on the contrary, were by no means cast down. They appeared to rally their spirits, and assumed a levity of manner, which, however, was but of short duration.
On the prisoners being conveyed in the prison van from Bow-street to Newgate, they were followed by a mob of between two and three hundred persons, hooting and yelling. In order to evade the mob, the van drove out of Fleet-street, through Chancery-lane, towards the House of Correction, where two or three other prisoners were disposed of, whence the van proceeded towards the Old Bailey; and the mob still increasing, on arriving at Newgate, it was with the greatest difficulty that a number of officers could clear the way before the felon's door for the admission of the prisoners. The discordant yells were so tremendous as to frighten several horses in the different vehicles as they passed by.