192. JOSEPH RICKARDS proceedingsdefend was indicted for that he, not having the fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil, on the 11th day of February , at the parish of St. Pancras , in and upon Walter Horseman proceedingsvictim , in the peace of God and our Lord the King then and there being, feloniously, wilfully, and of his malice aforethought, did make an assault, and that he he said Joseph Rickards < no role > , with a certain iron bar of the value of 12 d. which he in both his hands then and there had and held, the said Walter, in and upon the body of the said Walter, did strike and beat, giving him then and there, with the said iron bar, one mortal wound of the length of three inches, of the depth of two inches, and of the breadth of one inch, of which said mortal wound the said Walter from thence to the 19th of February, did languish, and languishing did live, and upon which said 19th day of February, the said Walter Horseman < no role > did die; and the jurors say, that him the said Walter Horseman < no role > he the said Joseph Rickards < no role > did kill and murder .

MARY HORSEMAN < no role > sworn.

Court. You are the widow of the deceased? - Yes.

Was the prisoner a servant to your husband at any time? - Yes, about a year and a half, I believe, to the best of my knowledge.

When was he discharged from your husband's service? - I think, to the best of my remembrance, it was a month the Thursday before the deed was done.

What business was your husband? - A milk-man .

What was the occasion of his being dismissed from his service? - It was that he did not do his work against his master came home.

How old is this prisoner? - I think he is between eighteen and nineteen.

Where did he come from? - Out of Bedfordshire: I understood he went to see his mother, in Bedfordshire, after he was dismissed.

How long did he stay away, before he returned to your house at Kentish town? - I think about a week or ten days.

Did he come to your house after he returned? - Yes, he did come to our house several times, and I gave him victuals several times.

Did your husband know of that, Madam? - My husband knew that he had been to the house, but he did not know that I gave him victuals.

How did he employ himself after he came back to Kentish Town? - He had very little work to do after he came out of the country.

Then he hardly earned his living, did he? - No, my Lord, he did not, and that was the reason I gave him victuals.

Did he lay at your house after he returned? - Not to my knowledge he never did.

But do you know in fact that he did, though without your consent? - No, he never lay a night in the house that ever I heard of.

When did this accident happen? - On Saturday morning, the 11th of February, I found it out.

What time in the morning? - It was about ten minutes after two or rather better.

Was you in bed? - I was.

In what room? - In the room under where my husband slept.

Was you called or how? - I have a little girl of four years old lay with my husband.

A daughter of yours? - Yes, the child called me, that waked the other in the other room, and my little boy after called to me at the top of the stairs.

What did she say? - I did not hear her call, it waked the other in the other room, my little boy, who lay in the other room, on the same floor, he lay along with Trotman, and he called me.

How old is that boy? - Ten years old this September.

What is that Trotman? - A lodger in the house.

Is he a man? - Yes.

What is his Christian name? - John.

Did the room where Trotman and your little boy lay communicate with the room where your husband lay? - Only the stair parted them, my little boy came and knocked at my door, and told me his father wanted me, I went in directly, and by the light of the moon, he seemed to be quite black with blood from his face to his waist, the moon shone very bright, and there are two large windows in the room, he was sitting up in the bed, and as far as his waist appeared black and covered with blood.

Did he speak to you, good woman? - When I saw him, I said, Horseman, my dear creature, what is the matter with you? he said to me, Lord bless you! something has run over my face; I said, Lord bless you child! run over your face! why you are nothing but blood; he made me answer, have you got a candle? I said, no child, I did not wait for a candle: I went down immediately, and got a candle, and when I came up, I found him beat and cut all to pieces; his forehead, and his eyes and nose were cut all to pieces; I asked him to tell me how it came, and he said I do not know, do not ask me, I do not know how it came. I called Trotman up, to go and fetch his nephew to me, and likewise to order the doctor and surgeons to come, that live at Kentish Town, then I went and got the pillow case off the pillow to wrap round his head, to try to stop the blood, then I got him to lay down in the bed, then I turned myself round in the room, and I found a stick laying by the drawers between the fire-place and the drawers, I took the stick up in my hand, this is the stick, but there was no blood upon this.

(Produces a hedge-stake.)

Did you ever see this stick before? - I saw it at the time it was cut, which was the Sunday before this accident happened.

You never saw it in your husband's room before? - No, it never was there before.

Who cut it? - Trotman and the prisoner went out on Sunday to cut some sticks, and they brought in three.

Who had that? - This was the prisoner's stick.

Did he bring it in with him? - To say whether he brought the stick in his hand, or whether Trotman brought them all in, I cannot say.

Why did you say it was the prisoner's then? - Because it was a rough stick, cut off an elm tree, when it was brought in the prisoner cut it round the head as you see.

Did you see him do that? - I saw him doing it on the Sunday.

What did he do with this stick after he cut it round? - I do not know.

Did you ever see it after he cut it round till this time? - I have seen him with this stick in his hand when he has been out of the door.

Have you seen him with it more than once? - I cannot say whether once or twice, but I have seen him with it.

Do let us look at that stick.

(The stick handed to the Court: it appeared upon inspection to have lead poured into a hole in the top.)

Did you ever see any thing done to this stick besides cutting it round? - No, I never did; then I took this iron bar standing between the fire-place and the drawers, the drawers are not a yard from the fire-place, it appeared to stand leaning one end of it against the fire-place, and the other against the drawers.

Was there any appearance of blood upon it? - Yes, there were marks of blood upon it, and several hairs upon the end of the bar, but I believe by carrying it backwards and forwards they are off.

Was the blood fresh? - Quite fresh, it was then.

You could not have any account from your husband how it happened? - No, he never could give any account till the time he died; it was done on Saturday morning between one and two, I imagine it was, and he lived till the Sunday se'nnight following, till the 19th of February.

Was he in his senses till he died? - Yes; he had not the least idea how it happened, he never could tell how it happened.

Was his scull fractured? - Yes, it was, but I did not understand the nature of any thing of the kind; but it was cut and mangled in a desperate manner.

What was the reason you did not lay with your husband that night? - My Lord, I did not lay with him for six or seven nights, I have a little child about fourteen months old, that was very bad, cutting his teeth, and to prevent disturbing my husband, as he worked so hard, I lay with a woman.

Was your husband used to sleep sound? - Very sound in his first sleep, till he waked about four o'clock, and then he used to be very wakefull.

Have you any thing to alledge against the prisoner at the bar for being guilty of this? - No other, but by finding the stick in the room, and likewise the stairs being so critical, I thought it was impossible for a stranger to have done it, without taking any thing.

How could a person get into your house without being let in? - God Almighty knows, my Lord, I cannot tell how, unless he got in, in the evening, and concealed himself in the house.

When you went to bed, did you fasten all your doors and windows? - I fastened all the doors, my Lord, the windows down stairs are not made to open.

How are they above? - Above they slide up and down.

Sashes? - Yes.

Do you know whether these were fastened? - They were all down when I went up stairs, we never did screw them, only slipped them up and down at pleasure.

Did you find any of them up in the morning? - No, never a one of them.

Was there any little room of any kind in your husband's room, or within it? - No, there was none, there are three cupboards in Trotman's room, they are the length of the room, to put lumber in.

Were these cupboards down to the floor? - No, not down to the floor, I imagine they are a yard from the floor.

Then a person to get into one of these cupboards must have stepped upon something? - They might have stepped upon the bedstead, which is under the cupboards.

Is there room for a man to stand up in it? - No, they must either lay down or sit in it.

Is there a cupboard in your husband's room? - No, never a cupboard there.

Your husband, I find, discharged this prisoner from his service, upon account of neglecting his duty, and not doing his business against the time of his coming home? - Yes.

That was his reason? - Yes.

Do you know of any enmity between them? - Never in my life.

So you know of no grudge from the prisoner against your husband? - No, my Lord, I never heard anything of the kind.

Do you know whether any thing was taken away this night from your husband? - I missed nothing but a few farthings, which were in a bason, in a closet where we kept our china, in the room where my husband lay.

How many farthings were taken away? - I cannot say precisely to the quantity, but I imagine there might be about sixpenny-worth, there were a great man more that lay in rows, in sixpenny-worths, there might be half-a-crown's-worth for what I know.

That was all you missed? - Yes.

Is this all the evidence you can give? - Yes.

Court. Will the prisoner ask any question of Mrs. Horseman? - No.

MARY FULLER < no role > sworn.

Did you lodge at Mrs. Horseman's? - Yes, I lived there a twelvemonth last Christmas.

You lived there at the time the poor man was killed? - Yes.

Can you give any account of that matter? - No, I cannot.

What do you know relative to the prisoner at the bar? - I can give no account, Mrs. Horseman called me.

Do you know any thing about it? - No.

You lay with Mrs. Horseman? - Yes, with Mrs. Horseman and the two children.

Do you remember Mrs. Horseman being called up in the night? - Not the first time, till she came and called me.

Did you go up stairs? - I got up immediately, and put my things on, and went up stairs.

Was Mrs. Horseman there at the time you went up? - We both went up together, I could not have patience to stay behind, I was so frightened.

What condition did you find poor Horseman in? - All over blood, all red, covered with blood.

Could he tell how it happened? - No, he never said a word to me; Mrs. Horseman desired me to light a fire immediately.

Do you know any thing of a stick? - Yes, I saw the prisoner at the bar send for a pipe, and melt lead in it.

How long was that before this poor man was wounded in this way? - As nigh as I can recollect, it was either Tuesday or Wednesday before.

How did he melt the lead? - He put lead in the bowl of a tobacco pipe, and put the pipe into the fire, and I saw him take and pour it into the hole of the stick.

Look at the stick and shew us where it was? - Yes, I will take my oath to the stick, here is the place where it was poured in.

Court. (Looks at it.) Gentlemen, you will look at it, but it seems to be of no consequence, it is only to fill up the hole.

Where was the prisoner when he melted the lead? - At Mr. Horseman's house, he stood directly by the fire, nobody was in the house but me, and the child in my lap.

How long before Mr. Horseman died, did you see the prisoner at his house? - As nigh as I can recollect it was four or five days.

Did you ever see him at the house any time after he melted the lead, till the time Mr. Horseman died? - He has come into the house after Tuesday, but he has not stopped.

Do you know whether he ever lay in the house, after he was turned away? - Never, to the best of my knowledge.

Did you lay there every night? - Mrs. Horseman, and me, and the two children, lay together every night.

Do you know whether Mr. Horseman ever saw him in the house, after he was turned away? - Not to the best of my knowledge.

JOSHUA JOHNSON < no role > sworn.

I am a watchman at Battle-bridge, I met the prisoner at three o'clock in the morning, I was crying the hour.

What morning was that? - On Saturday se'nnight.

Whereabouts was it you met him? - In Chads-row.

How far is that from Kentish-town? - About a mile and a half, when I met him he wished me a good morning.

Did you know him? - No, Sir, I never saw him before to my knowledge, he passed me, and went towards Kentish Town.

Do you know this Mr. Horseman? - Yes.

Did you know where his house was? - I never was there, I never knew where he lived, I have been told it was by the Old Chapel.

How far might that be from the place where you met him? - Near two miles.

Court to Mrs. Horseman. Where is your house situated? - It is on this side of the Anglers, in Kentish Town, next door to where the Old Chapel stood.

Johnson. He passed me, and went towards Kentish Town; I had to call a little higher, when I returned, I walked sharp after him, and he stopped against my watch-box, and when I was within a few yards of the box, he said, watchman, here is threepennyworth of farthings if you will accept them.

Did you take them? - Yes.

What became of him then? - He went towards Kentish Town.

Are you sure the prisoner is the same person you met? - Yes, I am sure he is the same person, the moon shone very bright.

That is all you know? - He wished me a good morning, and said it would be four o'clock before he got to Kentish Town.

Court to Prisoner. Would you ask any question of this witness? - No, my Lord.

JOHN TROTMAN < no role > sworn.

Did you lodge at Mr. Horseman's? - Yes.

What is your business pray? - A blacksmith.

Are you a journeyman blacksmith, or how? - Yes.

Where was your room that you lay in? - On the other side of the house.

Was it upon the same floor where Horseman lay? - Yes, only the stairs parted the rooms.

Who lay with you? - Mr. Horseman's son.

How old is he? - Upon my life I cannot tell, about ten years old I believe.

Did you hear any noise in the night time? - No, none at all.

What did you hear, what do you know of the matter? - The little girl that lay with her father, came and called for her mother first, and then she came and called me.

What happened then? - That waked me, and I heard Horseman groan; then I called out to him, and asked him what was the matter with him, he said, Lord bless my soul, John, something has run over my face; then Mrs. Horseman, his wife, came up stairs, and she asked him what was the matter with him, and he said the same thing to her, that something had run over his face; then I got up directly, and went to Kentish Town to fetch his nephew, she desired me to go.

What was the nephew's name? - William Winkworth < no role > , then I fetched him, then I went to Tottenham-court-road, to Doctor Prykes < no role > , and Mr. Sallinger, came with me.

Did not you find the doctor at home? - Yes, he was at home, but the servant came.

Where does Mr. Sallinger live? - He was at Mr. Pryke's house.

When you rose did you go into the room where Horseman lay? - No, I did not go in, I looked in at the door and saw him, and I went for his nephew as fast as I could.

Did you ever observe an iron bar in the room where Horseman lay? - No, I never did.

Did you ever observe one stand there, in the chimney, or any part of the room? - No, I never did, I never did go into the room.

Will you look at that stick, have you ever seen that stick before? - Yes, I cut the stick.

How long before this affair did you cut it? - I believe it was a week, or a fortnight, but I am not sure which, I cut three, but the others were not so big as this.

Was the prisoner with you? - Yes, he was, I brought them into the house, and I took the least, and the prisoner said he would have this.

Did you see him do anything to that stick afterwards? - I saw him bore this hole in our shop at the top of the knob, that was all I saw him do to it.

Who put that lead in it? - I do not know, I did not see him put it in.

Did you see the iron bar after you had been for the surgeon? - I saw it before I went for the surgeon, for Mrs. Horseman had brought this bar out into my room, when I was in bed, before I got up.

What condition was it in? - It was all over nothing but blood, and the blood was jellied on the bar, or pieces of flesh, I do not know which.

Where did the iron bar usually stand? - It used to stand in my room, under my window, it belonged to my window, but the window shutter was never fastened.

Did you see any hair upon it? - No, I did not observe any.

Court to Prisoner. Would you ask any questions of this witness? - No.

SARAH ROSE < no role > sworn.

Do you know the prisoner? - I know him, he lodged at my house.

How far do you live from Horseman's? - About four doors I believe.

When did he come to lodge at your house? - He came to lodge with me the Monday fortnight before.

When did you know him first? - I knew him when he lived with Mr. Horseman.

And after he was discharged he took a lodging at your house? - No, not till after he had been at his mother's.

Do you know where he was the night this unfortunate accident happened? - He was not at his lodgings that night.

Had he laid out of your house any night before? - He had laid out one night before.

He did not lay at home that night? - No.

When did you next see him? - I never saw him afterwards, he did not board at my house, he only lodged there.

How many days was it before this night, that he lay out the night before? - To the best of my knowledge it was the Saturday after he came to my house.

AMY HALL < no role > sworn.

I am maid servant to Mrs. Rose.

I think the prisoner lodged at that house for some time? - Yes, he did.

How long? - I cannot say, it was above a week.

Do you remember him when he was servant to Horseman? - Yes.

He lodged at your house after he left Horseman's service? - Yes.

Do you know whether he was at home the night that this affair happened? - No, my Lord, he was not at his lodgings that night.

Do you know where he was? - No, I cannot say.

Did you expect him home that night? - Yes.

Did you make any enquiry after him? - I went down to Mr. Horseman's on the Friday night, at a quarter before eleven o'clock.

Who did you ask after? - I went down, my mistress sent me to ask Mrs. Horseman, if she would be so good to go up to Mr. Tompkins's.

Did you ask any thing about the prisoner? - Yes, I went to Mrs. Horseman, and asked Mrs. Horseman if she would be so good, to go up to Mr. Tomkins's, to insure No. 6, and after we had done talking about the Lottery, I asked Mrs. Horseman if Joe was come home, and she said he was not come home, and I made answer, and said, may be he will not come home to night, and she said she dare say that he would, and she supposed if he came home, that he would not come to our house, but would come there, and if he flung any thing up at the window, John would hear him, and let him in.

What John? - John < no role > the blacksmith; she said, she supposed he would not come to our house, but would come to theirs.

What more was said? - I do not remember any thing else.

He did not come home to your house? - No, he did not.

Mr. Recorder. Did Mrs. Horseman say anything more to you then? - She said that he laid there one night before, when he laid out.

Mrs. Horseman. I did not say any such thing.

Court to Hall. He did not return to your lodgings after, did he? - No, he never did.

Court to Mrs. Horseman. This woman says, that you told her, that he had laid one night before at your house? - My Lord, I did not say so to her, the words I said to her were, she asked me if Joe was come home, I said no; she said do you think he will come home to night, I said very likely he will throw some dirt up at the window, if John hears him it is a hundred to one but he will let him in.

She says, you said he had laid there one night before? - I never did.

You have said in your evidence, that he never lay a night in your house after he was discharged? - Never, to the best of my knowledge he never did.

Never that you heard of? - No, my Lord.

GEORGE SALLINGER < no role > sworn.

I attended the deceased in the first instance, I recollect it was the 11th instant, about half past three in the morning, when I was called up on the Saturday morning, two young men came to call me up; I went, and immediately on my entrance into the room, I perceived him in a very mangled condition, and covered with blood.

This poor man is dead? - Yes.

Did you examine the condition of his head - The inner table of the scull was totally detached from the upper; there likewise was a fracture over the left eye, which intirely broke to pieces the orbit of the eye; there was likewise another blow over the right eye, which broke that to pieces, and a piece of the fracture had divided the optic nerves.

When did he die? - On the Sunday morning, about a quarter after seven.

What do you impute his death to? - To the wounds he received.

Were his wounds necessarily mortal? - They were, and such was the opinion of Mr. Heavyside, the surgeon, whom I called in.

- HEAVYSIDE sworn.

I was sent for on Saturday afternoon, the day after the accident; I found the whole scull so mangled, that there was no possibility for any art to assist him.

Was there any possibility, humanly speaking, that he could recover? - Utterly impossible, no doubt of it; I do not conceive it necessary for me to enter into any anatomical account of this affair, but on opening his head afterwards, it very clearly appeared, that it was out of the reach of art to assist him, from the very first moment.

Court. Does the prisoner wish to ask either of these gentleman any questions? - No.

SAMUEL LOVELACE < no role > sworn.

What do you know boy of this affair? - This little boy said he heard the child call its mother.

Did you lodge in the house? - Yes.

Who did you lodge with? - Thomas Fuller < no role > , I heard the little girl call the mother.

Do you know any thing more of the matter? - No.

What room did Thomas Fuller < no role > lay in? - In the front room.

Was that in the same room where Trotman lay? - Yes.

What were there two beds? - Yes.

Had you laid there often? - Yes.

Several times? - Yes.

Do you remember any thing of a cupboard in that room? - Yes, there were three in the side of the wainscot.

Are there several doors to them? - There are doors to every cupboard.

They do not run one into another, do they? - No, they have partitions between them.

Suppose a person was to get into one of these cupboards, could he stand upright? - No, he could sit in, or lay in them.

Was it long enough for a person to lay in? - Yes, they are divided one from the other, but long enough to lay down in.

Do you recollect when you went to bed, how these cupboards were? - They were all shut.

Are you sure of that? - Yes, it was moon-light.

What led you to take notice of it? - I always look round the room, but in the morning when I waked the door of one of the cupboards was open over my bed.

Do you remember an iron bar that used to be in that room where you lay? - I have seen an iron bar over the window.

Did you take notice of it that night? - No.

Did you see the prisoner that day? - No.

Court. After the accident happened did you see the prisoner? - Yes: Mrs. Horseman sent me to the Anglers to call him to carry the milk that morning, as he knew the walk.

What time in the morning was that? - At four o'clock.

What on the same morning her husband was killed, she sent you to the Anglers to call the prisoner? - Yes.

This Anglers is a publick house I suppose? - Yes.

How far might it be from Mr. Horseman's? - Two or three doors.

Court to Prisoner. Would you ask any question of this boy? - No.

Mr. Recorder. Who keeps that house? Jane Rose < no role > .

Did you meet with him? - No, I called four times, and the fourth time he answered me over the way, he was coming from London.

Was he in a house? - No, he was in the road.

Did he go to milk the cows that morning? - Yes.

How old are you? - Sixteen the latter end of last June.

THOMAS FULLER < no role > sworn.

How old are you? - Fifteen, I slept with Lovelace, I observed the cupboards, they were shut when I went to bed.

Did you arise the same time that Lovelace did? - Yes.

Did you observe the cupboards then? - Yes, one cupboard was open.

Do you know any thing more? - Yes, I was in bed, and my bedfellow was asleep, and I heard a noise in the morning.

How long before you arose was that? - A good while, it was a little after one o'clock as near as I can guess, I happened to be awake, I heard a noise.

What sort of a noise? - I cannot tell justly what sort of a noise it was, I was between sleep and awake.

In what room was it you heard the noise? - In the room where I lay, over my head.

You lay in the same room where Trotman was? - Yes.

What sort of a noise was it? - I cannot say.

What sort of a sound did it make? - I cannot say, my partner nipped me, and I fell asleep again.

Do you know the prisoner very well? - Yes.

Do you remember when he was turned off by Mr. Horseman? - Yes, it was on Thursday in the afternoon that he paid him off, as soon as he had done milking; I heard he went into Bedfordshire, and he came back in a week's time.

Did you ever see him at your mistress's house after he came back? - Yes.

How many times? - I cannot say how many times, he was in his best clothes when I first saw him since he came back.

Do you know whether he ever slept at your house? - I do not know that he ever slept at the house, one morning Mr. Horseman and me got up to milk the cows and we left the door on the snack, we always do, and he always sends me up to call his son Billy, when the three cows came in, I went up to call Billy, and I saw an orange on the table, and I asked how that orange came there, Billy said it was his, and I asked him who gave it him, and he said Joe Rickards < no role > .

Did you see Rickards there? - Yes, he was in the place where I got out from, in my place along with my bedfellow.

Can you tell what day that was? - I cannot tell what day that was.

How long was it before this accident? - I cannot justly say to the truth what day it was.

Was it after he had been down into Bedfordshire, and come back again? - Yes, my Lord, I saw him in bed where I lay, with that blue coat that he has on now, and the child said he gave him the orange because he should not tell he had been there.

Are you sure it was after he came from Bedfordshire, when you saw him in bed? - No, Sir, I am not sure whether it was after or before.

Are you sure it was after he was dismissed the service of Mr. Horseman? - Yes, Sir, a good while after he was turned away.

JOHN BERRINGER < no role > sworn.

I am headborough for the parish of St. Pancrass, I was standing at my door, I believe it might be about eight o'clock, on the 11th of February, on Saturday morning, and the first alarm I had was a little boy told me Mr. Horseman was almost murdered, he said, with an iron bar, he said the house was not robbed, it was done out of spight, and when I came Mrs. Horseman took me up stairs, and related to me the same as she has now, upon which I went to the next public-house, Mrs. Rose's, and one man said you need not gallop a horse to death to find it out, and he said the person who should have been here last night was not at home; which information gave me very great suspicion, and I went and met the prisoner coming home with his milk pails, I turned short upon him and said, why, Joe, your master is almost murdered, I asked him if he knew any thing of it, or had heard any information that had been given of any body, he said no, he knew nothing at all of it; I said it was very odd he should seem so unconcerned about his master, he replied he could not help it, for he knew nothing at all about it, then I said to him, Joe, to make short of it, you are my prisoner; I conducted him back to Mr. Horseman's house, with his milk pails on his shoulder, he threw off his milk pails in a very great passion like, and said he would go directly with me any where, I bid him not be too much in a hurry for that I should have a little talk with him first, not do things too rashly; then I asked him how he could be guilty of such a thing, I accused him, he said he did not know whether he ever did such a thing in his life, that was the reply he made me; I said it was very odd if he did not know whether he ever killed a man or no; no, he said he never did, and I said, no, I suppose not till now; then I said, well you are certainly guilty, and come up stairs with me, and see this poor man; upon which I went up stairs and made him go with me, and I said, Joseph, look at that poor unfortunate man! and I said, now can your conscience let you deny that you have murdered this man, touch him if you dare, and deny the fact; he said he could, he could shake hands with him, upon which the deceased put out his hand and they did shake hands; I then took him to the Rotation Office immediately, and when I took him there, he went under the examination, and I thought it proper for Mr. Fletcher and the Justices to get what secret information I could, and bring in all the evidences that are here present, and Lovelace told me, that he said to him d - n his master, one way or another he would work him up; he likewise told Thomas Fuller < no role > that if he did not consider his sore heel, one day or other he would work him up, and he wished some accident might fall on him, he said he would be d - ned if he would not work him up one of these days.

How long was t his before the prisoner left his service? - About two months.

Court to Thomas Fuller < no role > . Did you ever hear him say any thing of this kind? - Yes, he said to me if he did not consider his sore heel more than he did, he would work him up one day or another, and he wished some bad accident might happen to him.

Had the prisoner sore heels? - Yes, he tumbled down one day on the ice and cut his heel coming back from carrying his milk.

How long was this before he left his master's service? - I cannot justly say how long, I think it was about a month or six weeks.

Prisoner. It was only five days after I hurt myself before I was turned away.

Court. There is a confession of this boy, is not there? - Yes, taken before Justice Machin.

Court. The Justice of the peace ought to be here himself, it is a shameful neglect of duty not to attend.

Mr. Garrow. He is a very old and infirm man.

Berringer. I can prove it.

Was you present when that examination was taken? - I was not at the beginning, but I was at the latter end and heard it read over.

Was there any promise or threatening made use of? - Not at all, all the time and deliberation that could be given him, was given him, there was more caution than any thing else.

Was it freely and voluntarily made by the prisoner at the - Entirely No, for we had got the commitment to Newgate, and all the Justices were gone but this gentleman, who is a very old man, he was gone into the back room, then he said before the Justice he would go back and tell the whole, for if it was not for one in the house, he would not have done it, I saw the Justice sign the information.

(The Confession read.)

Signed,

"the mark of Joseph Rickards < no role > taken the 20th of February, 1786, before John Machin < no role > ."

"Middlesex, to wit. The voluntary examination and confession of Joseph Rickards < no role > , touching the murder of Walter Horseman < no role > , &c. taken before me, one of his Majesty's Justices of the peace for the said county, who says, that about August last, he was hired to live with Walter Horseman < no role > , a cow keeper, at Kentish Town, and that about a fortnight after he had been in the service, he was sitting one evening with his mistress, Mrs. Horseman, by the kitchen fire, when she pulled his head on her bosom, and seemed very fond of him; that ever since that time she has frequently kissed him, and this informant has laid hold of her breasts, and at several times ~ but he has never had any other connection of a private nature than what is before mentioned; but she has frequently told him she wished her husband was dead; that on Friday, the 10th of February inst. about six o'clock in the evening he shut the back door that goes into the yard, and went up stairs and hid himself in the closet, described by the several informants in the information, and about two o'clock in the morning he came out of the closet and went into the room where Horseman lay, with the stick he left in the room, and now in possession of John Berringer < no role > the headborough, but on seeing an iron bar standing in the chimney corner, he took the bar and wounded the said Walter Horseman < no role > , and struck him several blows on the head and fact, and then made his escape out of a window in Horseman's room, opened the back gates, and run away over the fields, and returned again in the morning to Kentish Town, the farthings he gave the watchman he took out of a closet in Horseman's room, and that no person whatever knew any thing of the matter but this examinant."

~ Here some familiarities were recited too indecent for publication.

Court. Joseph Rickards < no role > , you have heard the evidence that has been given against you on this occasion, what have you to say in your defence?

Prisoner. I am not guilty, Sir.

Have you any witnesses to call? - No, Sir, I have not.

What do you say about your confession, you have confessed yourself, and as it is proved at your own desire and request? - I did go into the room, I was persuaded by the people on the outside.

Court to the Headborough. Was it his voluntary offer to go back or was he persuaded by the people to go back? - We were all gone away over the way, and while we were there, there came in news that there was a confession.

Was it by the influence of others, or was it his own voluntary desire and proposal? - His own voluntary desire and proposal.

Court to Prisoner. You hear what this headborough says? - I do, it was not my desire, when I got out of the place several people were there, and bid me go in and say what I did, and they told me that would clear me.

Court. Gentlemen of the Jury, this prisoner at the bar is indicted for the wilful murder of Walter Horseman < no role > , and giving him a blow with an iron bar on his forehead, charged to have been done on the 11th of February, and that he languished till the 19th and then died. Mary Horseman < no role > , the widow of the deceased, &c. [Here the learned Judge summed up the evidence, and then added,] Gentlemen, this evidence is only circumstantial, yet it produces a very strong suspicion certainly in one's mind against the prisoner, but to say there is any direct testimony against him, nobody can assert, but they lay a very strong foundation to introduce the confession he has made: I should not for one, though he is very near the state of manhood, chuse to rest singly and merely on his confession, as he is not at full age, though he is above that age of discretion, which the law assigns to be at the age of fourteen years, and certainly it is near the time that human reason is supposed to be mature, therefore, I thought, and my learned brother, and Mr. Recorder agree with me, that it was extremely proper to have the whole circumstances of this case laid before you by evidence; these circumstances, Gentlemen, you have heard, and I cannot but say they operate very strongly on my mind to introduce this confession: Now, the headborough, who seems to be a very sensible man and master of his business, has given a very full account, I think, to authorise and warrant the Court to permit this confession to be read; the Justice of the peace is, I find, an old gentleman, or else he should have attended the Court, but the prisoner having absolutely persisted in his innocence, until they were carrying him off with the commitment, he, in the presence of the headborough, voluntarily, as he swears, begged and intreated to be carried back again to tell the truth of the case before the Justice of the peace; the Justices were all gone except Mr. Machin, he tells you that all sort of time was given to him, that he made this confession with all sort of deliberation, and that it was read to him: I think it unnecessary to read it over to you a second time, it cannot have escaped your memory, it is a full express confession of the fact, and he takes the murder entirely upon himself, and declares that no one else was concerned in it; there is an expression in it, whether true or not, that he did hear Mrs. Horseman express a wish that her husband was dead, whether that was the motive or spring of this horrid action I cannot say: Now he says he is innocent, and that with respect to this confession, some people after he was gone out suggested to him that it was better he would tell the truth, and that would clear him; that is not very consistent, I think, to suppose a man who confesses he is guilty of a wilful murder, and so barbarous a murder as this is, that he should be cleared, that his life should be saved by making an ample confession of the crime, but the headborough being asked again, does expressly tell you it was the voluntary wish and confession of the prisoner: If you are satisfied, Gentlemen, upon the whole, that he is guilty, you will find him so; if you see any reasonable doubt, you will acquit him.

The Jury retired for a short time, and returned with a verdict

GUILTY , Death .

Clerk of the Arraigns. Joseph Rickards < no role > , hold up your hand, you stand convicted of the wilful murder of Walter Horseman < no role > ; what have you to say, why the Court should not give you judgement to die according to law.

(Proclamation made.)

Mr. Recorder. Prisoner, you have been convicted, upon evidence which excludes all possibility of doubt, of a crime in itself the most heinous of any that human nature can commit; we are told from sacred authority that the blood of the innocent cries to Heaven for vengeance and atonement, and the voice of God and man agree, that whoso shedeth man's blood, by man also shall his blood be shed: If such is the nature of murder considered in itself, how deeply aggravated is your guilt, when we consider the peculiar circumstances of your case, you have had no palliation from provocation or the influence of ungovernable and fatal passions, but actuated by the most deliberate and diabolical malice, the unhappy victim of your crime was the master whom you had served, who had never injured you, and to whom you owed nothing but reverence and duty; inflamed with the thirst of blood, yet deliberate enough to form an artful plan, for effectuating your internal purpose, you laid in wait for your master's life, and in the dead hour of night when all the innocent part of the family were lulled in rest and seeming security, you crept forth from your lurking place, and in the defenceless and harmless state of sleep, with more than savage ferocity you butchered and mangled your master in the most brutal and inhuman manner; for guilt so aggravated as this, all mercy from the laws of your country must be excluded; far be it, however, from man to set bounds to the mercy of the Most High; happy will it be for you if the attonement of your guilty blood, joined with the deepest remorse and repentance during the short time that remains for you to live, should prove sufficient to obtain that mercy from him hereafter, which justice must deny you here: In the fervent prayer, that his mercy may so work upon your sinful soul as to produce that change which is necessary to your salvation, it remains only for me to pronounce upon you the awful sentence of the law, which must inevitably be carried into execution, which is, that you be carried from hence to the place from whence you came, and from thence to the place of execution, there to be hanged by the neck till you are dead; and that your body be delivered to be dissected and anatomised, according to the statute, and the Lord have mercy on you sinful soul.

Mr. Akerman. My Lord, the prisoner now says the accusation against the woman is false.

Prosecutrix to the Jury. Gentlemen, I beg you will ask him whether what he has said is true concerning me.

Prosecutrix to Prisoner. Am I innocent of what you have said?

Prisoner. Yes: (the prisoner was taking away, but brought back again) She is innocent of every thing I have accused her with.

Court. What was the motive that urged you to the commission of this horrid crime?

Prisoner. I do not know.

Court. It is thought proper by the Court that the sentence should be executed as near as conveniently may be where the murder was committed, make out the order accordingly.

Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice GOULD.