Murder of itinerant near Little Dean 1834 (Inquests)

by ChrisW , Monday, October 06, 2008, 22:17 (5674 days ago) @ ChrisW

Feb 1. MURDER NEAR LITTLE DEAN. On Tuesday morning last, between eight and nine, a labouring man, named RICHARD GARDINER, found in a public path, in Brain's Grove, near the Turnpike road, in Dean lane, half a mile from Littledean, a Scotchman, named M'COOMBIE, aged 75, known as an itinerant pedlar in the neighbourhood, in a dying state, from various wounds apparently inflicted by bludgeons from which he died on the Thursday morning following, without having given any account of the cause of his death. Gardiner found afterwards a bloody bludgeon, and a knife, which he stated, had a drop of blood on it, near the spot, both which he threw in a wood nearby, but the bludgeon only was found. Gardiner has been placed in confinement by the Justices. The pedlar had a wallet, of which he had always been very careful, and which was broken open, the contents of this are not known; he also had a bag, (found unopened,) containing twenty shillings. He had been seen only a few minutes before, on his way to the spot where he was found, and had stated that he was going to Newent. Mr Fletcher, the senior consulting surgeon of our Infirmary, was sent for, and gave his prompt attention to the poor fellow, but his skill and exertions were of no avail.

We noticed in our paper last week, that a poor man, named WM. MacCOMBIE, was murdered in a wood, called Bryant's Grove, in the Forest of Dean. An inquest was taken on view of the body on Saturday last at Littledean, and after many hours taken up in the examination of witnesses, and every effort made to discover the offender or offenders who committed this diabolical murder; and although a man, named RICHARD GARDINER, had been committed on suspicion, yet no evidence could be found to lead to his detention, or to the commitment of any other person. Several Magistrates attended, and the Jury, who were most respectable, after a patient investigation, returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against some person or persons unknown.