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HORRIBLE MURDER AT LLANRWST.A murder, accompanied by circumstances of almost unparalleled brutality and horror has just come to light, in this remote and secluded principality. About two months ago, a middle aged widow woman, named Margaret Davies, ostensibly acting as housekeeper to one Evan Jones, a husbandry labourer, holding a petty tenement on the mountain Moel Trefriew, within a mile of Capel Garmon, in this parish, was suddenly missed, and various conjectures were formed as to the cause of her absence ; all, however, very different from the true one Weeks rolled away, but still no signs of her return. On Friday last, however, her mutilated body was discovered in a ditch near a dingle, about 300 ) ards from the cottage in which she had dwelt with her presumed murderer. It is generally supposed that after having committed the deed of blood, he had hidden the body in a turf fence, such as are generally used in mountainous districts; and not more than fifty or sixty yards from the cottage. In his haste (it is conjectured), to hide from the eye of day his foul and barbarous act, the grave he dug for the body was so very shallow that the stench arising from its decomposition attracted to the spot the dogs of the neighbourhood. This appears to have been a source of annoyance to the assassin; for further to conceal his guilt, he undertook the revolting task of exhuming the body ; and in its putrid state conveyed it to the distance already named, where it was discovered accidentally, by tracing a gdo thither, who had been repeatedly seen resorting to the spot to feast upon the dead. The supposed murderer was immediately taken into custody. The coroner tor the county held an inquest upon the body, when the following facts were proved :—Jane Thomas, sister to the deceased, had seen her on the 9th of last May, in Llan-rwst, when it was arranged that on the 25th of the same day, (Ascension day) they should go together to Capel Garmon. On that day witness called !at the piisoner’s house, where she saw the prisoner’s son, who informed her that deceased had left the prisoner and he did not know where she had gone. She also called on her return but no one was then in the house. On the 29th of May she again called and saw the prisoner, who informed her that the deceased had left him, and that he did not know where she was gone to, though he had heard her soy she intended going to Holywell. At that time the prisoner did not say that the deceased meant to return to his service. When witness expressed her fear that the deceased was without money, the prisoner observed that he knew she had three pounds, and more. He also said that he intended going to Holy weU in search of her. He went to Holywell, and on his way home called on witness to say that he had been there, but that deceased could not b® found. Two days before the prisoner so called, witness had received a letter through the Llanrwst post-office, signed with the prisoner’s name, informing her that she was to send for the clothes of the deceased, as she had left the prisoner, and would not return until All Saints, but that he expected to be paid 30s. he had lent the deceased. Witness observed, at this interview, that she was disap]} pointed on finding the letter cama from the prisoner, and not from the. deceased, as she hadfat first imagined.: upon which the prisoner denied he bad sent her any letter, or authorised say other person to do so. There we at prisoner’# house a pair of shoes which were deceased’^ best pair, but her common pair are missing. Mr. Thomas Jones, of the Eagles Inn, Llanrwst proved that on» the second of June last, the prisoner came to him to ask. him to write the letter before referred to, which he did. The prisoner and last witness only reside distant from each other about two miles. Witaes asked the prisoner his reason tor not calling or sending there, when the reply was that he (prisoner) “would rather send a line,’’' Some days after prisoner came to witness and asked him whether his (prisoner’s) name was put to tbedetter? witness said it was; upon which the prisoner remarked that he wished it had not . Prisoner then asked witness not to-tell any one that he had written the letter for him. Last Monday he again called upon witness and asked him what he should da with the people? Witness inquired what people ? He answered “ the people, they talk of doing-nse soma harm about the old woman you wrote the letter about.” Witness asked him where she had gone to ? and he said she mentioned, before starting, that she waff going to Holywell, but that he had been there, and could hear nothing of her. John Jones, of Brynrhug, Capel Garmon, nephew to the prisoner, proved finding the body in a field, about a quarter of a mile from prisoner’s residence. Dogs had been mangling the body. It was takes up, and brought to the prisoner's residence. Mr. Henry Willi no surgeon, of Llanrwst, made a post mortem examination of the oody; could find no marks of violence or symptoms of disease. Other witnesses were examined and the jury brought in a verdict of “ Wilful murder” against the prisoner, and he was committed to Ruthin gaol lo take his trial at the next Denbighshire assizes.
Newspaper Details
London Magnet
London, Middlesex, GB
Mon, Jul 17, 1843
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
University O.
IA, USA 25 Jan 2025
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