Murder of Henry GRAYSON at St Helens 1841
Lancaster Gazette December 11th, 1841
Liverpool Standard
St Helens Sunday morning it became our painful duty to record the facts of a most diabolical and barbarous murder, committed on a highly respectable farmer residing a Rainford about 2 miles from St Helens named Henry GRAYSON
The unfortunate gentleman was in the habit of visiting St Helens several times during the week, and on Saturday last being Market Day he had been at the town on his ordinary business. Having property there he had received some rentals during the day and therefore had a considerable amount of money on his person before he set out for home.
Mr GRAYSON was in St Helens after midnight, because he was applying for admittance at the Kings Head public house between 12 midnight and 1am but was refused and went away from there. He was afterwards seen at Dentons Green, a mile from the town and the direct road to his own house.
About 5am on Sunday a man, employed as ostler by the Denton Green Brewery Company was proceeding to his stables when he found the body of a man lying in the road, he suspected he was drunk or asleep. He, however raised him up and found him incapable of either speaking or helping himself, carried him into a barn adjoining, which belongs to Mr C. BLADES, Gerard Arms. Dentons Green. There the man left him, supposing he was asleep, but returned some time later with a lantern, which found that he had been dreadfully wounded in the head, and other parts of the body, and if not then dead was utterly insensible. He immediately gave the alarm and medical assistance was procured, but, the unfortunate man was dead, before it could be of any avail. The body is now lying at the Gerard Arms public house, where hundreds have been this day to view it. It is shockingly disfigured, his intimate friends could scarcely recognise him. There are several severe wounds to the skull, which it is surmised were inflicted with a hammer or some such instrument. The ribs are nearly all broken, his face is badly bruised and swollen. No money was found on his person and his right hand trouser pocket is cut off.
The police under the direction of Mr Superintendent STOREY, have been very vigilant and dexterous and four parties are in custody on suspicion. The names of these are Thomas MEADOWCROFT, Robert WOOD, Charles WOOD and Isaac JAGQUES. These men are well known to the authorities as desperate characters who have long infested the neighbourhood and have been imprisoned for various terms very repeatedly. A yet we cannot detail the grounds of evidence which will come out against them on the request of the Coroner, but the imprint of one of the shoes of a prisoner, remarkably formed correspond with footmarks near the spot where the fatal deed was realized. A clasp knife smeared with blood was found in the possession of one of the suspects, and a spot of blood was found on his trousers.
The excitement produced by the untoward event in the neighbourhood is intense enhanced by the deceased being well known and highly respected.
Sunday afternoon 4pm
Two more parties have been apprehended on suspicion but the police are still on alert, the prisoners are held upon circumstantial grounds, the real murderer may be at liberty. A man named Patrick McCODDOM was taken on Sunday afternoon in Rainford, with a considerable amount of money in his possession, which he cannot satisfactorily account for, and his personal appearance bespeaks that of a wandering mendicant. Another man William JACQUES is also in durance vile, in addition to those mentioned above, he being detained because he was seen the evening previous to the murder to those first mentioned parties, and known by the police as belonging to their community of dishonorables who have been a plague to the neighbourhood for years
Liverpool Mail Thursday
Inquest
At 10am on Tuesday a highly respectable jury summoned from the towns of St Helens, Sutton, Eccleston and Windle met at the Gerard Arms. Dentons Green to inquire touching the death of Henry GRAYSON farmer of Rainford who was found murdered near the house on Sunday last, John HEYES Esq, resided as coroner. He addressed the jury after they had been sworn, they must have no doubt in their minds that a most inhumane murder had been committed, their duty was to find the guilty party.
Thomas WOODS was sworn and said, he lived in Crab St, St Helens and had charge of some of the horses at Dentons Green Brewery, on Sunday last at 4,30am was going to the stables when about 20 yards from the barn at the end of the house, he found a man lying in the middle of the road. It was nearly light and blowing hard at the time. He was lying with his head downhill towards St Helens. He thought he was drunk and asleep, he was breathing so he went and got a light and William BURROWS to assist him.
They went to Mr UNSWORTH who told them to take the man to the barn and cover him with straw. We lifted him to the barn then went to the brewery for half an hour, we then went back to the barn and the deceased was then dead. We saw blood and cuts to his head, but we did not send for a doctor. When he first saw the deceased he lifted him and shook his shoulder but he did not respond. He looked for his hat and could not find it, he took no notice of his pockets or any part of his dress. John KENYON went to Mr UNSWORTH, Mr UNSWORTH is a farmer living opposite, it was his barn they carried the deceased to. Deceased was breathing very short when first found, the next time he was seen he was dead, the police were sent for and met on their way John KENYON took them to where the deceased lay. He did not recognise the deceased when he found him he was so disfigured, he viewed the body and knew then it was Mr Henry GRAYSON whom he had known for four years.
William BURROWS confirmed the evidence of the first witness
George DUCKWORTH a stonemason, was then sworn, he kept a beerhouse at Greenbank. On Saturday night he states the deceased had four glasses of ale at his house. Mr WRIGHT was with him and a man who lived at Moss Bank was in the house at the time, he did not know his name. There was other men in the tap room. Deceased paid for his drink with copper, he did not say where he had been. Deceased had been in the habit of calling into the house for the last two years He came to collect rent from a man who goes to the house, who paid him 3s and 6d, he called for his rents every Saturday. He called on Saturday at 6.20pm and left at 8.15p. The men in the tap room stayed until 11.20pm. When the deceased left Mr WRIGHT said he had some men to meet at HODGSONS an adjoining pub and left with him.
Mary MARROW was sworn, she saw the deceased at her masters Mr HODGSON’S of the George and Dragon, Greenbank, He came with Mr WRIGHT about 8,30pm, he had a gill of ale paid for by Mr WRIGHT. The house was full at the time, the deceased went away about 9pm. He was not followed.
George MORTON was sworn, and said he lived in New Market Place and was a grocer and tea dealer. He was well acquainted with the deceased and on Saturday last at 6pm was drinking a glass of ale with Edward MARSH in the parlour of MARSH and GRIMES shop, the deceased came in and he asked him to share a glass with them. He did so and gave money for another quart. Edward MARSH went out to send the servant for the ale, and when he had gone the deceased said he had only 3s in silver with him, but he was going to Greenbank to draw 3 or 4 pounds for rent, he also had some money to take for potatoes but thought he would leave the potato money until Monday. As soon as the ale was drunk he and the deceased left, he went home the deceased to Greenbank. He was in shop again at 25 minutes to 10 that night and saw the deceased come in.
Edward MARSH was sworn, He said he carried on business as a chemist and druggist in partnership with his sister Mrs GRIMES, he k new the deceased well. He came into his shop on Saturday night about 6 and stayed about three quarters of an hour. He had some ale with him and came again to the shop about quarter to ten and stopped till closing time at eleven. We then went into the kitchen and had some sausage and a quart of ale, it got late we left the shop together, at Pickavances the clock struck one. He went then to his fathers house and had twopenny worth of gin. His sister spoke to the deceased saying he had, had enough to drink, and not to come in unless he stayed the night, he was best making his way home. He took the advice and left to go home. Witness went home immediately and went to bed. He saw no one other than P.C. MATHER.
Saran WHITTAKER was sworn, she said she was a tenant of the deceased who had ten houses at Greenbank. He called at all the houses for rent which was not due until the next Saturday. He did not receive any rent on Saturday night.
Mr John BLUNDELL was sworn, he was a St Helens surgeon and examined the body yesterday. He first saw the deceased at UNSWORTHS barn on Sunday morning g lying on some straw, he clothes were very wet, two waistcoats and a coat he had on were torn on the right side, also the trousers knee. They were very muddy, the right pocket of his breeches was cut away, and front unbuttoned to get in the pockets. His face was swollen covered in blood and disfigured, the right eye was ruptured and there was a scalp wound above the nose and one on the temple but no skull fracture.
On removing the clothes the body was badly abused, with severe contusions over both hips and on the left side, right side and right shoulder. The right shoulder was dislocated and the head of the bone was lying on the 2nd rib, which was fractured. When the chest was opened both lungs were collapsed and a lacerated wound was found in the interior lobe of each lung. On the right side, the 7th, 8th and 9th ribs were fractured. The deceased died from injuries to the lungs. The head wounds were inflicted with a blunt instrument, the rib fractures effected by being jumped on and kicked.
Sergeant John BRANWOOD, of the Lancashire Constabulary was then sworn, he said he was called to the deceased at 7am on Sunday, and noticed the wounds on his head. He examined his pockets finding nothing in them but a small piece of tobacco. The right hand trouser pocket had been cut away. He afterwards informed Superintendent STOREY, and accompanying him examined the spot where the body was found then both going to the house of the deceased. Mr STOREY entered the house he waited outside. As soon as STOREY went into the house he saw Thomas MEADOWCROFT and Isaac JAQUES coming around the buildings. He knew they were bad characters and thought he saw blood on the trouser knees of MEADOWCROFT he got out of the gig and apprehended them not telling them on what charge. It was then 11pm. He afterwards apprehended Robert WOOD, at the house of a woman named BIBBY at Eccleston, who had previously been to the Seven Stars at Eccleston, about half a mile from the place where the deceased was found heard nothing of him there. He went to BIBBYS house she shut the door in his face. WOOD appeared dirty and had not been to bed he said he had been at the house of John PARR, just behind the BIBBY house. PARR would not tell anything about Robert WOOD. On searching MEADOWCROFT he found three sixpences, a knife, spikenail and tobacco box. WOOD on the way to the lockup asked him if two of our men had taken JACQUES to the lockup, he never replied to the question.
Superintendent STOREY informed the coroner that the friends of the deceased had offered a reward of fifty pounds for the detection of the murderers in addition to any reward offered by the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
William BURROWS, sworn said he had been in the lockups at St Helens since Saturday on a charge and is now acquitted He was in the cell with MEADOWCROFT and other prisoners, when asked why he was there he said for killing a man but he was clear he was innocent, Robert WOOD came in next he had been to a spree after a wedding. Others came in afterwards they knew each other and said they had done nothing and had been out at the Seven Stars, had come round as far as the GREEN and were home by 2am. MEADOWCROFT said he went home to bed, stayed two hours, changed half a sovereign gave his wife six shillings and spent the other four before he was apprehended. The other men went to PARRS house.
John BALL of Rainford spoke to meeting two men who resembled the prisoners Robert WOOD and Isaac JACQUES opposite Websters Beerhouse on Dentons Green on the night of the murder
Inquiry adjourned
The inquest was concluded, Mr SHARP foreman, said the verdict they had concluded was that of, Wilful murder against Isaac JAQUES, Robert WOODS and Thomas MOLYNEUX. The prisoners were brought into the room and the Coroner informed them that the jury had found them guilty of of the murder of the late Henry GRAYSON.
The prisoners denied any participation in the crime, but were committed under the warrant of the Coroner to take their trial at the assizes.
Burial: 8 Dec 1841 St Chad, Kirkby, Lancashire
Henry Grayson -Age: 64 yrs
Abode: Rainford township, Prescot parish
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