Untitled

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 288, 24 July 1860, Page 3

MANSLAUGHTER BY A SCHOOLMASTER. On Wednesday, Mr. Thomas Hopley, described ~ as a gentleman, was taken up on warrant by. Su- " perintendent J'lanagani before Mr. G. -Darby, chairman, Mr. R. J. Graham, at the vestry-room, Eastbourne, on the charge of killing and slaying Reginald',Channel Cancellor, late one ofhisschool- \ pupils, on the 21st of April last. At the incjuest Jhe,verdic.t was, 'That deceased was found deaS, but that there was no evidence to show tthe cause v oJ.death.' / . ,; The Rev. John Henry Cancellor: Am a clergyman residing at Send, Surrey, and'am the son of the"Rev: Mr* Cancellor, of Barnes Surrey. Am also a brother of deceased, who had been living with Mr. Hopley, at 22 Grand-parade, Eastbourne. Deceasedl was fifteen years of age. -He had been at Mri Hopley's sirlce last October. Last saw my broker, alive in February. Saw him dead on the 25th ofAprii at Eastbourne. Came to Eastbourne, n consequence, of information -I; received, to make nquiriesas to what had taken place at the.inquest. The undertaker, came down with me; in the same train. Went to- the Burlington Hotel, iand: there waited the arrival of the inspector of police. Finding I could not see the' inspector. till after 5 o'clock, 1 sent to Mi*. Hopley's to say that the 'body, would,hot be removed that day. Slr.'Hopley came.to me."at the Burlington Hotel about 3 o'clpck. Mr. Hopley expressed his astonishment ...at.haying received a message from me saying that $he, Jbody would not be removed that day, especially as fie had heard, from my father that it was to be 3aken:away that day. Said I was afraid there might have to be a post-mortem examination, as I .was not satisfied as to the cause of death, and as '■■'■ 'there seemed; to be discrepancies in the accounts ' * which had been'given.of the occurrence. In consequence of the conversation which ensued between myself aiid Mr. Hopley, gave orders for the body , to be removed. Asked Mr. Hopley why a doctor ' ". liad not been sent for directly he discovered that the boy was dead. He said X must make allowance for his .agitation at the time. He had been so ; shocked at finding him dead that he didn't wish " anybody else to go suddenly into the; room. His "first impulse was to lock the door'j and then to go ' for a-medical man. He could not, however, lock • the door, because he could not find the key. He " thought it necessary then.to break the intelligence toMrs. Hopley^ and also to", one of the servants. " Mrs. Hopley^ and the servant were so distressed I- ,tb'atKe'"Vra3Tia!D^bie,to;le'ay6^them for gome little time. He then went to Mr. Roberts's hpuse, and, as Mr. Roberts wagj.no.t,at .home, left word for him to go to 22 GratidVparade, on his return. Ha • then sent a telegraphic message to my father, begc -•; ging tbat-he would come to Eastbourne by the ■'-'' -earliest4r"Mn. Mr. Hopley said he was delayed ''at the railway-station, as the telegraph boy was not able to arouse the people at Polegate. On his return from the statioD, he met Mr. Roberts in the street. Mr. Roberts had then been at his : house, 22' Grand-parade, and, finding Mr. Hopley :w^ not at home, had gone away. He took Mr. Roberts back with him, who saw the body, and had every opportunity of examining it. I then said," Mr. Hopley, you told my father that you left my brother's room about ten.. I find from the report of the inquest that you there stated that you left at half-past eleven ; and how was it that • :«bfearns .were heard from my brother's bedroom jwhcnyou told my father he was punished down > Stairs?" He said, "I; wished to spare your father's feelings, and bo did not wish to go into painful details^; Hopley said to me that he carried • the boy up. to his bedroom, because he would tiptgo.wheri told; and he punished him in his Wtropm. ; He iold me that my brother took no notice of t^e punishment till after the last flogging, whien-he burst into a ;flpod pf tears ; and then, he said, my brother put his hand on his breast, and .oasked to. be allowed to Bay ; his lessons^ Mr. Hopley iold me hi answer to my question, that he did ndt fault nor's'^bpn*. Asked him if he drew blood when he^flogged! hitp, arid whether there were • . any marks of bipod. ; ! -AlicWDeacon, hpusenjaid to the prisoner, said: • ! I rewembeif^ the <3eath ;decaesjßd. 0n Saturday, the 21sti of Apra,ai half-past nine in the evening, ; Mr,. Hppley told me''fo Iseha deceased to him in the dining-room., I Wient to. the mess-room and told' him, -aiid that..was-/,the last time I saw him aliye» He/was then inhis usual health; • About a quarter, to ten heard Mr. ; Hopley and i Master; Cancellor in -the room.; ' fyr. Hopley called him to ifhe pupil-room^ '\sM after he had been'there aboutr,five .minutes he^rd' him beat him. Waited up till nearly elewnjto take Master 'Cancellbr's candlev (Bfe didnotigo ' tobedj and sol went to my bedroom, which £ is! at the bottom of the house. Master Cancellpr's bedroom waßat: the top of the house, which kfpur stories, highi '. He cj-ied when he was beating fera, and sonietimes runafeout the ropm. It >?ontihped off and on'ftom a quarter nearly halfpast eleven,-so far as I heard; 'Mbtir Cancellor went;fo, his bedrooni about half-past efeyen,: or . tw^ty mmuteS^tP itwelye. It seemed by the noisjenifide gpiiig np^taiw that Mr. flopleywal; carryingorpushingtnmup. Oh' Sunday Jeawblodd i j^n the carpet;in thepupil room.. It seemed: as if; ; ■ it had been powdered and rubbed. .After I. had ; done, that room went up to Mri Hopley's dressipgtoom, and saw inaxshair a pair of trowsers'ind. ■•;• drawerfi.;; :The^left, leg of theidrawers *aihd also |he left leg pf the trowsjere had be«n .washed put and wet. One sock1 wasi wfetiiind[thei' xrther sock ' had marks;pf blpod:pn^ it..: They were, Master '•''"'■ i^ancellor's.' Itf Mrs;^onlejris Ijeiittfom ,saY that: tmti "Rasters liad bj^eff<w^6d^p>t^They were: - lying on, theflopr."""TßerS wi^jasne^ intwdrea-Bing-room with marks of blood'on; it. • into • ' ,thp ro^om'ne^t to Master'CancelJor^rodm^ ' v- - he"ard Mr. aiid Mrs! "Hopley in his tpjim. ;At a quarter-past eight Mr. Hopley .rang'his. dressing ' xt Js>9M b?H, and called me in.' He' told', me he1 had i "]>ien to Canceller's bedroom, and found filial 7 r ","4|sl»; »B|*i*bf'arid ha3jna^fe hinjcom-;' I '~^l.*fcr^pi©ir^«^-pnt' K-wm.''on'"a' clean nightshirt. ; ; Mr.' Qbpley if J. could help him. He ?aid '".'. *' I might help .Mrs. Hopley "alter breakfast. Mr,. _ .Hopley said he wouldsend ior his friends and DV. j T B#erts^; 2 This waiaf^er he laid he; ha4imade j,,, ijiq bpjiy 'c^mfp|tab]le.,, ,Mr..Rob^rt9 .came/about ; '' J • ,^e minutes to nine, and after lie, had gone I \yent ' f and wiped the chesj and face of the deceased. -Observed no particular appearances about- the. Body* jiFoUnd Mr., Hopley's cahdlestickKo^tside! Master Cancellpr's bedroom door, and the watercau" inside the room. There were marks of blood on ~, 1: .M0K.-. ,^.,,--,.. ..-,.-..,.;■,,.,,.,..,,.-,..,...-■.,.. : ..; :'; ■ X .;., nursemaid 4o Mr, Hopley, having.. 1" .^v '■■■■■■X /j^.j-, ■ <■ ') * v hiJpr^Bojpert^Viilie, of Barnes* Surrey^ s«id ;> On: "' . Saturday morning, April 28, w«i called, into make ' %nort^ ißottem ewmujatigft of tlw bod^r of the

deceased, at the request of his father, at his house. The general appearance of the body was that of a stout,; muscular, well-developed boy. It.*; was free from any smell or appearance of putrefaction. Extensive: marina of bruising were about the arms and legs. The paln\ and back of .the right, and the back of the left hand were extensively bruised. They were extravasated; there had been no bleeding. There were extensive bruises on the thighs of both legs, on the front and back surfaces. The feet were pale and natural. All the bruised parts, when cut into, showed laceration of the cellular tissue, and extensive extravasation of blob'd. Over the fore part of the right leg Were found two wounds, of the size of a. sixpenny-piece, which were round, and led directly down to the membrane covering the bone', and thip muscle, was torn away from the bone so that the point of the finger could be inserted to'the extent of three-quarters of an inch. Around this wound the muscular tissue was much inflated \vith blood., The second wound was about an inch in length, and gaping to the extent of about three inches, It was generally,superficial, but in the centre the probe penetrated to the membrane of the bone. The organs of the body generally were in a very healthy state, and there was nothing to show a probability of sudden death without violence. The prisoner entered into a very lengthy state-_ ment in defence.1 He maintained that he was innocent of the charge as any person in the room, and if he had done anything at all amiss, it was his great determination to do liis duty. He admitted chastising the deceased, and • said he j left him asleep. The blood upon the candlestick and on the deceased's leg he accounted for from his (the prisoner) having a blister on his hand, which bled, and accidentally got upon them. . [ h After a hearing of upwards of seven hours, ithe prisoner was committed to take his trial at the assizes, bail being accepted, himself in £1000 and two sureties in £500 each.