16 MAY 1840, Page 6

Ube _Metropolis.

The murder of Lord William Russell continues to occupy more of public attention in the Metropolis than any other subject. The most odious curiosity exists among all classes to learn even the minutest circumstances in any way connected with it. Discoveries have been ode which seriously implicate the Swiss valet, Courvoisier ; and on Sunday night he was taken from the house in Norfolk Street to the Station-house in Bow Street. Next morning, he was examined before liar. Ball and Mr. Jardine, the Magistrates ; Mr. Mohler conducting the case for the Commissioners of Police, and Mr. Flower attending on behalf of the prisoner. Courvoisier is about thirty years of age ; has a dull, downcast look, with more of the appearance of an Englishman than a foreigner. When brought into the court at Bow Street his face and lips were deadly pale. The first witness was Nicholas Pearce, an Inspector of Police ; who slated, that he went to Lord William Russell's house on the evening of Wednesday last, where he saw the prisoner and the two female servants. ge saw the corpse of Lord William Russell in the bed, and then pro- ceeded to search the premises. He found some property, which he had brought along with him. Mr. Nobler—" Describe to the Magistrates what that property consists of, and where you found it." Witness—" On Friday last I examined the butler's pantry, haring previously searched the house as well."

Mr. Ilobler—" Had the room you speak of been described to you as the butler's pantry before you made the search there ? " Witness—" Yes, it was ; and the prisoner himself told me it was his pantry before the search was made."

Mr. llobler—" Now, state the result of your search." Witness—" On searching the room, I observed a skirting-board between the side of the fire- place and the sink ; and perceiving that a small piece of the lime or plaster had been recently removed, by tearing sonic more of the plaster, I got my two fingers inside of the skirting-board, and then by a sudden jerk about nine or ten inches of the board in length and about six inches in breadth came away with the pull."

Mr. Hall—" Diet the board come away as if it had been recently removed from its place ? " Witness—" Yes, it did."

Mr. Did the wood appear to you to be sound or decayed ? " Wit- ness—" It was perfectly sound.' Mr. Holder—" Now state what you discovered." Witness—" At the mo- ment I pulled away the skirting, 1511w the gold-net purse I now produce. It was lying about two inches from the skirting on the inside, as if it had been pushed there. Two constables were in the pantry at the time, and I immedi- ately called their attention to the circumstance. I then took the purse out, and it is now in the same state as when 1 found it."

Mr. Hobler—" Did you examine the contents of the pttrse ?" Witness—" I did."

Mr. Hohler—" Now then, tell the Magistrate what it contained." Wit- ness—"It contained the five gold coins I now produce wrapped in this piece of paper; also five gold rings, one of which is a wedding-ring. After I drew out the purse, 1 saw a Abend in the same plan, or a little further in ; and having pulled away another piece of the skirting, took the ribantl, to which was at- tacheda Waterloo medal, with the name of "Ile ilotmurable Captain Rus- sell, Aide.de-Camp,' inscribed upon it. 6n the inside of the skirting-board, and further on, I found a ten-pound Bank of England note. I afterwards searched the room, and found this watch-ring hidden in the wall, about seven feet from the ground, behind a leaden pipe affixed to the wall." Mr. Hall—" Before you searched the pantry, had you had any conversation with the prisoner about the rings and other property which was missing ?" Witness—" I had; and belbre I found the rings the prisoner told me that his Lordship was in the habit of wearing rings, which he said were missing with the other property." Mr. 11a11—" After you found the articles you have described, did you men-

tiou the fact to the prisoner?" Witness—" I did. Ile was in the back- parlour at the time ; and I placed the articles on the table, and said to the prisoner, 'I have found these rings and the other property concealed in your pantry.'"

Mr. Hobler—" Did he make any reply to that ? " Witness—" Yes, be did; he said, I know nothing about them ; I am innocent ; any conscience is clear.' " Mr. Hall—" Did he say that the rings were those which were missing ?" Witness—" No, he did not. He merely said, I never saw the medal before." Mr. Hobler—" Did you afterwards take him to the pantry and show him the place where you found the things ? " Witness—" 1 did." Mr. Hobler—" What observation did he snake when you pointed out the place to him?" Witness—" His answer was the same. I know nothing about them; 1 am innocent.' " Mr. Hobler—" Did you then continue your search in the room ; and did the prisoner remain there while you were so engaged? " Witness—" Ile did for some time. Ile was not its the room when I tumid the watch-ring." Mr. Nobler—" Were the articles you found afterwards identified as his Lordship's property ? " Witness—" Yes, his Lordship's late valet identified them."

Mr. Mohler said, he did not wish to go further with the evidence that day; but Mr. Hall thought he must produce more to entitle him to have the prisoner remanded. The witness proceeded with his narra- tive— " I searched the bedroom of the prisoner, and found a bunch of keys ; I think ten in number. I also searched his person, and in his right-hand trou- sers pocket I found a gold locket with hair in it, and 70s. in silver. While I was examining the locket, the prisoner said, It is mine.'"

Mr. Hobler—" Did he tell you how long he had had it ? " Witness—" I did not ask lam that question." Mr. llobler—" Did you afterwards search his box for any property or in-

strument?" Witness—. I did; I discovered no property 111 the box. I fond, however, a screwdriver and a chisel in it ; and on Wednesday night 1 found It hammer in the pantry. Having applied the ends of the chisel and screwdriver to the marks on the drawers, and also on the door of the plate- cupboard, I found them to correspond. When I showed the prisoner the chi- sel, he said, "That's mine,' but the hammer and screwdriver belongs to the house."

The prisoner was then remanded till Thursday ; and conveyed, strongly handcuffed, to Tothill-fields Gaol. A great variety of rumonrs were afloat during Tuesday and Wed- nesday; but it is unnecessary to mention them, as the account of the examination before the Magistrates, resumed on Thursday, contains all the facts of the case. Many persons of distinction were present during the proceedings on Thursday ; and among them the Duke of Brunswick, the Earl of Cla- rendon, the Earl of Essex, Sir W. Wynn, and Sir George Beaumont. Mr. Wing, the Duke of Bedford's solicitor, was in attendance.

The first witness was Sarah Mansell, the housemaid. She said she had been three years in Lord William Russell's service. Another fe- male servant and the valet were the only domestics his Lordship kept ; but he had two out-door servants, a coachman and a groom. The wit- The prisoner's bed-room was on the same floor with hers, at the back of the house. Lord William's was immediately under hers. She made the fire in Lord William's room, and went to lied at half- past ten. The cook soon followed her. Lord William and the valet were then the only other persons in the house. It was the valet's duty to sit up till his master went to bed, which was generally about twelve o'clock- " I did not quit my room (luring the night. I awoke about half-past six the next morning, Wednesday the 6th of May ; and got up and went down about a quarter to seven. 1 was accustomed to knock at the prisoner's door as I went down. 1 did so that morning. 1 did not see him then. I cannot say whether he answered. I did not hear him. 1 went down stairs. 1 passed his Lordship's room, and found a warming-pan lying at the door. It was his Lordship's custom to have his bed warmed ; and that was a duty perfbrmed by the valet. 1 had once seen the pan left there before; and told the prisoner of it, as it was not a proper place. 1 left it, and went into the back-room ad- joining his Lordship's bed-room to see for the broom, and then into the back drawing-room, and drew the blinds. I saw his Lordship's writing-desk turned round, the drawers open, and the top jammed up with some papers. Ills keys were lying on the top-drawer, and some of his papers. A screw-driver was lying on this chair a 1 had seen the screw-driver before in the valet's pantry—a few days befbre. 1 then went into the front room and opened the shutters, but observed nothing particular. I then went down stairs; and at the bottom of the staircase 1 saw a number of things against the front-door. 1 saw Ida Lordship's large blue cloak, his opera-glass, and a little trinket-box lying on the top of the cloak, close to the street-door. 1 saw a number of things tied up in a napkin ; and in the folds were his Lordship's gold pencil-ease and his tooth-pick tipped with gold, all lying in the same passage. I looked into the napkin' lu and se a silver sugar-dredger, a pair of his Lordship's spectacles, a little silver caddy-spoon, a silver top of a salt-dredger, and a silver thimble, and also a silver dish-cover. The spectacles were mounted with tortoise-shell. It was the same, it appears, his Lordship had the day before at dinner ; and he used it twice. I had last seen it in the drawer in the pantry. This was in the afternoon before his Lordship's dinner. The sugar-dredger was kept in the pantry ; the caddy-spoon, the cover, and the top of the salt were also kept in the pantry. 1 do not know where the spectacles were kept. The tooth-pick and gold pencil were continually laid on a little table in his Lordship's bed- room, covered with a white cloth. His Lordship had two cloaks; and they were generally placed on the last chair in the dining-room. Ills Lordship had not used that cloak for a fortnight before. I went up to the street-door and examined it. I found it unbolted, unlocked, and unchained, with no other fastening than the latch. I went into the front drawing-room, and saw some- thing on the floor. I felt alarmed, and set the door open, and opened the shutters. I saw all the drawers opened, and the knives and silver lying on the

ness described minutely the events of the day before the murder. The valet had been out a good deal, delivering messages, he said; for his

master, who had gone to Brooks's Club, and had desired the carriage might be sent for him there. One of these messages was to an uphol- sterer, to mend a bell in Lord William's room. About five in the even- ing, the valet went up stairs to prepare his master's dress for dinner-

" I was in the kitchen, and there came a ring at the bell: the prisoner answered it, and said it was the upholsterer's man : this was about live o'clock. I afterwards saw the upholsterer's man when he came down stairs : lie left the House by the front door, I think. We then had tea. Whilst the prisoner and the upholsterer were up stairs, there came a ring at the bell : I went into the area to see, and it was a friend of the valet's, named Carr. He asked to

see the prisoner, and 1 asked him to come down : he did so. I had seen Carr

there before ; lie had come to visit the prisoner on former occasions. In a few minutes after, the prisoner came into the kitchen. We all remained in the

kitchen together. His Lordship returned at twenty minutes to six. in a cab.

Whilst we were at tea, the coachman came ; he came down the area steps. I asked the prisoner if lie had ordered the carriage ; he said, no, he had forgotten

it. I said to the coachman, You were ordered to Brooks's at five, and ought to have been there ' ; and the prisoner repeated the same thing. The coach- man did not remain : he only asked the valet it' he had been to Jarvis and Jones, and went with the carriage. The prisoner said he should tell his Lord- slap ;le ordered the carriage at half-past five. 1 told him he had better tell his Lordship the truth, as his Lordship would sooner forgive his thrgetting the carriage than telling a falsehood. lie said his Lordship was very forgetful, and must pay for his forgetfulness. Carr told the prisoner he had better tell the truth. After we had done tea, Carr and the prisoner went into the passage. When his Lordship came home, I went to the pantry ; and Courvoisier said, his Lordship is obliged to come home in a cab. Ile went up to his Lord- ship; he then returned to the pantry. IIis Lordship then rang the bell again. Courvoisier went up, and came down into the pantry with a letter, and said lie was going to the stables with it by desire of his Lordship. Ile told me in his pantry, when he came bark, that his Lordship had said,' 1 thought I ordered my carriage at live.' lie said Ni,, half-post.' Ills Lordship repealed,' I thought it wa: five '; and he said, No, my Lord, half-past five ' Ile said his Lordship appeared rather angry at first, but after that he became quite good-tempered. Ills Lordship had a large dog; and when prisoner returned front the stables, he told witness he was going up stairs to let the dog in : the dog Wt IS a large white one : the dog came into the house every morning and evening. Lordship then went out ; this was about six o'clock. Ills Lordship returned from his walk shortly after six. I did not see his Lordship go out. Prisoner told nu' his Lord- ship was gone out again. 1 said, suppose his Lordship should meet with the carriage? lie said, he had left word at the stables to tell William that his Lordship was time home. Ills Lordship was absent about half-an-hour, when he returned. The prisoner then made preparation for his Lordship's dinner. I was in the dining-room when the prisoner came up with the tablecloth. After that I went up in my bed-room. The bell-hunger came again about this time. The valet rang the hell : I came down ; mid the valet adail me to go with the bell-hanger, to see him put a hell on the door : it was sill his Lord- ship's bed-room door. 1 said I would, and went with Ishii. I was up-stairs till eight o'clock. When I came down, I found the prisoner in the pantry. I saw the man tighten the bell in his .1.m.lship's bed -room ; and then he left, taking with him the handle of the door. The hell is placed at. the head of the bed, near the window, so that a person call ring it lying in bed. No one was with the prisoner in the pantry. The coachman came in to fetch the dog a little before nine; lie came by the area-steps, through the kitchen into the pantry. Ile remained a little more than a quarter of at hour, and then he fetched the dog. It was 11511111 for him to do so. Ile went to the dining-room for the dog. It was his Lordship's custom to have the dog with him from din-

ner-time until he had coffee. The coachman took the clog away. 1 was in the pantry ; and Courvoisier said they were going- to have coffee made, and asked the coachman to have some. Ile said he could not stop. The cook was out.

The prisoner and myself were left alone. We sopped together. We conversed together about a new servant coining; and Courvoisier said, it' his Lordship

did not take his friend, he should not7 stay ; that he wished be had not conic into the place, as he did not like it so well as he thought he should. He said his Lordship was fidgety, and he thought not pleased with hint, at thathe was cross and perish. I said, Nonsense.' lie has at other tittles used similar expressions." floor scattered about the room. I felt dreadfully alarmed, and went up stairs. The silver consisted of the candlesticks, the snuffers, and the bottoms of the dish covers and other articles. I went up to call the cook ; she was in bed in my room. I opened the door, and asked her if she knew if any thing had been the matter last night, and described to her the state I had seen the room in. She said, Courvoisier.' I said, ' Cour- voisier, do you know if any thing has been the matter last night ?' He said 310. 1 said, ' All your silver things are about.' He came to the door imme- diately. He was dressed all but his coat. Ito ran down stairs, and took the warming-pan with him. I told him what I had told the cook. He looked pale and agitated. He was not usually so quick when he was called not more than five minutes elapsed from the time I first went down until I re- turned: I am sure it was mot ten minutes. He would sometimes be nearly an lour after he was called before he came down dressed ; sometimes half an hour or twenty minutes. I never knew him dress in a quarter of an hour : his time varied from half an hour to an hour. lie washed and dressed himself gene- rally in his pantry. There was a basin and jug in his room. I followed him down stairs. He went first to the dining-room and laid the pan down ; he then. proceeded to the pantry. Ile said something, which I do not recollect, rviten he came into the dining-room. I went with him to the pantry, and observed the cupboard-door and drawers open, and several things on a bench there. He made his way to the drawers and said, ' Oh, my God, some one has robbed us.' I said let us go up stairs: we went. On going up, I said, For God's sake go and see where his Lordship is.' He went up and openedhis Lordship's bed- room-door. I was close to him. The door has a spring : I opened it instantly, and went in after him. I saw the prisoner in the act of opening the shutters of the middle window. I had got as far as the fbot of the bed. The curtains were open. I saw blood on the pillow, and screamed and ran out. I do not think I saw his Lordship. He generally lay on the side next the window. I only saw the blood. Ilis Lordship generally lay on the right side, with his face towards the window. I have often seen bun reposing in bed in that way. The night before, I had prepared the bed and drawn the curtains at the side next the door, rind a little the foot-curtains : they were in the same state 1 had felt them. 1 did not hear the prisoner say any thing. I ran out and left him there; then went out and gave the alarm to the servants of a neighbour. The door ins on the latch. In a few minutes I returned, and met the cook in the passage at the bottom of the stairs. I saw the prisoner sitting in a chair in the front dining-room. There was a large book on the table, and he was writing on a piece of paper in the book. He wrote two words. I said, What the devil are you sitting here for : why don't you go and see for some one, or for a doctor ?' Ile said he must write to Mr. Russell ; and I said some one must go. He went out on the step of the front-door, and beckoned to a labouring Marl passing. I said, 'Don't cull siteli a man as that.' He then came back into the house. Mr. Cutler's man shortly after came in, and others also. Mr. Latham's butler and his Lordship's coachman were the first who went into his Lordship's room before the Police came. I accompanied. theist, as did my fellow-servant the cook. I did not see the pri- soner. I do not recollect that he went with us. I did not go into the room then, but ray down stairs, svIten 1 heard Mr. Latham's butler ask for a doctor. I went down stairs, and sent for one. The Police came in about ten minutes, stud then I went into the room with them. I went to the foot of the lied, and saw his Lordship's face. (The witness was much affected while giving this part of her evidence.) I went to the dressing-table ; there was nothing on it. There was a great deal of blood on one side of his face and on the pillow. The shutters were then quite open. All the things he used to keep on the dress- ing-table, such as his rings, his pencil-case, and tooth-pick, were all gone. His Lordship was accustomed to wear a small wedding-ring, a large thick plain gold ring, a large ring with a large dark stone in it, engraved with an animal ; another ring with a smaller stuns, and another which I (mullet describe. 1 have scar these articles many times, and should know them. I have seen a silver medal, oith it ribbon to it, in his Lordship's possession. The one pro- duced is the one : it used to he kept in a box by his Lordship's bed. I have never examined it, but I believe it to be the same. The rings produced are those his Lordship used to wear." The witness also identified the pencil-case, tooth-pick, spectacles, and other articles, which were produced by the Police, as the property of Lord William Russell. The napkin was also produced and identified. It was marked " W. 11., No. 2." " It was the one found in the passage, which I had given out for his Lordship's use on the Monday. His Lordship had some pieces of fbreign gold in his possession. The pieces pro- duced resemble them. It might be three mouths since I saw those coins in his Lordship's possession. I know the purse produced. It was Lord William Russell's. The Monday before his Lordship's death, I saw the rings all on his Lordship's table. The pencil-case and tooth-pick would be lying on the dress- ing. table with the rings. This purse was not his usual purse ; Ids usual purse was a long silk one. I have had conversations with the prisoner about money; the last time was Tuesday morning, the 5th May. Prisoner said he never took any money out with him, and never kit any at home, our had any in the hank. After that, he said he had eight pounds and some odd shillings in the bank. 1 asked hint what bank ; and lie said St. Martin's Lane. I said that was the best bank he could put it in. Ile said that he had brought some money- to England with him ; and all the money he had Oleo was live pounds, and he must ask his Lordship for inure. 1 asked him if lie had spent n11 that money I saw him take out the other day. his said he had, all but three shillings : he had paid a tailor's bill. That was all that passed then. At tea-time, Care Was talking about a sills, and said he put prisoner down for one. lie said lie would be put down for two."

In reply to Mr. Hall, the witness said, the prisoner put on his coat, on the Wednesday morning, as he was going down stairs. There were no clothes lying about in his room. She never woke during the night. Mary Hostel, the cook, was then examined. She had been two a cams and nine months in Lord William's service. The housemaid was there before her-

" The prisoner hail been in his Lordship's service five weeks. James Ellis, the last valet, left the day prisoner Caine. On the evening of Tuesday, the 5th of May, his Lordship dined at home. It was the prisoner's duty to wait at dinner. There was a small quantity of plate used, which I washed. I went out that evening a little before nine, and returned a little before ten o'clock. I came in at the street-door. Courvoisier let me in. Ile went up the area steps, and returned. I believe he locked the gate, and brought the key in. I do not recollect seeing the key in his hand. lie locked and chained the door when I Ca1110 ill. 1 ucut up to bed. I believe the valet asked me to look ut his Lordship's tire as I went up. This was about half-past ten. Nothing occurred during the night to disturb me. His Lordship usually burnt a rush- light. The house-maid was up first the next morning. I heard her knock at the prisoner's door. 1 did not hear any answer. My dour was shut. The house-maid, in about five minutes, came back and told use the house was ing COnft1SiOU. 1 desired her to tell Courvoisier; and she knocked

at his door. I heard them both go down stairs. I got up immedi- ately and went down stairs. I heard the house-maid scream ; which frightened me. I ran down, and she told me his Lordship was killed.

1 went into the dining-room, and saw the house-maid and prisoner. Ile pointed out the things lying about. lie was sitting down with pen and paper as if going to write. lie afterwards was sitting in the back dining-room ; and be add, ' 011, dear, they'll-think its me; I shall never get a place again.' it atl—er: There were various articles lying scattered about the dining-room and ps---8„„ as if they had been disturbed in the night. After the Police came in, 1 4,t'' into his Lordship's bedroom, and saw the corpse. I generally holtea locked the down-stairs doors, the front kitchen-door and the back kiteass.dg„ I fastened the back-door before I went out, and do not recollect opening wards. I do not recollect whether I went to look at the door the last thina It was the man's business to fasten the door that led front the passage into tla yard." Sims had lost a thimble, which she saw in amm dneaplun on the morn mg in question, with the other articles. The thimble produced is the one She did not see what the prisoner had written, but thinks it was in French: Sarah Mansell was recalled, but could not tell what the two words were, or what became of the letter.

The prisoner was then again remanded till Friday the 22d.

Lord William's watch was discovered in the sink after it had been removed into the yard. The watch was artfully put between the lead and the wood-work, and then the lead was beaten down over it, The glass was broken, but no other damage was done. No seals ordain were found with it.

The corpse of Lord William Russell was privately removed from Norfolk Street early yesterday morning, for interment in the family, vault, °smiles, Buckinghamshire. Lord John Russell, and other members of the family attended the funeral. The Duke of Bedford and Lord Tavistock were not present.