The Times, from which the following report is taken, says—"
Ire delayed the publication of this extraordinary stateniont fur the pur- pose of examining thoroughly into the matters it contains ; but after every inquiry, we feel ourselves now justified it giving it publicity."
A considerable period has elapsed since a case has occurred in the county of Kent that has excited greater interest, or that has been surrounded with more extraordinary circumstances than this. The high station which the party accused hell in society, and the influence which he exercised in the Western division of Kent, have tended to increase tidily the curiosity of the pebble mind on the subject ; and very strange assertions have been made re- specting the escape if the accused, and ate manner in which the legal proceed- ings have been coadueted. 'flue accused is Mr. John Frederick Parker, of Lewisham, Clerk to the Lewisham Bench of Magistrate., and Clerk to the Commissioners of Taxes for the county ; which situations are stated to have yielded between 15001. and 2000/. per annum. The lady who brought the case under the notice of the legal authorities, is the widow of the late 31r. Boys of Lewisham, and eldest daughter of Mr. Tanner of Norwood, who holds a luta ative situation in the Customs. Mrs. Boys, ac- companied by Mr. Lester, a professional gentleman, residing at Lewisham, ap- peared, in the first instance, before Messrs. Brandrain and Jackson, two of the county 'Magistrates, at the house of the former, at Lee, for the purpose of mak- ing out a sufficient ex parte ease to obtain a warrant for the apprehension of Mr. Parker for child-murder. Mrs. Boys stated, that she had been delivered of several children, of whom Mr. Parker was the further; that one of them, when a few daya old, was taken away from her by Mr. Parker, under the pre- tence that it was to lie confided to the care of a wet-nurse ; and she had been since told by Mr. Parker and Mr. Hollist, a medical gentleman of Lewis- ham, who attended her (Mrs. Boys) during her confinement, that the child was dead, but that she had subsequently ascertained the child was living; that Mr. Parker was paying Ifis, per week for its maintenance, through Mr. Ho!- list, and that letters concerning the child were addressed to Mr. Parker under a feigned name to the house of the medical gentleman ; that she (rum. Boys), in consequence of what hal afterwards occurred (referring to the shocking trans- action hereafter detailed), had reason to fear fur the safety of the child, and consequently applied to the Bench for interference. The second awl most serious charge against Mr. Parker was then stated, and the information of Mrs. Boys was taken upon oath. It was to the effect, that she was pregnant by Mr. Parker some time since; that Mr. Parker had pur- chased some medicine, and induced her to take it for several weeks for the purpose of procuring abortion ; that the drug did not have the desired effect, and she was persuaded by him to go to town to be confined ; that she did so, anti was conducted to apartments previously engaged by Mr. Parker and in- troduced to a foreign medical man (a German, it is supposed) in a :larkened room. where a premature delivery was effected. That during the whole of the time •-lie was undere. :rig the operation, Mr. Parker was present. Site after. war!, sank from extemstion, annul fainted; and on recovering, she asked for her clii!.!, and was told that it was dead and buried.
r. Lester tinged, that the justice of the case demanded the exercise of the Magistrate's authority ; and a warrant was subsequently granted and placed in the hands of Couchman, a constable of Lewisham.
The warrant is directed to " Thomas Couchtnan, our special constable," &c.
.• Whereas EliZ3 SiMson Boys, ftzc. on the 9th of May instant, made information be- fore its. Mr. Thomas Branch-am and Mr. Joseph Jackson, Ste. (here the usual form is adopted. anti the charges set out in it are substantiality as follows.) That John Fre- derick Parker did feloniously administer to Eliza Simson Boys certain noxious drugs and things tor the purpo,t; of causing and procuring an abortion, Ste. " That in the middle or lal ter part of the year aforesaid, lie, the said John Frederick Parker, did telon'ously cause a certain operation to be performed, for the purpose and with the int-et of procuring att abortion, a hereby the child with which she was preg- nant was killed and destroyed, &c. It bent muter our hands, &c. "T. It RANDRAM.
"J. JACKSON."
The constable apprehended Mr. Parker opposite the house of the latter, at Lewisham. An investigation took place ; which terminated in the accused being called upon to find hail in the sum of 10001. for his appearance on a future day before the Bench. A day was fixed for the examination of Mr. Parker ; when a full bench of Magistrates assembled at the Green Man Hotel, Blackheath, where the Magistrates held their sessions for the transaction of special business. Mr. Clarkson the barrister appeared for the prisoner. Mr. Parker did not appear, and his bail was declared forfeited. Mr. Hollist subsequently attended, for the purpose of exonerating himself; and, it is stated, cleared himself from any criminal charge, by producing the child first referred to. Some inquiries, it is said, were made after Mr. Parker; and information was f6rwarderl by the solicitor for the promeeution to the Police Hue and Cry. Large posting-bills were placarded against the walls in the neighbouring towns; but they were not allowed to remain up niauy hours, a beadle and several persons having rendered themselves very active in destroying them. The following is a copy. " .C50 lteward.—Whereas John Frederick Parker, late Of LeWiS113111, in the county of Kent, attorney-at-law, stab& charged a lib rebury, and has :ibseolekal Irma his bail. Any_persou or persons who may came him to be apprehended and 1,, :gra in any of his Majesty's gaols, may receive the above run ard, by application to Mr. Lester, attorney for the pros...cut km, " The said John Frederick Parker is about thirtydive years of age, about Ike feet seven inches high, lair complexion, light hair. se.ulty to the front, full whiskers, somewhat sandy, rather bow•leg4.11, awl takes quilt
" Cunningham. primer, Crown Court."
It is generally believed that Mr. Parker is staying at Abbeville, although some state that he is still secreted in a distant part of the country.
The admission of Mr. Parker to bail, when in custody on a capital charge, has caused much speculative move' sation in the neighbourhood, and the solicitor for the prosecution is said to have expressed his regret that he did not cause the examination to be taken before Sir F. Roe at Dow Stleet.
The forfeited recognizances have not been paid, in consequence of some al- leged informality in them, which an official gentleman of the county informed the reporter, Mr. Parker's friemk iuteuded to avail themselves of. No clue has yet been (Ada:tied respecting the foreign medical man who per- formed the operation on i‘lms. Bojs mm town. -Airs. Boys, it is stow!, is now staying at Norwood with her family.
James Gillrow, gamekeeper to Colonel Hamner, M. P., was mur- dered on the night of Monday the 2,9th August, by Thomas Bates, a poacher, in a copse 'mar Soullnity, Itm litickiughainshire. Gillrow dis- covered Bates shootiug at pheasants; and though time latter begged for- giveness, determined on taking him into custody; whereupon Bates struck him with the but-end of his gun, so violently that the gun-stock was shivered. Ile continued heating him till the keeper died, and then made off. The gun was bruken into three pieces, and the murderer could not find the part to which time lock was attached ; but the next day, the people who searched for the keeper found it, and recognized it as belonging to Bates ; who was immediately secured, mid confessed the circumstances above-mentioned. A Onroner's inquest was held on the dead body, and a verdict of " Wilful Murder" returned against Bates.
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