[List-Cumbria] Carlisle Journal, 06 Jul 1811 - Mysterious Death

[Petra Mitchinson]

Saturday 06 Jul 1811   (p. 3, col. 1-2)

 

MYSTERIOUS DEATH. 

 

On Monday night, at Cargo, near this city, an inquest was held on the body of a man, apparently between 60 and 70 years, of a spare
and meagre appearance, who had been found dead about 7 in the evening, in a corn field, adjoining the high-road, and not more than
100 yards distant from Cargo-hill. There being no absolute evidence before the Jury to the manner in which the deceased came by his
death, a general verdict of Found Dead was delivered.-The circumstances attending this case, as detailed before the Jury, and which
have been since developed, are exceedingly mysterious. It appeared, in evidence, that one of the inhabitants of the place observed
the body lying stretched out in a furrow on Monday morning, and a horse grazing by the side of the road, unencumbered by its saddle.
Supposing the man was merely asleep, no notice was taken of the circumstance, until the evening, when the same appearance was
observed. Alarm being naturally excited, it was discovered that he was dead. He was lying upon his back,-all his clothes, even to
his very shirt, were stripped off, lying above him, and the saddle placed upon his legs. At his side lay 14s. in a purse in silver,
2d. in copper, a crucifix, rosary, &c. At some little distance from the spot, was a quantity of blood, which had evidently proceeded
from the deceased; it is necessary to remark, that though no visible marks of violence appeared on the body sufficient to account
for the cause of his death, he might have expired from the bursting of a blood vessel, or have been forcibly suffocated. It was also
given in evidence, that the unfortunate creature was accompanied from Carlisle by a person on foot of suspicious appearance, who
constantly kept a little before the other. They were last seen near each other in the neighbourhood of Cargo, about 11 o'clock p.
m.; and a person answering his description, much agitated, crossed the ferry at Rockliff, about 12 o'clock of the same night. It is
not unworthy of notice, that the gate of the field, in which the deceased was lying, was strongly fastened on the outside with a
rope. 

 

The body was afterwards recognized by a person who happened to be travelling that way, and who had had some little acquaintance of
him. He proved to be an Irishman, from the neighbourhood of Newry, a jobber in cattle, and a man of penurious habits-it being his
general custom, when the weather permitted, to sleep in the open air, under the shelter of some hedge or haystack. He had been in
Whitehaven yesterday week, where he received 53 guineas in gold in payment of cattle, and which it is supposed were in his
possession when he passed through Carlisle. His name could not be distinctly ascertained: from the communication of the person
alluded to, it is either TERNEY, TURNER, TORRENS, or some name of similar sound.-His remains were decently interred on Tuesday
evening, in the burying-ground of Stanwix.-We trust the business will not rest here, but that such means will be taken as may tend
to the development of this occurrence. 

 

 

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