Sheffield Independent – Saturday 11 September 1847
Murder at Swinton.
We regret to have to record the murder of & poor man, named Caleb Barker, of Swinton, which took place last Saturday evening, on the road between Mexborough and the Swinton station of the Midland Railway. At present the circumstances of the murder, and by whom it was committed, are involved in profound mystery. The deceased was a warehouseman, in the service of Mr. Barker, the proprietor of the Don Pottery, and resided in a cottage a few yards from the works, the same cottage in which an old woman, named Sarah Scorah, was bruttaly attacked by some men in January, 1841, and received injuries which caused her death a” few days afterwards.
He was 47 years of age, left his house between seven and eight o’clock last Saturday evening, and went to a public house called the Ship, kept by a widow, named Simpson, at Swinton Bridge, which is distant only a few hundred yards from his residence, and immediately opposite the railway station.
On arriving there he paid some club money, and then had some ale. He left the house perfectly sober and its good health about half-past nine, taking with him a quart of ale, his custom every Saturday night for his wife to partake of, and also a few pipes which he had purchased.
His wife, having waited some time longer than usual, sent a person to inquire respecting him; and about half-past ten an alarm was given and some persons came to her house for a light. On going out with lights she was horror struck at finding her husband quite insensible, he having just been found in that condition by a person named Thomas Gore. The poor man was at once removed to the house, and medical aid was immediately obtained ; but he never spoke afterwards, and died early next morning.
It seems that as Gore was coming on the road in a direction from Swinton to Mexbrough, he heard a groan. It was a dark night; and on feeling at the place from whence the sound proceeded, he found Barker lying across the ditch at the side of the road. Some other people were then coming up, who assisted in removing the body to his own house, and who gave the alarm to the wife of deceased.
On a post mortem examination of the body it was found that there were several severe fractures on the skull, which had evidently been produced by some blunt instrument and which had caused the death of the unfortunate victim.
The inquest was held on Monday, at the Ship Inn, before Thomas Badger, Esq., of Rotherham, Coroner, and a respectable Jury.
The following is the evidence adduced on the occasion : —
Elizabeth Barker, widow of Caleb Barker, the deceased, late of the township of Swinton, and warehousman to Mr. Samuel Barker, of the Don Pottery, said — My husband, who was 47 years of age, left home on Saturday evening last, the 4th of September, between seven and eight o’clock, to go to the house of Mrs. Simson, publican, at Swinton Bridge, about 300 yards from our house. He went to pay his club money, and to get a pint of ale, as was his usual custom on Saturday nights. I gave him a shilling and he said that would do. He was perfectly sober and in good health when he left home. Between ten and eleven o’clock the same night he was brought home insensible by Thomas Gore, John Heeley, and Wm. Turner. A medical man was sent for. I remained with my husband till he died, about half-past five next morning, (Sunday). He never spoke or became sensible, except that I think he slightly squeezed my hand when I spoke to him on his being got home.
Margaret Simpson, of Swinton Bridge, daughter of Ann Simpson, widow, said — My mother keeps the sign of the Ship, at Swinton Bridge. Between seven and eight o’clock last Saturday night, Caleb Barker came to our house to pay his club money, and get a pint of ale. I saw him pay my brother a shilling. Barker had only two pints of ale in my mother’s house, there were three captains of vessels which were repairing at my brother’s boat yard, which is near, and two boys, besides Barker. About half-past nine, or a quarter to ten, Barker left our house. He was quite sober. No disturbance had taken place in the house. He took with him a quart of ale in a brown pitcher, and a pennyworth of pipes. He usually took a little liquor home with him on Saturday night for his wife. The three captains and the two boys did not follow him, but remained in the house till a man named William Turner came to enquire if Caleb Barker was tipsy when he left. Hamlet Hulme came to the house between eight and nine the same night. He remained about half an hour, and then went out. This was about an hour before Barker left. George Yates, of Swinton, also came into my mother’s house about seven o’clock. He remained only about half an hour, and left before eight o’clock. Yates came to pay his club money. Yates and Barker paid their club money to my brother at the same time. Abraham Auckland came into the house and had a glass of ale. He remained only about twenty minutes, and left before eight o’clock. My brother, Charles Simpson, left my mother’s house about nine o’clock, along with Mr. John Carnley and Mr. Joseph Makin, of Masbrough. My brother was going to Mr. Carnley s house. My brother did not return home till about half- past eleven on Saturday night. He came into my mother’s house by himself.
Thomas Gore, of Mexbrough, said — l am a workman at Messrs. Barker and Co’s foundry, at Mexbrough. As I was going home from Swinton to Mexbrough on Saturday evening, near half- past ten o’clock, I met a man just by the gate leading into Mr. Barker’s paddock. He said “good night” to me, and I said “good night “to him. When I got a little further towards Mexbrough, I heard a noise in the hedge. It appeared to be a groaning noise. I said “Hallo,” but nobody answered. I could not see any one; but I felt about, and I found a man lying in the ditch by the causeway side. I took hold of his collar, and lifted him out of the ditch. I lifted him on his legs, but he could not stand. I put him down by the side of the footpath, and shook him to arouse him. I tried to make him speak, and then I heard a man cough, who was coming on the road after me. I called to him, and he said he was coming. I said “make haste.” Two men, named William Turner and James Heeley then came up. I asked Turner if he knew the man, and he said he thought he did. Heeley fetched a light from Barker’s house, and Mrs. Barker and her son came back with him. At first they did not know who it was, but after looking at the man Mrs. Barker said it was her husband, and the boy said it was his father. We carried the deceased to his own house, which was about a hundred yards from the place where I found him. The ditch is a shallow one. We carried him home very carefully. We did not let him fall. We set him in a chair. He had bled a good deal where we found him. I afterwards put him in bed up stairs. He could not speak. I saw a brown pitchers in the hedge bottom, with about a gill of ale in it. There were also some broken pipes laid under Caleb Barker’s body. I can swear the body I found was that of Caleb Barker. I did not meet any one but the man above mentioned near Mr. Barker’s gate, and I did not know him. I did not see that he had any stick or weapon with him. I took little notice. He passed quickly, and I was walking sharply home. I heard no blow or noise. When I first saw Barker he was laid slanting across the ditch on his left side. His head was near the hedge towards Mexbrough, and his feet towards Swinton. His face was towards the hedge.I did not see his hat or cap. He had neither hat nor cap on when I found him.
Eliza Askin, of Swinton Lock, wife of Thomas Askin, blacksmith, said — l had been to Swinton on Saturday night, and was returning home about half- past ten o’clock ; and a little below a hay stack on the road from Swinton to Mexbrough, there is a fall in the road, which is rather sloping. I heard a curious noise like a moaning some distance off, as if a person was in great distress. I said to my two children who were with me, “Hark, what is yon noise? Surely no one has got killed.” I then went forward and heard the same noise again, as if a person was in distress. I said — “It is perhaps a boatman paying his wife.” I went home and found it was five minutes to eleven by our o’clock, which was a quarter of an hour too forward. I heard no blows or footsteps, nor heard any one.
Mr. Andrew Holliday Carmichael, of Mexbrough, surgeon, stated as follows : — I was called in on Saturday night last, about eleven o’clock, to see Caleb Barker. I found him sat in a chair in his house, supported by two men. He was insensible. I observed blood dropping from his left ear. I examined it and found the cartilage cut through about three quarters of an inch in length, and a quarter of an inch in depth. I also found a contusion over the left lower jaw, over the ear, and ever the eye. I did not then detect a fracture. I got him to bed, and then ordered warm water and bricks to his feet. Did not give him any medicine; nor did I bleed him, in consequence of his having lost so much blood. Remained with him two hours, and then left him, with orders that if he was worse, they should send for me. I was sent for again a little after, on Sunday morning, the messenger stating that Barker had commenced breathing very hardly. I immediately went to see him; and about three or four minutes after I got there, he died.
I have to-day, alone with Mr. Blythman, of Swinton, made a post mortem examination of the body of the deceased. On examining the head, we found a slight bruise at the upper and back part. On removing the ligaments, a very extensive effusion of blood was presented to view, extending from the back of the head to the left ear ; and the occipital and temporal bones were broken in many places — one fractured portion being fully three inches long, passing from the back of the head towards the left temple, and one piece of the occipital bone being pressed upon the brain to the extent of an inch. On pursuing our examination, we found the fracture extended from the ear to the middle of the lower and back part of the head, being splintered in various directions. Having removed the bone, we found half an ounce of coagulated blood pressing upon the covering of the brain. The blood vessels on the surface of the brain were much congested. There was considerable effusion of blood upon the brain on the left side, and also on the back part down to the base of the skull. The lower part of the brain was torn to the extent of two inches. The internal substance of the brain was in a healthy condition. Having removed the entire brain, we were enabled to see that the fracture extended from the centre of the occipital bone quite through the outer part of the temporal bone, and through the lateral portion of the base of the skull. The fractured pieces amounted to twelve in number. The viscera of the chest and belly were perfectly healthy. I am satisfied that the fractures on the left side of the head were the cause of death. Such fractures could not have have produced by a fall, but must have been given by a heavy bludgeon or some blunt instrument. L am satisfied that the deceived has not died from natural causes, but from severe violence.
Mr. Blythniaii, of Swiuton, surgeon, having been present at the examination, concurred in the statements of the last witness.
This was the whole of the evidence adduced and the Coroner then adjourned the inquiry until Monday next.