DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70300#0101
ABRAHAM THORNTON.
77
tracks were near the dry pit, where the doubling was. We
then compared the shoes of the deceased with the tracks of
the woman, and they agreed in every situation. I know the
pit, in which the body of the deceased was found. Near the
edge of the slope on the pit side, I saw one footstep, which
appeared to have been made by the left foot of a man stand-
ing sideways, inclining towards the pit. There were no
foot-marks upon the slope. I saw a bundle, a bonnet, and a
pair of shoes on the edge of the slope ; they were the same
shoes with which I compared the woman’s foot-marks. I
discovered some blood below the gate, and about forty yards
from the pit; and for fourteen yards nearer, there appeared
to be a train of blood. I traced it for fifteen yards across the
foot-path, and on the clover, in the direction of the pit; I
saw no footsteps in the clover, the dew was on it at that
time. On the foot-path there were the impressions of a
man’s shoe ; and the clover which was bloodied was about a
foot from it. The blood, which at first appeared to be a
regular train, terminated in drops.
Joseph Bird sworn. Examined by Mr. Sergeant Cop-
ley. I was called to go to the pit on the morning of the
27th of May last. I found Lavell, the last witness, there,
with some other persons. I accompanied him into the har-
rowed field, for the purpose of tracking the footsteps. We
took the shoes both of the prisoner and the deceased with
us, and went on the foot-path which crosses the harrowed
field, and leads towards Erdington. In going along the field,
I observed the footsteps described by the last witness : those
of the man, turning across the foot-path up to the corner of
the piece—those of the woman, on going a little further to-
wards Erdington, turning to the right; and those of the man
and woman meeting each other, and continuing in a straight
line towards the dry pit. In the corner of the piece, the
footsteps appeared to have been made by two persons who
had been dodging each other : the footsteps, from the turning
oft at the path, appeared to have been made by a man and
77
tracks were near the dry pit, where the doubling was. We
then compared the shoes of the deceased with the tracks of
the woman, and they agreed in every situation. I know the
pit, in which the body of the deceased was found. Near the
edge of the slope on the pit side, I saw one footstep, which
appeared to have been made by the left foot of a man stand-
ing sideways, inclining towards the pit. There were no
foot-marks upon the slope. I saw a bundle, a bonnet, and a
pair of shoes on the edge of the slope ; they were the same
shoes with which I compared the woman’s foot-marks. I
discovered some blood below the gate, and about forty yards
from the pit; and for fourteen yards nearer, there appeared
to be a train of blood. I traced it for fifteen yards across the
foot-path, and on the clover, in the direction of the pit; I
saw no footsteps in the clover, the dew was on it at that
time. On the foot-path there were the impressions of a
man’s shoe ; and the clover which was bloodied was about a
foot from it. The blood, which at first appeared to be a
regular train, terminated in drops.
Joseph Bird sworn. Examined by Mr. Sergeant Cop-
ley. I was called to go to the pit on the morning of the
27th of May last. I found Lavell, the last witness, there,
with some other persons. I accompanied him into the har-
rowed field, for the purpose of tracking the footsteps. We
took the shoes both of the prisoner and the deceased with
us, and went on the foot-path which crosses the harrowed
field, and leads towards Erdington. In going along the field,
I observed the footsteps described by the last witness : those
of the man, turning across the foot-path up to the corner of
the piece—those of the woman, on going a little further to-
wards Erdington, turning to the right; and those of the man
and woman meeting each other, and continuing in a straight
line towards the dry pit. In the corner of the piece, the
footsteps appeared to have been made by two persons who
had been dodging each other : the footsteps, from the turning
oft at the path, appeared to have been made by a man and