Ann Clark

343

Maureen Withey on 7th May 2024

Marriage Permission https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON52-1-3/CON52-1-3P071 John Hefford, free, and Ann Clarke, per Asia, Approved, 19 Feb 1849. Marriage Reg. https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/RGD37-1-8/RGD37-1-8P21 John Hefford, age 33, bachelor, Labourer, and Ann Clarke, aged 29, spinster, house servant, were married 20 March 1849 at St Luke’s church, Campbell Town. Both signed with their mark X. --------------------------------------------------------------- HORRID MURDER AT CAMPBELL TOWN.- A horrid murder has been perpetrated near Campbell Town. The offence was committed on Thursday last, the unfortunate victim being the wife of a man named John Hefford,living in a cottage near Camelford, the residence of Mr. Stuart, the visiting magistrate. The affair happened between twelve and one o'clock in the day time. It appears that on the day in question a man named John Brewer, a servant in the employ of Mr. Stuart, left his master's residence. This was between eleven and twelve o'clock in the forenoon. The deceased's husband, who had also been absent from his home, returned between the hours of twelve and one, and found Brewer loitering about his premises, who informed him that his wife had been murdered by some one, and that her body was in the barn, covered with chaff. The husband . accused Brewer of the murder, who was subsequently taken into custody, and upon proceeding to the barn found the body of his wife weltering in blood, and covered over with chaff, as the prisoner had told him. He look the body into the cottage, and sent into the township for a doctor, when it was found that her skull was broken into nineteen pieces. We have been further informed that the room in which the prisoner lived at his master's residence has been searched, and a broken frying pan was found, but the handle is missing. A coroner's jury was summoned the next day, and an inquest held upon the remains of the unfortunate woman. It was adjourned again; but on the 29th a verdict of wilful murder was returned against the prisoner Brewer. The evidence adduced was of a purely circumstantial character. The Courier, 31 July 1850. -------------------------------------------------------------- Oatlands Criminal Court. Friday, September 28, When Joseph Brewer was placed in the dock, charged with the wilful murder of Ann Hefford, on the 25th July last, to which he pleaded Not Guilty. The prisoner's counsel (Mr. Brewer) then applied for a postponement of the trial ; looking at the importance of the case, and the fact of his being retained only a day or two previous to the sessions commencing, consequently could not get the depositions until yesterday ; and although he (the learned gentleman) had done his best to make copies thereof, but without success, and seeing that there were upwards of forty witnesses examined before the Coroner, twenty-five of whom were to be examined on the trial, therefore he felt bound to say that the prisoner would net have a fair trial at his hands. Colonial Times, 1 Oct 1850. Joseph Brewer was charged with the wilful murder of Ann Hefford on the 25th July last. Mr. Brewer appeared as counsel for the prisoner and owing to the great number of witnesses it was thought the case would occupy two days. Colonial Times, 31 Dec 1850. -------------------------------------------------------------- Found guilty and was hanged for his crime.