Richard Hodge, of Witheridge, stated himself to be the brother-in-law of the deceased. In consequence of what he heard he went to Bright’s house, at Worlington, about one o’clock on Sunday morning the 13th, and called him; he came down stairs partly dressed and opened the door. In answer to witness’s questions, he said he left the deceased on Friday night a Gatton-gate, and had not seen her since; the prisoner was in a very trembling state, and could scarcely utter a word. Witness told him there was a strong suspicion against him, and he must go with him to a constable, to which he replied he would go to any place. Outside the door, witness asked him if he would go to Witheridge to be delivered into custody, or search for the deceased; he chose the latter; as witness was a stranger to the village, he desired the prisoner to lead the way; witness’s brother-in-law was with him; prisoner led them to the Town Moor Brakes, and then to a bottom where was a lake which emptied itself into the river. On the way witness asked him if she ever told him she was with child by him, and he said she never did. Before they come to the lake, witness again put the question to him, and the prisoner said, “On Friday evening, as I was coming from Stones and she from Horseford, we met in the turnpike road, and she asked if I had heard the report about me and her, that she was with child by me; I said, “Nonsense, you be not, and I won’t father it.”
When they (prisoner and witness, &c.) came to the lake, prisoner proposed going upwards, away from the river, and witness refused, saying he would try the great river; as they were talking about it some one came and said the body was found – The prisoner said nothing, but appeared like a man struck dead – he shed tears; and they went towards Smith’s meadow, and witness asked him where he had put the basket, because the deceased’s sister was poor, and could not afford to pay for what was in it; he said it was in Mr. Smith’s linhay, in the same field where the body was found; the prisoner saw the body taken out of the water, and cried as before, without uttering a word. Witness asked him if he had ever had any angry words with the deceased and he answered “No, never.” Witness then asked him how he could think of killing her, if he never had any angry words with her; He replied – he never thought of it till the very minute he did it. Being asked how the apron string came tied round her neck, the prisoner replied, that she did it herself to keep the rain off her shoulders; he said he never struck her, and could not account for the mark on her face. On his cross examination by Mr. Fraser, this witness said there was a slight wound on her cheek, which bled when she was taken out of the water.
