Documents relating to the death of Joseph Mitchell

Supposed Murder of a Mytholmroyd Man

Last week the body of a man, partly decomposed, was found in a shed at Weobly, Herefordshire, and from the clothing upon the deceased, it is now regarded as established beyond doubt that his name was Joseph Mitchell, age 45 of Mytholmroyd.

Up to about 8 years ago, the deceased was employed at Messrs Ogden & Lumb's, worsted spinners, Westfield Mill, as a woolsorter.

He then went to Leicester, and since that time has come over to see his wife at intervals, the last occasion being eighteen months ago. A letter received from him in June last stated that he was in Montgomeryshire, but the reasons for being there were not known to the family.

The post mortem examination shows that the deceased was murdered after a desperate struggle, one of the wounds being caused by a blunt weapon.

The inquest has been adjourned until 11th December.

Mitchell's widow along with a son and daughter lives at Throstle Bower Farm, Mytholmroyd; another son is a grocer at Elland

Elizabeth Hotchkiss stated that a man whom she had reason to believe was the deceased called at her house on the 19th September. He was very wild staring man who asked her for bread and butter and she told him she had none for him. He said

Oh!

and looked at her in a very wild way.

He had a moustache and side whiskers, wearing a black hard hat and a black velvet round jacket. When asked

Have you seen clothing of this man produced?

she said

Yes, sir

What coloured vest was he wearing?

a grey one, with a darker one underneath

The man called again at about 2.30 pm, the same day. He did not knock on the door but walked in without any warning. He looked at her with a very wild stare and said

You put me some tea

She told him she would not give him any and had to ask him three times before he would go. But when he went outside he would not go away. She then gave him some tea and some bread, and butter with it. The man said

Thankee, thankee, tea very good

She asked him where he came from, and he said Halifax. When asked what brought him to that part of the country he said

I don't know, working way back

The man went down the field but was watching the house for about a quarter of an hour, standing under a tree.

The next morning at 8 o'clock, she saw him coming to the house again. She told him he was an imposter and a knave and should not come to the house again, telling him he ought to be taken up.

A police constable said he had seen Mitchell in Leintwardine on 21st July and had searched him. He told the constable that he had been working for a Mr Moyle, a wool stapler there. PC Frank Parton said he had seen Mitchell on the 28th or 29th August at Bushbank, Canon Pyon. A complaint had been made about Mitchell going to houses asking for tea.

The inquiry continued.

Later it was said that the verdict was murdered by persons unknown