OXFORD FARM TRAGEDY

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1509, 31 January 1901, Page 58

OXFORD FARM TRAGEDY

Mr Robin&on and a jury were ocou pied nearly five hours on Nov. 19 at an eiiouirv into the death c-f Mr William Savage, of Faffemoster farm, Yarnton' Oxfordshire who died from a serious gunshot wound at his farmhouse on Friday, Nov. 10. His adopted son, Richard! Hopcroft, aged 29, is in custody upon the charge of wilful murder The deceased’s daughter, Mrs Sarah Green, stated that Hopcroft was employed on the farm, and was allowed 6s a week for pocket-money. Mr Savage and lus adopted son were frequently on had terms, Hopcroft being of a Quarrelsome disposition, especially when he had boon, drinking. She had him throw the shovel, the tongs and a hammer at Mr Savage, and on one occasion he attacked him with a chair, which was smashed into three pieces. On Friday, Nov. 16. she heard Hopcroft and the master quarrelling, and she left the house. When she returned two Hours later she fell over the body of Mr Savage on the floor in the kitchen. She had seen Hopcroft place his hands round his own throat and say to Mr Savage

with an oath, £, T shall have the rope for you.” The reason that Mr Savage did not prosecute Hopcroft was that he promised his wife on her deathbed that he would nevefr turn on him, and always said he would try and bear with it. Hopcrofs frqeuently took poultry and eggs from the farm and sold them, and this was no doubt a cause of the disturbance. Inspector Smith, of the Oxfordshire constabulary, stated that on Friday evening. Nov. 16, Hopcroft entered the county police-station and said he had killed a man. He saw that ho was the worse for drink, and asked him to sit down and collect himself. Affcejr a few minutes Hopcroft stated that he was putting a gun together, when it accidentally went off, and it must have hit his uncle, William Savage, because he saw him fail upon the! ground. He declared that he had had no unpleasantness with his uncle, and that he had come straight to the police to tell them what had occurred.

Hawe3 said that he met Mr Savage in Oxford on the Friday afternoon. The old man told him that he was greatly upset becafuse “our Pick,” meaning Hopcroft, “is going to shoot me when. I get heme. He has threatened me, and lam afraid he will do it. He has run me out of tho house with a gun more than once. He has taken to drink and bad women.” Tears were running down the old man’s face whilst he was speaking. " _ The jury returned a verdict of “Wilful murder.” Richard Hopcroft was charged, at Woodstock sessions, on Tuesday, with the wilful murder of William Savage, at Yarnton.—After formal evidence of arrest had been given, the prisoner was remanded.