MARFLEET Including variants e.g. MERFLET(T); MARFLETE; MARFLIT(T); MARFLIGHT, etc. Family History


Extract from:
The Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury
16th January 1852





Brutal Attempt to Murder at Thorpe, near Wainfleet:- This extensive village, which about two years since was the scene of the fearful tragedy enacted by the miserable matricide Ward, was on the night of Saturday last again excited by a cold-blooded murderous attack. From the evidence given before the Spilsby Bench on Monday last, it appears that a man named John Marfleet, a beerhouse-keeper and ferryman residing at Thorpe, left his house a few minutes before 6 on the evening of Saturday last, and proceeded along the road to Wainfleet. After he had got about a quarter of a mile on his way, he observed a man on the other side of the Firsby river, for whom he waited. It proved to be the son of Mr. Thornally whose residence is separated from Marfleet's by the road, and who also carries corn &c. to Boston. Thornally said, "Oh! it is you?" and then asked him about the corn &c., remarking that they (meaning his father and himself) had not sent any during the week. After conversing in a friendly manner for some time, Thornally stopped behind, apparently to do something at his leg. Marfleet was walking slowly on, expecting the young man to rejoin him, when he suddenly felt something strike the back of his head, and jumping round, exclaimed, "Oh! what is that Ben?" Thornally replied, "It has gone off in my pocket." Marfleet then attempted to run away: but before he had time to escape, Thornally fired again, the shot striking him this time obliquely on the right cheek. When he was about a dozen yards off, he heard the report of another cap. Thornally then chased him some distance, shouting, "Stop, Marfleet." Marfleet met with a man named Scrimshaw, who accompanied him to Wainfleet, where Mr. Grantham, surgeon, dressed his wounds. He is not, he says, aware of having given Thornally any provocation. They have never quarrelled beyond exchanging a few angry words a year and a half ago, and they had been friendly since. He had only 3l. in his pocket when he left home, having shortly before deposited a large sum in the Boston bank, and left some at home. At the examination, after Marfleet had given evidence in substance as above, Mr. Grantham, of Burgh, said he was at Wainfleet on Saturday when Marfleet was brought in and reported that he had been shot by Benjamin Thornally. After administering medicine to revive him, he (Mr. Grantham) proceeded to examine his wounds, and on the right cheek, eyebrow, and ear he found a number of transverse wounds, three only of which had penetrated beneath the skin. On the back part of the head was another cluster of wounds, about 40 in number, of these one only, just above the spine of the occipital bone, had penetrated to any depth. There was no smell of burning or singeing about the hair, nor any grains of unexploded gunpowder about the wounds. When the weapon had been discharged close at hand, he had always before found unexploded powder. Ann Mackinder, servant to Thornally, after a considerable degree of equivocation, and in one particular direct perjury, admitted that the pistols which had been in Thornalley's room two or three months previously, and which she had seen on Saturday morning, were not to be found at 8 o'clock on the evening of that day. When apprehended at the Firsby beershop, where he arrived about 7 o'clock, the prisoner denied the offence, and enquired whether Marfleet was dead. Neither shot nor pistols were found in his possession, nor has any clue to the pistols been since discovered. In his pocket, however, was found a piece of paper corresponding with some wadding picked up on the spot where the affray took place. He was remanded by the Magistrates till Wednesday, for the production of the wadding and further important evidence.

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