Hi Lyn and All, I hope you don’t mind, Lyn, my posting this article which you posted on Rootsweb GLAM L on Saturday, as it refers to a very famous murder in the Epynt Mountain community, BRE. Newchurch, is probably better known by its other name of Tirabad (abbot’s land – referring to its historic connection with the monks of Strata Florida.) Details of the story are available in the book “Epynt without people”, chap 9. This book is long out of print, so if anyone in interested in the story & wants a copy of the chapter (4 pages) e-mail me directly and I will send the pages as attachment. Lyn, I’ll send it to you anyway, as a thank you for your hard work!! ” The Cambrian 27 Aug 1825 Trial of John EVANS for murder ofMargaret WILLIAMS CONFESSION AND EXECUTION of JOHN EVANS On Wednesday last, this wretched man suffered the awful sentence of the law, precisely at one o'clock, in the presence of an immense concourse of spectators. He died without a struggle, and apparently quite penitent. From the time sentence was passed until the day of his execution the Prisoner continually declared that Daniel ROWLANDS was concerned with him in the murder, which he at the same time said was effected by means of poison; but, previous to the administration of the Holy Sacrament to him in the morning, he fully confessed the falsity of such statement, and that he alone was the sole perpetrator of the crime; in consequence of which the following memorandum was made by the Rev. Mr. JONES, the Chaplain, in the presence of the Under Sheriff: Brecon County Prison Monday, the 22nd day of August, 1825. I, the undersigned, consider it to be due to the character of Daniel ROWLANDS to state, that the wretched Criminal, John EVANS, who this day suffered for the Murder of Margaret WILLIAMS, previous to his death, acknowledged the justice of his sentence, and that he alone perpetrated this horrid Murder. He further stated, that Daniel ROWLANDS was not implicated in the dreadful crime, and that the evidence given by the said Daniel ROWLANDS was perfectly correct. JOHN JONES, Chaplain of the Gaol, Witness JOHN JONES, Deputy Sheriff. Transciber's note - Unfortunately I do not have a copy of the full page which also has very detail testimonies from the trial of John EVANS previous to the above notice. Below are some brief notes should anyone wish to confirm identities, followed by the verdict and sentence.. Margaret WILLIAMS sister said she knew a man she heard visiting her sister during the night as John of Troedrhyw-Ithon. Her sister already had a little boy and was aged about 41 years. They were residing at their father's house. John EVANS (I am figuring there are two in this case as he knew the prisoner well) stated he lived in the parish of Newchurch, near the abode of David WILLIAMS (the deceased's father). His father owned a farm at a distance of about a quarter of a mile or less from David WILLIAM's house, at the Frydia. The lands of his father's farm adjoin those of the Frydia. David WILLIAMS, father of the deceased, stated that he lived at the Frydia, in the parish of Newchurch; his daughter Margaret had made his house her home. He last saw her on the night of Sunday the 7th inst. as she was going to bed. He called her Peggy. His other daughter Elizabeth had already been called as witness. He did not see Margaret alive again and her body was brought to his house on Friday last. Thomas WILLIAMS , brother of the deceased stated that he was well acquainted with the Prisoner. He went in the company of Rees DAVIES to search for his sister Margaret on Monday the 8th inst. He referred to John EVANS (the witness) as Jack of Keven-Iole. Rees DAVIES, Thomas DAVIES, the Constable, Wm. PRICE and a great many others searched for his sister with him. The prisoner lived at Troedrhyw-Ithon in the parish of Llangammarch which is about two miles from the house of his father, David WILLIAMS. Rees DAVIES stated that the body was found Friday the 12th inst between twelve and one o'clock on Llwyn-y-vynwent farm in the parish of Newchurch. Isaac DAVIES was sworn. Testimony not complete on my copy. Daniel ROWLANDS gave testimony but it is not complete on my copy. Elinor ROWLANDS was sworn. She was the wife of Daniel ROWLANDS and sister of John EVANS the prisoner. William PRICE was next called. William POWELL was called. Mr Morgan MORGAN was called to examine the body. He stated he was a surgeon residing in Llandovery. He had been asked to attend by the Magistrate, Col. GWYNNE. He stated that the deceased was found to be about three months pregnant. Benjamin WILLIAMS, Esq. was called. He was one of the Coroners of the county. He had practised as a Surgeon for many years in Brecon but had relinquished such practice about two years ago. The evidence having been gone through, the Chief Justice summed it up with the greatest accuracy, explaining as he went on the nature and drift of different parts of it, and the Jury after a few minutes deliberation, returned a verdict of Guilty. Sentence of Death was then passed upon the prisoner, to be executed on Monday, the 22d instant. The unhappy criminal, who appeared to be under thirty years of age, and is said to be possessed of considerable property, heard his dreadful doom with less apparent emotion that many of the auditors. The miserable victim to the lawless passion of the prisoner, besides being again pregnant, had a child living by the same barbarous father; and it has been stated, that he was paying his addresses to another female, who had discouraged his suit, in consequence of his guilty connection. After sentence had been passed, the Counsel for the prisoner moved for a respite thereof, on the ground of a defect in the indictment, inasmuch as it did not allege that the dislocation of the neck and head therein mentioned was mortal; but after an argument of some length the motion was overturned. The trial commenced at eight o'clock in the morning, and occupied about eight hours. Mr. SOCKETT and Mr. WHITCOMBE, were with the Attorney General, on behalf of the prosecution, and Mr. CROSS and Mr. MAULE were Counsel for the prisoner.” All the best to all, Hilary No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.15.5/1084 - Release Date: 21/10/2007 15:09

Hi, Would you please e-mail me the copy said below. My maiden name was Williams and my grandfather Daniel Williams was born at Strata Florida on Jul 31 1852. as were my G.grandparents Thomas and Jane James williams so I am extremely interested in thar area, I thank you kindly for posting this, Virginia William Kelly ----- Original Message ----- From: "Hilary or Owen Williams" <williams.o.h@ic24.net> To: <powys@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 4:38 PM Subject: [POWYS] The Cambrian 27 Aug 1825 Trial of John EVANS for murderofMargaret WILLIAMS > Hi Lyn and All, > > > > I hope you don’t mind, Lyn, my posting this article which you posted on > Rootsweb GLAM L on Saturday, as it refers to a very famous murder in the > Epynt Mountain community, BRE. Newchurch, is probably better known by its > other name of Tirabad (abbot’s land – referring to its historic connection > with the monks of Strata Florida.) > > > > Details of the story are available in the book “Epynt without people”, > chap > 9. This book is long out of print, so if anyone in interested in the story > & > wants a copy of the chapter (4 pages) > > e-mail me directly and I will send the pages as attachment. Lyn, I’ll send > it to you anyway, as a thank you for your hard work!! > > > > ” The Cambrian 27 Aug 1825 Trial of John EVANS for murder ofMargaret > WILLIAMS > > > > CONFESSION AND EXECUTION of JOHN EVANS > > On Wednesday last, this wretched man suffered the awful sentence of the > law, > precisely at one o'clock, in the presence of an immense concourse of > spectators. He died without a struggle, and apparently quite penitent. > From > the time sentence was passed until the day of his execution the Prisoner > continually declared that Daniel ROWLANDS was concerned with him in the > murder, which he at the same time said was effected by means of poison; > but, > previous to the administration of the Holy Sacrament to him in the > morning, > he fully confessed the falsity of such statement, and that he alone was > the > sole perpetrator of the crime; in consequence of which the following > memorandum was made by the Rev. Mr. JONES, the Chaplain, in the presence > of > the Under Sheriff: > > Brecon County Prison > > Monday, the 22nd day of August, 1825. > > I, the undersigned, consider it to be due to the character of Daniel > ROWLANDS to state, that the wretched Criminal, John EVANS, who this day > suffered for the Murder of Margaret WILLIAMS, previous to his death, > acknowledged the justice of his sentence, and that he alone perpetrated > this > horrid Murder. He further stated, that Daniel ROWLANDS was not implicated > in > the dreadful crime, and that the evidence given by the said Daniel > ROWLANDS > was perfectly correct. > > JOHN JONES, Chaplain of the Gaol, Witness JOHN JONES, Deputy Sheriff. > > Transciber's note - Unfortunately I do not have a copy of the full page > which also has very detail testimonies from the trial of John EVANS > previous > to the above notice. Below are some brief notes should anyone wish to > confirm identities, followed by the verdict and sentence.. > > Margaret WILLIAMS sister said she knew a man she heard visiting her sister > during the night as John of Troedrhyw-Ithon. Her sister already had a > little > boy and was aged about 41 years. They were residing at their father's > house. > > John EVANS (I am figuring there are two in this case as he knew the > prisoner > well) stated he lived in the parish of Newchurch, near the abode of David > WILLIAMS (the deceased's father). His father owned a farm at a distance of > about a quarter of a mile or less from David WILLIAM's house, at the > Frydia. > The lands of his father's farm adjoin those of the Frydia. > > David WILLIAMS, father of the deceased, stated that he lived at the > Frydia, > in the parish of Newchurch; his daughter Margaret had made his house her > home. He last saw her on the night of Sunday the 7th inst. as she was > going > to bed. He called her Peggy. His other daughter Elizabeth had already been > called as witness. He did not see Margaret alive again and her body was > brought to his house on Friday last. > > Thomas WILLIAMS , brother of the deceased stated that he was well > acquainted > with the Prisoner. He went in the company of Rees DAVIES to search for his > sister Margaret on Monday the 8th inst. He referred to John EVANS (the > witness) as Jack of Keven-Iole. Rees DAVIES, Thomas DAVIES, the Constable, > Wm. PRICE and a great many others searched for his sister with him. The > prisoner lived at Troedrhyw-Ithon in the parish of Llangammarch which is > about two miles from the house of his father, David WILLIAMS. > > Rees DAVIES stated that the body was found Friday the 12th inst between > twelve and one o'clock on Llwyn-y-vynwent farm in the parish of Newchurch. > > Isaac DAVIES was sworn. Testimony not complete on my copy. > > Daniel ROWLANDS gave testimony but it is not complete on my copy. > > Elinor ROWLANDS was sworn. She was the wife of Daniel ROWLANDS and sister > of > John EVANS the prisoner. > > William PRICE was next called. > > William POWELL was called. > > Mr Morgan MORGAN was called to examine the body. He stated he was a > surgeon > residing in Llandovery. He had been asked to attend by the Magistrate, > Col. > GWYNNE. He stated that the deceased was found to be about three months > pregnant. > > Benjamin WILLIAMS, Esq. was called. He was one of the Coroners of the > county. He had practised as a Surgeon for many years in Brecon but had > relinquished such practice about two years ago. > > The evidence having been gone through, the Chief Justice summed it up with > the greatest accuracy, explaining as he went on the nature and drift of > different parts of it, and the Jury after a few minutes deliberation, > returned a verdict of Guilty. > > Sentence of Death was then passed upon the prisoner, to be executed on > Monday, the 22d instant. The unhappy criminal, who appeared to be under > thirty years of age, and is said to be possessed of considerable property, > heard his dreadful doom with less apparent emotion that many of the > auditors. The miserable victim to the lawless passion of the prisoner, > besides being again pregnant, had a child living by the same barbarous > father; and it has been stated, that he was paying his addresses to > another > female, who had discouraged his suit, in consequence of his guilty > connection. > > After sentence had been passed, the Counsel for the prisoner moved for a > respite thereof, on the ground of a defect in the indictment, inasmuch as > it > did not allege that the dislocation of the neck and head therein mentioned > was mortal; but after an argument of some length the motion was > overturned. > > The trial commenced at eight o'clock in the morning, and occupied about > eight hours. > > Mr. SOCKETT and Mr. WHITCOMBE, were with the Attorney General, on behalf > of > the prosecution, and Mr. CROSS and Mr. MAULE were Counsel for the > prisoner.” > > > > All the best to all, > > > > Hilary > > > > > > > > > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.15.5/1084 - Release Date: > 21/10/2007 > 15:09 > > > =================== > Visit the Powys Mailing List webpage at: > www.jlb2005.plus.com/powyslist.htm > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > POWYS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Hilary I thought I had posted it to Powys but I must not have so thanks for picking it up. Thankyou also for sending me the article. That book looks fascinating for anyone with connections there. Regards Lyn -----Original Message----- From: powys-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:powys-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Hilary or Owen Williams Sent: Tuesday, 23 October 2007 6:38 AM To: powys@rootsweb.com Subject: [POWYS] The Cambrian 27 Aug 1825 Trial of John EVANS for murderofMargaret WILLIAMS Hi Lyn and All, I hope you don't mind, Lyn, my posting this article which you posted on Rootsweb GLAM L on Saturday, as it refers to a very famous murder in the Epynt Mountain community, BRE. Newchurch, is probably better known by its other name of Tirabad (abbot's land - referring to its historic connection with the monks of Strata Florida.) snip