No respect for a Veteran - A sad story from the newspapers of January 1832

This story was carried by several papers in 1832. It concerned the theft of the body of William Hardeman, a former member of the 1st Battalion the 34th Foot who had died in Hereford.

The 1st Battalion had returned to England in 1823 after 23 years in South Africa and India.

Hereford Journal 11 January 1832

Body Stealers. — On Saturday morning the detection of gang of Body Snatchers, who attempted to follow their iniquitous trade of robbing the dead, excited strong feelings of indignation amongst the inhabitants of this city …

..It seems for a fortnight our worthy Mayor and Mr. Howells, the Sword-bearer, had been apprised the arrival two or more men in the city whose proceedings excited suspicion as to their objects, and they were closely watched by the police, under the impression that they were utterers of base coin. Precautions it would be improper to detail were also taken for detecting them in any criminal act they might attempt, and fortunately with complete success.

Saturday morning about seven o'clock two men took a hamper to the Coach-office of the ‘Green Dragon Hotel’, to go by the ‘Champion’ coach to London, and one of them carried it into the office, and delivered it to Mr. John Bosley, jun. whilst the other remained outside.

Mr. Bosley's suspicions were directly excited, and he locked up the hamper

Bosley called the police. When Howells arrived the hamper was opened. In it, doubled up was the body of an old man.

The St James Chronicle of London provided the link to the 34th Foot. And , if true, an alarming statistic for the Battalion.

The St James's Chronicle 10 January 1832

On the coroner's inquest the corpse was recognised as the body of William Hardman (sic), an old pensioner, who, in 1823, was discharged from the 34th Regiment of Foot.

The old man had been much service, both in Africa and the East Indies. The regiment in which he left England numbered on its departure 1,000 men; but out of that thousand William Hardman (sic) and eight comrades were all that ever returned to their native shores.

Hardman had died on 28 December and been buried on 31 December in the All Saints Churchyard. His body hd been dug up on the 31st.

Hereford Journal 11 January 1832

Howells apprehended Turner and Johnson.

…they were immediately taken before W. Bennett, Esq. the Mayor, where the two men stated their names to be William Turner, and Thomas Johnson. After investigation, they were with Phillips [the owner of their lodgings], committed to the county gaol, for further examination, and conveyed there amidst the indignant hootings large concourse of persons.

Result?

Sadly no paper reported Turner and Johnson’s trial, however some magistrates took a lenient view of body snatchers, recognising the medical profession’s need for bodies. Providing that only the body was stolen, that is no possessions were also stolen, the sentence might be only a few weeks in prison.

The Editor