The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-09-01 00:00:00

THE CHARGE OF CHILD MURDER
NEAR CROYDON.

On Saturday, at the Croydon Petty Sessions, James
Cole was charged, on remand, with the wilful murder
of Thomas Cole, his son, aged three years and eight
months, by striking his head on the floor of 12,
Pridbam-road west, New Thornton-heath, on Sunday
evening, the 19th inst. Mr. Pollard prosecuted on
behalf of the Treasury, and Mr. Thomas Young
appeared to defend:

The evidence previously given by Richard Cole, aged
14, a son of the prisoner, and Robert Gilbert, who
captured Cole as he was running away from the house
after the murder, was read over and the witnesses
were cross-examined. The boy said his parents
frequently quarrelled because his father did not seek
for employment.
Thomas Knight, a freeb witness, was now examined
by Mr. Pollard. He said he was a brickmaker, living
at 22, Railway-road, New Thornton•heatb, and had
known the accused fourteen years. On Sunday nikht,
at half-past ten, he was passing along Pridham road,
when he saw Cole running towards him without coat,
hat, or boots. Prisoner said "I have murdered my
child." Witness caught hold of his arm and said
"You don't mean to say that, Jim." With that the
accused broke away from him, but witness gave chase
and caught him by the "Prince George" publichouse.
A policeman came up, and witness said "This man
says he has murdered his child," and the prisoner ad-
mitted having done so."
Police constable Moriton, 124 W, having repeated
the evidence he gave at the inquest,
Inspector Butters, W Division, narratei the cir-
cumstances of his visit to the house, and said, in reply
to Mr. Pollard, that a person standing at the front
gate would have a good view of the front room and
everything in it. The clot of blood on the floor was a
little larger than a penny.
Harriett Harding, living next door to the Coles,
made some important Additions to the evidence she
gave before the coroner. In answer to Mr. Young,
she stated that Mrs. Cole seemed to be Fobbing all
day on Sunday. The prisoner's language was dis•
gusting. Witness did not hear him say "For God's
sake, Mary, come away from those bad women." She
spoke to Cole about his bad language, because it was
not fit for her children to hear. He said that before
they should do as they liked he would settle the lot.
They were very short of food at times and In great
distress, and witness believed his poverty drove him
to desperation. He often had violent outbursts of
temper without any apparent cause. Mrs. Cole was
a sober, hardworking woman, and had striven hard to
support her family. Only the previous week she was
obliged to sell their table and bed in order to get food.
There was not a stick of furniture in the house at the
time of the occurrence. To witness's knowledge they
often suffered from hunger.
Mr. Young; You have said that Cole often had
sudden outbursts of violence; I believe the murder
was committed all in a moment ?—Yes it was. Cole
came out of prison three weeks ago, and she had seen
him drunk once since then. A short time since some
ladies at Nor wood sympathised with the woman and
gave her relief.
Dr. Mark Jackson repeated the evidence he gave at
the inquest on Thursday, and, in answer to Mr.
Pollard, added that the streaks of dust which he
found on the child's abdomen led him to infer that it
bad been scraped along some dirty surface. The in-
jury to the brain was caused by great violence.—You
have heard how the prisoner swung the child over, and
brought its head into contact with the ground. Would
such violence as that produce the injury you found?—
Yes,

Dr. Carpenter : There being no sign of a fracture of
the skull, and looking at the size of the bruise at the
angle of the eye down to the face, would that be pro
-
dazed by one blow or more than one blow ?—More, I
should think. It did not fcliow that the blow would
fracture the child's head.

Mr. Pollard having intimated that this closed the
case for the prosecution,
The Mayor cauti med the prisoner in the usual way,
and asked him whether he had anything to say in
answer to the charge.
The prisoner : I reserve my defence.
The Mayor: Then you are committed to take your
trial at the October Seesions of the Central Criminal
Court on the charge of wilful murder.