The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-10-28 00:00:00

THE MURDER BY A CLERGYMAN
AT STOCKWELL.

On Wednesday morning the Rev. elby Watson,
who stands charged ith having murdered hie wife on
Sunday, the Nth inotant, wan brought up on remand
for further examination at the Lambeth Police-court,
in London.

The 110;1. Mr. Thesiger was again present on behalf
of the prisoner, who maintained the same resigned,
calm demeanour which h,, hitherto characterised him.
Ile appeared to pay great attention to the evidence,
and occasionally held his bead dawn.

John Muter, a director of the south In Mil School of
Chemistry and Pharmacy in the Kennington-road, said he had
analysed the contents of the bottles found on the drawers in
the prisoner's bed•Ting,lll, when the murder Was discovered.
They hoth contained a colourless iejouui, which he found to be
a wishes of hydrocyanic arid, hut not up to the standard of
scheele's strength, which should contain five per cent. of the
sent. No trace of the acid could be found in the medicine
glass, which could lie easily accounted for by the volatile
?Wore of the liquid. Witliett hild also analysed the stains
fo 1111 l I on the prisoner's clothes, which he found tin!, Std.
,of Mood. 011 a pistil 159 shuts 'lnns stained, he had tinselsomesoe shin and am s nit a' ozen light and grey hairsin a sponge
which Inc had analysed. They were long hairs.

Chark.S/ loner, 2M, Clapham-road, a trtank and brush
, nuanufac..urer, said— Ho Monoky, tins 'tin instant, about half.
past twelve, Mr. it item stint int, his shop. and asked to
see SOW trunks. He saw several, hut sail Huy were not
strong enough. le said be waintediunte of a packing-case.
Witness said he would make him one. The prilloncr salt he
wanted one 2ft. Pin. long, 21t. gin. wide, and lft. Sin. deep.
Ile sant he was anions to have it immediately, and dhl nod
really sin elite then upon having it ramie. Witness said,
you lot me know by two o'clock it shall be resole
for you hy this time to-morrow." Prisoner returned
1,, the shop again about two, and said lie would have
It made. I said It will he a very large ease. sir Lane you
any idea the els, it will he," and asked him what he wanted
it for. Ile said ho wanted to tack amine pap•rs tin
it. I said, .• Would it mit be possible for MC, ill were to
1111.811, it, to pat IL into less ,totee, I risnner was decided,
aILLI No, it nnu.d lie the size I lave mentioned The
v3111.' and shout two o'cMcli the next day he c,ord
.again and said, " Don't krill the case round to my house, but
I will pay you for it." Ilc gave Inc a Cl', note, and witor,
gave him the change. Witness then said, " In I inn not
to send it round till I hear from you 5- 'The prisoner 53141
something which witness could not understand, and then left
the shop lie appeared very Indifferent as to whether he
took the change or not.

•
7- • -
fly 31r. 'I iesiger . 1 ohser, ed a great difference in the psi-
soner s manner 401 the Tueaday. He appeared very Tomb
depressed. I remarked it at the time. The value 1411 w lox
was Ina. Although he seemed indifferent about the change,
he appeared conscious that he had change to receive.
Police-constable Thomas Ghblin deposed to finding a pistol
in the house of the prisoner.
Dr. Rugg recalled, and said in answer to questions put by
Mr. Themger, that he had some knowledge of insanity.
Anxiety and excitement on a mind enfeebled by overwork,
such as the prisoner had gone through during the last year,
xv(in Id tend to produce Insanity. Homicidal mania was a
well known form of insanity and it was common for the
object of it to be one with whom the person afflicted with
the mania had been on intimate and affectionate terms.
Homicidal mania generally showed itself suddenly. When
Mr. Watson drew my attention to the oyster shell,
the impression upon my mind was that he was perfectly.
oblivious to the awful position in which he was placed, and
I cannot conceive that a sane peram would make snch a
frivolous remark at such a time and under such circum-
stances. I have heard all the evidence that has been given
in this case, and my opinion is that the prisoner was not of
smnd mind at tile time he eomnutted the tiet
-