The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-08-26 00:00:00

A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

A terrible tragedy was committed in Carmarthenshire, on
Saturday, by a butler in a gentleman's family, who shot his
master and his daughter and then committed suicide. The
following particulars are given :

_
On Saturday Mr. Janes, formerly recorder and
county court judge of Carmarthen, was shot in his
study by his butler, named Tremble, who was to leave
that day. Mr. Johnes died about an hour after.
Tremble next shot Mrs. Cookman, Mr. Johnes' mar-
ried daughter, injuring her severely. Proceed-
ing to the kennel he shot two dogs, after
which be went in search of the landlord of
the " Dolaucothy Arms," intending to shoot him. Not
finding him at home, he returned to his own house, and
having sent a letter to the vicar stating how he wished
his property to be disposed of, went to his bedroom,
from the window of which he threatened to shoot two
Policemen who had followed him. shortly afterwards
the report of a gun PM heard, and the policemen,
having entered the room, found that Tremble had shot
himself in the chest. He died in about twenty minutes.
Mr. Johnes was seventy-six years of age.

The Western Mail gives the following account of the
shocking tragedy :
"On Friday night at dinner, and on Saturday morning, at
breakfast, Tremble was unusually quiet and attentive, and
nobody in the house suspected that he had planned so foul a
deed as that which he subsequently perpetrated. Mr.
Johnes rose as usual on Saturday morning, and, as was cus-
tomary, Tremble assisted to dress him. Mr. Johnes then
Partook of breakfast, and shortly after ten o'clock he retired,
to his study. He had not been there long when Tremble sud-
denly entered the room, carrying a paper in his hands.
Seized, as it were, by some hasty thought, however, he
immediately withdrew without speaking. He then ap-
Pears to have gone to the pantry, and fetched his double-
barrelled breech-loading gun, with which he was accus-
tomed to shoot rabbits and game upon the estate. In a
Lew seconds he returned, and, opening the study
door again without making use of any expression or pass-
ing a word, pointed his gun, and shot Mr. Johnes as he
sat in his chair. Turning round immediately, he retraced
his steps, and passed by the pantry into the kitchen, where
Mrs. Cookman was giving directions to the cook about
dinner. Pushing the door open and addressing Mrs.
Cookman, he then said, You and Miss Johnes have
always been against me. You have always been my
enemies. I'll pay you,' and instantly pointing his gun
tired the second barreL The cartridges were loaded with
shot, and the discharge entered Mr. Johnes's right side in
the lower part of the abdomen. The wound was a severe
one, of great breadth. Lady Wilkinson and a servant
named Jane Jenkins, seeing smoke issuing from the
study, ran to see what had occurred. Mr. Johnes groaned
twice, and then, in answer to the inquiries made by his at-
tendants, said he had been shot by Tremble, and told them
he was dying. Mrs. Cookman was found to be injured on
the right hip, the wounds extending over the small of the
back. Medical assistance was sent for without delay, and
Very shortly Mr. Jenkins, the family doctor, of Llansawel,
arrived, and was followed by Mr. Lewis, of Llandovery. Mr.
Jenkins, however, arrived too late to render any assistance
to one of the sufferers.
"Mr. Jonnes having accorded a farewell blessing to his
daughters, and committed his seal to God, died within an
hour after receiving the fatal shot.
"Tremble left Dolaucothy House from the back, and outside
met one of the labourers, whom he threatened to shoot. The
taan, however, managed to escape. Proceeding further
-tremble went to the dog kennels and liberated three dogs,
Which he shot as they ran out. Near Dolaucothy he also met
eea, the coachman, and with his gun on his shoulder said,
going.' Rees replied, 'l'm sorry for that,' whereupon
the murderer exclaimed, 'You'll be more sorry when you
get into the house and see what's done.' Tremble then
Made the best of his way to Cayo, to his home, and there
ler about two hours he went about carrying his gun and
threatening to shoot any one who went near him. Police-con-
stable Davies, stationed at Cayo, walked' behind him for sorra
distance as he entered the village, but immediately Tremble
heard him he turned round and told him that if he advanced
further he would blow hls brains out. The constable at this
time, knowing nothing of what had occurred at Dolaucothy,
treated the matter as a harmless joke. Another constable,
olice-constable Philip Morgan, wue was in the neighbour-
u°od, having heard the report of the murder, went at
once to Dolaucothy and made inquiries. Morgan having
satisfied himself as to the truth of what had occurred,
awent in pursuit of the man. Ey the time he returned
_
Cayo he found that Tremble had gone into his
oouse, and was being watched by Davies. In the mean-
time it was ascertained that he had made a conies-
'
lOU of what he had done, and threatened to commit suicide.
shad, however, promised his eldest and favourite daughter
~\.easte, that he would not kill himself until she had been to
elaucothy and seen whether \lr. Johnes was dead; but in-
formation reached Cayo of the death before the girl had
!tart-ed. Previous to going into his house Tremble sent his
rsatighter Bessie to the vicarage with a letter for the vicar,
Hey. Charles Chidlow, and in the village he met Mr.
trilliams, a lay reader, who is staying with Mr. Chidlow.
To this gentleman he told all that had happened, and
the letter he had sent to the vicar stated how he
....7shed his money to be disposed to. Ile told Mr.
jrilliams that be had some money in his box, and that he
nad about £l5O in the bank at Carmarthen, all of which he
,Wlithed to be given to his daughter Bessie. in her he said he
`"l4 great corthlence, and could trust her to look after the
other children. lie therefore wished his money to be given
tto her in instalments of £3O a year, and requested that
..3!,erything should be kept from his wife as she was a deceit-
ttti woman, Tremble threatened several people in the
village, and went to the 'Cayo Arms,' kept by John D
Zth the avowed intention of shooting him. Fortunately,
ever, Mr. Davies was in Carmarthen
.making purchases
&or the Cayo fair.
t "After he got into his house Tremble [went to his bed-
PM; and from the window there threatened to chant the
e2nstable Davies it he went anywhere near him, and did not
etand further back. Davies and Morgan both stationed them-
!elves outside the house, but were afraid to enter. Tremble
lhen shouted out several times that he would not like his
L'Ullelren to be told that their father had been hanged, that
"Ite!vould therefore shoot himself, and that it would be
simple case of suicide. Shortly afterwards he disap-
ziered from the window, and in a few minutes a report
',to his gun was heard, The police-officers went
the house, and found Tremble lying on the floor
bleeding from the chest, and suffering great agony. He
never
spoke, and died in about twenty minutes. He had, it
tern open his waistcoat and shirt, in order to place
_ e muzzle of the gun against his bare flesh, and fired the
o r with one of his feet by means of a piece of string
Fattened ta the trigger. Seven loaded cartridges were found
al'ing on the table, and in addition to this double-barrelled
VIM the unhappy man was ascertained to have carried two
pistols. one of which was loaded with a bullet. On the wall
n the room he had written, `Good-nye, Bente dear ; it's ot
no use keeping my promise to you. God bless you.'
"Mrs. Cookman is the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
ohnes, and is the widow of Captain Charles Cookman, of
.4firdseorthy, county Wexford, who died about ten or twelve
Years ago. Since Captain Cookratua's death, Mrs. Cookman
haa resided with her father at Dolaucothy, having with her
her only sister, Miss Johnes. as her coo pardon. Mrs. Cook-
man is a lady in about the meridian of life, and was
well known in fashionable and social circles at the
Urne of the murder. Mr. Johnes and Mrs. Cook-
,an were the only members of the family at home,
,et Lady Gardiner Wilkinson happened to be visiting at the
Miss Johnes was away with Lady Lianover, and when
?news of the sad occurrence was conveyed to them, both
:.,..°Lies were overcome, as may well he imagined, with the
pst irrepressible grief. They hastened to Dolaucothy with
V_Brleed end other relations, including Mr. Walter Lloyd,
Bonville, Mr. Long Price, and others were immediately
`ltniraened, and as soon as possible responded to the call."

Tremble is an Irishman, and was brought over from
eland when he was only eight years old by Captain
`doolcinan, and had remained ever since in the service
(4,3jr. Johnes. He was a married man with six
Children. He formerly kept a public-house, which was
111,,anaged by his wife, in the village of Cays, but gave
V5',.1113 Eta it did not succeed. For some time past he ha
r s
ob anxious to secure the "Dolaucothy Arms," which
longed to Mr. Johnes, and he has made frequent
taPPlications to his master to obtain it. Mr. Johnee,
l'owever, refused his request, and the murder is attri-
buted to this fact. On being finally refused, Tremble
Rave a month's notice, which expired on Saturday.

LATER PARTICULARS.
MONDAY.

Cookman lies in a critical condition, and the news of
mer father's death has been kept from her: Lady Wilkinson,
W._ho was staying in the house at time, is suffering severely
scorn the shock sustained.
~,Firhen Tremble first presented the gun at Mrs. Cookman,
`i-lc cook heroically placed herself between the muzzle of the
fie and her mistress, whereupon the murderer roared at her
stand aside, as he did not want to kill her. She
obstinately refused, and, thrusting the gun under her
b. shot her mistress. Both women were found
el? insensible on the floor. At the " Dolaucothy Arms"
jarnble had a glass of gin, and then proceeded to his
keW:l,house, where he sat with a revolver in each hand,
ontrtwg his eye on two or three police-officers who were
but hesitated to enter. At this time he seems to
;re:a relented, for he sent a note to the neighbouring
teeProan asktng it Mr. Johnes was dead or likely to
• yer, and on hearing that he was dying, or actually
iiro, 'tremble shot himself. Mr. Johnes was sensible to
I,4ll,loment of his death. He expressed thankfulness that
loge J°llnes was from home, as she would probably have
her life also bad she been there.
atit. John Johnes was born in 1800. He graduated B A.,
lsvattserwards LA at Oxford He was called to the Bar in.
Do scent the South Wales Circuit. In 1838 he was ap-
ba tnted Tithes Commutation Commissioner, in 1857 he 'was
nty Court Judge, and in 1851 was superanuated. He
th— 41,0 Recorder of Carmarthen for many years, Chairman of
OferFarnaarthenshire County Roads Board, and was iThairman
G 411areneraLter Sesaiona until the appointment of the Solicitor-
trrn..; Johnes' maternal grandfather, Mr. Powell, was
Zah`lerecl near the same place about one hundred years ago.
itfter' flier] with blackened faces entered his residence, and
4,loscking the house strangled him; one man escaped, and
cionVer gave evidence against hisa six associates who were
.cte
ssesiz, and hanged at Hereford, where most of the chief
cases from South Wales were then decided.

THE INQUEST AND VERDICT.
A,131- in quest has been held at the " Dolaucouthy
IZlnSi'before Mr. J. Prothero Lewis, coroner, on the
17 of Mr. John Johnes. Evidence having been mken, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that
johnes had been wilfully murdered by his butler,
Y Tremble, who had committed suicide.
of oubacquently Mr. Lewis held an inquest on the body
enrY Tremble, the butler, when the following
• ence was taken t—
ca"-";,,. William Morgan, of Liverpool, and Albert-mount,
cet:4' WaS the first witness called. He said he knew the de-
• d, Henry 'tremble. Oa Saturday last he saw him in the
bare, about ten minutes past eleven o'clock, and witness
hbes a long Conversation with him. First of all he saluted
toki him he had shot Mr. johner, saying that as he
imse',▪
,tri the neighbourhood, and had a horse with him, it was
kr. to go as fast as he could to Llandovery to fetch
letc,o,tuclxias, surgeon. The man added that Mr. Johnes
dari7,-, soon be dead, and that Mrs. Cookmau was
hat injured, injured. Ile also said he was sorry he could
~_'-e-ireplishnis object with the latter, as the cook was in
csarjaY, and lie did not want to hurt her. He was
to a gun' and witness tried to persuade him
kitit it awry, but he said he had an account
tOeltle with Jonn Davies (the man in negotiation for
th: Dolaucothy Arms,') and that be wished to keep
the, guisi to defend himself from the police. -Witness
goo'fyirifere.d his horse to be called, and bid Tremble
and-
sie uyg he would be back agsin in the afternoon,
t `u,Rt. he hoptio he would then be eiss excited. Tremble
that he would not be alive. On hie way home he
• that Mr, .Tuhnes was dead, and he only at that
It, "ete%ii•ed the truth of what 'Tremble had told him
sonl"elieved the man before to have been suffering from
t e Uelosion A little before one o'ciock he returned
o (2,
' Yo. and saw the decease i at one of the windows of
his "11, house. lie called a Hum to him, and having
, gsstill in his hand, and referring to the police, said,
toTkOod's sake keep those men away, for I do not want
Rtte e awry innocent liver. It they or anybocy else
raPt to interfere with use shoot them like dogs.''
oteh:,.llen showed nis guo in ono hand and a pistol in the
Witness told him the policemen, two of whom
Crre ttandlieg outside the bourn would not take him by
and that it would he hest for him to give himself up
Justice at once, Ps a jury might only bring in a verdict
;`rnanmlaughter. He rep:ied that he had planned it,
,tt!ticted it, aud it, and that he kiiew it was not man-
-I,Tußhter. In she course ef fir ther Observations he said
b: would not cbrgr.:„ca his family by being hung, and that
Would commit suicide. Ile bhen called for his daughter
topto be allowed to take him a glass of water, and he
ented for her to go on his promising not to injure her.
ectlY afterwards the girl came out to witness crying, and
himself appeared to be wiping his face with a cloth.
the girl came to witness, he shouted, '• If you can do
for her, G:cl bless yon," and disappeared. Witness
IZrroarked that he was either going to destroy himself or in. some other person, and almost before he had got the

words dut of his mouth he heard the report of the gun in the
bedroom, It was then ascertained that he had committed
suicide. and witness went and saw the body. Tremble died
within half an hour after the gun was fired He had torn his
clothes and the shirt open at the breast, and witness there
saw a wound.
By the Foreman: Tremble was very much excited, but not
deranged, and he believed it was his intention to commit
suicide.
Pollee, constable Philip Morgan said tint on Saturday last
he heard of whit had occurred at Dolaucothy, and went in
pursuit of Tremble, and about twelve o'clock he saw him in
the village of Cayo, and he was then speaking to Mr,
Williams, of the vicarage. Police-constable Davies and
witness watcheel him until he went into the house. They
then watched back and front to see that he did not come out
again. The front door he locked when he went into the
house: The witness then gave confirmatory evidence as to
the suicide. The shot was fired about half-past one o'clock,
and directly he heard it witness rushed into the house and
saw Tremble lying on the floor with the gun beside him.
One cartridge only had been discharged, although the other
barrel was loaded. A pistol and a number of cartridges were
also found in the room.

Police-constable Davies spoke to a conversation he had
with the deceased before he heard of the tragedy at Dolan-
cothy, and to his threatening to shoot him.
Martha Tremble, who appeared in deep mourning, was
next called, and stated that she was the wife of the deceased,
and that he was thirty-six years of age.
The Coroner briefly summed up, and pointed out that
there could be no doubt that Tremble had killed himself in
order to escape the consequences of the cruel murder he had
committed at Dolaucothy. The only question for the jury
was the state of his mind at the time he committed suicide.
The jury at once returned a verdict of fel° de se.

The following, says the Western Mail, is a copy of
the letter sent by Tremble to the Vicar of Cayo, the
Rev. Charles Chidlow, who produced it and submitted
it to the coroner :
August 15th, 1878.
I, Henry Tremble, butler, at Dolecothy, in the county of
Carmarthen, do hereby authorise the Rev. Charles Chidlow,
Cayo Vicarage, to take up my money that is now in the
National Provincial Bank, Carmarthen, and to pay the said
money quarterly at the rate of from £3O to £4O per year to
my Boater Elizabeth, Susan Tremble for the rnaintanins of
herselfe and her sisters and Brothers, namely, Susan Louisa
Tremble, Chas Henry Tremble, Alice Jane Tremble,
John Tremble, Frances Sarah Tremble. I will leave all the
money that I can in a little box, and the bank receipt also,
the key of which I will enclose to you, that you will be able
to judge how that money will last before you draw on the
bank. Sir, I hope you will excuse me taking this liberty, as
I have no friends in this country nor do I know anyone that
would be l'kely to take any interest in my children except
you, as a Christian clergyman. Hoping at some future time
you will be found amongst the good shepherds is the earnest
wish of your obedient servant, HENRY TREMBLE.
To the bey. Charles Chidlow, Cayo Vicarage.
On the back of the letter was written : "There will
be about £8 in my pocket—H, T."
A small key was enclosed in the letter, wrapped in a
piece of blotting paper.
The Vicar being advised that he could take no part
in administering the deceased's property, publicly
handed the key over to Mrs. Tremble, and allowed
her to read the document. _ _ _ _

The jury passed a vote of thanks to Mr. Morgan for
the courage he had displayed in facing the assassin.

Mr. Morgan, in reply, observed that he did not agree
with those who condemned the action of the police in the
matter. If they had risked their lives in attempting to
apprehend Tremble, they would undoubtedly have been
shot, and he considered they acted with great discre-
tion and wisdom in doing what they did.
These remarks were received with applause.