The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-04-23 00:00:00

A PLEASANT HOME!

At the Worship-street police-curt, in London,
Martin Higg:n4, an lrieLman of diminutive stature,
was charged with having aivaulted his landlord, also
an Iriehman.

The prosecutor, who spoke with a strong brogue, got into
the witness-box, and in a loud voice called out, "Plaza your
woolinp he's a lodger of mine
The Ilacistrata Very likely, but tell me your name, and
where sou live.
Prosecutor : I live in Saunder's-buildings, Horse Shoe'
alley, lie's a lodger of mine pointing to the prisoner .
The Magistrate: Will you tell me about this. What did
herbs' -
Proa
misels

, do to Au?
Prosecutor : Let me tell you the rights of it, sir. My
.nissis is in the habit of getting too much swill. Laughter).
The Magistrate: I do not want to know what your
" ndsais" is in the habit of doing, but what this man did to
you. Now attend to the question. What happened last
night
Prosecutor : What happer ell last night! 'Shure, your
woslmp, he's a lodger ot mine—loud laughter; —and last
night he rushed into my bid•romm about one o'clock this
morning, with his dochter. (Laughter They collared me
ant lay in me bid, and this wan, he's my lodger, your wontinp,
said he'd choke me, and that's how I got these two wounds
on my head.
The SI agistree : I suppose he war drunk !
Prosecutor: Shure, and I should think it very likely.
Prisoner: What time eLI you come home last nialit
Prosecutor : What dr you mane by that iniperdent inquiry,
you omadhoutt ? What's it to do with you?
Magistrate: Answer the question.
Prmsecutor : Look here, your woshup, what's it to do with
him? _ . .

Prisoner Everything, to be shore. Wasn't lin bed by
half-past eleven o'clock, and In a blessed sltep, and didn't
you come In at one o'cl. ck and wake me up, and—
The Slagbtrate Now give up making a statement, and ask
him a que,tiii,i if you want to.
Prbotier : Well, did I hit you, or did my dochter
Pros.-cutor Ido not know. The whole lot of yon came in
and net up toy door Jost as I was hating my wife for getting
too much drink. (Great !enabler) You see, your woshup,
my missis lays In the drink fearful.
• • ••• • • •

Ilire the whole court was convulsed with laughter,
more at the eccentric manner and action of the prose-
cutor than anything else. In the midst of the con-
fusion the magistrate told the prosecutor to stand
down, and he ordered the prisoner to be removed to
the cells. This was done, and prosecutor received a
lecture. After the lapse of a short time, during which
&with, r rase was taken, the prisoner was again brought
in, and, like the prosecutor, was considerably sub -Sued.
The ca.s was then finished is the usual prooiic course,
and ended in the not nbususl manner of the prisoner
being fined in the penalty of 40a., with the alternative
of a mouth's imprisonment.

WIFE MURDER THROUGH JEALOUSY
On Sunday morning considerable excitement was
created in Warwick by the rumour that Charles Chap-
man, aged 27. residing in that town, had drowned his
wife in the Warwick and Napton Canal, near to Lea-
mington.
It appears that on Saturday evening, about eight
o'clock, Chapman accompanied his wife to Leamington,
about two miles from Warwick, for the purpose of
purchasing her a pair of boots. They then seemed to
be on good terms, and nothing further was heard of
them until Sunday morning, when Chapman went to
the Warwick police stati n with his father and the
former, addressing Policeconstables Satchwell and
Fletcher, said,—" I have come to give myself up for
murdering my wife." The officers thought the man
had been drinking, but he repeated the statenant, awl
the father said he believed the !statement was
true, as his son had been to his house and was
wet through when be arrived. lie had, however,
since changed his clithes. The officers at last en-
tered the charge, and the priscner then said if they
would go to the side of the canal, near to Learn-bridge,
and drag they would find his wife's body. He ha
i d
drowned her n the bridge hole, a deep part of the
canal. As the prisoner appeared so positive in his
statement, the officer placed him in a cell, and went
with the drags to the place he mentioned. After drag-
ging the canal for about an hour, they found his wife's
body in about the place he had indicated. Her dress
was very mu h torn, and round her body was a rope,
as if her husband had tried to tie her arms together.
On the bank were evidences of a Revere struggle, and
the officers found one ot the prisoner's cont.sleeveß on
the embankment, as if his wife had torn it off while
strugglieg with him. licr apron and also three peice
were found on the path, ard, from the appearance, it
is evident the murdered woman firiAt hard for her
life. The deceased in the mother f three children, the
youngest of whom is four months old.
The aleced cause of the murder is jealousy' the
prim ter asserting that whils lie was absent at work in
Birmineham, a few months ago, his wife was familiar
with cc her men. . . .

Tio- murdered woman was only twenty years of age,
and was much respected.

On Monday, the pr'soner was brought before the
magistrates at Warwick, charged with the wilful mur-
der of his wife. Ann Chapman, on Saturday night last,
by pushing her into the Warwick and Napton Canal.
The prisoner is about tweuty-seven yews of age, of
middle height, dark complexion, and swarthy skin;
hut there is nothing absolutely repulsive or brutal in
the expression of his fsce. He appeared remarkably
self-p 'seemed when placed in the dock, though evi-
dently conscious of his position.
Police•constable Satchwell di posed that, Its already
stated, the prisoner went to the Warwick police.
station at an early hour on Sunday morning and gave
himself into custody on the present charge. He also
deposed to having fould the body of the deceased in
the canal, and the precise spot where the prisoner
stated he 11:d thrown her into the water, and that
there were marks on the towing-path of a severe
struggle haviug occurred.

Mr: Superintendent Hit It•ing deposed that, after the
I shy of tho deceived had Is • n found in the canal, the
Priwdur. who Lad been the.ained in custody, made the
following statelatut,
Arles haring been remin led that
the charge was ~crioua and cautioned that any
• •
statement he night make would be given in evr,ence I
against bin, ivisoter's confession, which he had
signed with I: s nark, after it had been read over to
hilt, was as bows—
last iaturdm) talaht I went home about Fit o'clock, and
gave rny t,toi ey her u••ilter We lived with her. I stayed
at home until I went out with my wife. I told her we would
go to Lea:alum,* and boat round there. We started
a little after awe o'clock. I called at Page's, near
the chai am' had a pint of ale; that was all 1 bad
all the a ght. So lookerl in the shop wlndoe s and went
on to ti- Emesste.cas.rrklge. I raid 'Come on this
way.' SI.- -aid she did not like to go by the water site, Site
laid she was all of a tremble I said, • Whvt makes you
tremble; what hare yin to tremVe for Is 1.1, d she would go
alottethe I oltie we • -old eel cut at the Leatu-nridge, on to the
old Wat•iuk-rowl, We wow liking as we weld along the
cut.side. I said i was sure the last child was not mine. She
Bald,• scatsp ; loue of tin m are yours. I have de-
ceived yo t a goed while.' Winn we got limier the Learn-
bridge I pushed her into tile water. As she was golog
Is she lald hold 411 me al d pulled me into the water. I
could It stet exey front bee for a loeg while, she kept Ell
tvt hold -4 • a had like to have tlx.wlied me. I got
away trot-, got ut of the water. I made up my
mind to c • or before I went out of the house. I have
b -en awa rim home for three months together. When I
last came home she hell the last child up and said, 'llfre'a a
pattern for you.' I till her tile chilli was Charles Harris's
and not mine. She laughed and called me all old fo ii I
hail a regular Job at the Birmingham Gam W‘.rks front thi!o•
her to Starch for the last six or seven years. I sent her every
week 13s. or 141., and once 15s
- - -

•
Mr. Superiuten.l. nt Hickling, said the prisoner
signed the statement after it hit been read over to
him, and made eta or two verb all erAtions. He had
since repeatedly stated that he meant to drown his
wife the first time he had a chance. The accused was
then remanded.

An inquest wag held on the body of the deceased,
on Monday afteinoon, when the jury returned a ver-
dict of " Wilful murder' against the excused, and the
Coroner ma le out a warrant for the commitment of
the prisoner to the come}, gaol.