The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-08-05 00:00:00

ATTEMPTED MURDER NEAR

STOURBRIDOE.

On Wednesday afternoon rumours were current about
the town to the effect that a woman had been murdered
in some fields adjoining the skin works, but from imjui•
ties made we are happy to be able to state that they were
untrue, and it was only an 'attempt to murder. It ap-
pears that on Wednesday morning a man named William
Jones ,a labourer living near to the Red Lion ILn,
Stourport, followed a woman named Louisa Rye'', clints
Smith, to Stourbridge. He met her near to the town
clock, between ten and eleven o'clock, when she was in
vompany with a young woman named Emily Parker. 11,
told Ryan that he was going out of the town to go to
Wednesbury, and asked her toga a little way with him
She consented, and they all went over (riles'. Hill, and
crossed the river Stour towards Acublecote. When at
the top of the embankment adjoining the Great Western
Railway incline, leading from the bottom end of the
town to the main line, lie threw her down on the grass
and firmly pressed his hand round her throat, whilst he
got his knees on to her chest. Although he IMS only one
arm, lie succeeded in getting her completely within his
power, :and instantly produced a common table knife
from his pocket. She screamed, and he declared that
he would murder its "Cool blood." Her vompanion tried
to push him away, but eould not. During the struggle
she altered her position, although Junes was still kneel-
ing upon her. He tried to get the knife against Ryties
neck, and actually did scratch her face and neck very
badly with his finger nails. Parker, after a desperate
struggle, succeeded in getting hold of the knife and
threw it over a hedge. At length, and with great dull.
culty, Ryan got away from lam, and she screamed,
Murder,' and several persons who were in the neigh-
bourhood ran towards the spot, and succeeded in rescu-
ing her from him. Two policemen were soon on the
spot, and Jones was removed to the police station, where
he was brought up the same afternoon before Mr. R. L.
Freer, when he was remanded until yesterday, when he
again brought up before Major Fletcher and C. P. Noel,
Lsq., cl”rgett with attempting to murder Louisa Ryan on
the dud must.
Mr. Addison appeared for prosecutrix.
. . . .

Ii • •
Prom-caws said: use to Market-street, Stourbridge,
and am • single woman. I have known the prisoner
about eight or awe weeks. I have been living with the
prisoner at btourport, Birmingham, and Wednesbury.
it e came from the latter place to Stourbridge on Tues-
day. On the following morning I saw prisoner. and
and went through some fields with him and Emily Par-
ker. Prisoner asked me to go down the fields with him,
and we went down by the tan yard. We stood together
by the cute. He put his arm round my te..k and kisse•l
use. He then caught hold of me by the throat, and held
1110 down. Emily Parker cried out and said,
Louisa, he ham something in bin hand, and he is going to
take your life.- I struggled with him and took the kulie
from his hand, and threw it away. I did not know it
was a knife when I took it from his hand. Emily Parker
picked the knife up, and two men named Joseph Harris
aud John Lawley, who work at Mr. Barney's rope works,
came up. When they came prisoner got up and ran at
me, and swid he intended to kill sue. When I recover, d
myself I went on and prisoner overtook me. He caught
bold of me by the throat and threw we on the side of
the road. It was by the step at the incline. He tried to
get on to the top of me, and put his hand round lay
throat again. Mr. Swindell came by at the time, and
shortly afterwards Police-constables Bailey and Freenriu
arrived on the spot. When they came up 1 IVls not cie,,e
enough to hear shat passed between prisoner and them.
When they were taking him to the station lie put his
hand out to shake hands with me. I said he had dor.,
enough. He said he had uot done so much as he had
Intended to do; if it had not been for Emily instead of
beings scratch it would have been a deep go-1, He „,,id
if they had been a minute or two later lie would have cut
my b-- head off my body. It WWI not a hanging
yet, but he intended to murder we the first opportunity
he had. The marks on my neck were done by prisoner.
Cross-examined : I did not say I would go to walk the
streets because I had not gut any money. I went to live
at Mrs. Hamlin's in Market-street. I aid not ask you t
cut my throat.
Re-examined by Mr. Addison : Prisoner did not wart
Parker to come with us, and asked me to send her back
several

Emily Parker said: I live M Market-street, and sio
the wile of Henry Parker, a moulder. On Tuesday night
prosecutor slept with use, and I went for • walk with her
on the following morning. We went across the fields,
and when prisoner had gut her down I said, "Louisa, Le
has something in his baud to kill you with, and I began
to scream. I did not see Ryan take anything from pri-
soner's hand. I saw her throw a knife away, and I went
and picked it up. The knife produced is the same.
snouted " Murder," and two men named Harris and Law.
Icy came from the rope works, and I gave the knife to
Harris. Prisoner ran at Harris, and took the knife from
him. Ryan ran away. Prisoner asked 112 e why I
screamed ; he was not going to hurt me.. He was mili
going to cut herb- head off, and he brought her
up the fields intending to do it. Prisoner went after
prosecutria, overtook her, threw her down again, seized
net by the throat, and was trying to strangle her. I
screamed again, and Mr. Swindell, and Harris and Law •
Icy came up. They said they would give him into ens-
tody, when he ran at Lawley. He held out his hand to
Ryan, and she said yen have done quite enough. He
stud " Not so much as I intended to do. Instead of
being a scratch, it would have been • deep gash." It was
not a hanging job, but if they had been • minute or two
later it wont° have been one. I could love her, kiss, and
kill her in cold blood."

John Lawley said: I live at the Cliff. Stourbridge, and
work at Mr. Barney's rope works. 'this affair happened
on Wednesday, between half pact eleven and 12 o'clock.
1 heard screams of •• Murder. ' I ran up, and saw tl.e
orisoner on the tip of a woman. He was kneeling Oil
her chest. He had one knee on her cheat. He had hold
of her round the throat. We held him and lie got up
and asked the woman for some tickets. 1 saw some
marks upon the woman's neck. Prisoner ran after her a
second time, and we pushed him away, and we rum.
inenced lighting' Parker handed the knife to me. The
knife produced in the same. I gave the knife to Harris.
1 told prisoner the knife would be evidence against him.
and he said he did not rare, he meant murdering her,
and brought her there on purpose. After we had been
there some time we went to work.

-
Pulice-constable Bailey said: I am stationed at OM-
awinford. On Wednesday last about 12 o'clock, I was
talking to Police -constable Freeman, at the bottom end
of High-street. In consequence of something Mr. Swin-
dell told me, I went to the Tan Yard Bridge. I saw the
prisoner there, and took him into custody, and charged
him with attempting to murder a young woman. lie
said you can take me. lam not drunk, nor mad; but
intended to murder the d-- bitch." Police-constable
Freeman then came up. We went back to the place, and
I left prisoner in charge of Freemen. I got over the
hedge, and a young man who was with me, picked up the
knife produced. Whilst we were going to the station, he
asked the young woman for some tickets. She gave him
some, and he said to her " You can't hang me for this
but I intend to hang for you. 'lke first chance I Ira,
got I shall murder her, the devil.'•
In answer to the charge, prisoner said, •• I have no-
thing to say.- lie was committed to take Ma trial at the.
neat Matron! Assizes.

ASSAULTING A Wowaw.—Thomss Davenport and Ben.
jamin Averts were charged with assaulting Ann Maria
Pardoe, at Belbroughtou, on the 213th ult. Mr. Perry
appeared for complainant. Complainant said sbe wan
wile of William Pardue, labourer, Belbroughton. 0,,
the above date the had been at work for Mr. Herta
haymaking, and the women were talking together, and
Dsveuport thought they were talking about him, fin
began cursing aud swearing. She went home, and after
supper she went outside, and Davenport struck her a
violent blow on the arm, and knocked her back into the
Douse. Ilcr hunband went to Mr. liartillks to tell him
about it, when both defendants beat her. William Par.
doe, hunband of complainant, gave corroborative vii
defer. Defendant Davenport said he did pot strike the
complainant, he only pushed her. Averes said he did
not touch complainant at all. Avcren was dismissed, and
Davenport was tined Is and emits, or seven days.
NNOLNCT tie /I,.met, anchor smith,
was summoned by Messrs. Mountford, Bonier, acil
Mountford, for neglecting his work. Mr. Perry appeared
fur complainant.. Defendant did not appear, and a
warrant SIAS issued for his apprehension.

ANOTHER Cann.— George if rettell, John Perry, Niel
William Sutton were charged with neglect of work on
the 20th 01 July. John Dine, builder, Cradley, mid the
delemianta wtre in his employ on the above date. Pero.
was is labourer, and the contract was to give or take 11
days' notice, lie left on the above date without giving
any notice. Witness claimed Ss Oil damage. Sutton
the same as Perry, and left in the same manner. He
claimed lie from Sutton. In the case of Brettell he was
ordered to pay the costs and go back to work. The other
defendants were ordered to pay the amount claimed, and
MAU.
TRESPASSINU ON Tills STOURBRIDOE RAlLWAY.—Alex-
ander Billinghein (11), was charged with trespassing on
the Great N ester's Hallway, at the Lye. Mr. Ledbrooke
appeared to watch the mire on behalf of the Company.
%iiliam Collett, signalman, mid that on the 17th of Juiy
defendant end two others were standing on the platt.rm
at the Lye Station. Be ordered them off, and defendant
would not go. They had no right to be there. The other
two went away, but defendant would not go. Joseph
Fellows tried to put defendant off the platform. Fel.
Ins said lie saw defendant at the Lye Station on the
above date. Witness ordered him awes, and he refused
to got and lay down.—James Billingham was charged
with assaulting and illtreenng Joseph Attwood Fellows.
at the Lye Station, ou the 17th ult. Complainant wait
he Was a goons' clerk at the station. He ordered the
defendant's brother off, when defendant came up, and
struck him on the shoulder and knocked hint down. Col-
•iett gave corroborative evid,•nce Defendant said he
asked complainant to get off his horse, and Ili he would
not, defendant pushed him down. The case again.t thi•
younger defendant was withdrawn. The other defendant
was fined 10s and costs; in default 14 days.
STE•hiwo • Poev.—George Howley was charged with
stealing a pony, trap, and set of harness, the property of
Thomas Wall, at Kinser, on the 24th ult. Mr. Addison
defended. Prosecutor maid on the above date he was at
the Lock Inn, Stewponey. He put the horse and trap
outside the door, and went inside to have a glass of ale.
When became oat the horse and trap was gone. Ban.
jamin Liddington, landlord of the Lock Inn, proved
seeing prisoner driving away with the horse and trap in
the direction of Stourbridge. Police-serg 'ant Baldwin
said he mw priaoner at Kinver last Sunday with a horse
and trap. He said he had brought Mr. Wall's horse and
trap, and he added thaf hr drirve it away, and found hits.
self at Quat, necr Bridunorth, on the following inorninc.
Mr. Addison. in defenve, called prisoner's tn,dher. WhO
said her on hail received injuries to his head some tune
ago, and he had been in a weak state in his head since.
The Bench difsgeeed the ease.