The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-05-26 00:00:00

MURDER IN SOMERS TOWN.

At the Clerkenwell Police-court, on Monday,
Charles Latham, Labourer, aged 30, was charged
before Mr. Bros with the wilful murder of Mary New-
man by cutting her throat with a knife, at 53,
Drummond-crescent, Somers Town, on the 19th
May. Inspector Austin and Detective Inspector
Miller watched the case on behalf of the police.
Elizabeth Leigh, the wife of Walter Leigh, a cab-driver,
said: "I live at 53, Drummond-crescent, St. Pancras,
where the prisoner also lived with Mary Newman, who
was usually called Mrs. Newman. She came aad took a
back room, unfurnished, from me about five months
ago, and had occupied it for about three
months when the prisoner came to live
with her. On Saturday evening, at about seven, I
was at home in the back parlour. While passing
through the passage to go to another room I saw
Mary Newman's little girl, about thirteen years of age,
crying in the passage. I spoke to her, and then ran
down to Mary Newman's room. I opened the door,
and rushed in, and saw the prisoner kneeling on the
woman, who was on the bed. She called out, "Mrs.
Leigh, Mrs. Leigh, he is killing me." I called out,
"Oh, you murdering villain; you are killing her." I
caught hold of him by his collar and tried to pull him
off. He looked very wild at me hut did not speak.
He had something small in his hand, with which he was
striking Mrs. Newman on the neck, but I could not see
what it was. Her neck was bleeding. I could not
pull him from her, so I rushed upstairs and called Mr.
Butcher, the landlord, and another man who was there.
They ran downstairs and I ran out of the house and
across the road to a house where the prisoner's
sister lives. I then ran back to the house and saw
Mr. Butcher struggling with the prisoner in the kitchen.
I then ran out and fetched a policeman. Mr. Butcher,
the prisoner, and Mrs. Newman all came upstairs
together, and Mrs. Newman went into my parlour.
Mr. Butcher let the prisoner go, and he left the house.
I followed him into Charlton-street. The policeman
whom I had brought had gone into the parlour to see
the woman. I don't think he understood what I
meant. Afterwards he came out, and I pointed the
prisoner out to him standing at the bar of a public-
house in Charlton-street called the Coffee House.
There two policemen took the prisoner into custody.
I went back to my house, and found Mrs. Newman
in my parlour sitting in a chair with a cloth round
her neck. She was just alive, and a doctor was
attending her. She was removed to University College
Hospital. When asked if he had any question to put
to the witness, the prisoner said, "That home belongs
to me. My sister took it when I came out of prison.
She knows she did." The witness said that was not
so; Mrs. Newman took the room. Dr. John
Murray Llewellyn said: I was called to
53, Drummond-crescent, at about a quarter to eight on
Saturday evening, in the front parlour I found a
woman being supported on a chair. She was in a
dying condition, smothered with blood. I saw she had
several wounds, some incised and some punctured, on
the right side of the throat. I bandaged the wounds,
sent for a cab, and had her conveyed at once to
University College Hospital. I did not seethe prisoner.
Police-constable George Batten, 25 Y R, said—l was
called to the Coffee House public-house, and there saw
the prisoner coming out in the custody of another
constable. I then went to 53, Drummond-crescent,
where I saw the last witness attending to the
deceased, who was sitting in a chair. I called a cab,
and took her in it to the hospital, where she was seen
by Dr. Holder. It was about twenty minutes to eight
when I arrived there, and she expired about ten
minutes after her admission. The prisoner, who
maintained a stolid demeanour throughout, was re-
manded. It was mentioned that at the next hearing
evidence as to the prisoner's mental condition would
be offered.