The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-03-02 00:00:00

THE CHARGE OF MATRICIDE.

In London on Saturday, Mrs Amelia Portbury was finally
examined at Worship-street Police court on the charge of
causing the death of her mother, Mrs Julia Aria, x widow •
lady of property, residing at Park House, Victoria Park.
The prisoner, who at the previous hearing was al-
lowed a seat in the dock, on account, as was stated, of
her being advanced in pregnancy, appeared to be
greatly distressed at her situation, and she was in tears
several times during the inquiry. The prisoner's hus-
band, who is only 19, she being 37, and about whom
the quarrel between the deceased and the prisoner is
said to have originated, was not in court.
Edward Bryan, the gardener, who deposed to the
prisoner having threatened her mother, was cross-
examined by Mr. Finlay. He observed that the
deceased woman seemed to have been drinking, which
was not unusual for her to do when put out or excited.
That morning she had quarrelled with her daughter
(the prisoner), and threatened to call the police, but
the prisoner held her back; she was very violent.
Ann Fraser, in reply to the magiatrate, added to her
evidence of the previous week that she went to the
house about nine o'clock in the morning, and found
phioner removing her goods to go and join her
husband. Mrs. Aria did not like this, and quarrelled.
She saw the prisoner take up a decanter, but not
strike with it. Prisoner left the room, and the de-
ceased followed her. Witness did not see anything
after that. Prisoner left about eleven o'clock, and
about nine in the evening witness, on going upstairs to
Mrs. Aria's room, found her lying in a heap behind
the door, and in a very bad state. Then she made
* complaint to witness about her daughter. (Mr.
Finlay objected to the statement tieing given in evi-
dence, as the prisoner was not present when it was
made. The objection was allowed.) The next day
witness saw Mrs. Aria, and she was then very has.
She had to be helped about. She continued to get
worse till her death on the 15th inst.
By Inspector Honey: She had never said that Mrs.
Aria on her deathbed had stated her belief that the
prisoner had killed her. She had made statements
against the prisoner when the latter was not present.
Lewis Muldola (about twelve years of age), son of
the prisonor by her first husband, Dr. Muldola, was
then called. (The prisoner, on his entering the witness.
box, burst into tears, and stood up in the dock.) The
lad, having been sworn, said that he was in the kitchen
on the morning of the lot inst., when the prisoner and
his grandmother were quarrelling. It was about some
goods which were being taken away. He saw his
mother, the prisoner, take up a poker and just
slightly hit his grandmother on the back. Mrs. Aria
then ran into another room, and brought out a broom,
and struck prisoner with it. His mother went up-
stairs, and too grandmother followed her to the draw-
ing-room. There his mother took up a decanter, but
did not use any words to threaten his grandmother.
He did not see any marks of violenee about his grand-
mother afterwards.
William Chapman, detective, said that on Saturday
morning, the 17th inst., he went with Inspector Honey
to the prisoner's house. When she presented herself
Inspector Honey told her that she would be charged
with causing the death of her mother. She said, "I
am innocent. You don't mean to say that you are
going to lock Inc up." She was replied to in the affir-
mative, and, a cab being procured, was removed to the
station. On the way she several times said that she
was innocent. Witness produced a poker (about three
feet long) and a decanter whith had been given to him
by the witness Bryan, as the weapons with which the
injuries were inflicted. (These were identified by Lewis
Muldola and the witness Fraser.)
Mr. Wm. Henry Brotherton, M.R.C.S., said that
he was called to attend Mrs. Aria on the 3rd instant.
He found her in a low, nervous, irritable, condition.
He prescribed for her, and she appeared to rally. On
Sunday, the 11th instant. hewas called again suddenly,
and then found her in an insensible state, with ster-
torous breathing ; and on the following Thursday at
midnight she died. He had since held a post-mortem
examination, and found the membranes of the brain
very much congested. She made statements to witness
at various times, but in his opinion she was not appre-
hensive of death at the time.
Mr. Finlay (this being all the evidence) aaked the
magistrate if there was, after the evidence of the
doctor, any case to go to a jury.
The Magistrate said that against the inconclusive
evidence of Mr. Brotherton there was the direct evi.
• deuce of other witnesses who had seen her flourishing a
poker and the decaliter. These facts, with others,
being coupled, he could not for a moment take upon
' himself to withdraw the case from a jury.
The prisoner, whose examination had lasted over
four hours, was then removed to Nevi-gate for trial at
the Central Criminal Court.