The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-06-26 00:00:00

THE MURDER IN KENTISH TOWN.

George Vincent Heneage Finch, 19, described as an
artist, of 15, Ospringe-road, Kentish Town, was
brought up at the Marylebone Police-court, charged
with the murder of John William Bowes, by shoot-
ing him with a revolver; also with attempting to
murder Frances Hardy by discharging a revolver at
her.

Mr. R. Hardy, chemist, 165, Brecknock-road, said
he was a postmaster, and the deceased, J. Bowes, who
was his assistant, was 25 years of age, and had been in
his service for 15 months. On the 10th June witness
was out all day. The post-office business was con-
ducted at a separate counter from that where the
medicine was served. It was possible for any one to
see the box in the till when open, and there was an
opening sft. to the right of the marble slab which
served as a counter, through which anyone could get
round the counter. He was returning Lome on
Thursday night, and having been told what had hap-
pened search was made for the bullet, and on Friday
it was found in a recess behind the counter, in some
papers (bullet produced). The bullet had evidently
struck the matchboard of the wall, for there was a
-hole in the wall, and then had fallen on to the paper
and a sponge beneath. The prisoner was a stranger
to him.

Dr. Saunders said he made a post-mortem exami-
nation of the body of. the deceased. There was a
gunshot wound on the left of the temple, the shot
penetrating the brain and becoming embedded in one
of the temporal muscles. The injury was the cause
of death. He produced the bullet.
William John Stone, 15, Ospringe-road, page to
Mrs. Finch, the prisoner's mother, said the prisoner
lived at that address. He was an artist, but during
the last three months he had been stage manager to
a theatrical club. About three weeks ago witness
saw him with a revolver in his bedroom near the
dressing table. Witness said, "I did not know you
had a revolver, sir," and he said " Yes ; ma knows
all about it. I had it a year or so ago, and expect
she has forgotten all about it. I never keep it
loaded." Witness looked at the revolver, and he
knew that it was not loaded, for he tried the trigger.
On the 10th inst. witness took some dresses to a young
lady by direction of the prisoner, as she was going to
act that night at the Kilburn Town Hall, where
witness was to have sold the programmes. The pri-
soner went out at 9.30 on Thursday, and said he
would be back in a few minutes, but up to witness
going out at three o'clock he had not returned. On
arriving back at Ospringe-road, at 4.30, he found a
crowd outside the house and the police inside. On
Friday morning witness was helping Mrs. Finch to
clear up the prisoner's room, and between the mattress
and the ralliasse they found a tin can containing a
number of ball cartridges, which he handed to Detec-
tive-sergeant Miller.
Sergeant Millet said the tin box contained 37 cart-
ridges, which fitted the revolver produced.
George Sault, hall-keeper at the Kilburn Town
Hall, said the prisoner hired the hall for a dramatic
performance to take place on the 10th June, and paid
a deposit of 10s., the balance to be paid on the night
of the rehea-sal or the morning on which the per-
formance was to take place. At the last rehearsal
the prisoner said he could not pay him then, but he
would see him on the matter the following morning.
The audience assembled on the Thursday night, and
also the actors, except the prisoner, but no phrform-
ance took place.
Mr. Clay, tobacconist, Camden-road, said the pri-
soner hired a room from him at a rental of 10s,
a week, in April, saying tbat he wanted it for re-
hearsals, as he was giving theatrical performances.
The prisoner gave a performance at the Royal Park
Hall, Camden Town, and on the morning of that day
he suggested to witness that they should divide the
expenses and share the profits, as he had not sufficient
money to carry the affair through. Witness refused
to do that, but lent him £6. He was to have received
half the takings, but all be got was a sovereign and a
few shillings. After the performances the prisoner
got four weeks' into arrears with his rent, and witness
summoned him in the County Court for the amount.
Subsequently the prisoner sent him a post-office order
for LI
Mr. Sims said that completed the case for the pro-
secution, and be asked for the committal of the
prisoner on all the charges.
Mr. Cooke, having formally cautioned the prisoner,
asked if he had anything he wished to say in his
defence.

The prisoner said: I simply know nothing about
it, your worship. I don't know the gentlemen who
have come here. I don't remember being in the
chemist's shop. That is all I wish to say, thank you.
Mr. Cooke then formally committed the prisoner
for trial.

A business firm to which a bill had been owing for
some time finally sent a sharp dunning note to the
debtor, and received in reply a postal-card contain-
ing the following:—" Matthew xviii., 26." To this
they responded :—" St. Luke ail., 58." The result
was the prompt return of a cheque in payment of the
amount.
The life of man is a journey, a journey that must
be travelled, however bad the roads or the accommo-
dation. If in the beginning it is found dangerous,
narrow, and difficult, it must either grow better in the
end, or we shall by custom learn to bear its inequality.
—Golamith.