The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-07-27 00:00:00

THE CASE OF THE OOLMERS.

TRUE RILL AGAINST THE PRISONERS.

Lord Coleridge, in charging the grand jury, at Wells
Amine, to-day, said he wished to refer to a case, which,
he learnt from the puhlic papers, was creating • good
deal of excitement; but it was • case which, when they
ha I found • bill against the prisoners, would be
removed from the consideration of a jury of Somerset.
shire, on the ground that the S imersetshire jury could
not try the 0/10 fairly, although he did not know why
that should be so. Hi referred to the CM. of Robert
Slade Gilmer and Jane Colmar, who were indicted
for the wilful murder of a person called Mary Budge
on the 19th March. having DO wounded her with instru-
mento, for the purpose of abortion, that she diet The
circumstances of the con were short and simple, and
ought to present to them no difficulty. It appeared
that Mary Budge was a widow, and a young woman
comparatively speaking. She wee with child, and it
appeared that one of the witnesses In the cam, whose
name he did not mention, must have had something to
do with it, although the direct question had not been
put to him; the witness lodged in the bowel with
deceased at Crewkerne, and some days before the fatal
event drove the deceas-d to Yeovil in a trap, and took
her to the house of Jane Colmar, who was called an
herbalist, and sold herbs—some innocuous, and some
others of a very different character. Without going
into the matter particularly, they could easily conceive
for what purposes some of those herbs were used.
However, in the present case there was but the slight-
est and faintest possible evidence the herbs were used
improperly on the fir-it occasion when Jane Colmar
alone WWI concerned. Some days afterwards
the deceased went over there again, this
time alone and by train. It wee proved by several
people that she was in perfect health when she
started. Several telegrams would be put in, which
passed between the prisoners about this time. The
male prisoner having been in Bristol, he was tele-
graphed to and asked to come home on the day before
the &owed arrived at Jane Colmar's, and there was
evidence of • letter which passed, directed for the
demised by the witness he before mentioned, and
making the appointment with Jane Colmer to come
on the day mentioned to Yeovil. On that day
the deceased went, and she WM Men to KO to
the house of Jane Colmar. The house was one
with a parlour behind the shop, the parlour having a
window into the shop, also • window opening into the
yard behind. On the day in question both these
windows were closed, a newspaper put over the one
towards the shop, and the blind of the one towards
the yard was drawn down. The damaged went in,
and shortly afterwards one of the witnesses, • servant
to Mn. Colmer, was sent to another house for Mr.
Colmar, who c ime back with the witness; he went
Into the parlour, the door was looked, and shortly
afterwards Mr. Colmer came out. Shortly after Ugs
Mrs. Oolmer was he .rd almost screaming "Pro
coma- she has fainted," and Mr. Colmer went back
into Use room. Nothing was seen of what took place
In the room; but Mrs. Comm., came out soon after-
wards and went into the kitchen, where she took up
the two cloths, afterwards going back into the parlour.
Nothing more was actually seen of anybody, except
Mr. Colmar going out, till towards the evening, when
Mrs. Colmer and the deceased were seen sitting
on the sofa together, Mrs. Colmer supporting
the deceased, with her arm round her waist,
and the deceased ill and very miserable. How-
ever she had strength to gat on to the station and go
from Yeovil to Crewkerne; there she was met by the
witness previously allude,' to, taken across the station,
put in an omnibus, and then taken to her own house.
Her daughter was much *truck with the terrible alter-
ation in the deceased's appearance. She wee taken to
her bed, where she wee very ill, • doctor was
sent for, and it appeared that he hardly
arrived before she died. There weal an immediate
essenination of something which the dammed had in a
bottle, of which she had partaken. There was found
to be • mixture, the principal ingredient of which was
sulphate of quinine, which was a perfectly harmless
mixture, and had probably been given her to support
her. A pose writse examination was made; beyond
doubt an operation had been performed on her, which
operation had caused wounds which resulted in her
death. His Lordship then pointed out the law
of the case, saying it was perfectly clear that if
a person or persons in committing an illegal
ammo caused the death of another person, that was
murder, and very properly so. He thought they would
have 03 difficulty in coming to • decision, and that
the common jury would alp° find no difficulty in the
dealing with the case.
The Grand Jury found a true bill for murder against
Robert Slade Colmar and Jane Colmar, who were
charged with using instruments on the person* of
Mary Budge, on or about the 19th of March, with
intent to procure abortion, at Yeovil, which caused
her death at Crewkerne on the 20th March.