The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-02-11 00:00:00

ings on behalf of the acensed.
James Pearsall, son of the deceased woman, said
that he resided with his father and mother up to
Monday last in Heath Lane, Oldswinford. His
mother was not in very good health. He was with
his father and mother all day on Sunday. His
father was in his 80th year. His father and mothers
were always on good terms, and lived happily.
together. Witness was flfty.three years of Agee.
and ever since he could remember his parents had.
bsen on good terms. There was no guar el t e'ween
them on Sunday. and he and his father and moth r,
all went to bed about ten o'clock. They were all
the inmates of the house. He slept in a room
adjoining them, but he heard no disturbance d iring
the night. He got up about half-pest seven, and
his fether and mother were then in bed. He was
at work till nine o'clock. and was returning home
to breakfast when he met his father just outside the
house. Witness offered him 1301310 matches to light
the fire as he thought that was what he wanted,
when he said, "I've done my bit, so we can both
go together now." Witnes did not know what he
meant, but was doubtful on account of his father's
pre ions strause behaviour. Witness noticed a
Wool -tain on his face, and that he looked a " little
hi w 11." Witness ran and called his sis er, who
opposite. His father had made one attempt
on ::is oen life Last Thursday fortnight he went
do nstai:s early in the morning, and hid some
stre..ag cord in his hands when witness went to him.
lie said he meant to put it round his neck to make
awby with himself as it would be better for all of
them Lan taking him off to make a public show of
him. Witness took the cord from him, and put it
on' of the way. When witness:mtered the house
on Monday morning he found his mothsr it bed,
and she appeared to be dead. He noticed she h.d
had a violent blow on the left temple, and blool
WA3 flowing from the wound; Witness at once
sent for a policeman, and in about ten minutes his
father, who had gone to his sister's, was arrested.
The Coroner asked if the jury wished the prisoner
to be present; it seemed hirdly necessary, as he
was ably represented by Mr. Hinds, and was NO
&at' that if he was present he could not hear a word
teat was sail. The only deject in having a prieoner
pr eieut was to hear the evidence and to ask ques-
tions, and that object could not be attained ;a the
present case.
'lna jury and Mr. Hinds did not desire that the
pristine.. should be present.
Witne,s continuing, said his father had at-
tempted to hang himself and always thought that
he was to be taken to Powick Aslyarn, He picked
up three pieces of paper and fancied he saw it
written on them that he was to be taken away.
He bad been strange for three or four months, but
they did not think there was any harm in him.
They did not want him at his age to be taken away
from them, and studied his comforts in every way.
He always fancied they were plotting against him.
He remained in bed for three weeks, because he
WAS afraid they would take him away. He fancied
he could see,thines in his lamp, and for a month
did uothing but "pine and cry." He was very
deaf, and could only be made to hear by being
shouted at very loudly. Ile had never used any
threats and they never feared he would do his wife
any herrn. The foetiron with which the blow was
supposed io have been struck was often%sed by his
father. It was usually kept downstairs.
By Mr. Hinds; He passed through his father's
bed room on Monday morning, when both his
parents appeared to be asleep. The bed and ..the
room were not disarranged.
Mrs. Emily Hill, who resides Rear the parties,
said she had known Pearsall and his wife 27 years,
and they had always lived very happily together,
Witness went up into deceased's bed room on
Monday morning and found her in bed. She was
not quite dead, but moved her arm and breathed.
She, however, was quite unconscious, and died soon
afterwards. Witness found a shoe iron just inside
the bed room door covered wite blood. She always
co isidored Pearsall was a very quiet man, but was
not "quite tne thing." lie always thought much
of tis wife, but was very queer, and witness did not
consider him accountable for his actions.
By Mr. Hinds : Ever since his wife's illness
some months ago Pearsall had been strange, but
had always been very kind aad affectionate to his
wife and all his children.
Tne Coroner pressed witness as to what she
tnt nt by saying that Peersall was "strange," as
Vitt was a very vague term.
Witness replied that he seemed strange when she
talked to him. She had no other reasons for Retorting
t hit lie was strange.
Mrs. Barlow, wife of Mr. Barlow, said she had
kn bwn deceased and her husband all her life. On
the previous morning witness was called to Pear-
fiall's house shortly after nine o'clock, and went up
intoeth tsbe-triiionti, She found deceased lying in
bed, and she gave one sigh and expired. Pearsall
was then standing outside the house. The parties
lived happiiy together, and were very nice peeple.
Pearsall seemed unsettled in every way before
Christmas, and she had formed the conclusion that
he was not in a sound mind.
By Mr. Hinds : The bedclothes were not disar-
ranged in the slightest degree, and there could
have been no struggle,
Police-:onstable Hayes, stationed at Oldewinford
stated that about tea minutes past nine on the
previous turning, he went to Pearsall'e house, and
tuned deceased as stated by previous witnesses.
Be found the husband in the back room of his
daughter's house, and took him into custody. At
the police s alien witness cautioned and charged
prisoner, who made the following statement :
" I acknowledge I did it. This is the truth what I
have got to Say. My children irritated me for a
fortnight. My children said I should be gagged.
The gallows is up waiting for me. Idd it with a
sheehon lam very sorry, but it is no excuse.
My ago is 79 the 14th of May next." Witeees
found boo! upon his hands. Prisoner was a little
excit,d, but wituese could not really say waetber or
not he was of sound mind.
Seigeaut Hardwicke stated that he asked the
prisouer how he accounted for it, an I he replied,
"I acknowledge it; I did it through agitetioa.
I did it with a shoe iron."
Mr. G. W. Richards, 01thwinford, stated thet
half past nine on the previous day he was called to
deceased aud found her lying dead in bed on her
right side, with an extensive fi eh woand on the
left side of the feee. On exameaing the wound he
footaorfitfoigyai ti
idenaostal
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picked ikac-nledde d the
h°iel t
out
tscien
andgi
eb tyr,ht
aehbwaroraemi brain, lie
uihse,
}Umalteseit:o4pterlixttfpdo:ll, e
fracturetur in htrhoe3gfhoretih.eoadtc)i.ninbdonact
up tr int wider the °ed. It was covered with brain
matt •r. Toe inju,•ies were quite sufficient to cause
almost insan:stroDus death. He conipared the in-
et(umeat with the wound, aril found that it fitted
it. He stieuht t.ia tnere was only one blow struck.
'1 hta c _included the evidence, cud to Coroner,
in summing up, said the .evidence was only too
char that the husband deliberately inflicted the in.
ju: its which tern mated in the poor woman's deata
As to the condition of the man's mind, the law Wa
very idea,, and said Cl:it, till proved to the contrary,
a man [inlet be assumed to he of sound mind. S )rtie
desuito. y observations and 7eniar!is had been made
by eeoele not on the most intimate terms
with 111111 that Pearsall's manner was strange,
but there w.is re illy nothing to show tnat Pearsall
was of unsound mind.
Tit jury aelibsrated in private for nearlv an
hour. and then ieturned a verdict of "Wilfu
murder " ag tiurt Peatsail, who was committed tor
trial on time Gee ,ner'a war, aet