The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-09-12 00:00:00

BRUTAL MURDER NEAR
ALTRINCHAM.

Early on Sunday morning 3 murder was committed in ar
Altrincham, Cheshire, under the following most atrocious
circumstances:—

The unfortunate victim is a young man named
Thomas Jenkinson, aged 34, foreman at a tile and
brick works, and much respected in the neighbour-
hood. It appears that a gang of Irish farm labourers
had been drinking in Altrincham on Saturday evening.
About midnight they pro iceded up Long-lane, 011
their way to flingway, evidently intent upon mischief.
They armed themselves with brickbats and tore down
palings as they went along, attacking several persons
whom they met. A fanner, Lamed joint Holford,
and another man, John Yesford, were both
but escaped As ithout very serious injury. II av ilog
up the road about three-quarters of a mile, 'war
flaietinintdiouse they encountered 'Dr lotus Jenkinson
and two youths, named Falkner and Ward, who were
on their way tin ernlnrnnerrce mushroom-gathering at day-
break. Without any provocation the gang lif ruffians.
el insisting if lo se 12, set upon Jenkinte awl battered
in his head with brici:s and pilings. Death must have
ensued almost instantainsowdy. The two youths fled,
and gave the alarm to the police in A
Superintendent Andrews and Sergeant Dalton, with
VIS4I43IItS, were soon on the track of the rrurirrtn-rus.
Some of them were apprehended, concealed inn the
outbuildings of the neighbouring farms, and slime were
taken in Altrincham. Three were apprehended max
Lymm, through the tiunney nformatiou of a cabman,
who happened to have heard of the murder, and was
on the alert, nine of the ruffians was si cured by
Superintendent Andrews, after a desperate reiistance.
Sergeant Dulton was also the means o capturing
another under similar circumstances, and, altogether,
eight have been captured. it appears that the two
youths referred to will be able to identify at least :ieven
of the prisoners.

On Monday morning, Patrick Aladden, Michael
Paildiot, J. ho Paddon, William Carr, Patrick lowey,
and Michael Doulan were brought up in custody at
the Altrincham Police-court, charged with the murder.
Superintendent Andrews said that as the offence was
so recent, and the prisoners had only been apprehended
a few hours, he would not g liii u more detail than was
absolutely necessary to justify a retnatid. It seemed
that about midnight if Saturday, parties of Irish
labourers were returning home from, lie believed, a
union club, more or less the worse for boor; and he
thought he should be able to show that the prisoners
formed a party who turniol down Ilale-road. When
about two miles on the way. they seemed to have
possessed themselves with bricks :oat tornolown rails,
and commenced to attack everyone they met with.
They came upon Mr. ifookino u, and two boys who
were about to avail themselves 4 the brilliant moon-
light to gather muslin suss. An attack was made (in
them, and Mr. Jenkinson's skull was battered in, and
he (lied almost instaotaneously. Ile might say that
the prisoners had already been well identified as takieg
part in the outrage. Some formal evidence was then
given of the apprehension and identity of the prisoners,
and they were remanded.