The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-10-08 00:00:00

EVIDENCE.

The prisoner was subsequently conveyed to Crating-
ham t) attend the coroner's inquest, which was
opened at the Bell Inn in the afternoon. The
jury composed of farmers and tradesmen of
the distric', assembled, and were sworn, in the
village cluh-room, which stands in the vicarage
grounds. Then, led ty the coroner, they entered
the vicarage to view the body. It was lying
in the bedroom where the tragedy occurred, t,up-
ported on four chairs. The terrible gash in the
throat was exposed to the view of the jury, anti
the bloed-stains on the carpet were also pointed
out. showing the position in which Mrs. Farley
found her husband after she returned from the
curate's room. This room is contiguous to that
in which Mr. Farley was sleeping, and there
is a door communicating between the two. This how-
ever, was fastened with a small padlock in the vicar's
room. The jury next visited the curate's room, which
was in exactly the same state as when Mr Gilbert
Cooper left it on the fatal night. The bed was very
much disarranged, a. though the occupant had been
tossing about from side to side. The jury, on leaving
the house, proceeded to the Bell Inn. The prisoner
was brought in between two policemen, and provided
with a chair. He seems to be a man about 33 or 34
years of age. He kept on his hat until it was re-
moved by one of the officers. At first he was be-
wildered, hut soon he settled into close attention to
what was going on, and seemed to appreciate the
gravity of the situation.
The widow of the murdered man was the first
witness. As has been already stated the deceased
was seventy-three years of age. The present. witness,
who was is thi,.d wife, is apparently in the prime of
Life. She gave her name as Harriet Louisa Farley,
and said the deceased was her husband. He was an
invalid and confined to bed. On Saturday night she
retired ta rest in a cot at the foot of her husbann's
bed between nine and ten o'clock. The curate, who
lived in the house, was hen down stairs, and she bade
him good-night. A little after midnight her husband
awoke her, and told her some one was at the door.
The witness then repeated the statement already pub-
lished as to tLe manner in which the crime was per-
petrated.
After she had finished this recital, she said that
subseqriently to the prisoner's return to the house she
went up to ea him.

The Foreman :Did you have any conversation with
him?

Wi'ness : I said, "You don't know what you have
clone." He looked at, me, and I said. "Shall I write
to your mother ? " He said, "Oh, no." He was
very boyish in some of his ways. Ile was only a bey.
The Coroner: What do you mean?
Witness: Well, he is over 30, but I treated him
quite as a lad.
Ore of the jurors (Mr. üby) at the close of the
widow's evidence in chief, said he had a very unplea-
sant duty to perform, but in the interests of the public
it was imperative he should put certain questions.
(To Mrs. Farley) : Was there not conside: able animus
in the mind of Mr. Farley towards Mr. Cooper?—
Certainly not; not for some time past. During the
first nine or ten months there was some miounuer-
standing ; but latterly Le has been very different.
Was there any occasion for tlat ?—Yes.
What '—Some little unpleasantness about money
matters.

I presume you know very well your character has
been considerably aspersed?
The Coroner: We must not go into that.