The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-05-09 00:00:00

The MURDER of a STATION-MASTER

at DOVER.

The t wen of Dover was on Friday (the lit inst.,)
startled hyasliockinginurder. The victim is Mr. Walshe,
the superintendent of the Priory station of the London,
Chatham, and Dover Railway ; and the assassin, a
carriage cleaner in the railway company's employ,
named Thomas Wells. It appears that there hail been
a misunderstanding between deceaied and Wells,
arising tot of some irregularity on the part of the
latter. Mr. Walshe had found it necessary to repri-
numd him, and had threatened that he would repert
Mtn. This circumstance appears to have rankled in
the mind if the latter ; and on Friday morning, while
Mr. Walshe was seated in his office, in company with
Mr. Cox, the superintendent of the harbour station of
the tame line, engaged, as it was believed by the mur-
derer, in the preparation of the dreaded report, Wells
came to the door and deliberately shot him Om ugh the
head with a gun. The ball entered the front and
passed out at the back of the head, completely
chattering the skull.
The deceased was a man of superior education and
intelligence, having been called M the bar in the early
part of his career, and was universally liked for his
frankness and geniality.
The murderer is only nineteen years of age, and is
believed to be of a morose disposition. He has
resided with his father, who carries on the business of
a fishmonger in Round Tower-street. The weapon
with which he did the horrible deed belongs to his
father.
After committing the desperate crime the unhappy
youth fled to the extremity of the station, and when
found by Superintendent Comm, who on learning the
dreadful issurrence at once proceeded to the station,
accomisinied by Police-Sergeant Stevens, he was
erouellfig in an empty carriage, with the gun still in
his possession.
The prisoner was perfectly calm and collected, and
went with the superintendent of the police to the
station-house, remarking on the way, on observing that
the superintendent examined the weapon, that it was
not loaded.

On Saturday the prisoner was brought before the
magiitrates, and before the proceedings commenced
Mr. Cleathey said that he had been instructed by Mr.
Martin, the superintendent of the eastern division of
the hue, to pay a slight tribute to the memory of the
deceased gentleman. Mr. Walshe hail the entire con-
fidence and esteem of the company, and was universally
liked by all with whom he WM brought into contact.
The Mayor : That, Mr. Cleathey, is the general
opinion fua all.

Mr. CleatheY-,-having briefly detailed the faote of
the caw, called

Mr. Cot, who deposed that he w!la superhttetylent of the

boat station at Dover. On Thursday evening he received a
note from Mr. WaLille, the contents of which led to Ids
meeting that gentleman in his (Mr. Welshes office on Friday
morning. The prkoner was then called into the office, anti
the withess told him he was exceedingly sorry bi find that he
1111 l again been brought before Mr. Walsh.- and himself on a
charge of irregularity. The prisoner answered hirn in a very
rude and unbecoming manner, and his hearing towards MY.
51 alsha Was anything but revectful. Sevier.; that the prisoner
was not inclined to receive the reproof in a proper spit, the
witness gave hhn ten minutes to go away and consider Da
matter, telling him that If he then returned and expressed Ids
contrition for his offence the report against him that was
being prepared would be withheld. The substance of that
complaint was this, that he was charged by Mr. Walshe with
tiring off a pistol in the immediate neighbourhood of the
company's premises while he 14,14 ou duty. Wells admitted
that he had done so, and attempted to justify himself. At
the end lit the ten minutes the prisoner rut sound to the °nice.
I asked him (said the witness) whether lie sites no:pared to
apologise, and he replied In the negative. I then asked him
1 if he bad anything to say to Mr. Walshe, and his answer, I
think, was .• so." I then framed a letter to Mr. Martin, Mt
1 superintendent. complaining of his general bad CI onduet, and
the pivotsr left the Mike. As near as I can recollect. about
two or three minutes after he bad gone, I was startled by the
report of a fire-arm quite ricer to me. At the same flounced
Mr. Widabe, who was standing near the Om no which I
was sitting, writing the report, fell don n. The deceased wan
facing the door, and was about to.m or three yards from it,
and the ttour was opened. I called L;7* assistance, And WM.:"
! plate-layers, oho were working on the hue, won.: We found
that Mr. Walshe was tinite dead. I ran down the ptittioun
to make search for the person who had fired the shot, but
could not se.: him.
Mr. Osborne, surgeon, doposed that lie was called to the
Priory Station on Friday morning, end found the deceased
lying on his back in the station-masi,e4 QMCN. Ills bead
silt en the fender on the left side. There was 111:11V wonnil I
ill the face, destroying the nose, fracturing the upper jaw,
and penetrating the back of the bead. Death had been in-
stantaneous. The bullet, of the Minie make, had passed
through tie head, taking with it a portion of the skull.
Some papers that were placed on the mantelpiece were
dabbled with blood, and had apparently been struck with the
bullet' for they were torn and Were oog-ked with lead.

tieoige Than. Ste;.3,—polleo-seigeant, imposd that he
, made a search for the priaoner, lie found him in the atter
compartment of a second.class carriage, standing on the
goods line outside the station. The door was closed, and
when IN OPenell it he saw that the prisoner was in a leaning
position, with his fight arm on the cushion, .41 with the
gun produced in his hit hand. The witness asked him to
deliver it up, and he did So. Ile then told him to come out
of the carrhufe. Wells put his head out of tho window. The
constable took hold of him, and ha was at iince handcuffed
and taken to gaol. lie WHY charged with the murder, bet
mad° no reply. On his road to the police-station lie re-
marked to the superintendent, who was examining the gun,
that it was not loaded. In his pocket the witness found a
perin4.4ii call which fitted the nipple of the gun.
Tile Magistrates remanded the prisoner.

The imine4 waa Mao hail on Saturday, when the July
returned a vertlkt of Wilful Miudat.,,
The event has eumted a painful actuation throulinindi fairer,
where Mr. Wahthe wan generally esteemed.