The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-08-29 00:00:00

AT rEMPTED_ DOUBLE MURDER IN

S T OURBRID GE.

On 11)nday night last, a little before eight
o'clock, this usually quiet town was thrown into
11, state of cousiderable excitement by a report
that two persaus had been shot at by a person
named William Poysar, saddler, formerly resid.
in Stourbridge, hut now of Ludlow-
Ceon enquiry the report turned out to be true.
and that Poyser had shot at a man named
Oearge Kelley, master tailor, residing at the
top of Kidderminster-street, and the other was
the ,vile of Payser. It was about a quarter to
right o'clock when the report of firearms was
hear I. After the first shot Ketley came run-
ii 1 Lunt his house bleeding from tho face.
-1,.c0 persona named Morgan and Haynes were

•,
,asting at tii ti Ile, when Ketley told 'them that
\Viil hen Poyser had shot him, and that he was
sill in the II aas?.. At this point 3118. POVSOI'
ciouc rilShillg out of the hon. e. As she did, a
sec mil report was heard, evidently aimed at his
wife, as where she was sitting a glass picture
was sarishal, and the shots and slogs penetrated
thz wall. Morgan at once assisted Ketley to Mr.
R. L. Bayley'n surgery, which is within thirty
yards of Ketley's house, and had his wounds
attended to. While Ketley was being taken to
Mr. Bayley's, a /11311 named Haynes held the
door to prevent the escape of Poyser, when a
to in named Cu;ler entered the house. The po-
lice also were in immediate attendance, awl
Police-sergeant Wigley and Acting-sergeant
Jones entered the house. Wigley apprehended
the plisomr, who was sitting on a chair behind
the room door, and made no opposition to their
taking him into custody. The honey is entered
by a passage on the left side of which is the
shop, and on the right is the kitchen, which is
used occasionally as a workshop. At the time
Ketley was shot lie was sitting on the board.
Poyser sitting close by it on a chair, and Mrs.
Poyser on the other side of the room. Formerly
Mrs. Poyser kept a fancy shop in High-street.
which was next door but one to Ketley's. From
some cause or other a sale took place, and Mr.
Poyser and family lived at Kelley's at lodgiegs
for a short time, Poyser soon after leaving the
town t work at West Bromwich. The fact of
Mr. Ketley being it single man, and Mrs. Poyser
continuing to stay at his house although he IMr.
Poygerl had repeatedly offered her a home else-
where—which offers she had refused to accept
—appears to have caused a good deal of jealousy
to rankle in his mind. This seems to have
worked him up into a tit of frenzy, and led to
the attempt to shoot them both, as whan the
prisoner was apprehended by Sergeant Wigley
on the charge of shooting at Ketley with intent
to murder himim, Poyser replied, " All right; here
is the pistol," taking it from his jacket pocket.
He added, "I give myself up; I have done my
duty; he has robbed me of my wife ;" and then
walked quietly to the station. The pistol ap-
pears to be quite new and is a double-barrelled
one. When it was taken it was half cocked.
On Wednesday prisoner was brought up before
R. L. Freer, Esq., on the charge of shooting
with a pistol loaded with powder and shot, with
intent to kill one George Haley, in the towu of
Stoorbridge, on the 24th inst.
Mr. Penton defended.

William Harper deposed: I live at Quarry
Bank, and am a shoemaker. On the night of
the it4th inst was in Kidderminster-street, at
about a quarter to eight, at the top end of High.
street. I heard a report of firearms which came
from Ketley's house. The next thing I saw was
Kelley come Ide,ding out of the house, the
blood coming front the forehead. I then caught
hold of him by the arm. At the same time I
heaed a second report come from Ketley's house.
Some persons came and laid hold of Ketley, and
took him into High-street. I held Keticy's door
till the police come in. No person entered be.
fore the police. Iwent into one of the rooms

with Ser-genut Wigley, who Iva; the first
limn to go in the home. He went into the
_

room on —the right side of the passago7Ti;
lit•st he saw in the room was Poyser, sitting on
a chair. Poyser said, "I shall give myself up.
have done my duty. He has robbed roe of my
wife." Poyser gave up the pistol, which is a
double-barrel one. The policv apprehended him
and took him to the station.

Cross-examined : When I wont in the room
no one was in but the prisoner. I did not see a
back door open. Ketley said William Poyser
had shot him.
Police-sergeant Wigley deposed: I am a Ser-
geant of Police. From information received I
_

went to the house of Ketley, about a quarter to
eight o'clock. I entered the house with the last
witness, and others. I entered a room on the
_ .

right side of the pass ige. I saw the prisoner
sitting on a chair behind the door. I charged
the prisoner with shooting at Ketley with intent
to murder him. Prisoner said, " It's all right;
here is the pistol ;" at the same time taking the
pistol (which is a double-barrel one) from his
pocket, and handing it to me. Prisoner said,
I have done my duty. lie has robbed me of my
wife." I theu took the prisoner to the station.
I searched him, and found a piece of paper con.
taming shot of various sizes, and some slugs;
also some paper containing powder, and some
paper containing caps, which I produce. I also
produce the pistol. It appears to have been re-
cently discharged. It was quite warm when I
received it from the prisoner.
, Cross-examined: Prisoner was sitting on a
' chair at the time I entered. Prisoner's wife was
also in the room. Prisoner said he had done
his duty, as Ketley had robbed him of his wife.
Acting-sergeant Jones deposed: On the 24th
inst I was on duty near the prosecutor's house a
few minutes before eight o'clock. I heard a re-
port of firearms, and wont to Ketley's house, as
the report came from that direction. Ketley
Caine out of his house, bleeding from the right
cheek, and two .men caught hold of him. I
afterwards went into the house with Sergeant
Wigley, which was after the prisoner was locked
up. I went into a room on the right side of the
passage, and found one exploded cap, three lead
slugs, and twenty-three shots on the board and
window-sill. On the other side of the room I
found one exploded cap, and a quantity of shots
on the sofa. I also found that a quantity of
shots had penetrated the wall. The shots are
similar to those produced.
Cross•examined : None of the shots were in
the board, but they lay on ties board, which 15