The Express.
London, England, 1865-04-06 00:00:00

SHOCKING MURDER AT PRONE.

Yesterday morning, John Biggs, aged 53, a pen-
aioner, was brought up at the police-rourt at Frome, and
charged with the wilful murder of Mary Wallis, aged 70,
on Tuesday, in Sun-street, in that town. The prisoner is •
powerful and strongly-built man, and appeared but little
concerned at the gravity of the charge against him. The
prisoner, who was in receipt of the ordinary pension of a
soldier, ban lived for some years with the deceased woman,
Mary Willis. He was a man of very drunken habits, but
the witoesses agree in stating that she was sober and in-
dustrious, and although it is certain that be sub-
jected her to continual ill-treatment, she would not
leave him, sod, in foot, did mach to support him. For
some time Witty he was scarcely ever "ober, and quarrels
were of almost daily occurrence. On Monday he beet her
and broke most of the crockery ia the hours. On Tuesday,
a little after half-past 12 o'clock, Ann Burgess, who lived
next door, was more than usually alarmed by the noise
going on next door, u it appeared from the words she heard
that the prisoner was demanding money of the deceased.
and was beating har very severely. Burgess, is consequence,
weot in, and foiled the deceased lying on the BOW, appa-
rently in as insensible state, sad the prisoner sitting in a
chair by the fire. Seeing the state of the deceased, she said,
" Well, John, you have done for her at last." He replied is
• very coarse way, and told her to go out, and then Bung a
chair at her. Seeing another oeighbour, Mrs. White,
passing by, Burgess called her in, aad just thee Biggs
came out of the bones, and maid to Mn. White, "Mother
White go in, 1 have killed the old -- at lest." He added,
" Do what you can, and come back to me and have a share
of a plot of beer." With this he went away, sad seeing
what had taken place Mrs. White called after him, saying
she should go for • policeman at once. The prisoner only
answered, "All right," and went away. Ann Burgess and
Mrs. White then attended to the poor old woman, who to
all appearance was dead. They undremed her and put her
to bed and seat for a surgeon and for h
omer a
Mr.
Cockey came • little after 1, and from the state of the puce
woman saw that her recovery was hopeless. She
covered copestones's,. nor ever opened her eyes
afterwards, and at 11 o'clock on Tuesday night she died.
The apparent cause of death is a severe blow wader
the left ear, where there is a swelling. The deemed was
in her nand health in the morning, and had been in and out
of the homes of her neighbours, who state that she was
quite sober, and that she was sot given to drink. The pri-
soner, on the other hand, was in • state of semi-drunken-
sees ; he could walk suite well, but he was ice • furious
state. He was taken into custody at two o'clock sad
locked up. His demeanour yesterday martin was stolid
rather than careless. The only remark be made was that
the deceased fell down, but on Tuesday he told the police
that be "did not strike her very hard." He was remanded
till Tuesday next.

FATAL ACCIDZNT ON THE SOYTH DEVON RAIL-
WAY. —PLYMOUTH, APRIL IL—Last niglit's up goods train
from Plymouth, ran off the line at Torso The stoker
won killed and the driver ssrionaly injured. Tba line I°
blsoked up, and the midnight *apt's' train's paresgte
were transferred to a special traio at Tatar.
RAILWAY BLUE BITHILZ PARLIAMENT. —Fader-
day in the Howe of Cowers emomiltee, group 1 B, the
I Leadr,_Blaekvall, and Walsall Batessloa Bill, sorerted
by Mr. T. Jones. with Mr. lienwether, Q.C., ar it,
was poses& The Loudon, Chatham, sad Dover Railway
(No. 1) Bill was peeled, sad the committee adjoured for
I the oeseidetaboo el slums. In reap 13, the bill of the
tondos, Wertwatat, sad Beath Wales Railway was farther
considered, is etamosios with morrow sum patieg ssimessa.
Is this group retool bibs were adjured until altos the
Heater teems. In group 21 the ominnittee rerrsuffai with
the further sr ideraticm of the North &Risk Railway
(Lsserrade, ha., Brushes) Bill, TIMM was still gam es
I wiles the emoridise 111116