The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-02-08 00:00:00

1 MURDER OF A MAN BY HIS WIFE.

MARLDOR01:011-STRETT.—Yesterday vast crowds of persons
assembled about the office, in consequence of a woman, named Jane
Mips's, having been brought from the watch house of St. Giles's
(where the had been confined sir.ce one o'clock on Sunday morn-
ing) for examination on the charge of the wilful murder of her hus-
band, Joseph Karen.
At about tan o clock, the unhappy woman was placed at the bar,
before Sir G. Faun ANT and J. E. Co NADI r, Esq. the Magistrates.
Site seemed to be quite sensible of the enormity of the dreadful
crime fur which she had been arrested, and during the exami-
nation she sobbed loudly, and at intervals ejaculated, " Oh God!
what have I done"—" I have killed a good husband?"—" Ile
would have lived had they not let him hieeu so much."
The first witness examined was Thomas Moore, who stated that
he lived opposite the house occupied by the prisoner and her late
husband, at No. 6, Lascelles-court, Broad-street, St. Giles's.
About half past twelve o'clock, on Saturday night, the prisoner
came rurin'ng into his room ai.d fell on her knees before the fire;
she seemed dreadfully frightened, and said to witness, •• For God's
sake go and try and pacify my husband, for he is in a great pas-
sion, and we have had some words." Witness went, and knocked
two or three times at the door, but received no answer ; he therefore
opened the door and looked round the room, but could not see the
deceased ; lie instantly returned home. and told the prisoner her
husband was not there ; upon which she requested witness's wife
I to go m ; she did so. and presently came running in, saying, she
had found him, and that he was dying ; witness then went back to
the house and found hi.n lying on the fluor, near the fire-place,
I with his head amongst the coals in the cupboard, and deluged iu
blood. At this inoment, witness's wife and the prisoner came in
witness said to the prisoner. "You have murdered your husband ;"
' she said, agitatedly, " Is he dead?" and seemed very sorry; wit-
ness left them in the room, and he rim to Mr. Hill, the surgeon, in
High street, and to Mr. Jones, in Broad-street, but could get no
assistance. He returned again and then gave an alarm, and the
prisoner was taken to the watchhouse. There was a long hair
broom lying near the deceased, broken to pieces, and the brush
part of it was covered with blood, and with some human hair at-
cached to it. There was also a small fire-shovel covered with
blood, but the prisoner told witness she had killed him with the
tuft-er.d of the hair-brcotn.
Nyright, the beadle of St. Giles's, stated, that he was in the
watchhouse vrlien the prisoner was brought in by the watchman.
She said she had killed her husband with the hair .broom, and that
he was a good man to her. Witness asked if a doctor had been
sent for, and was told that some person had applied to the work-
house for the assistance of Mr. Burgess, the parish surgeon, but
that it could not be obtained. Witness instantly proceeded to the
deceased, and found hint lying as above stated, but still alive; his
heart beat, and pulsation had hot entirely ceased. NVitness think-
ing if immediate assistance was at hand his life might he saved,
instantly went to the workhouse himself, and applied to the porter
stationed at the door to see Mr. Burgess. The porter said he could
not be seen—he was ill in bed. Witness told him that a man had
been nearly murdered, but that there were signs of life, and Mr.
Burgess's assistance might restore him. The porter said he could
not go to him; it was more than he dared do. Witness then said.
" I insist upon seeing Mr. Starkey, Mr. Burgess's assistant."
Upon which he was shown into Mr. Starkey's room • he was in
bed, and witness made the case known to him ; he said, " To tell
you the truth, Wrigttt, I am very ill myself, and I won't endanger
my life by leaving my room for anybody." Witness then asked
Mr. Starkey if he could see Mr. Burgess, for in all probability the
man would live if he was properly attended to. Starkey said,
" Mr. Burgess has rolling whatever to do with out-door busi-
ness." %Tittless finding he could get no assistance at the work-
house returned to the deceased again, and found him still alive,
and witness thought he perceived one of his eyes move. Another
beadle, named Beach. ran to Mr. Ireland, the surgeon. in Hart-
street, Bloomsbury, and shortly returned with Mr. Webb. Mr.
Ireland's Assistant, but it was then too late, for the unfortunate
man had breathed his last.—(Here the unhappy woman cried bit-
terly, and was so extremely exhausted that the Magistrate ordered
her a chair.)—Witness received a broken hair broom, n tire-shovel,
and a poker, from a watchman in the room, which he now pro-
duced. It was evident that the broom was the weapon that had
been used, and whit very considerable force, for the handle was
broken in three pieces, and the head of It was covered with blood.,
and human hair was visible on several parts of it. There was a
dreadful wound at the back of the deceased's skull, penetrating to
the brain.

Air. CONANT—How long a period elapsed from the time you
applied at the workhouse for medical assistance and the time Mr.
V. ebb, Mr. Ireland's assistant, arrived ?
Witness--It was nearly an hour, Sir. I did every thing in my
power to obtain the usistance of Mr. Burgess, or of his assistant.
Mr. Starkey.
Mr. COXANT—It is most disgraceful conduct of the parish
Doctor and his Assistant; here are two men, who arc paid by the
parish, and when called upon in a case of life and death (very dif-
ferent from ordinary cases), they actually refuse to attend ! Such
men are unfit far their situations.

Mr. Erle, the Vestry Clerk of the parish, entered at this mo-
ment, and said, that he would wish it to be distinctly understood
that Mr. Burgess knew nothing whatever of the business till nine
o'clock that morning, and therefore there could be no blame at-
tached to that gentleman.
Mr. CONANT—What is,your opinion of Mr. Starkey's conduct ?
He said, when asked by Wright, the beadle, if Mr. Burgess could
attend, that Mr. Burgess never attended to any out-door business.
Now, what right had he, by such an observation, to endeavour to
deter Wright from making application to Mr. Burgess?
Mr. Erle —I have nothing es say about Mr. Starkey's conduct ;
I only know that he is very ill, and that he employs a person
to do his business, who lives at the corner of Poland-sueet, Oxford.
road.

Sir 6. FARBANT-1 think that the parish ought to see that if
the Assistant, who must be in attendance in the workhouse, is un-
well, that. his deputy be there also, or near the spot, and not so far
off as Poland-street. _ _

Mr. Erle said, he only came to exonerate Mr. Burgess from any
censure, as that gentleman knew bou.;ng of the matter.
Mr. Webb was next examined. He stated that he was Assistant
to Mr. Ireland, surgeon, in Hart-street, Bloomsbury. Lie was
called to attend the deceased,'
and found him quite dead. There
was:- wound in the superior right parietal bone of tliz head, about
three inches in length, and of great depth. Witness considered
the wound wan inflicted with an edged instrument, but could not
say that the head of a broom would produce such a wound. The
wound on the head was the cause of death.

Surzeman, the watchhouse-keeper. "was next examined. He
stated, that the prisoner, on seeing him at the watchhouse, said,
`• hlr. Furzenian, you know me, and you knew my poor husband ;
he was the best husband in the world." Witness asked her what
caused the quarrel between them? She then said, " that she and
her husbard went down Drury-lane to buy a little meat for supper,
and on their return he wanted to take home Another pot of porter.
She objected, but he insisted on doing so, and he took a pot home
with him. She cooked the meat, and whilst they were at supper
he began to play tricks and joke with her; and, because she eats
angry with him, he struck her on the nose, which caused it to
Deed ; she then took up the broom and gave him the blow."
Sir D. FASCIST—Did she say how many blows she bad struck
him ?

Furseman answered in the negative.
The prisoner was then desired to stand up ; ehe was assisted to
the front of the bar by Illarsden, the gaoler. To questions from
Sir George Farrant, she said she was a native of Ireland, but had
been brought up at Manchester. She had been married to the de.
ceased about three years, but had no family.
Sir G. r4RITAN T—l am going to send you to prison till Thurs-
day next ; you will go to the House of Correction.

The unhappy woman, in tears, said that no punishment wu
too great for her. She had killed a good husband, and she could
never look at any of her friends again.
She was then remanded for further examination to Thursday next.