The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-26 00:00:00

MR. WINDHAM AND HIS WIFE.

Mr. W. F. Windham, aged 22, was placed in the
dock at the Hammersmith Police-court, yesterday,
before Mr. Dayman, charged on a warrant granted
by Mr. Ingham on Wednesday with threatening to
cut his wife's throat, whereby she went in bodily
fear.

Mr. Lewis, of Great Marlborouu, h-street, appeared
on behalf of the complainant; Mr. Windham, who
had been brought from Windsor by Acres, one of
the warrant officers of the Court, was undefended.
Mrs. Ann Agnes Windham was sworn, and said
she resided at No. 3A, Westbourne-terrace, Pad-
dington, with her husband. Two gentlemen, whom
her husband had invited at Boulogne, had been
staying with them. She never had the pleasure of
seeing the gentlemen before. On Tuesday night
she went out with the two gentlemen with the con-
sent of her husband, who was aware of her going
out with them. They returned home at a quarter-
past 12 o'clock. Shortly afterwards she retired to
her room, her husband having previously wished
her good night. About a quarter of an hour after-
wards she heard her husband outside her room
door. The two gentlemen were in their bedrooms.
She heard her husband using violent threats. He
said that he was determined to shed the blood of
all three, and that he would take one of their (the
gentlemen's) lives. She called out to the gentlemen.
She had no friends, and it was a dreadful position
for her to be placed in. She considered both
gentlemen were in danger of their lives. He said
he would put a knife over Mr. St. Alban's throat.
He had a large sailor's clasp-knife, and he swore
that ho would cut her throat. She went in fear of
him. It was rot the first occasion he had sworn
to take her life. On two occasions he throw knives
over the table at her.

Mr. Dayman—Have you any question to put to
your wifey

- The Defendant—No ; sin aggravated me. lam
certainly very sorry for what has occurred. Water
was poured down my ears while 1 was asleep on
the sofa, either by you (the complainant) or some
one else. You know I was drunk.
Mr. Dayman—Was he under the influence of
drink ?

Complainant—Not at all. He used the threats
when sober. He had said it was his intention that
no person should marry her after his death. She
did not wish to hurt her husband. She simply
wanted protection from his threats.
Mr. William St. Alban said he resided in Ken-
nington and was studying for the bar. He was on
a visit to Mr. Windham's house. He had been
there a fortnight by invitation from Mr. Windham
while at Boulogne. He remembered returning home
on Tuesday night. Mr. Windham was asleep on the
sofa, and they had some difficulty in waking him up.
They all parted good friends before going to their
rooms. His attention was afterwards drawn to Mrs.
Windham, who opened her door and called out
" Gentlemen." We came out, and saw the defend-
ant half-way down the stairs. Mrs. Windham said
she had heard the defendant muttering outside his
(witness's) bedroom that he would cut their throats
or have their blood. Upon that some angry words
ensued. He thought the defendant was excited, but
he was not drunk. Two or three drops of water
were thrown on his head to wake him. It did
not appear to annoy him, for he afterwards
parted with Mrs. Windham in the most affectionate
manner. He did not complain of the water being
thrown over him. They were all in conversation
for some time afterwards. He heard the defendant
use a most violent threat to Mrs. Windham. He
said he would cut her throat from ear to ear that
night, and he made a movement towards Mrs.
Windham. After that they thought it was their
duty to stay with Mrs. Windham. They went
down to the dining-room, and the same coarse lan-
guage went on. Witness did not see any weapon,
but the defendant had his hand behind him. He
did not know how the quarrel began. He thought
Mr. Windham had been drinking. The next morn-
ing Mr. Windham wrote him a humble apology.
He had certainly seen Mr. Windham throw a knife
at Mrs. Windham on two occasions; the witness
added that he thought Mr, Windham did not like
anything to be said to him, for he soon lost his
temper.

IVir, Robert Burdett, of Boulogne, said ho was on
a visit to Mr. Windham. He then corroborated the
statement of Mr. St. Alban. The witness also said
Mr. Windham had apologised to him.
The defendant on being called upon for his answer
to the charge said he had nothing to say. He went
out with two or three persons, and went to a music-
hall, and other places. In the afternoon his wife
accused him with taking money out of her purse,
and it annoyed him. He was vexed with what
he had done, and was ashamed of himself. He
went away on Wednesday with the intention of
going away altogether, He had written apologies
to the gentlemen.
Mr. Dayman told him that if ho had carried
out his threats it would have been then too late
to apologise.
The defendant said ho walked upstairs grumbling,
but he did not know what he did say.
Mr. Dayman said he thought Mrs. Windham's
fear was very reasonable after what had occurred,
and she was entitled to every protection. He ordered
him to enter into his own recognisances in the sum
of £5OO, and to find two sureties in the sum of £250
each, to keep the peace for six months.

The defendant Was not provided with bail, and
he was removed by the gaoler.

SUICIDE OF MR. COHEN.

We have to record, says the Sheffield Independent,
the death, by suicide, of Mr. Benjamin Cohen, of
High-street, jeweller, who, our readers will recol-
lect, was arrested on Wednesday last on a charge
of feloniously receiving gold and silver watches,
stolen from Mr. Raynor, of Swansea, jeweller,
nearly five years ago. The premises of Mr. W. R.
Raynor were entered by burglars during the night
of Dec. 11, 1857, and watches and jewellery taken
away to the value of £1,200, the loss compelling
Mr. Raynor to give up his business. No clue could
be obtained to the stolen property until about
ten days ago, when information reached the
Sheffield police that several of the watches were
in the possession of Mr. Cohen. This information
was communicated to Mr. Ray nor, who came over
to Sheffield, and, armed with the authority of a
warrant, searched the premises of Mr. Cohen,
in company with Detective-officer Brayshaw and
Inspector Jonathan Wood. Nineteen silver and
nine gold watches, of the value of about £2OO, were
positively identified by Mr. Raynor as part of the
stolen property, and a further number of from 50 to
60 watches were believed also to have formed part
of the booty, but could not be identified, being
watches sent to Mr. Raynor for repair. Mr. Cohen
was apprehended, and was taken before Mr. Dunn
at noon on Thursday, on the charge of being in il-
legal possession of the 28 watches identified. The
case was adjourned to give the prosecution an op-
portunity of completing their case. Mr. Cohen ap-
peared in a greatly excited state, and at the inter-
cession of his advocate, Mr. Broadbent, Mr. Dunn
agreed to release him on bail to the amount of £5OO,
secured by two sureties, as well as the prisoner's
own recognisances. Mr. Cohen remained in cus-
tody until Friday evening, when substantial bail
being tendered, he was released, and returned home.
His excitement had greatly increased during his
detention. He frequently said it was utterly im-
possible he could outlive the prosecution, and we
are informed that from the time of reaching home
he was confined to his bed, and persistently refused
to take any food. Though he gave such emphatic
expression to the opinion that he could not outlive
the prosecution, ,'and though he was evidently in a
state of the greatest excitement, his friends seem
not to have been under any apprehension that he
would attempt to take his own life, He was never-
theless closely watched. Mr. Henry Jackson, sur-
geon,
was called in and attended Mr. Cohen regu-
larly. During a brief absence of his family and
nurse on Tuesday morning about 7 o'clock, Mr, Cohen
succeeded in possessing himself of his razor, which
would appear not to have been removed from his
room. With this implement he inflicted terrible
gashes in the abdomen. Considerable reserve has
been maintained as to the nature of these
wounds. We are assured, however, that the
principal wound extends in great part across the
abdomen, and that there are three other gashes at
right angles with it, eachofawfeailuls
alsokin calledd, some
of the wounds severing not only the skirno,f and
and issued
flesh the abdomen, but the peritoneum or inner lining,
and literally letting out the bowels. Mr. Cohen
appears to have made no communication to his ,
attendants, but his writhings and the
for,
p
of blood quickly revealed what had taken place
Mr. Jackson was immediately
h se
o Nva
at-
tended h.
ih .
T alonghe m medical
eiat
ih
gentlemen lkl
Mr. . Tinsley,a
ttended to the wounds
thepromptitude, but
twhietyh
were;uettm
soesttesrkriilhl,lecaarec,
haanrdacter that from the
first no hope was entertained of Mr. Cohen's re-
'cowry. lie lingered, Louver, until a few minutes A

before ten o'clock in the evening, when death put
an end to his agony.
The case is an extremely melancholy one,
whether viewed in relation to the wealth and posi-
tion of the deceased or his tragic end. The case
against him was necessarily much weakened by
the great lapse of time, but against this was the
large extent and value of the property, and the
consequent necessity of giving a very clear expla-
nation of the manner of becoming possessed of it.
Mr. Cohen's explanation was that he bought the
watches from a man who represented himself as
Mr. Raynor, of Swansea, stating that he had come
purposely to Sheffield to dispose of his jewellery for
Sheffield goods preparatory to going to Australia.
This story received some confirmation from the fact
that the watches still bear the name of Mr. Ray-
nor and other evidences of his ownership, which
one would have thought Mr. Cohen would have re-
moved had he suspected the honesty of the person
from whom he purchased. Be that as it may he so
shrank from the ordeal of a prosecution as to take
his own life.