The Sun.
London, England, 1847-08-25 00:00:00

MURDER OF A WIFE BY HER

HUSBAND.

On Sunday morning last, about 9 o'clock, the town-
ships of Heaton, Halliwell, and the surrounding
neighbourhood, were alarmed by a report that a man,
named Robert Pilkington, about 56 years of age, had
murdered his wife by splitting her skull with a poker.
The facts, so far as we have been able to ascertain
them, are as follows :
Some years ago the prisoner, who is a man of vio-
lent temper, resided at a farm in Halliwell, called
Pool's-fold. At that time his wife had four cottages
left by her father, three of them at Delf Hillock, in
Halliwell, and one opposite the Duke of York public-
house, Spring-gardens, in Great Bolton. These cot-
tages which brought in a rental of 234 per annum,
he prevailed upon her to convey to him. His dissi-
pated conduct, however, caused them to live very un-
comfortable together, and in July, 1835, he kicked
and abused her so shamefully as nearly to cause her
death. For this attack upon his wife, he would have
been indicted, but on her account he was prevailed
upon to sign a deed of separation, and to convey the
dwelling-houses left by her father to trustees for her
maintenance during the term of her natural life.
After this Mrs. Pilkington went to reside with her
sister, but about 10 years ago her son took a farm at
Brownlow-fold, and the mother went there to be with
him. There she remained until about three or four
years ago, when her son removed to his present farm
in Heaton, to which his mother accompanied him, and
at which this frightful murder was perpetrated.
On the 15th of March last John Pilkington, the
son, who is thirty-four years of age, was apprehended
on a charge of having wounded William Kershaw, of
Belmont, at the Doffcocker public-house in Heaton,
which nearly caused his death. For this offence he
was tried at the Liverpool Assizes on the 14th inst.,
and on the 19th he was sentenced to nine months'
imprisonment and hard labour. When the father
heard of the sentence passed upon his son he was at
the Doffcocker public-house, and then declared that
he would go and take possession of his farm. He
generally lodged with a woman named Cooper, but
although his son refused to allow him to go into the
house, it is said that he frequently went into the
barn and slept there. The young man was out on
bail, but on going to the assizes to take his trial, the
father went two or three times to the house, and
extorted small sums from his mother. On Sunday
morning he made his appearance at the farm, and the
servant girl, apprehensive that he was bent upon
mischief, prevailed upon her mistress to leave him,
and go with her to Barrow-bridge, with the milk.
She did so, and on their return, about nine
o'clock, they found him in the kitchen. As soon
as they entered, he got up from a chair
at the kitchen fire, and said to his wife, " Are you
going to take charge of this farm ?" She replied,
" Yes, our John says I must." Thereupon he seized a
large kitchen poker, and completely split her skull.
The servant girl screamed and ran before him, to pre-
vent him repeating the blow, when the brute aimed a
blow at her also, which cut the scalp, but did not in-
jure the skull. She was fortunately able to run out,
and her screams brought some of the neighbours to
the spot ; but when they came the prisoner had made
his escape, and his wife was found dead upon the
floor, and literally weltering in blood. The police
were immediately sent for, parties went out in diffe-
rent directions in pursuit of the murderer, and he
was apprehended by Police-constable Atkinson, near
the four lane ends at Smithills Dean. When told
that he was charged with the murder of his wife, he
denied that he had touched her at all.
On Monday afternoon the prisoner was brought
up at the county sessions room Town-hall, Little
Bolton, before the Rev.
J. S. 'Birley and Mr. P.
Ainsworth, on the charge of cutting and maiming
Bridget Dean, with intent to do her some grievous
bodily harm. Pilkington is a healthy-looking man,
and, although there are no indications of ferocity in
his countenance, he manifested the greatest indiffe-
rence during the investigation.
Bridget Dean, an Irish girl, servant to John Pil-
kington, farmer, of Longshaw-fold, Eaton, gave the
following evidence :—My master is at present from
home, and on Sunday morning
last his brother Wil-
liam, his mother, and myself were in the house.
About seven o'clock the prisoner came to the door,
and said, if we would let him in to light his pipe, he
would go away again directly. The door was opened
by his son William, and he came in and lighted his
pipe, but refused to go out again. In a while I went
out with the old woman and William. I said 1
would not leave her with him. I took the milk to
sell, and the old woman went with me. William and
the old woman left me and went another way. I went
round to the customers, and on my return ,I met the
deceased at Mr. J. H. Ainsworth's bleach-works. We
then went home together. It wanted ten minutes to
nine o'clock as we went through the works. We
had then about half-a-mile to walk. When we got
home we found the prisoner sitting on a chair before
the fire. He asked the old woman, "Is thee to be
master ?" and she said, " Yes, our John left me in
care of the place till he came back." He then took
up the poker from the fire-place, and struck her twice
on the head. I got hold of the poker, and he
wrenched it out of my hand, and struck me on the
left side of my head. The old woman had fallen on
the floor, and I ran out for the neighbours. I called
out that the old woman was killed, and a great many
people came to the house. My head was a little cut,
but not much.—(The poker was here produced. It
is a piece of iron not quite two feet long, and half an
inch square.)
called in to visit Bridget Dean yesterday afternoon,
nd her at Pilkington's
about three o'clock. I fou
Mr. George Wolstenholme, surgeon, said—l was
house. She had a wound on the scalp, on the left
side of her head: It was about half an inch long, and
as would be inflicted by the corner of the iron pro-
duced. It was not a dangerous wound.
went quite through the scal p. It was such a wound
John Lawton, police-constable, got the poker from
ct
Charles Hod gkinson,ounr
turnpike-
road, tpaibue
Pilkington's on Sunday morning, about ten o'clock.
It was among the ashes. There was blood upon the
iron, and a little hair upon one end. It had been put
of the
himcounten the
kin the ashes, and was all covered, except a piece at
the end.
one
lary force of the Bolton division, stated thyat, having
received information of the murder, he went in search
of the prisoner, and apprehended
road, Smithills Dean, in thetownship of Little Bolton.
He was proceeding towards Belmont, but seeing some
men who were in pursuit a little higher up the hill,
he turned back, when witness met him and took him
into custody. This was about noon on Sunday. He
charged the prisoner with having. murdered his wife,
and he said " What, my wife Saying so will not
make it so."
The Rev. J. S. Birleyt having cautioned the pri-
soner asked him if he wished to say anything ?
The prisoner replied, "I have nothing to say that
I know of; what can I say ?"
Mr. Birley then told him he stood committed to
Kirkdale Gaol for trial, for cutting and maiming
Bridget Dean, but that he would be kept to meet a
more serious charge before the Coroner.

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