The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-04 00:00:00

THE MURDER OF A STEPMOTHER.

Yesterday', at the Thames Police-court, William Red-
head, aged 18 years, was brought up on remand before
Mr. Lushington, charged with the wilful murder of Sarah
Redhead, his stepmother, at No.-80, Sidney-street, Step-
ney, on Monday afternoon last.
Mr. Charles Young, solicitor, appeared for the prisoner.
He was instructed to defend the youth by Captain Munro,
of the 7th Tower Hamlets Volunteers. Agentleman repre-
senting the firm by whom the prisoner was employed was
also present, and manifested great interest on his behalf.
Mr. Robert Edward Swyer, surgeon, of the Mile-end-
road, said he had made a post-mortem examinatfon of the
body of the deceased. A bullet had fractured the tenth
rib, passed through the bodY, and lacerated the heart in
its passage, causing immediate death. From the position
of the wound he believed the deceased was coming down
stairs, and as she turned the curve of the stairs she was
shot. The prisoner must have come out of his room and
fired at the deceased.
Mary Ann Morris, the wife of James Morris, labourer,
and living in the house where the murder was committed,
said she was on the landing on the top of the first-floor
stairs when the shot was fired. The deceased was walk-
ing down stairs, and had nearly reached the bottom, when
she was shot. The deceased had just left the room in
which the witness lived, and followed her out of the room.
Directly afterwards she heard the report of a gun, and
smoke ascended the staircase and deceased fell. The
prisoner was standing up in his room close to the door
when she saw him.
Mr. Philip Norris Page, sergeant in the 7th Tower
Hamlets Rifles, said the prisoner was a member of that
corps, and was practising at the range on Saturday last.
He delivered to him 30 rounds of ball cartridges. The
prisoner fired 20 of them at the range, and had 10 rounds
left. The prisoner returned eight of them, and fired tu o
for himself a% practice.
Mr. Edward Worels, superintendent of the K division
of police, said that, after reading the charge to the pri-
soner at the station-house on Monday afternoon lastj he
asked him if he had any answer to make, and his reply
was, " All that I can say is that my stepmother has been
very unkind to me and my sister. That is all I have to
say. '
Annie Brighton, in addition to her former evidence,
said that when she stepped over the body of the deceased
after leaving her room, the feet were towards the stairs
and the head towards the street door, and she believed the
deceased fell off the last step.
Mr. Worels—That completes the case for the prosecu-
tion.
Mr. Charles Young.—l am entrusted with the defence
of this most unfortunate lad. lam aware that your wor-
ship has no alternative but to commit him for trial on the
grave charge of murder. I have numerous witnesses to
speak to the mild and inoffensive character of the pri-
soner, and his uniform good conduct in all the relations
of life, but I will not call them here. His employers
have also sent their representative to this court to speak
to his fidelity, honesty, and attention during the three
years he was in their service. The prisoner will reserve
his defence.
Mr. Lushington committed the prisoner for trial.