The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-06 00:00:00

HORRIBLE CASE OF FRATRICIDE IN

LIVERPOOL.

LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.

Last night a shocking tragedy was enacted in
Trowbridge-street, Brownlow-hill, in this town,
when, in a quarrel between three brothers, origi-
nating in the bad treatment of their mother by one
of them, the brother inculpated stabbed one of the
others to the heart. The murderer was brought
before Mr. Mansfield, stipendiary magistrate, at
the police-court this morning, when the following
facts were elicited :

Robert Jones, a tall, thin man, of about 43 years
of age, was the prisoner. He has been a soldier,
and has served in India ; latterly he has earned his
livelihood by acting as a butcher at the abbatoir, in
Trowbridge-street. The prisoner seemed compara-
tively careless when placed in the dock.
Mr. Clough stated the charge. He said the pri-
wmer was charged with having killed his brother,
Wm. Jones, aged 40 years, by stabbing him to the
heart, on Sunday night.
Pt Police-constable 20 said that about a quarter to
12 on Sunday night be was standing at the corner
of St. Andrew-street and Trowbridge-street, when
he heard cries of murder from a house No. 48,
Trowbridge-street. He ran to the place, and on
entering the passage he saw the prisoner standing
with his back against the wall, brandishing a knife
in his right hand, which was wet with blood. Wit-
ness asked him whathe had been doing, and the pri-
soner replied, " This is it with which I have done
it." He secured the prisoner. It was dark at the
time, as there was no light, but it was moonlight.
On turning round, he saw a man lying on the floor,
on his face. He turned him over, when he found
that he had been stabbed on the left breast, near
the ribs. He was lying in a pool of blood. He was
not quite dead, but he never spbke a word. He
was carriel at once to the Royal Infirmary, but he
died before his arrival there.

Police-constable, 211, said he accompanied the 1
other officer on hearing the cries of murder. He
saw the deceased lying at the bottom of the stairs,
near the passage. Blood was flowing from a
wonml in his breast. He took the prisoner to
Bridewell, whilst the others took the deceased to
the Royal Infirmary. On their way to Bridewell,
another brother, John Jones, accompanied them,
when the prisoner turning to him said, he deserved
as much astheir brother William, and it would learn
wino of these fast young gentlemen a lesson.

The knife was exhibited. It was a butcher's
ordivaiy dressing knife. _ _

The mother of the prisoner, Elizabeth Jones, was
then called. She was a respectable looking old
woman, and appeared to be bowed down with grief.
In answer to his worship she said she was 76 years
ofage. She proceeded to state that she was a widow,
and that she was the mother of the deceased. She
occupied a house in Trowbridge-street, and two
ions lived with her—the prisoner and another son,
John. She was in her house last night when the
prisoner came in—about 11 o'clock—and was in
bed. The prisoner, on entering, asked if she
was asleep, and she replied that she was not. She
then asked him where he had been so late. He
said it did not matter where he had been, and asked
for something to eat. She got up and gave him
what there was—some meat and potatoes. He then
wanted a light, and she stirred the fire up to make
one. The prisoner himself then began to meddle
with the fire. She said, " Surely you are not going
to carry on as you did last Wednesday night.'
Witness began to be alarmed at his manner, and
she said she would not stop with him in the dark.
She then went out to look for a policeman, to quiet
him. However, she went to her son William's (the
deceased) house, who lived a few doors higher up
the street, and she aroused him out of bed by knock-
ing at the do ,r. She told him she was afraid, and
he said she should stay there all night. He wanted
to send his brother John to quiet the prisoner, and
to remonstrate with him, and he did so. But wit-
ness was afraid he would kill John, and on saying
so, William followed directly to her house. She
was not present at the scene.
John Jones, aged about 35, a butcher was next
called. He said he was brother to the deceased,
who was a driver of. Mr. John Smith's shaudry.
Last night, about 11 o'clock, he went into his
mother's house. He found the door wide open,
and the prisoner was standing up, leaning against
the window. He was eating from a plate, with a
knife. Witness said, " Where's mother ?" The
prisoner replied, "I don't know." There was
very little fire in the grate, and it was nearly dark.
Witness said, " You have not keen turning her out
again, have you 3" He replied, "I have turned
embody out." Witness struck a match and looked
for a candle, but he could find none. He then put
seine pieces of stick in the fire to get a light. During
this time his brother William came in, saying,
"What sort of behaviour do you call this ? Do
you want to burden her to death ? What do you
mean by turning her out ? It would b 3 fitter to
find her a bed to lie upos, and something to help
her, instead of destroying her in this way. You
liavu been here 4 weeks, and you have not given her
a couple of shillings." One word led to another, and
the deceased said, " Come out of this ; if Jack is not
Lig enough for you, I'll try. You shan't do as you
like, although lam away from home. I think of
your mother for all that." The deceased hit the
priso er, and they got a fighting. Witness shouted
out, "Drop it," but it was no use. His brother
William, of a sudden, cried out, " Oh, Jack, I'm
etab},ed." Witness exclaimed, " Oh, Lord t mur-
der, murder ! help, help." He also seized the pri-
!so tier's arm, expecting every moment that it would
xi his turn next. He then ran upstairs with the ob-
ject of escaping through the window, when assis-
tance came in at the door. The deceased never spoke
afterwards. Witness thought
downught the prisoner put his
p
knife down when hehis plate. He had
his apron on, and his steel,although it was Sunday
nighr. The knife was that which the prisoner used
in. dressing.
Mr. Mansfield—Waa the prisoner drunk 3
Witness—No, sir.
Mr. Allen, surgeon, of the Royal Infirmary-' was
the t called. He said—A. little before 12 o'clock
last night the deceased was brought to the infirmary.
He was dead when brought in. His shirt was
coveted with blood. He found an incised wound
oa the left side of the chest, between the sixth and
wen th ribs. He also found a bruise on the right
temple, and another on the nose. He could not say
whether death was caused by hemorrhage or organic
injury without a. post mortem examination.
His worship said Mr. Allen had better make the
post mortem examination, arid he would adjourn
the case until to-morrow for this purpose.
The prisoner was then removed.

SUICIDE
AT Tin LONDON-BRIDGE HOTEL —Oa Satur-
daTaa inquest wa4 held on the body of Mr. Edmund
Tay:dr, the particulars of whose death appeared in The
Sum, of that day. The jury
terAporary insanity, returned a verdict of