The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-07 00:00:00

WORSHIP-STREET.

Alexander Lovey, a working gunsmith, was placed
at the bar before Mr. Hammill, charged with the wil-
ful murder of his wife, Charlotte Lovey, by stabbing
her with a table-knife.

From the evidence adduced at the former examina-
Lons it appeared that the prisoner had lived for some

rears past on very unhappy terms with his wife,
who, in consequence of his violent conduct tcwards
her, was compelled to proceed to the Thames Police-
court on the 19th ult..to obtain a warrant for his ap-
drthension. On apprising him of the course she had
4,lopted soon after her return, the prisoner, who was
lressing some meat at the fire with a knife in his
h And, became greatly ex isperatekl, and, uttering a pas-
sionate exclamation, instantly raised the weapon and
plunged it into the right silo of her throat. The poor
woman immediately staggered out of the room, with
the blood pouring profusely from the wound, and on
reaching the street was caught in the arms of two
persons who were passing, and conveyed to a surgeon's
in the neighbourhood, who directed her instant re-
moval to the hospital, where, af, er lingering in a
nopeless state f Jr a period of eight days, she ultimately
-xpired from the effects of the injury.
Mr. John Wyatt, house surgeon of the London
hospital, stated that, on the woman being placed
under his care on the night in question, she was in a
very exhausted condition, and bleeding copiously
from an incised wound in the right side of the neck,
three-quarters of an inch in length, and nearly three
inches in depth, which terminated fatally on the 27th
ult. Upon performing a post-mortem examination he
found that a knife, or some other sharp instrument, had
passed within the eighth of an inch of the carotid
artery, transfixing the pharynx, which was cut com-
pletely through on both sides. Ile also found an
extensive abscess amongst the muscles of the neck
upon the opposite side, but he was clearly of opinion
that the cause of her death had arisen from the ge-
neral inflammation of the tissues of the neck, result-
ing from the wound.

The prisoner, who was greatly dejected, and pre-
sented a very haggard and emaciated appearance, de-
clined offering any defence, and was fully committed
to Newgate for trial upon the charge of wilful murder.
William Calcraft, the public executioner, was
then charged, at the instance of the parish officers of
the Witham Union, in Essex, with having neglected
and refused to support his aged mother, Sarah Cal-
craft, who had become chargeable to the parish of
Hatfield Peveril, he being of sufficient ability so to
do, and legally liable for her maintenance.

Mr. Shee, the relieving officer of the union, stated
that the defendant's mother, who was 73 years of
age, had been an inmate of the -Witham work-
house during the last fortnight, and, having been
subjected to the usual examination to ascertain the
position and circumstances of her nearest existing
relatives, it was elicited from her that she had only
two sons, one of whom was the defendant, and that
the other son was wandering about the country, with-
out any fixed habitation, or any apparent means of
affording her relief. It was therefore determined to
proceed against the defendant for his mother's mainte-
nance, and in consequence of directions he had re-
ceived from the board of guardian:,` witness came to
town by railway on the preceding day, and repaired
to the defendant's house, Devizes-street, Hoxton,
where he found him in the working dress of a shoemaker,
which he believed to be his ordinary occupation ; but
upon disclosing his business the defendant positively
refused to comply with the requisition of the board,
and it therefore became necessary to take out a sum-
mons against him.
Mr. liAmmiLL, on referring to the terms of the
Act relating to such cases, said, that it was not only
necessary to establish the defendant's liability, but
also to prove he had competent means to support his
mother, which last was strictly enjoined, by the Act,
and inquired if the relieving-officer was furnished
with the necessary evidence to that extent ?
The witness answered, that it was well known the
defendant was in the receipt of a good income from
the office he held under the corporation of London, in
addition to which the indications he had himself af-
forded of carrying on the trade of a shoemaker were
confirmed by the testimony of his mother,
who was then in such a state of helpless debility from
her age and infirmities as to preclude her removal to
town, a distance of thirty-six miles,
to support the
complaint ; but if the magistrate felt it necessary to
postpone the case he should be able to produce an
officer of the Corporation to depose to the amount of
permanent income the defendant received, and he
held
parish
surge on to
Mr. HAMMILL said, that he
provein his
ttndcauthsee ocferthtieficmaotetheor's absence.
fthe
did not conceive he
should be justified at present in making an order
against the defendant in the absence of such evidence,
which was imperative, and in order to afford the re-
lieving officer an opportunity of adducing the formal
proof that the defendant was in a condition to sup-
port his_aged mother, he should adjourn the case for
a week.