The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-11-08 00:00:00

MURDER OF A WIFE BY HER HUSBAND.

On Friday last an inquest was held before Phillip Finch Cur-
rie, Esq., coroner, on the body of Diana Culbertson, the wife of
a mariner residing in Bispham-street, and who died in conse-
quence of ill treatment received from her husband on Wednes-
day night last. The husband, who is a short thick-set man,
about fifty years of age, was on Wednesday taken into custody
in consequence of his treatment of his wife, The following evi-
dence was brought forward on the inquest.
Elizabefti Clozier, being sworn, said-1 am the wife of Tho-
mas Clozier, a sailor. We reside in Bispham-street. The de-
ceased, whose name was Diana Culbertson, and her husband
lodged in our house. They came on Tuesday fortnight. They
wet e both addicted to drinking, but the deceased was worse than
her husband. They were constantly quarrelling during that
time, and I have many times interfered between them. I have
seen the prisoner, who was the deceased's husband, very fre-
quently strike her. On Wednesday last the deceased was very
much in liquor • she could not stand. About eight o'clock in
the evening -d-th'at day I heard the prisoner ask the deceased
to go to bed, and she used bad language to him and refused to
go. He asked Me, "What shall Ido with her, Mrs. Clozier ?"
The deceased was at this time lying down in the passage. I
saw the prisoner strike her several times. I begged of him not
to strike her. He jumped upon the breast and belly of the
deceased with his feet; he had not any shoes on. He then
opened the door, and pushed the deceased out. Some of the
neighbours insisted upon her being taken into the house again;
the prisoner again jumped upon her breast; I said to him,
" John, you will kill that woman." He answered, " I don't
care if Ibe hanged for it." Several of the neighbours came in
and carried her into my bed-room, and laid her down by the
bed side. I put my hand upon her mouth, and ascertained that
she was dead.
Dominick Fee, being sworn, said—l am a labourer, and live
in a cellar under the house of Mrs. Clozier, the last witness.
The prisoner and the deceased, who was his wife, lodged in the
house above my cellar. On Sunday week last I saw the de-
ceased very drunk. I have often heard them quarrel, but I
never saw the prisoner strike the deceased. Between eight and
nine o'clock on Wednesday night last I was lying in bed with
my wife, when I heard a great noise in the street; I heard the
prisoner in loud conversation with some of the neighbours, who
insisted on his taking the deceased into the house. In about
five minutes afterwards 1 heard something fall in the passage
overhead, and I heard a noise which I took to be kicks, and so
violent that I thought the ceiling would come in. 1 jumped out
of bed and put my clothes on, and went for a police-officer.
Michael Garvey came to the house where the deceased was.
When we got in, we found the deceased lying on her back. She
breathed three or four times, and then died.
Michael Garvey, police officer, confirmed in part the evidence
of the last witness. He took the prisoner into custody, and
give him in charge of another officer, while he :vent to apprize
Mr. Davis, his inspector, of the circumstance. He then went
tbr a doctor, but the woman was dead when they returned.
Mr. Davies, inspector of police, heard the alarm while in
Marybone. He proceeded to the house, and asked the prisoner,
" what he had done that f9r?" He said, " D—n her eyes, it

served her right." Mr. Davies then took him to Bridewell.
On examining the deceased, a piece of stick which served as a
bone for the front part of her stays fell out; it was broken at
the end, and corresponded with another piece which he found in
the stays.
Mr, COtiper, surgeon, said—l opened the body of the de-
ceased yesterday, and found four ribs on the right side of the
chest fractured ; points of two of them protruded into the
chest. The lungs opposed to these points were wounded with
slight punctures. 1. here was about a pint of fluid blood in the
cavity of the chest. 1 then opened the abdomen, and found on
the upper surface of the liver three ruptures or slits of its sub-
stance ; the spleen was also ruptured extensively, and there was
likewise a large quantity of fluid blood in the cavity of the ab-
(Lunen. These injuries were the only ones I discovered, and
which I ccitisidered quite sufficient to cause death; they must
have been occasioned by violent blows. All the viscera seemed
healthy.
The jury then deliberated for a little time, and returned a
verdict of !` Wilful Murder", against the prisoner.
On the coroner communicating, to him the result of the ver-
dict, the prisoner merely said, that she behaved vety ill, that
she was '.coukiantly drunk, and used to. blackguard, him very
much...-Ho was then committed to Kirkdale gaol, to take his
trial at the next assizes.