The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-02-18 00:00:00

MURDER AT WARRINGTON,

(From our Prescot Correspondent.)
We have this day to record another Instance of brutal fe-
rocity, by which a man in this town (Warrington) has been
deprived of life, by the murderous hand of his own brother.
The facts of the case are fully set forth in the following
evidence, which was adduced before the coroner and jury on
Tuesday last :

Jane Taylor being sworn, rays—The deceased, James Tay-
lor, is my husband, and was turned 33 years of age. We
have been married nearly three years, but have not lived to-
gether. I worked in the same shop with him, as a fustian-
cutter, but we have never taken a house. He lived with his
parents, and I lived with mine. On Monday, the 7th inst.,
the deceased had to receive some money. He was at a pub-
lic-house called the Lower Angel, in Butter Market-street.
I saw him that evening, about six o'clock. He appeared
then to have had some drink. I went to the same public-
house for him about eight o'clock. Deceased came out to
me, and we went together towards the Railway Station, ac-
companied by a man named Carter, and his wife. Before we
got to the station, we met the-person who had brought the
deceased his money from Manchester, and we all adjourned
into the White Hart public-house. There the men had a
glass of ale each, whilst the deceased and Carter received their
money. On leaving the White Hart, we met the prisoner,
John Taylor, brother to the deceased, and we went together
to the Bear's Paw. From there we went again to the Lower
Angel, where they had also something to drink. The de-
ceased and his brother John had some words, but nothing
particular occurred. We left the Lower Angel about twelve
o'clock, and returned towards home. My husband was then
very tipsey. He walked between me and his brother John,
having hold of an arm of each of us. When we got to Scot-
land-road, Carter and his wife left us. We proceeded to-
wards Church-street, and when we got opposite the Infant
School, my husband and the prisoner began to quarrel. My
husband said, " Jack, I'll take another shop to-morrow, in-
stead of thine; for I'll not he bothered with thee nor thy set
any longer." John said, " Thou may go h—, and take ano-
ther shop; I could have set the shop for twenty pounds
a-year six months ago." James said, "He might set it,"
and they then walked together until they got nearly home.
They then stood before each other, and were going to fight ;
but I threw myself between them, and pulled my husband
away. I saw the prisoner strike the deceased ; but I did not
see the deceased strike John. The prisoner then cursed his
brother, and said, " Where's my knife? where's my knife ?"
and he put his coat on one side to get to his pocket, and he
pulled out a penknife with two blades in it, and opened it.
He then said he would rip his bloody guts open, and he ran
towards my husband; but I stepped between them. He
struck at my husband several times past my head; but did
not reach him at that time, as I think. After that, John
rushed at James again, and my husband called out, " Oh!
he has stabbed me in the belly : I am dying." I screamed
out, and they then both fell on the floor together. I had
previously asked my husband to go away, as John had pulled
his knife out. On hearing my scream, a man came up, and
separated them. A.candle was brought, and I then saw the
deceased spit blood. He was then helped into his father's
house, and I followed. John also came in, or was brought
in, and he expressed great sorrow, and was lamenting what
he had done when he saw the wounds. I first sent for a sur-
geon, and then went for Mr. Hunt, and his assistant, Mr.
Atherton, came back with me. John remained in my hus-
band's father's house until Payne, the police-officer, took him
into custody. I held a light for the officer when he went to
look for the knife, and I saw it first, and pointed it out to
him, when he picked it up, It was then closed, and the
largest blade was covered with blood. The prisoner's thumb
was cut, as if the knife had closed on his thumb when he
struck at my husband. It was found half a yard or three
quarters from the place where John stabbed my husband.
My husband remained very ill until yesterday (Monday last),
when he died about a quarter past three o'clock in the after-
noon. Before the prisoner struck at my husband, and after
he had opeaed his knife, James said, " What art thou going
to do ?" and John said, " I'll kill thee by G—d."
Mr. William Hunt, surgeon, sworn.—l was sent for to the
deceased on Tuesday, the Bth instant. I did not see him
until twelve hours after the wound was inflicted. I then
found a small wound in his right groin : it was about five-
eighths of an inch long, and about an inch and a half above
the groin, through which the bowels had protruded. He was
then labouring under inflammation of the peritoneum, or
membrane of the bowels. I also found a small wound on the
left groin, and also a wound on the back part of the left arm.
I attended the deceased two or three times a-day until yes-
terday, when he died. I applied leeches, and blisters, and
other remedies ; but nothing seemed to recruit him.
The jury returned a verdict of " wilful murder" against
John Taylor, who was committed, on the coroner's warrant,
to take his trial, at the next Liverpool assizes.