The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-23
MURDERED BY A PITMAM.
REALISTIC VIEW or LIFE tMOEG
BRITISH COAL MINERS.
drunkenness and Brutality ms Displayed in q
Murder at Edmonsicv A Man who was
Controlled by n Desire TO Take Lite.


Murder at Eamon-icv A Man who was
Controlled by n Dcsire TO Take Lille.
From the LoHi0a Dtiv MioA
The story OF the Edmonslev murder the
shooting Of John Wales by his brother-in-law,
John Williams. - piman. contains wretcbed
statement Of life as 1t Is In the cOllieres. Wales
was Killed on the I'D Of juno pay day-and
the evidence given at the trial enables usto con
struct picture OF what pay days are probably
often like IN their general features, Williams
At Edmonsley his wife's brother. John Wales.
resided In street at some little distance. On
the afternoon Of pay day, June ~ Williams
bed. His wages were brought to the house 10y
one Of his sons, the gains OF the family amount
ing to more than xix pounds. Mrs. Williams APP
propriNed part Of the money. for household
expenses possibly. and about O'clock williams
himself took n sovereign and went out HIS
wife went out also about p o'clock, and II APP
pears from the evidence ~ Margaret Hardy.
iandlady Of the Bil X House Tavern, that the
two met ON her premises. At'er some talk be-
tween the pair about money matters Williams
asked big wife what she was doing there. com,
planned, II seen uf 4" the state she was IN, and
struck her. Mrs. Williams returned the blow,
and the bystandcrs separated the combatants.
Hardy that he was hrok en-heartcd man.
Mrs. Williams, who !. des. ri9cd a. having been
"half-aud- half" or only doubtfully sol er, re-
NAMED in the tavern Till twenty minutes to
eleven. Her husband went home, where lie ar
rived about ten o'clock, took down his gun,
loaded It with powder. and left the ramrod, for
the piece MAS n muzzle-loadcr In the barrel.
His conduct does not seem To- have surprised his
mother-in-law, because she knew that there was
was natural t. ,suprose that Williams Intended
to enllven the festivities by shooting of powder.
~ Is the fashion Of the pitmen on Joyous occa-
sions Williams, indeed. had promised Mrs.
Hardy to bring his gun to the BLACK House that
night. 80 as 20 he ready for the mornings
amusement. Tho little daughter ~ the muir
defer. Mary Williams. was less easily satisfied.
and in answer 10 her questions Il is alleged that
lie said he meant To shoot her mother.
BRUNKARD's THREATS.
Tho evidence Of the prisoners son Robert a
| boy 81 sixteen. II that he followed his father
I'D heard Nj m say 20 himself, " ! will make her
J.mp, words which might lie consistent with
the Intention, Of PLAYING practical Joke. The
| hos suspected misc hief set his uu, les John and
| Joseph Wales To- pursue his father. and set on
| himselt 10 warn his other not 10 leave the
| hlack House. All parties seem 10 have felt that
| they had to do with reckless man. dangerous
and bcsotted by drink or passion. ON reaching
! the Hack House Williams hung irresplite at tho
| door. After some minutes dchhcraton he be-
gan 20 make for Edmonsley again. His eldest
served that II wac time for him to leave on drink
ing. remark which goes to prove that the father
had the arpearance OF inioxicniion Al the
/ nor warned Williams thai 1.-THE passion
had taken hold Of him., to which VIII
/ to his home followed by his Youngest son
! Robert. bis two br,thers-in-aw, and his wife.
! Tie boy says that Joseph Wales threatened to
! put a knife into Williams. but II does not appear
thai VIII 'ms overheard this menace When he
reached his house he sat down, according to his
! m"ther.in-laws testimony. on IA chair beside his
bed' holding his gun Ia his hand. " lie said he
| would nave n shot at the nrrt who came and
| Mrs. W ,ies observed that he would shoot once
| too often adding. not very 1udiciously. that
he should not keep gun At all, ~ he had no
| license. Mr.. Wales then Withdrew. and sent
| her daughter Tor "a policeman John aud Joseph
Malc, then opened the house door and went In,
! Williams retTeating into the ben.' or further,
as opposed to the but" or outer chamber.
TIVE nURpFR
| II was dark ben tie house." and this ac-
counts for the diriculty ~ making out what ex-
| aciy happened al this Junctulc. The hoy Rob
ert say- That his father held the gun pointed to-
ward the two Mai'~e- that J9~erh Wales held
tired "cann.l! to creep up; that the gun went
| 81 and john fell. Joseph Wales who mentions
! that he noticed the t.inrud sticking out 81 the
! muIElc Of the piece says that Williams threat
! th,friur. -terped h.rk nom the inner J,.nr.
| WY. HE brother John. after some paIlcy.
! " made "a cleck. or clutch. at the weapon,
| which th,n exploded. john Williams, a lad II
that his father actually held the gun To his
should r al the moment Of nrng John Wales,
made a cieck At il s.' near Were III. m,r'
dercr and the victim that waless coat was set
90 hr-. The cause of his death vas the wounds
| !nLI, ted on Tue silnc' arms ana fight lung by
the fragments Il the rnmrod.
IL j. = wretohed story Of domestic misery and
| ~ druAAeu anger. Tor We can exclude neither
element Of mischief williams even II not in.
! toxicatcd 80 tAe moment 81 his crime. had long
| To- ~ stehdib hrutlikng himself with drink
| Ht- life Ma one 81 painful. dangerous. and re-
puls.ve toll. with inter, as ~ voluntary madness
! and hesoft"d siupur. His wife seems to have
| hetn uut more sober than himself. and even II
/ he mad cared Tor better It~tinc than intoxica-
tiNn. hl- home must have been made wrrtched
and his heart as he said, broken by her conduct
THE LIFE 90 \ MISEH
81 have seen him drunk, aud have seen her
drunk. aid the lsn6.sty 81 the Blank House
/ whittier Williams repaired at the pav-Wcck
end and generally spent two shllliugs, more oI
| less
l. Is clear that the Black House was the local
| centre. Every one who wanted 10 find any one
else looked Tor HIM at the lnac, House The
! children witnessed edlling SCENES between
] tfiflf parents There. ana the If Rome
| Williams. showed qlicAness IN forcsceing. and
energy In providing against the results Of
drunk en- fury. Robert had known hts father
"spend twelve or fourteen shnIinss at the end
q the week, though the landady of the Black
! House limited the sum to two shilling. \ fun
dose Of drink. Robert said, made his father
merely sulAy. On that fatal pay night, he WAS
unlucNiy. "only half drums" one man was
cut al Ia The Hover of his life another is TO die
because the plimen have found no better place
To invest their pay than the Black House and
no more attractive pastlm" than mixing their
drnos. IL Is not a pleasant side of our ciSiliga-
ton To- study. and optmst- must needs shut
their eyes on Edmon-lcy II they wish to praise
| i-l e. 4 "a f.rt