The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1879-08-29 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

ALLEGED WIFE MURDER.  At the Clerkenwell Police-court, Friday, James Gibson, aged 58, a journeyman packing-case maker, residing at 134, Old-street, St Luke's, was charged before Mr. Hosack with wilfully murdering his wife, Elizabeth Gibson, at his residence, on the 18th of August. Inspector Peel, of the Criminal Investigation Department, said he should only offer sufficient evidence to justify a remand, for, though the alleged offence VFW committed on Monday afternoon, the prisoner was not apprehended and charged until one o'clock that morning.  Mrs. Susan Ridley, the first witness, wife of George Ridley, of 1, Tyndale-court, Old-street, said she knew the prisoner and his wife by sight. They had four children, and their house was just opposite the house where she lived, so that she could generally see into the prisoner's room. On Monday la-st, at about a quarter past one ill the afternoon, she was looking out of her window, when she saw the prisoner lift a chair and place it at the table, in order to partake of his dinner. Deceased was standing opposite him. Some angry words passed, and the prisoner struck her in the face with his open hand. She ran to the window, followed by her husband, who again struck her in the face. Deceased said nothing, but as her husband stooped to pick up a piece of wood she threw a plate in his direction, which missed him and struck the window. As she threw it she said" I don't care a for you." Her husband then thrust the piece of wood three or four times in her side, and again struck her in the face with his hand, causing her to reel as if she were about to fall. The prisoner then dropped the piece of wood and closed the window. Witness cried out to him from the window, "Oh, you brute, why do you Muse the woman in that way !" She saw nothing more, as the window was closed. At twenty minutes to three she AaVir the prisoner leave the house. She heard no screams. After being struck with the wood she heard the deceased say, "You beast, you are slowly murdering me." Deceased appeared to be quite sober. The prisoner returned home at 8 p.m., and then the landlady told the witness that Mrs. Gibson was dead. Dr. Yarrow, divisional surgeon, said that the prisoner, with another man, called upon him on Monday night, and from what he was told he went to the prisoner's house, and found the deceased lying dead on a bed. She had evidently been dead for some hours. The extremities were quite cold, though the body was partly warm. A post-mortem examination showed death to have been eaused by concussion of the brain, the result of blows. Her skull was not fractured, but her abdomen Wag bruised in such a way as might have been caused by the piece of wood produced. The prisoner was then remanded for a week, and as he was removed to the cells he said he had a good defence to make, as his wife was a very bad drunken woman. He appeared to treat the matter with indifference. An inquest on the body was also opened by Mr. John Humphreys, coroner Mrs. Ridley repeated her evidence given before the magistrates. A daughter of the deceased was examined. She said that the deceased was of intemperate habits, and her father would at times leave money with the deceased to get the dinner with, and when he returned home he would find that she had spent the money in drink, and the place in a deplorable state. About a month ago the deceased fell downstairs. At times she was subject to fits when sober, and fell about. On Saturday last she fell in Royal-street and hurt her hand, and the following day she came to her (witness's) house and said she had been knocked down by three boys, and her elbow was bruised.—The inquiry was adjourned till Monday.