The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1867-05-18 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

CHARGE OF MURDER BY A SOLDIER.  On Saturday morning Peter Byrne, a private soldier in the 3rd battalion of the 60th Rifles, who has been eleven years in the regiment, and who bears two good' conduct stripes on his arm, was brought up at the Guildhall, Winchester, before the Mayor and a full bench of magistrates, charged with the Wilful murder of William Brown, of the same battalion (who had only joined on the first day of the present month), on Thursday night, in the barracks at 'Winchester. The prisoner is a fine-looking man, and has an open, intelligent countenance. The first witness called was William Colley, who deposed that he is a private soldier in Winchester Barracks, and at about five minutes to ten on Thursday night was tn bed In No. 11l room. There were four other soldiers there besides the deceased. The deceased was sitting on witness's bed-cot, when the prisoner came into the room and asked the deceased if he could fight, to which he replied 'No." The prisoner then looked the room door, and after taking off his belt and , Jacket went back to the cot to the deceased, and asked If lw I could fight, when the deceased again replied "No," and added. You had better be quiet, or I will tell the colour-sergeant." The prisoner then struck the deceased with Ills list under or on the left ear, and knotted him down upon witness. The blow was a violent ono. The prisoner then turned off the gas. Witness lifted up the deceased, who said lam dying !" Sergeant Marshall then canto to the door, and it was opened to him, and the prisoner was reported. The deceased was taken to the guard-room, and thence to the military hospital. Witness saw the deceased at 11 .'clock the same night, when ha Was delld. lie had 1101, 'Ward if any quarrel between the deceased and the prisoner. The prisoner did not appear to he drunk. Privates Cause and Henry Jones corroborated this witness. Sergeant Marshall deposed that about five minutes past ten o'clock on Thursday night he knocked at the door of No. ill room, and was admitted, when his attention Wan called to the deceased by the witness Jones. Ile was lying on the floor between two cots. Wanes, took him to be drunk, anti I ordered him to be taken to the guariTroom, where he was put is a cell. Soon afterwards, hi tile guard-room, witness was told that the deceased had been struck, and one of the guard said he was dead. Witness then felt him by the side of the neck, where it had been said he had been struck. The sergeant of the gourd ordered deceased to be taken to the hospital, and warless went with him. This was rdmut twenty minutes past ten. The prisoner WAR afterwards ordered to be confinol in a cell lie was then trunk—not fit for duty, yet capable of taking care of himself. Dr. Patterson, staff-surgeon of the depOt battalion, deposed that he had made a pod wrtent examination of the body, and that in his opinion the cause of death was extravasation of blood at the base of the brain and upper portion of the spine, and he I lid not believe that this could have resulted from natural causes.  The Bench committed the prisoner to take his trial at the next Winchester Assizes for Manslaughter. He also stands committed upon the coroner's inquisition ,bn 3 similar charge.