Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1890-09-27 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

MURDER OF A POLICE - SERGEANT. Early on Saturday morning Mr. and Mrs. Kettlewell, fruit and vegetable vendors, were driving to Richmond (Yorks) market when they found Sergeant Weedy lying dead on the road opposite the house of a gardener named Kitching. It was a little after 6 o'clock, and as the Kettlewells pulled up near the body of the deceased sergeant, Fred Holland, the Bedale huntsman, who was going out with the hounds cub-hunting; appeared upon the scene almost simultaneously. They found the man lying on his face, badly disfigured, and there was a bullet wound behind the ear. His cloak was found three or four yards distant. The deceased was a ma:ried man, of excellent character, and about 40 years of age. He leaves a family of nine children. He was a powerful man, weighing some 15st. According to the evidence given at the inquest, Kitching had threatened the sergeant on the previous night, and the officer followed him to his house.—John Caygill, brother-in-law of the accused said he was aroused by the prisoner, who took him and his father to the place where the officer was lying shot. The accused was then carrying his gun and said he intended to get rid of it. He threw it away, but it was afterwards found by Inspector Holmes. Witness then slept with the prisoner, of whom be stood in fear, and he was aroused by Kitching early in the morning. He assisted to harness the horse and load the cart with goods for the market, and they passed out of the gate at 6.30 a.m., a few minutes after the body of the deceased had been discovered and removed. They afterwards stopped at witness's father-in-law's house, and had breakfast, after which the accused proceeded on his way to Richmond as if nothing had happened.—When arrested by Police-constable Nixon he was preparing his stall for goods in the market-place. Though the report of the gun was heard by the inhabitants of the adjoining house, no one looked out. A post-mortem examination was made by Dr. Horsfall, who gave evidence as to the shot having penetrated and broken the vertebne.— The jury returned a verdict that death was caused by a gun-shot wound inflicted by Robert Kitching, whom they found guilty of wilful murder. The deceased, who leaves a widow and nine chiltiren, was greatly esteemed, and was one of the smartest officers in the North Riding force. The accused is stated to bear a bad character, and it is alleged that he had previously threatened Sergeant Weedy.  A terrible encOunter with a tiger is repotted from India. While a party of four men were out shooting recently in a district near Kazipet a tiger suddenly appeared close to them. One of the sportsmen, named Smallwood,at once took aim at the unwelcome visitor, but before he could fire it sprang on him, lacerating him in a frightful manner. Another of the party, named Dew,who was standing behind his unfortunate companion, succeeded in wounding the animal, which then attacked him, with the result that a portion of his scalp was torn off, and lie was otherwise severely wounded. The beast then pursued the other two men, who, seeing their danger, endeavoured to reach a place of safety. One of them, however, stumbled in his flight, and the tiger, which was only a few yards off, sprang at him,but fortunately overleaped him. Availing himself of the opportunity, the man fired at the animal, and at the first shot killed it on the spot.  Two shocking fatalities were on Saturday reported from Garwyalley. A tradesman named Ban was crossing the hills from Blamgawr to Bettws, and fell into an abyss and was killed. A young woman named Mary Thomas, visiting her mother's grave at Itettwe died in the churchyard