Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1881-01-08 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

ALLI GED MURDER OF A STOCKTON MAN IN GATESHEAD.  On the afternoon of New Year's Day a lamentable tragedy was enacted in the lower part of Gateshead. The scene of the terrible occurrence was a common lodging-house, kept by Mrs Margaret Benton, in Churchstreet. It appears that amongst the inmates of Mrs Benton's establishment on New Year's Day were Richard Davison, a tailor, who is crippled in one of his legs, and Mary Allen, a woman who has been living with Davison. Also resident in the same house were Thos. Lancaster, a potter employed at Walker's Pottery, Byker, and Jas. Mitantyre, who was best known in the place as "Scotty." and who was very friendly with Lancaster. The four persons above-named are known to have been drinking together with others in a public-house not far from their lodgings at different times on Saturday, and had quarrelled more than once; in fact, during the day a policeman bad to be called into the lodging-house to assist in pacifying them. Maclntyre states that whilst the party were at variance in a publichouse late in the afternoon Davison threw a glass at him, but the missile failed to ,each its mark. About five o'clock Lancaster, klaclntyre, Davison, Allen, and their companions returned to the lodging-house and entered the kitchen, or common room of the establishment. At the time there were 34 men and 17 women in the apartment. When the above-mtintioned party of lodeere entered the room they took possession of the table nearest the fire-place, Davison and Alien seating themselves on the inside form, with Lancaster and Maclstyre facing them on the opposite side of the table. The first-named four were all more or less under the influence of drink, and no sooner had they seated themselves in the dingy, ill-lighted room than they resumed the squabble that had occupied them in the public-house. The accounts furnished of the dreadful affair differ a little in their details, but all agree as to the unpremeditated nature of the fatal act. blaclntyre says that when Davison ,recommenced quarrelling with him in the common room of the lodging-house they had a struggle, doting which Davison bit him savagely on the hand. Be this as it may, Macantyre was ordered out of the lability, but about half-past five o'clock he was unfortunately allowed to return to the kitchen. The result of this was that the wrangle between him and Davison at once recommenced. Up to this period very little seems to hatte 'passed between Lancaster land Davison, but when the quarrel between the two old antagonists was resumed the pottter sail to his friend, "Hit him, Scotty," and 'other threatening language is stated to have passed between the parties, who were seated by the table as above - mentioned. Davison, who had been cutting tobacco with his pocket-knife, appears to have been terribly provoked. It is stated by those who witnessed the dread:ul affair that, after some angry words had been bandied amongst the disputants, Davison soddenly rose up with the open pocket-knife in his hand, and, bending over the table, drove it with a heavy forward thrust into the pt er part of Lancaster's left breast. Rarely has a more deadly stroke been delivered. The unfortunate man sprung to his feet and moved slightly to the right, as if intending to get round the end of the table to his adversary, but the next in-tent he sunk back upon the form, and from thence rolled on to the floor. illaantyre attempted to raise the poor fellow from the ground, and supported his head and shoulders, whilst others of the lodgers opened his vest and shirt, and disclosed adeep wound, from which blood flowed, about an inch above and a little to the left of the nipple. The victim did not speak, and in a few moments he was dead, the knife blade having penetrated the heart. Davison is said to have drawn the knife from the wound, and to have thrown it from him on seeing the awful consequences of his act. Medical aid was sought without delay. However. Lancaster was beyond all human aid even before the first of the two medical men arrived on the scene, and, as we have noticed above, death followed the unlucky blow almost instantaneously. Davison and Allen were afterwards taken into custody. Davison waa charged with causing the death of Lancaster, and Allen with concealing the instrument with which the crime had been committed. The deceased, Thomas Lanotister, was 51 years of age, and belonged to Stockton.  CHARGE OF DitIINKENINE:II