The Sun. — 1852-09-22 (London, England)

ALLEGED MURDER OF A WIFE BY HER RUSBAND.  On Monday, at the Lambeth Police Court, Richard Petry, 54, described as a labourer, residing at No. 22, Broad-street, Lambeth, was charged with having caused the death of Jane Perry, his wife, by striking her on the head and body in a frightful manner. George Mitchell said he lived at Not 22, Broadstreet, Lambeth, in apartments underneath those occupied by the prisoner and his wife. They were continually quarrelling, and the female was almost always evening last, between eight and drunk. On Saturday nine o'clock, the prisoner and deceased came home, apparently very comfortable, and shortly afterwards the former went out, and was followed a lit• tle while after by his wife. Some time afterwards the prisoner brought some coals home, and finding the deceased was out and had locked his door he came down stairs, but at the same tine she entered the house. They had some words about the door being locked, when the prisoner, who appeared to be sober, went to bed, and the deceased again went out. She returned at a very late hour, much intoxicated, when he beard them quarrelling, andimmediately afterwards a heavy fall, which was succeeded by complete silence. His wife called out to him that she hoped nothing had happened between Perry and his wife, and immediately afterwards he heard the prisoner put on his shoes and come down stai▪ rs, when he called out, " Who's this lying on the stairs ?" The prisoner then returned to his room and brought a light down stairs. Mr. Elliott—You said you heard the fall in the prisoner's room ?—Witness replied that he did, but he did not beer her go down the stairs after that. He must have heard her if she had, as he could hear the least thing on the stairs. The prisoner, when he came down to the landing near the door, called out to witness to get up, exclaiming that his wife had no strength in her. Witness got out of bed and assisted him to carry the deceased up stairs, but he at once perceived that she was dead, and told the prisoner so. The latter exclaimed " Good God, you don't mean to say so !" They then carried her into the room, and put her on the bed, when he washed her face with cold water, and sent the prisoner for a doctor. The police shortly entered the house, and brought one in, when they pronounced her quite dead. Sergeant Atler, of the L division, here informed the magistrate that the place where deceased was found was 13 stairs lower than the prisoner's room. Mr. Elliott to Mitchell—Had she fallen down stairs, must you have heard her ? Mitchell—Yes ; I was not asleep, and I could have heard a cat walk down. hat . inr room ? Mitchell— Mr. thei Elliott—Then w. you heard was the querrolling, ar,d the heavy fall That's all I heard, excepti▪ ng the prisoner coming down and calling out, and his afterwards procuring a light when he roused me up._ _ Marge,ret Mitchell, wife of the preceding witness, corrobor i ated his evidence n. every point. The deceased. 'was covered with bruises from. head to loins. Witn ees heard no scuffting on the stairs, the fall took Place. in the prisoner's room. lViiller, 136 L, proved bei▪ ng called into the house bet ween one and two o'clock on the morning of the ocr;urrence, and found the body of deceased yet w: erni, upon which he procured medical attendance. Sergeant Atler, 4L, said, he also went to the h ouse, when he looked at deceased, and perceived a deep cut on the left eye, and another one across the n ose. They were quite fresh. When apprehended t he prisoner told witness that his wife had fallen out of bed, and subsequently observed that it was hard for him to work all the week and then for his wife to spend all the money. 1 There having been no medical examination, the prisoner was remanded. ------- - -JOHNSON'S HoUSE,