The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1876-04-15 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

SENTENCED TO DEATH.  At the Norwich Aesizes, Henry Webster, 62, labourer, has been charged with the wilful murder of his wife, Sarah Webs te r.  Mr. Blofeld and Mr. Middleton prosecuted; Mr. Wrenfordeley, at the request of the learned judge, defended the prisoner.  The prisoner and his wife lived together at Cranworth, with one child, their granddau,hter. The deceased had been in the habit of going out nursing, and, shortly before the murder, she had been absent from home for about three months. Quarrels had arisen between the prisoner and the deceased with regard to her frequent absence from home. On the 15th of September the prisoner went to Hingham, where the deceased was then engagod in a job of nursing. He brought her home and on the way home they stopped for a short time at the house of their son, James Webster, who gave evidence of the renewal of their disagreements and of threatening words having been previously used by the prisoner with regard to his wife. It was proved that the prisoner tried to induce the deceased to go home by a lonely road called Puttock's-mare, and that the deceased had refused, saying that if she went that way she should want to take a policeman to take care of her. Next morning the prisoner rose at six in the morning, leaving the deceased in bed and their grandchild in the room with her. He went, according to his own statement, to a shed ad sharpened his knife. Then 'She thought he would wear it off," and he went to a neighbouring house and had a pint of beer. Then be returned and called to his wife upstairs, and asked her whether she would stay at home to-day end bake a pie for him and how many currants he should get. She said she was going to Hingham that day and would take her granddaughter. He repeated his question and she again refused. He then came upstairs and asked whether she would stay with him or not. She refused again rather roughly, and he replied, "then you shan't stay with no one else," and struck her with his knife. She got out of bed and said, "Oh, Harry, I will stop with you." But be said, "It is too late now," and went round the foot of the bed, pulled her down by the hair, and struck his knife through her throat, causing almost immediate death. After that he returned to the publichouse and told the landlord what he had done, and then went to the parish constable and gave himself up, giving a detailed and accurate account of the occurrence. The prisoner was a man of quiet and respectable appearance. Though counsel had been assigned to him he could not be induced to plead not guilty, for he said he would not tell a lie. But when called on to plead he said that he wished his trial to proceed, which was taken as a plea of not guilty. For the defence it was urged that there had been great provocation; that the repeated absence of the deceased from her husband, combined with her hastytemper, had made his home unhappy; that their differences had been unhappily fostered by the son; and that the act was the result of a sudden fit of resentment.  The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and the learned Baron pronounced sentence of death, without holding out any hope of mercy.