The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1874-03-20 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

BIRITAL.MDEDER OF A WOMAN AT .f.rtnt-r, f t(*(f fiILEFFIELD.  On Monday g a tragedy, thedetaile of which -i,*re of a revolting character, was enacted in Spring street, and resulted in the death of a woman tamed Hannah Hickey, and the apprehension of Iwii persons charged with her murder. The de. ceased woman, who was about 50 years of age, was widpw, and lived with a sister named Catherine Shea. who keeps a lodgMg.house in Spring street. A woman named Jane Fox, 30 years of age, has also lived in the same house and looked after the lodgers. Mrs. Rickey, who has been a widow twelve or fourteen years, haa had a small income, and has also been is the receipt of parish relief. Mrs. Shea has a son, Stephen Shea, who is employed as a nail maker at Rotherham; but during the past fortnight his mother has been dangerously ill, and he haa been staying at her house to attend upon her. According to the testimony of the neighbours, he has shown his devotion to his aged mothereby getting drunk and quarrelling with persons in the house. On Monday, it is stated,that he and Fox were In a state of great excitement and were quarrelling with Hickey. No one, however, appears to have been able to ascertain what the quarrel was about, and, In fact, quarrels are of snoli frequent occurrence in that locality that no one cares to inquire Into the MUM of them. Early in the evening Mrs. Hickey went to a neighbour, and calling attention to a wound on her face, said that her nephew had given it her. About a quarter. past eight o'clock Stephen Shea, the woman Fox. and the deceased weresitting in the kitchen, the door of which opens into a passage, and Mrs. Shea, the keeper of the house, was lying in bed upstairs. Ail of a sudden horrible shrieks were heard leaning from the house, and several neighbours who rushed to the door saw the deceased lying on the floor, and Fox and the man Shea were standing over her. Some of them state that they saw Fox beat the weman about the head, whilst others say that they iveher nephew kick her twice about the body. Fox ed the door, and the neighbours outside heard heavy blows administered to the prostrate woman. They at length broke open the door and tore her aiatailante from the unfortunate woman, who was 061 feand to be quite dead. Police-constable M'Manus was boon on the spot, and despatched a neighbour , fee a medical man whilst he removed Stephen Shea ore• and the woman Fox to the police-station. An oi a aaaistant to Mr. Walker, surgeon, shortly arrived, but as life was extinct, him services were of .1 no avail. Mrs. Shea, the aged tenant of , the house, inslisted, when she heard of what had'taken place, on being taken downstairs, and sat for the remainder of the evening in a chair by the fire, watching the dead body of her sister, which lay on the opposite side of the room. Another • .sister named Cusick, who lives in the same yard, end was also in a state of intoxication and 1,..:1  '  consequent excitement, was likewise in the 'house, with a number of neighbours, who filled the miserable little room. Another disgraceful and horrible scene was then enacted. Mrs. Clinch charged the woman Fox with causing the death of her sister, and acquitted her nephew if any biome in the affair; while another neighbour, Who saw the deed committed, maintained that -ages: was more .to blame than -the woman. The women cum to high Words; and wouleltindimbtedly lhate fought but for the inter. ▪ f, volition of seine others, who pleaded with, Mrs. oa , Cusick to restrain herself for the sake of- Mrs, Shea, who was neatly dead with -grief, if not ,for the sate of her murdered sister, whose bocly had pt yet been "laid out," For several ci howciftr, iso great the disturbance and tui hat Q was, not laid meta, and the elks was not then performed untli the house had ^ "'beset okayed by thdpoilde. • • •I i;'4! 1.. •:  N  a,,i,