The Tamworth Examiner and Working Men's Journal. — 1875-03-20 (Tamworth, Staffordshire, England)

WILFUL MURDER AT STAFFORD. John Stanton, a young man, a shoemaker, was indicted for the wilful murder of Thomas Niold. The prisoner was related to deceased, who was about 49 years of age, and had a wife and several children. Both men were engaged in the shoe trade. On the afternoon and evening of Saturday, the 16th of January, they were drinking at the Dog and Partridge beerhouse, in the Baekwalls South. a low part of Stafford, and there appeared to have been a good deal of wrangling between them, arising out of a remark ' made by Nield that his wife should no longer do his washing without payment. The prisoner used violent language, and struck Nield. Shortly afterwards he left the lions, 11,1arilig that he would do tor Niel& and went to his lAging near, where he was seen by a fellowdodger to take a sharp-pointed shoemaker's knife from his workbeneh, and put it in his breast pocket. The prisoner then returned to the Dog and Partridge, whore he sat down quietly for two or three minutes °ie.)°, ite arield. Afterwards, however, he went and sat on the right hand side of Nield and suddenly he was seen by some four or five witnesses to put his hand in his poeket. and pull out a knife, which he plunged into Nield's left breast. Having withdrawn the knife, he walked quietly out of the ' house, the rest of the company being too much as. toni shed to interfere with hint. The landlady shouted alter him. You little villain. what 'have you done Yon have stabbed your uncle." To this the prisoner replied, " 1 have done it, and I am willing to be taken." A man whom he met outside and who saw • him throw the blood-stained knife over a garden wall, said to him, having heard the landlady's remark, "In the name of God, Jack, what made you do that ' o_ I have done it, lad, and I intended to do it ;" and thee walked on. He was, however, arrested before he Inel gone mane cants further. Meanwhile Nield. who on receiving the fatal stab fell forward, bleeding from his breast, was lifted upon a bench, and a surgeon was sent for. It was at once seen that the wound was mortal. Nield never spoke after being stabbed. He lingered until eight o'clock the nest morning, when Ile died. A post-mortem examination showed that the knife had penetrated dm ribs and punctured the heart. Mr. Boughey, with Mr. Fulford. was for the prosecution ; and the prisoner having, in reply to the learned Judge, intimated his desire to be defended by , counsel, at the request of his lordship, Mr. Selfe I undertook the defence.  The lenrued connsel in opening the ease against the accused, detailed the circumstances attending the commission of the act whereby the deceased man, Thomas Nield, met his death.  Evidence for the prosecution was then adduced. It was a repetition of what has already appeared in our columns.  The Jury, after two minutes' consultation, returned a verdict of guilty; and, in answer tothe usual question why sentence should not be passed, prisoner sail the witnesses had been swearing false: Neild had struck him and driven him wild by his accusations of having illtreated his (prisioner's) wife.  His Lordsha in passing sentence, addressing the prisoner, said: John Stanton, you have been convicted on the clearest evidence of the dreadful crime of murder. You stand there a solemn warning to people not to give way to a revengeful spirit. I do not wish to say anything to agra,vate your sufferings at this moment, but I must, at the same time, tell you that I cannot hold out to you the slightest hope of mercy." Sentence of death was then passed bathe usual form, the prisoner meantime preserving a demeanour which betrayed far less concern than was evinced by scores of those present in the crowded court.