The Potteries Examiner : — 1874-11-28 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

TREPT.  SHOCKING MURDER NEAR BURTON On Tuesday, at the Burton-on-Trent Police Office, before Hey-re. Tomlinson, Griffiths, and Wardley, a young man, who gave the name of Robert Taylor, and said he was a sinker, belonging to Wigan, Lancashire, was brought up in the custody of Superintendent Bowen, charged with the wilful murder of Mary Kidd, by cutting her throat at Hoarcross, on the evening of the 23rd inst. Evidence sufficient for a remand was simply given. From what we can gather of the particulars of the case, it appears that at about five o'clock on Monday afternoon, as Mrs. Mary Kidd was returning from Yokall to Hoarcross, in the companyof a girl eight yearn of age, named Sarah Ann Hollis, she was accosted by a man, who demanded half a crown from her. She told him that "she and not got half a crown for him, and he had better go off about his business." However, she at length gave him twopence, saying that that was all she possessed. The man per. slated in demanding half a crown, and told her, plainly that unless she gave it to him he should cut her throat. Suiting the action to the word, he knocked her down, and in the presence of the little girl pulled out a pocket knife, and began to "saw away "at her throat. This he did most effectually, cutting her head half off. Seeing a conveyance advancing on the road from the direction ot You'll the murderer took to his heels' made his way over a field near, through a wood, and off in the direction of Yoxall Lodge. The occupants of the trap promply obtained surgical aid, but the woman was dead. The body was at once removed home. Information of the affair did not reach Burton until ten o'clock the same night, when Superintendent Bowen instituted a vigorous search for the perpetrator of the horrible deed. Tuesdry morning came, with no goal result, and Superintendent Bowen left to attend Petty Sesaions at Barton, along with Sergeant Harrison. Riding into Burton a man was espied by the Superintendent quickly making his way along Branstone-roatl, and his suspicions were aroused when he saw the stranger hurry into a shop close by. Mr. Bowen left his trap, followed the fellow into the shop, took him into custody, and charged him with the offence. His reply was, "All right, you'll have to prove it." On his way to the lock-up, he said, "Is the woman dead ?" He was told yea, and then said, "I suppose they'll hang me or somebody else." On searching him at the police-station he was found to to be wearing two shirts, the right wristbands of which were saturated with blood, as was also the lining of his coat, and there were traces of blood on his trousers and clogs. The gate, too, over which he made his wry immediately after the committal of the deed aits found to be smeared aith blood, and the top bar bore distinct marks of bloody hands. The magistrates remanded the primmer for a week. He seemed noways concerned about his position ; but, during his examination, once or twice interrupted the superintendent in his evidence, and wished the Bench to be. hove that what he naked the officer was— "Has a woman died P" and not "Is the woman dead 1" Since his incarceration the prisoner has conducted himself quietly, and conversed in a rational manner with the officers having charge of him. He says that he has no parents or friends, and does not care what becomes of him; that be slept inn shed at Branstone from eight o'clock on the night of the murder until ten o'clock on Tuesday morning, and had only left his hiding.place about half an hour when he was arrested. The prisoner is a man of about 21 or 22, and filom his conver. sation it is believed that he is one of the gang of sinkers who gave the police so much trouble on Cannock Chase some time ago. The deceased was 55 years of age, and the wife of a labourer in comfortable circumstanoes at Hoarcross.