The Cotton Factory Times. — 1892-10-21 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

MELLOR BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES., The sensational tragedy at Oldham has caused the utmost excitement in the town, and long before the time fixed for Mellor to be brought before the borough justices on Thursday, the Town Hall, in which the Police Court is ii:tusted, was surrounded by a crowd of many hundreds anxious to obtain admission to the court. When the doors were thrown open the whole of the seating accommodation was quickly taken up. Many people had to be excluded from the court.  Shortly after ten o'clock the prisoner, Joseph Mellor, who was described in the charge sheets as a minder, was ordered to be put forward for trial before the sitting magistrates, Mr. A. Waddington and others. Mellor, although put down as between 30 and 40 years of age, looks decidedly younger. Ile is of sallow complexion, and whilst in court presented a very 'unconcerned appearance. Mr. H. Peacoct, the chief constable, addressing their worshipfuls, said :—The prisoner, Joseph Mellor. is charged with the wilful murder of Mary Jaue Mellor, otherwise Stafford. Both hound deceased lived at 412, Ilollius-road, as man and wife, for five or six years. They seemed •to live peaceably aud comfortably together. Nothing unusual took place. Early in September, however, the woman was missing, and on the neighbours asking Mellor where she was, he replied that she had gone on a visit to his mother, who was ill. The prisoner got behind in his rest, and was consequently pressed for payment. When he left the house to go to work he was always careful to lock the doors, with the result thst although several attempts were made to enter the house they resulted in While. However, last Tuesday night the sanitary meo were at work, and upon leaving left the yard door open. The landlady of the house seized the opportunity to look into the house through the window to the kitchen. She saw some earth had been removed from the floor of the room, and thinking this a suspicions circumstance she informed her husband, who, in turn, told Constable Aubrook. That officer got through the kitchen window, and at once discovered that a drainlike hole about a yard deep had been dug. Going upstairs into the front bedroom he found a poir of woman's corsets covered with blood and with live or six cute in them. That discovery induced the constable to make a further seareh, and upon looking in a recess tinder the stairs he found the dead body of a woman. He then went direct to the Melrose Mill, where ha knew Mellor was employed, and found him there. Aubrook, addressing the prisoner, said "I suppose you know what I have come for," and he replied" Yes. It is all right.'' The officer then took him into custody. and told him be would be charged with having mareered his wife. He answered 'No, she is not my wife; her name is Stafford." He made no other observation, and was brought to the Town Hall. The constable reported the circumstances of the case to me, and 1, along with Detective-sergeant Davies, went to Mellor's house. Another search Was made, and Davies found a carving knife covered with blood on a shelf. A woman's skirt saturated with blood was also diacovered. In the meantime a doctm had been sent for, but owing to his absence his assistant came to the house. He examined the body of the woman, which had not been disturbed, and found seven stab wounds in the breast. 'the head was also nearly severed from the body. Further inquiries made by the police show that Mellor had not been seen in the neighbourhood of the house since the 3rd of Oct. On one occasion prior to that date a gas meter inspector went for the purpose of examining the meter, And failing to gain admittance, went and saw the prisoner at the mill. Mellor would not give the inspector the key, but accompanied him to the house himself. Whilst there the gas inspector observed nothing unoeual. The woman bad not been seen alive since August 26th. After ceiling two witnesses, he would ask that the accused should be remanded until that day week. Mr. Waddington (to the prisoner): Do you object to *remand without any witnesses being examined. The prisoner: No. Mr. Waddington: Then you will be remanded for a week.  As the prieoner wait leaving the court, he turned round to a young woman who was foliowmg closely behind, crying, and exclaimed to her, "Caine along, what are you frightened of ?"