Denton Examiner, Audenshaw, Hooley Hill and Dukinfield Advertiser. — 1877-11-10 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

THE DOLGELLY TRAGEDY. SENTENCE OF DEATH. Oadwalader Jones, 26, farmer, of Dolgelly, was indicted at Chester Anises with the murder of Sseeth Hughes at Dolgelly on the 2nd of June last. The prisoner is a fine young fellow, with a face indicative of more than ordinary intelligence. When he came into the dock he appeared to be labouring under great excitement. He was accommodated with a chair, after which he leant his head below the dock, but listened with evident interest to the evidence. It seems that for some time he had been acquainted with deceased, who was a single woman. On the 2nd of June the deceased left her home at Ooedmoosoglog, and went to Dolgelly. She was seen by a witness living at Dolgelly at about nine o'clock at night going in the direction of Britbdir. She was seen by another person at a place called filliipmell, from which paths lead up to the residence of the prisoner, where the body of deceased was subsequently buried. Prom that time she was never seen until Der body was found cut in pieces in the river by a 1 number of persons who collected together and made a sear& up and down the river, with the result that several portions of the body were found. An inquest was held, and as the result police officers in considerable numbers went to the residence of the prisoner, at Park, on 18th July. The prisoner made the following statement to Mr. Owen Jones, insrector : ".1 don't wish you to trouble yourself any further ; it is my desire to tell you that I did it." Inspector Jones at once cautioned prisoner, who again replied, "I did it, and I alone. That is the truth; that is the truth." Mr. Jones, the prisoner, and the ether men went downstairs into the presence of Superintendent Hughes, and Mr. Jones repeated what Oad'walader Jones had told him. They thereupon went into the cowhouse, and while searching in one corner the prisoner, looking at them, said, 'What you want i is in that corner," referring to a different corner of ,the cost/house. They accordingly went to the corner' ' indicated, removed some stones, and found a buried sack, in which were some more of the remains, some being also found in the garden. This narrative wee derailed to by a large number of witnesses. Mr. Swetenham addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoner, and denied that the killing of the deceased by ths prisoner was what in law could be construed into murder. It was, he said, as he hoped to convince the jury, nothing hut a case of manslaughter. The learned counsel dwelt at length on the prisoner's confession, which he contended did not prove that he murdered the deceased, and might just as well admit of the view of manslaughter. the lordship summed up, and after half an hour's deliberation the jury returned with a verdict of guilty. His lordship having assumed the black cap said, " Cadwidader Jones, you have been convicted of the murder of Sarah Hughes. Ths jury have performed a painful duty, and, in my opinion, correctly. I certainly in this caee shall not harrow your feelings ' by going into the circumstances which have been so fully inv.tigated, and which leaves no doubt upon my mind that you did wilfully murder that woman. I also but the minister of the law, and by that law lam bound to pass upon you the sentenee I am now going to pass." Sentence of death was then pronounced in the usual form. The sentence was translated into Welsh for the prisoner, by Mr. Pugh, solicitor, of Dolgelly and SolyweL. The prisoner was ao prostrated by hiseentence that he had to be assisted down thesiock steps by the warders.