Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1873-03-29 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

WITH A DAGGER AT MIDDLESBROUGH. James Devitt (33, of imperfect education), was charged with unlawfully wountliug with a dagger one Agnes Devitt with intent to do her grievous bAily harm, or murder her on the 2nd November last. Mr Skidmore prosecuted; the prisoner was not defended. Agnes Devitt, wife of the prisoner, add that she lived with her husband at No. 48, West-street, Middlesbrough. She considered herself mom to blame than her husband. She went out of the house that night, and came home again a few minutes past nine o'clock. He accepted a vast of provocation from her, and then he took the dagger out of the table drawer to "frighten" her. She had a glass or two of drink in jier at the time, and she got hold of the dagger to take it from her husband, this occurring -lust as a policeman came into the room. Might have told the magistrates that the prisoner tried to stab her, but it was not true, for he only aimed to strike, and she took hold of his hand, shouting "Murder." This brought a policeman to the house, and he found her lying on the floor, with the prisoner kneeling on the top of her.—His lordship here reminded the witness that when before magistrates she was sworn to speak the truth. It was true that she had said prisoner attempted to stab her with the dagger, but she did not koos, what she was doing. When Porter ca..e into the house, witness had the dagger in her hand, and Parter was accidentally scratched whilst they were struggling together. When leaving the box, the witness said she thought that her husband had been in prison long enough: for she bad two little children. His lordship said that whatever imprisonment had yet been suffered by the prisoner was solely in consequence of what had been said by herself before the magistrates, and which was at variance with what had been given to-day. She ought to know that persons who made these false statements were liable to conviction and imprisonment for perjury. Jonathan Diekensoti, surgeon, of Midddesbrough, said that Sarah Porter was suffering from dropsy and quite unable to attend.—P.C. Parker said that when he went to the prisoner's house, in consequence of cries of "murder," he found prisoner holding his wife down on the floor with his left hand on her throat. He had the dagger itt the other hand, and witness at once took it from him. The wife had hold of his right wrist. Prisoner was attempting to stab his wife. There was the same blood on the dagger then, as was visible now. I here was blood also on his shirt sleeves and upon the floor. He smelt of drink, but knew what he was doing. There was a child about eighteen months old lying crying on the floor beside prisoner's wife.—James Dent, a clerk, to Mr J. 'l'. Belk, of Middlesbrough, proved the accuracy of the depositions of Sarah Porter, which he saw had been taken down by another clerk in his presence.—His lordship doubted wheher this was sufficient to prove 'Accuracy," but on the witness swearing to .the signature of the attesting magistrates, his lordships expressed himself satisfied. The deposition of Mrs Porter was then read, from which it nppeared that he stabbed at her when she went to try to save the wife. She then ran and informed the policeman. —For defence the employer of the prisoner said he had worked for him two years; and he always was steady. In summing up the evidence, his lordship said it had been a question with hint whether he should not commit the wife Agnes Devett, into custody to answer a charge of perjury; her evidezce was unreliable, but fortanately for the ends of justice there was other evidence which clearly substantiated the charge, of using an unlawful weapon towards his wife of all other persons. The jury returned a verdict of "not guilty of attempting to murder his wife," and the prisoner was then further indicted tor feloniously wounding Sarah Porter, with intent to do her some grievous bodily harm. On Mr Dickenson being called, it was found that he had left the court, and after waiting for some, time, his lordship ordered that another indictment should be sent to the grand jury charging the pt_eoner with maliciously wounding his wife.