The Warwickshire Herald. — 1888-03-08 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

MURDER OF A DRUNKEN WIFE.  On Monday, at the Westminster police-court, an old man named White was charged with the wilful murder of his wife and remanded. White and his wife had been married no less than 41 years, and had had several children, who are all married. Their lodging was in a narrow court in one of the poorest slums in the parish. The husband was a man of violent temper, and as his wife was addicted to drink, quarrels between the aged pair were of frequent occurrence. On Saturday Mrs. White returned home in a state of intoxication. There was a disturbance between the pair, and a constable was called by the neighbours. About half-past 4 o'clock White went to a neighbour and asked tier to come to his room and help him to get his wife on the bed, as he had "nigh killed her." The neighbour accompanied him and found Mrs. White lying on the floor. She had been almost entirely divested of clothes, and her body and head were covered with blood and bruises. A doctor was fetched, and he found that life was extinct. The poker which was found in the room was stained with blood. Whilst the doctor was making his examination White conducted himself with great violence, and said that if his wife were not dead he would soon settle her. The police were afterwards called in, and White was taken into custody.  OUR EXPEDITION TO The Rajah of Sikkim remaining contumacious, and the Tibetan troops refusing to retire from their fortified position, it has been found necessary to cast aside the transparent veil of diplomatic concealment, and to convert the so-called military road-making expedition into a formally constituted Sikkim field force. A. general order issued in the Military Department states that the Governor General in Council has ordered the despatch of a force for operations on the Sikkiin-Tibet frontier as detailed below. Staff. Colonel Graham commanding; Captain Travers, Deputy. Assistant-Adjutant-General. Strength of Force:— Northern Division Royal Artillery, four gmis ; 2nd Battalion Sherwood Voresters (Derbysbire Regiment), 200; 13th Bengal Infantry, 400: 32nd Bengal Infantry (Pioneers). 700. A base depot will be formed at Siliguri, or some other place conveniently near. It is stated that Colonel Graham has received peremptory orders to avoid crossing the Tibetan frontier. Elie sole object of the expedition is to expel the Tibetan troops from Lingtu, if they shall still be there on March 15th. At the same time precautions will be adopted to guard all strategic points on the Sikkim frontier, so as to prevent any attempt by the Tibetans to effect a successful diversion by raids or otherwise. The Government is very anxious to avoid, if possible, being forced to commence actual hostilities. It will (says the Times correspondent in India) be very difficult to persuade the Rajah and the Tibetan authorities, in the face of their former experience, that this military demonstration is anything more than trutum full:len, until they realise the stern fact that on this occasion at all events the Government is reso!ved to crush all disobedience and aggression by severe punitive measures. If the negotiations at Darjeeling fail, the Rajah will probably be deposed, aud hostilities will at once commence.