Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1878-03-29 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

MURDER OF A SON. At the Manchester Spring Assizes on Friday before Lord Justice Brett, Thomas Tweedale, 46, was indicted for haying, at Rochdale, on the 31th January. feloniously, wilfully, and with malice aforethought, killed and murder Thomas Tweedale. Mr. Leresche prosecuted. and Mr. Addison el-fended. The prisoner belonged toeseveral families of considerable respectability in the neighbourhood of Rochdale, but he had not been fortunate in the affairs of the world, and earned his living as a strolling musician. He resided in Charles-street, Cloth Hall, Rochdale, and had two sons, both of whom in the ordinary acceptation of the term were good eons, hut some family difficulty seemed to have led Abraham to leave Rochdale for Manchester, for the purpose, as the father was informed, of enlisting. This preyed considerably on the prisoner's mind, and he began to drink. He got it into his head that the de eased had favoured the action of the son who bad enlisied, and he felt some anger and irritation against him. At an early hour on the morning of the lth January toe prisoner called upon a friend of his a man named Kershaw, with whom he went into a public' house and partook of some refreshment The prisoner spoke to Kershaw about the annoyance he felt at Abraham enli ting, and blamed the deceased for having in some way been the means of causing him to leave him. At a later period of the day the prisoner met Agnes Staunton, who, with her husband, lodged at his house in Charles-street. He appeared to be fresh in drink and very much excited, and he said to her "Agnes whatever am I to do, my son has gone for a soldier." She took him into a public-hmse close by, and addressed to him word, of consolation, telling him to go home and put the best face upon it he could. She went to the house, and he followed some time afterwards, and the man Kerhsaw subsequently came in. The deceased at that time had come home from his wook, and was seated at the table, getting his tea. The prisoner joined him at the table, and after a while began talking , to him and calling him a rascal, and asking him what he meant by his conduct. The prisoner said, "Do you mean to beat mar —meaning, did the son intend to be master of the house. The deceased replied that he did not, upon which the prisoner said. "Didn't you tell our Abraham when he Was going away that if he would go for a soldier you would go too?" The deceased replied, "Yes," and after some further conversation the prisoner left the table and went away much excited. Ultimately be came again to the table where the deceased was sitting, took a knife out of his pocket and seized him by the shoulder. The deceased rose from his chair, and the prison. r, shaking him, asked him what he meant and he replied that he meant nothing,. Seeing the excitement under which the prisoner was labouring his wife attempted to quiet him, and asked him what he was going to do. He replied "11l run (or ram)this knife :nto him," at the same time striking him a blow on the chest. The son exclaimed "I'm done." The mother ran to to the assistance of the deceased, who had fallen on the floor, and on an alarm being raised a neighbour came in, and be was placed in a chair, but he WAR so weak that he everbalanced himself and fell off. In 25 minutes from that time he was dead. On a medical examination being made, a Punctured wound below the sixth and seventh rib was found, which had penetrated the heart. The prisoner was soon afterwards seen standing on a bridge over the river, near the Town Hall but he was at once arrested. When in custody, the prisoner said, "I was put about through my son enlisting. I was always very fond of my poor, dear son. He would have been the last person. I should have thought of hurting in any way. I had no intention of injuring him, and merely wished to show him who WAR ma--ter. He must have come on to me before I knew where I was or what I was doing." The jury found the prisoner guilty of "Manslaughter," The Judge sentenced him to penal servitude for life.  Friday being the Emperor of Germany's 81st birthday, His Majesty was congratulated by the chief and military dignitaries and the bodies of the State.