The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1890-04-11 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

RIC HA RD DAVIES -HANGED. STORY OF THE CREWS CRIME. The unhappy youth, nictiard Davie, wee executed on Tuesday morning in Knit/mord Gaol for complicity with his brother, George Davie', in the murder of their Leber, Richard Davies, 50 years of age, late of Ibe [lough, in toe to o irship of Raeford, near I rewe. he tarts of the care have come so remetly before toe pubOC, ant have created so much excitement, that only a orief reference to dr them will be necessary. The teirtnie murder wag committed on Saturday Isla, January 5, on a \lonely part of the road between Crewe and The Hough, and that both lads were implicated in the deed is borne out both by evidence adduced at the trial, and the confessions of the murderers teem, Selves. The murdered man, who kept a small general shop at Crewe, and who was also a bookmaker, lived a great deal from home, and when he happened to be at home he treated his wife and family in a very brutal manner. He frequently struck his wife, lived himself on superior food, and took bia meals alone, scarcely allowing his family money enough for bare necesuranes. This cominued li-treatment seems to have created in tire noiroerers a feeileg of intense hatred towards their lather, with whom they we-0 engA gel in busier as. in Crewe, and cm tine fatal Saturday. a plot was ar rangerf to Rill hum luring tine day both lads b tight gnaw 'leder and calmed a firs. I:ercn, and the same night the murdered man was found dead by tar roadway, not shot, however, but with his bead battered in with an axe, which was suosequently fouud. The story told by George Davies, who waa With his father in the trap, was tort nay bad been attacked by tramps, and at first this was believed, but the fact that Richard Davies came home wearing a blood-stained over eat, and other suspicious circumstances, led to the arrest on January 28 of the real murderers, who voluntarily confessed that they were the guilty parties, although each gave a different version of the affair. They were subsequently committed for trial, and afterwards arraigned at Chester Assize*, before Mr Justice Wills. Emily Davies, a sister of the prisoners, was first called. She stated that on the day in question she saw her brothers several times in convereation, and identified some pistols produced as belonging to Richard. She *sic her lather wood not entrust Mrs. Davies with the housekeeping money, and allowed her (Emily Privies) 186. a week to provide for a family of eight, and out of the 13s. pockethandkerchiefs and other email things were bought. The family only had meat once a week, but the father bad meat every disy. Albert Edward Moseley, who lived next door to the shop at Crewe, said that on the day in question he heard quarrelling in the yard, and heard Mr Davies call to someone to I one his throat. Ile tried to get into the }ard, but the door was fastened Mrs Davies, the widow, confirmed the evils-lice of Emily navies. She said her busband bad struck her, had threatened to sleet her, and had put lighted newepapers under her bed. He had thrashed her for sending the children to Sunday-school, and her son 1W -hard had often protected her. John Davies, another son, gave evidence as to the movements of the prisoners prior to their arrest. He did not work In his father's shop himself, because he could not stand the ill-ussge. During the trial haat ector Oldham' handed in two statements which the prisoners had made to him. They were as folio-as : GEORGE DAYIEs'S