The Sun. — 1851-09-30 (London, England)

MURDER.—James Parker, a castermonger, about 40 years of age, was placed at the bar before Mr. D'Eyncourt, charged with assaulting ani wounding his wife, Ann Parker, who had since died from the effect of the injuries she had received. Police-constable Silvester, G 226, said—Between sevens and eight o'clock on Saturday evening I was on duty near Shoreditch Church, when the prisoner's brother ran towards me, and requested me in en agitated manner to proceed immediately to No. .5, Edward's-place, Old-street-road. On reaching the house I was shown into a bedroom up stairs, where I found the deceased lying on the floor insensible, and observed that blood was issuing from her mouth, and also from a frightful cut over her right temple. I then examined the bed, and noticed that the sheets and pillows were also saturated ,with blood. With the assistance of another constablel placed the woman in a chair, in which she was carried down stairs, and conveyed in a cab to the hospital. I afterwards re-1  turned to the house, where I had previously seen the prisoner seated in a lower room, in a state of intoxication, and took him into custody. On acquainting him with the charge the prisoner at first made no reply, but on his way to the station-house he repeatedly exclaimed, " I will be stout at heart, and stick to my text; I have done nothing more than my duty." William Smart, a tin-plate worker, living a few doors from the prisoner, said—About three o'clock on Saturday afternoon, the deceased came to my house and was soon afterwards followed by the prisoner, who appeared greatly incensed against his wife, and attempted to strike her, but I interfered and prevented him. The prisoner several times ordered her to go home, but she refused to do so, and said that 3he was in danger of her life. The prisoner at length left her at my house, where she remained until four o'clock, when she was taken home by my wife. About an hour afterwards I again saw the prisoner at his own door, who appeared much excited, and said to me " I have given her something that will teach her to tell tales to my brother about my being the cause of our drinking;" to which I answered that he certainly set her a very bad example, as he was almost always drunk, and would some day do her a fatal mischief. William Parker, the prisoner's brother, deposed to having called upon the prisoner on Saturday afternoon, when he ordered him out of the house ; but, in consequence of information which subsequently reeached him, he returned at seven o'clock, and on entering the bedroom of his sister in-law he found her lying upon the floor, bleeding profusely from a wound over her right eye, and in a state of insensibility. He immediately hastened down stairs to obtain assistance, but not finding his brother in the house, he went out and found him dancing and singing in front of it, with a can containing about a gallon of beer in his hand. He then proceeded in search of a policeman, to whom he communicated the particulars of the outrage, and the injured woman was conveyed to the hospital. Mary Anne Parker, the daughter of the last witness, gave corroborative evidence, and Inspector Brennan produced a certificate from Mr. Attfield, house-surgeon of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, stating that on being admitted into that institution the wounded woman was suffering from severe contusions about the skull and compression of the brain, which terminated fatally at three o'clock on the preceding afternoon. In answer to the charge, the prisoner positively denied having assaulted his wife, and declared that the injuries were accidentally occasioned by her having fallen out of bed.  The prisoner was ordered to be remanded ifor a week.