The Sun. — 1847-05-17 (London, England)

MURDER OF A WOMAN BY HER HUSBAND AT BIRMINGHAM. On Friday evening an inquest was held at the Grand Turk, on Ludgate-hill, on the body of Margaret Leonard, about 40 years of age, wife of a man named Peter Leonard, a paper hawker, and residing in Tanter-street, who died in consequence of injuries received from being thrown down stairs by her husband, on the morning of Saturday last. They had for a long time past been in the habit of having quarrels, which often resulted in blows, one or both being generally in a state of intoxication •, and from the evidence ' it will be seen that this was unhappily the cause of the quarrel in the present instance, which resulted in the death ' of the woman. The husband himself was present in custody, and cross-examined ene or two of the witnesses. He did not appear much concerned as to the result of the investigation; but when any portion of the evidence was particularly against him he became agitated, and trembled very much. The excitement created by the event became very great in the neighbourhood of Tenter-street, when it was known that the death of the woman had taken place; and towards the close of the investigation the room was crowded by persons anxious to hear the proceeding. The first witness called was Mary May, wife of James May, comb-maker, and residing nearly opposite the house of deceased in Tenter- street. She knew the deceased, Margaret Leonard, who, she believed, was quite well on the morning of Saturday last. About halfpast seven o'clock that morning witness saw deceased and her husband come home together, and go into the house, both of them appearing to be intoxicated, as might be inferred from their staggering walk. On going in they shut the door after them. Witness heard loud talking between them, the husband cursing the wife, calling her bad names, and ordering her to get up from the floor, where she was lying, to fetch some coal and make him breakfast. She answered, " I will, Peter." After this, witness went on with her employment, and did not hear any more, until the husband himself came over to her door, about ten minutes past eight, when be said, " Will you come over to my house, and help to get Margaret out of the cellar? for I' ve shoved her down there; but passion is the devil " Witness went over immediately, along with a neighbour, Mrs. Forty, who had also been asked. On looking towards the cellar, down the stairs of which the man said his wife had fallen, they found the door shut; but having got a light, they discovered the unfortunate woman lying with her legs and feet on the two lower steps, and her body stretched outwards, with the head doubled up under the right shoulder. Her face was covered all over with clotted blood, and there were also two pools of blood on the cellar floor. Leonard himself was asked to help her up stairs, but he said, " No, let the dirty - lie and die ;" but witness, with the assistance of Mrs. Forty and another neighbour who came in, had the deceased removed up stairs, where they laid her down by the fire-place, and washed her, being all this time in an insensible state and speechless, but groaning heavily, and making a noise; blood was streaming, also, from both ears. Witness and the other neighbour wished to put the deceased into bed, but her husband said ho would not allow her to go into a bed of his, and when they wanted to put the pillow below her head he refused, using words equally indecent with the above. He was still drunk, but soberer than when he went into the house. Other evidence proved the determined purpose with which apparently the prisoner had sought to murder the unfortunate woman, and his heartless indifference to her agonies. The jury, after a consultation of about ten minutes, returned with a verdict finding Peter Leonard Guilty of " Wilful murder."  - _