Nelson Chronicle, Colne Observer, and Clitheroe Division News. — 1892-06-17 (Nelson, Lancashire, England)

DONE THE DEED." About a fortnight prier to the murder prisoner called witness out of the mill and complained about his wife's conduct towards a lodger, telling witness that she always set the same pots for herself and lodger. Witness advised prisoner to make the lodger flit, which course he adopted. Cross-examined by prisoner: When I came to your house did I say I had killed her ?—Yes, and you said she was dead and all.-1 did not • I said I thought I had kilied her with knocking her down. Thomas Williamson Cowgill, shoemaker, Hill-top, Earby, said he was about 65 yards from where the murder took place, about three o'clock on the date in question. He saw a little girl and a man, and the child was crying out, "Don't do it, daddy, don't do it." Witness could not say whether prisoner and his little girl were the persons he saw in the lane. A photograph of the lane was here put in, and witness testified to that being the place where the body was found. It was a rough and lonely road where the murder took place. Harry Edmondson Gaunt, son of Mr. M. Gaunt, of the White Lion Inn, Earby, spoke to knowing prisoner and his deceased wife and to seeing them going up the old lane with the little child Katie. Witness afterwards saw prisener and the little girl return by themselves. Witness afterwards went up the lane and saw Mrs. Cudworth lying dead. Jas. Metcalfe, weaver, Earby, deposed to finding deceased lying dead in the old lane with a good deal of blood on the ground, and also about her head and shoulders. Ralph Rawson, spinner, Earby, spoke to finding a clasp knife (produced) about 2ft. from where the blood was on the ground. The knife was shut, and had very little blood on it. P.C. Spencer produced a blood-stained stone, which he said he found close to where the blood lay on the ground. Elizabeth Ann Edmondson, a little girl aged 8, was called, but the Bench did not consider it advisable to hear her evidence, which, Mr. Robinson stated, had some beAring on the question of PREMEDITATION  by the prisoner. Dr, Jas Fullerton Hunter, of Earby, described the nature of deceased's injuries, t.trkd in addition to the wounds mentioned in his evidence at the inquest, he added that on removing the sealp, at the postmortem examination, he found the roof of the skull beneath was unbroken. On dissecting down.the face he found that every bone in the face was more or less broken, some of them beiug splintered into many pieces. The bones in the nose were also splintered. Some of the teeth in the upper jaw seemed to have been recently broken. The teeth of the lower jaw on the right side were broken off. On removing the skull cap witness found the brain soft and bloodless, but otherwise uninjured. Witnes attributed death to shock and hemorrhage. The stone produced was a very probable article for producing the injurie, iuflicted. Witness did not think it possible for the injuries to have been produced by a fall.—Mr. Slingsby : Was there any injury to the back of the bead ?—Witness: No, sir; there was a scratch on the back of the neck, but quite a skin scratch.—Mr. Robinson: Did you notice whether there was my cut upon either of deceased's hands ?—Witness: I did not no:ice any.—The Chairman (to prisoner) : Have you any question to ask the witness ?—Prisoner : No, I have no questions to ask. I know I didn't use a stone.