Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1887-05-14 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

FIT FOR THE PILLORY."  At the Leeds Assizes, before Mr. Justice Grantham, Isaac Hadehurst, aged 48, a collier at Wombwell, near Barnsley, was charged with the wilful murder of his wife. The evidence showed that on the afternoon of Sunday, March 20, the prisoner and about a dozen other colliers were drinking at his house, that as the night went on most of them were the worse for liquor, and that the prisoner's wife joined in the drinking and became so bad that her husband ordered her to bed. Subsequently, while the prisoner went out for a further supply of beer, two of the men went upstairs to his wife, and Hadehurst, on his return, finding out where they were, he cieared the whole party out of the house. A serious quarrel followed between the prisoner and his wife, during which she received nine wounds in the head, 16 cuts and kicks in the lower part of the body, and had two of her ribs broken. The next morning the prisoner went to his brother's house, apparently in great trouble. and confessed that he had murdered his wife owing to her misconduct. The evidence further showed that the man and woman had been married for 12 years, and that they had often quarrelled. His lordship in summing up referred to the shock' ing state of affairs revealed by the evidence. They might search in vain the records of this or any country, even in countries inhabited by people whom we designated barbarians, to find a case equal to this one. The only way to treat such men as they had had In the witness-box that day was to put them in the pillory to be stoned and to have filth east at them equal to their own characters. As to the law upon the subject, the learned judge pointed out that, if an act sueh as the prisoner had committed was done in a moment of passion, and before that passion had had sufficient time to cool, the law held it was not murder. If the jury found that the aggravation in this case was of almost an unheard-of character, he thought they would be of opinion that it would take a much longer time for reason to resume her sway over the prisoner than it would under ordinary cc. cumstances. If that was their opinion Harlehurst was not guilty of murder, and it was their privilege to reduce the case to one of manslaughter. After 20 minutes' deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of manslaughter, and recommended Elazlehorst to mercy, having in view the aggravation he received. He lordship sentenced the prisoner to 12 months' imprisonment.  A nutta-rix, which, according to a Vienna correspondent, has been issued, states that the Duchess of Cumberland has much improved in her health during the past week. Her sleep has been more tranquil and regular, and her mental condition is also better. With regard to Prince Ferdinand of Coburg, he has now so far recovered that the issue of bulletins has been finally discontinued.  AT Nardwich, John Richardson, 43, a labourer, has I been charged with shooting his uncle, Henry Richard' son, aged 79, at Audlem, Cheshire. It was stated that I while the old man was working in his garden his ' nephew appeared, armed with a double-barrelled gun, whot he had borrowed on the pretext of shooting rabbits, that he fired the weapon, and that the charge lodged in the.old man's leg, which was riddled with shot. Au the wounded man lies in a serious condition the accused was remanded. It is stated that the uncle had locked his nephew out a few nights-before. A FISH hatchery is to be established at Cleethorpes. The Manchester. Sheffield, and Liverpool Railway Company will give the site, £3OO clews, and LlOO annually.