Alston Herald, and East Cumberland Advertiser. — 1879-04-05 (Alston, Cumbria, England)

THE BARNES MYSTERY. • TWO ARRESTS. EXTRAORDINARY REVELATIONS. A woman, named Catherine Webb, known also as Webster, _Gibbs,. Gibson, and Lawler, who  was arrested in Ireland on Friday, was brought up on Monday afternoon before the Richmond bench of magistrates, upon the charge of having murdered Mrs. Thompson, and Henry Church, the landlord of the Rising Sun beerhonse, Haninfersmith, was alto charged with being concerned in the murder, and also with stealing a quantity of plate and other articles. Mr E. C. Deamey presided at the bench; and Mr Price, Colonel Burdett, Mr Hornidge, and Colonel Rugg were with him. Mr Pollard, solicitor to the Treasury, prosecuted. Throughout the entire morning the neighbourhood of the police station was besieged with persons making inquiries, and waiting as early as nine a.m. to catch a glimpse of Webster as she was brought out. The police, however, had provided for this contingency, and Webster, in the custody of a detective officer, was brought quietly into the court nearly an hour before the time she was expected. The prisoner Church was brought up in the ordinary way, but, as the public did not know with what he was charged, scarcely any notice was taken of him. Webster appears to have passed a tolerably comfortable night, and on being supplied with refreshments in the evening, she asked the officer, in a joking way, how her sweetheart was, meaning the prisoner Church. It appears that a photograph of Henry Church was found on her when apprehended in Ireland. Mr Claydon, solicitor, of Hammercnith, appeared for the prisoner Church. It was not until twenty minutes past t .vo that Church was brought into Court followed by the female prisoner. She was dressed the same as when she arrived from Ireland ; she wore gold ear-rings, and had a waterproof in her hand. The charge sheet was then read over to the two prisoners. The female was charged with the murder of Mrs Julia Martha Thomas, on or about the 3rd of March, 1879. The male prisoner was charged with being concerned in the murder of the said Mrs Julia Martha Thomas, with stealing a purse, five gold rings, 21 silver spo)ns, six desert spoons, and a cruet stand. Mr Pollard said he appeared on behalf of the Treasury, but that Mr Poland would, on subsequent occasions, appear for the prosecution. He proceeded to give a sketch of the evidence that had already been obtained of the prisoner's euga4emeut by Mrs Thomas, of her engaging the boy to render her some help in conveying a box to the river, and of the evidence of the cabman who conveyed the prisoner with a black bag on the 6th of March, two days after the box had been thrown into the Thames. The box was discovered in the water, and found to contain portions of a human body. The subsequent circumstances of the case were afterwards dealt with by the learned counsel. Inspector Dowdwell, of the Metropolitan Police, was then examined. He said: I proceeded to Liverpool and Dublin, where I was joined by Inspector Jones, from whence we proceeded to Wexford and Enniscorthy, Ireland, and found the prisoner in the charge of Inspector Roche. I read the charge to her, which was that she would be charged with wilfully murdering her mistress, Mns 'Thomas, about the 2ad of March. I told her she would be further charged with stealing from the same house furniture and other property belonging to her mistress, She made no reply. She was then taken before the magistrate, Mr Robinson, and after we had established her identity a warrant was made out for her to be removed to Richmond. She was then brought to Richmond. She brought with her a box, a photograph of the prisoner Church, and one of his address cards. We arrived here between ten and eleven o'clock yesterday (Sunday). On the journey between Enniscorthy and Dublin, the prisoner asked me is question, and at various times during the remainder of the journey she made several statements, whieh were reduced to writing in the presence of the prisoner. When we got to Richmond the statement was read over in the presence of Church. The prisoner Webster, whilst it was being read, made some additions to it, and then said that the statement was quite true. Church was then taken into custody by Inspector Jones. Mr Pollard read the