The Express. — 1867-04-04 (London, England)

SHOCK !NO MURDER AT MANCHESTER.—Yesterday morning a smart soldier-like man, named Joseph Wood, aged 3d, and recently employed as a letter carrier at the Blanchester Post-office, was brought before the magistrates charged with the murder of his wife, Elisabeth Ann Wood, aged 33 years. The police stated that they were not yet prepared with evidence. The murder was supposed to have taken place about 7 o'clock the previous evening, at 10, Back Ash-street, Oldham-road, but no notice was given till about 3 o'clock yesterday morning, when the policeman on the beat was summoned to the house, and found the unfortunate woman lying in a corner of a bedroom, with her throat cut and several gashes on other parts of her body. She had apparently been dead some hours. The prisoner came into the house about 20 minutes afterwards, and was taken into curtaly. On this statement the prisoner was remanded for further examination. On inquiring at the Livesey-street police-station, to which the prioner had first been taken, it was stated that he had been a soldier, and had served with some distinction in the Crimea. He wore a medal, and besides • pension of 9d. per day he was in receipt of ~1. • year for meritorious services. On the police-officer on the beat receiving intend ence of the murder he went to the house, and found the deceased lying in a corner of the bedroom, with her head resting on a pillow. She was almost covered with blood. There was • cut on the upper lip, and • deep cut under the right arm, but her throat was not cut, as stated aleve. Ste was lying in a pool of blood, and a knife smeared with blood was lying near her. A rum with blood on the blade was also lying on the floor. Three children of the prisoner and the deceased were lying on a bed asleep, in the saute room. The prisoner entered the house about 20 minutes after the policemen arrived, and on being examined he was found to have his bands stained with blood. He was drunk, and stated that be knew nothing about it. He had been drawing his month's pension that aay, which was 235., and be had about W. left. A long brush handle was found in the room, and it is gathered from the statements of the children that the husband and wife, shout? o'clock on Tuesday night, had been quarrelling and had fought, the husband with the knife, the wife defending herself with the brush handle. The brush handle had a great number of cuts upon it. The wife IEOI had some rum with her husband during the day, and it in thought possible that in her helplessness from that cause she may have lain down and bled to death frost wounds which might not have proved fatal but for neglect. The eldest boy is ten years old, sod is named Inkerman. The second child, also a boy, is named Alma—the pri‘oner having a fancy that led him to name all his children after battles in which he had fought. The death is announced, after a lung illness, of Mr. lladdeley, C.E. He was the inventor of the patent canvas now used by the fire brigade, the patent hose reel, the farmers' fire engine (which is made by Merryweather and Sons, of Long-acre). and was for years connected with the dlerlscinics• Maw:loge. He bad for twenty years been an inspector of the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, but owing to ill health he retired a few months ago, the committee awarding him 200 f. as a mark for past services.