The Potteries Examiner : — 1877-04-07 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

MURDER IN A POLICE CELL.  1 About two o'clock on Friday afternoon, last week, i two labourers, named Robert Orrick and Robert Gordon, were apprehended in Edinburgh and lodged in one ; of the " protection cells," a large room need for the accommodation of drunken people, on a charge of oh- ; structing the thoroughfare in Higla.strect. About an , hour later another man, named Thomas Stevenson, was ' taken into custody as drunk and disorderly on the street, and was put into the same cell. About six o'clock Oman giving the name of 111`Donald was appro. , headed on a charge of behaving in a Ilisorderly manner i , I in High.street, and assaulting one Robert Paterson; I and he, *Po, was placed in the same compartment. By , this time Stevenson was observed to have become comparatively sober. Shortly after the admission of M'Donald, an official supplied Orrick, Gordon, anal Stevenson with bread and milk : and it is said that, when the attendant bad left the cell, Al`Donald, who was slightly the worse for drink, complained of not basing got his supper. At this time Stevenson was sitting on the end of a wooden bench consuming his allow. once, when hl'Domild, apparently labouring under some hallucination, aroused him of having caused his apprehension by calling "Police, catch the thief !" Stevenson tried to explain the mistake, but M'Donald only became the more insulting, and angry words having passed between them, M`Donald is alleged to have dealt Stevenson a violent blow on the head with his fist, which caused him to fall backwards, the assailant at the same time rushing on the top of the prostrate man. It is further averred that before Orrick or Gordon had time to interfere, M`Douald bad risen to his feet and jumped heavily upon Stevenson's holy as the latter still lay on the ground. The other two prisoners, appro. bending that the assaulted man had been seriously in. jared, tried to bring him round by means of waiter; but ills said he never moved after the assault. Finding their a fforts to rouse him ineffectual, Orrick and Goy. don alarmed the turnkey by rapping on the cell door. Stevenson being then found apparently lifeless, medical assistance was speedily procured, when he was pronounced to be dead. The body was thereupon removed to the deadhouse, and Dl'DonaM lodged in a separate cell. lip to this time the alleged assailant had seemed quite indifferent about the matter. Ou Saturday morn. iug he was remitted from the police court on a charge of murder. A light made man, he appeared to be about I twenty. two or twenty-four years of age; sad from the honied manner in which he left the bar, it looked ss if he were anxious to avoid the gess of the people in court. He resided at 11, Grassmarket, and is described as a "lounger,' with no particular calling. Deceased has the appearance of being about fifty years of age. He was poorly clad. His body was identified by a woman, who reports that he served in the army for ten years, that after she had lived with him for many years in Edinburgh and elsewhere, and borne him nine children, he became so dissipated anal otherwise irregular in his habits that she some months ago obtained a ; divorce. Since then he would appear to have hail no fixed place of residence or any steady occupation.  KAY'S TIC PILLS, a specific in Neuralgia, Face. ache, &c., are sold by all Chemists. Kay Bros., Stockport.