Weekly News. — 1890-02-27 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

MVRDER BY A CATSMEAT MAN.  ---• At the Westminster Police-court on Friday, John rhonsas Lawrence, 45, described as " purveyo:of astameat," of North-street, Chelsea, was charged before Mr. Sheil with the wilful murder of his wife, Sophia the previous evening. The prisoner keeps a small shop, and it is stated that on Thursday he was heard quarrelling with his wife. She was found stabbed in the abdomen, at half-past two, and • knife, which it is supposed was used to occasion the injury, was discovered in the shop. Dr. Frankish, who was called in. found that the woman was mortally injured, and consequently she was not removed to the hospital. She died at half-past 10 in the evening, having made statements to &brother and a lodger in the house that the prisoner, while close to her, threw the sharp knife, used for nutting wooden skewer*, into her stomach. The blade went through her petticoats and stays, and these and other blood-stained clothes wer• brought to the court by the police.—lnspeotor Hogbin informed the magistrate that there was no witness to the actual conlin,.;•sion of the crime. Ile proposed to give sufficient•vidence only to justify a remand, so that tho Treasury might take up the prosecution,— Detective Cluney deposed About a quarter past 7on Thursday evening, from what was told me, I went to 59, Northstreet, Chelsea, where I raw Dr. Frankish. The prisoner was sitting asleep in au arm-chair in the back-room. I roused him, and told him that I was • police officer. He said, "Let me see your warrant. I chewed it to him, and he then said he would go with nit. I told him that he would be charged with stabbing his wife, and he said, "I did •ot do it." On the wax to the station he said, "This is all through a little drop of beer." After the charge was read over to him, he said, "All right."—Mr. Sheil told him he had better make no statement at present, es he was going to remand him.— Prisoner, who said nothing, was remanded for a week.  A curious case was heard at the Greenwich rolice.court the other day, in which the South Metropolitan Gas Company appeared to answer charges of breaking the Factory Act. The defence of the company was that the Fliotory Act did not apply to gas companies. For the prosecution it was urged that the Aot applied to all places where steam power was used, and also to places used to adapt for sale any article. It was then contender' for the eompany that gas was not an article. Aft*, a long argument, the magistrate decided to impose • small flne,and agreed to grant a case for a superior court, where the motion could be finally settled as to whether gam was or we '• article" in the eye of elm law. A horrible discovery has been made at the foot of the Hendle Hill, Lancashire. A man named Ellis , Fell, aged 50 years, of Barrowford, near Colna, was found by a farmer lying dead in • field with his head fearfully crushed, the farmer being attracted to the spot by the piteous howlingof the deceased's dog. No foul play is suspected, and no robbery had been attempted, and there were no signs of • struggle. , The man had not shot himself, as his double. barrelled gun was found lying near, loaded. The police believe that the deco/wed, in getting over • .stone fence, slipped, and fell against the wall, the stones dropping on his head and isulhictiiig fatal 111. Juries,