Darlington & Richmond Herald. — 1873-10-11 (Darlington, Durham, England)

ALLEGED MURDER AT BLACK HILL.  On Monday morning, Robert MlGee and James Owen. puddlers, Blackhill, were brought up in cnstody of the police, at Shotley Bridge Police Court, on a charge of wilfully murdering James M'Cutchen, a labourer, also residing at Blackhill. It will be remembered that on the 27th Tilt., about 12 o'clock at night, M`Catchen went to his own door, lint had no sooner done so than he was struck by a brick. The poor man was at once carried into his own house, and, on a medical gentleman being called in, it was found that M'Catchen had received a severe blow in the abdomen. The poor fellow subsequently suffered from obstruction of the bowels, and, on Wednesday last, his condition was deemed so critical that his depositions were taken by a Justice of the Peace (Mr. Annandale Town.) From that period, M'Cutchen continued to get gradually worse. and on Saturday afternoon he died. M‘Gee and Owen were in the neighbourhood of M'Catchen's house at the time the latter was struck, and they were subsequently apprehended.— Prisoners were remanded for eight days. On Tuesday morning, Mr. J. M. Favell, coroner, and a jury, held an enquiry at the house of Mr. Christopher, publican, Blackhill, touching the death of James M'Cutchen, labourer. After viewing the body, the following evidence was adduced : Catherine M'Cutchen, widow of the deceased, deposed: On Saturday night, the 27th ult., about half-past ten o'clock, I was in a neighbour's house, when I heard a scream, and on going to my house I saw the deceased, who said to me, "Take me into bed, for I have been destroyed." I said, "What has destroyed yon ? " and he replied, "I was just going to the door, when I was struck by a stone." I then went to the door, but did not see any person abbut. On looking upon the floor I found two: -pieces of brick and a stone, all of which I threw outside. The deceased did not say which of the stones had struck him. I put the deceased to bed, and sent for Dr. Clarke, assistant to Dr. W. M. Renton, who attended him on the following morning. Deceased did not say who threw the stone. On the previous night he struck the prisoner Owen's father. John Teesdale Clarke, surgeon, Blackhill, said he attended M'Cutchen until his death. The deceased complained of intense pain in the bowels, especially near the place where he said he had been struck. He suffered from complete obstruction of the bowels. The man got gradually worse, and died on Saturday. Witness, in company with Dr. Renton, made a post mortem examination of the body on Monday. The intestines were enormously distended. There was evidence of very severe inflammation, which was so intense as to • produce a softening, and gangrenous condition of the intestines. The appearances were worse in I the locality where the deceased complained of . having the most pain. The rest of the organs were healthy, with the exception of the liver, which showed that the deceased had been in the habit of taking drink. The cause of death was ic inflammation of the intestines, caused by a blow or  injury. John Rogers, under-hand puddler, Blackhill, deposed that on Saturday night he was standing near M'Clitchen's door, and saw l‘r Gee, one of the prisoners, pass 11`Cutchen's door. 31`Gee had the collar of his coat over the lower part of his face at the time, and as he passed the deceased's door he looked in. Witness did not know what Part of Ireland the deceased came from, nor did he know whether he was a Fenian or an Orangeman. Superintendent OLIVER said he understood that there were two persons who saw the stone thrown, but as yet their names had not been discovered. James Pant, step-son of the deceased, said on the night of the 27th ult, he and other three lads were standing near the deceased's door. There was a crowd of men standing at the corner of the street. I‘l`Gee, who had his coat collar over his face, passed up the row, and shortly afterwards returilei% As M'Elee came down the street, he looked into the deceased's house. A woman asked