Bridgend & Neath Chronicle, and County of Glamorgan Advertiser. — 1892-08-26 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE MAESTEG TRAGEDY.  COMMITAL OF THE ACCUSED.  On Saturday, before the Bridgend magistrates, James Price, of Maesteg, mason, was charged on remand with murdering John Davies, of the same Pace. ' The sitting magistrates were Mr R. W. Llewellyn (chairman), Colonel Franklen, Messrs C. P. Davis, W. S. Powell, and R. L. Knight. At the inquest held on Monday before the coroner, the jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against Price.  Mr H. P. Charles, solicitor, Neath (instructed by the police) appeared to prosecute, and Mr R. Scale, of Bridgend, represented the accused. The evidence of Vincent and Sutcliffe, who appeared at the inquest, was taken, and the latter in cross-examination by Mr Scale stated that Davies seemed to be in a temper when he called Price a liar.' The conversation between the deceased man and the accused was in Welsh. Neither he nor Vincent understood the language, but when Price said something in Welsh, Vincent said You won't while I am here,' By the Magistrates: Price appeared in a tempr when he struc Davies When Davies called Price a liar, the latter said, No you won't while I am here?  Mrs Leary was examined, but her evidence has already been reported, and also Sergeant Hill's. The latter, in answer to Mr Charles, said that when Price replied to Davies he did strike bat did kick not Mm. Davies again said You did kick me when I was on the ground.' In reply to Mr Scale, Sergt Hill said thit the jury on the inquest bad found the accused guilty of manslaughter; and the coroner had accepted bail. Andrew McCarthy said he lived in 10, Company's road, Maesteg, and was a labourer. On the date in question he went to the buildings in Bethauia-street to see John Davies, and got there at 20 minutes past five. Found Davies on the joist sleeping, and woke him. They came down together, and sat down on the ashes, and had some talk. Deceasei made a complaint,and said that he felt the 'shivers.' He got a 'sub' fron_ his 'gaffer' Daniels. There did not appear to be any marks on Davies, except two cuts on his face,when he came down the ladder. By the Magistrates' Clerk: When Davies came down from the ladder the foreman asked him what was the matter; referrimg to the marks on his face. Witness resumed: Price, Davies, and Vinoent went to the Royal Oak; they had two pints of bler each. Saw Davies and Price shaking hands together. ' Davies told Price "Let us shake hands and be friends for ever." They then shook hands. Davies and witness then went to witness's house together, and after sitting for a while, went out to the closet, and stayed about half-an-hour. Before be came back witness went out. His wife fetched him back some time after, and he went back to the house, and he saw Davies in bed. After seeing him witness went to fetch Sergeant Hill. Cross-examined: Before going to the lodgings, they went to the Royal Oak, and after the handshaking Price went away. They had two pints of beer each in the public-house. Dr Clay gave evidence, which had been already reported. Mr Charles said that he proposed to ask the medical man a question as to whether the deceased made any statement to him, but possibly Mr Scale might object, But he would call the attention of the Bench t 9 a case whore the prisoner was charged with the murder of her husband, and where it had been stated that disease had accelerated death. It had been laid down by Baron Alderson that what deceased had said shortly before as to the state of his health was admissable as evidence, and the inference Was that it might be given in an ordinary case of the kind. The Bench thought that they should first get at the state of the man's mind.  Dr Clay said that deceased had told him something was done to him. His mind was perfectly clear at the time; he was quite sane.  Cross-examined: From the evidence of postmortem he found deceased was a drunkard. Death was caused by injuries received, accelerated by an attack of alcoholic delirium. Believed his death was caused by the injuries. Mr Scale appealed to the bench to reduce the charge to manslaughter, as had been done by the jury at the coroner's inquest, and to accept bail. The magistrates committed James Price to take his trial at the next assizes on the charge of manslaughter, and accepted bail—the accused in one bond of £5O, and two sureties of £5O each.  Price, on being released, was warmly embraced in :he court by his wife.