The Herald of Wales. — 1888-03-24 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

THE CARDIFF MURDER. -A NEIGHBOUR'S OPLNION.  A BREACH OF PROMISE CASE.  CAnnrrs Sunday :Sight.  In th C:irainal ClJurt un SAtuiday'there were but few people beside those _constant  patrons who are drawa front the vest community of loafers. The teases delebrn were over, and there was yesterday but little for the curious: and blood•thirsty ladies to listen to. Still there remained came of tragic. interest, especially that of the woman Stamens, who stood indicted upon the charge of having killed her little hilJ., aged two and a half years, by starvation and neglect. pia story related by Mrs. l)ix, who had for some months resided in apartments in the same house as the prisoner, was painful in the extreme. and :revealed some ef the most heartrending traits of human nature. It appeared that Sturgees was an habitual drunkard—a woman whose normal condition was that of beaatly intoxication. It was her habit to go out early in the day, when she had obtained any money, and forthwith proceed to some public house, and would 'scarcely ever return home until late in the evenizg or on the follow. lug. morning. Whilst she revelled amid the tinsil grandour of the gin palace her poor children remained in the poverty-stricken garret at home crying for bread 1 Aye, but the course of horrible cruelty did not end here. This shame to womankind would sometimes heather wan, emaciated children without mercy, and quietly sit down to me substlintbd meal regardless of the hungry little eyes around her it was alleged, and the awful allegation remained nitcontradicted, that Sturgess, while she obtained meat and other luxuries for herself, refused frequently to give her children bread. Mr Jostle Stephen is not given to the infliction of severe sentences, but he could hardly have done otherwise in this case than to send Mrs Sturges to prison for 18 :newts with hard labour.  Riding on the top of one of the Canten 'busses last night, I happened to hear a convu-action between women, who, it seems, were near neighbours of Mrs Phillips, who n 7 stands convicted of the murder of her husban . Said one of these women, "She d,servFd t. I'd hang her myself." "So would I," replied the other, hope she'll not be raprievel. How often have I seen her knock her old man about, and he—the poor innocent 'old thing.— would never raise his 'and to touch her." This is the general verdict of the people of Cardiff and none can be found here to express ably' pity for Mrs Phillips. In the afternoon I strolled into the Nisi Prints Court, where ample amusement was provided by a Brecon breach of promise case, in which a young and capable, but not over-fascinating lady claimed .Ef 00 damages from an old and singular widower hailing from the same town. A. I entered, the plaintiff was getting into the witness box, and it was mirth-provoking to watch her struggling with her right-hand glove, which she was enjoined to remove before takiag the ous,emary oath. The judge increased her embarrassment by ordering her also to lift her veil, but Kr Justice Wills always utters his commands in a very polite tone, not as Lord Cskgrove did upon a similar 000116i011. The famous Scotch judge is reported to have addressed a fair actress in the following terms : Lift up your veil, throw off all modesty, and look me in the face." The Breoon lady obtained, nt the £4500 claimed, but £6O as a solace for her blighted hopes.