The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1891-05-02 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

COMMUNICATION 0011 DB. At ktfi, Abdim County Sessions on Robert Dooley, aged 25, sailor, of H. M. S. V °barged with ist4king at Jane Starkey, ofWearli; ••• hampton, with a knife and attempting to murder her In a railway carriage at Hadley. —Mr:ill P. , Cummer (solicitor to the Great Western Ray) prosecuted, and the prisoner was undefended.— Jane Starkey, wife of John Starkey, of Wolverhanipton, deposed that she was a passenger from Paddington to Wolverhampton. She had her baby with her. Miss Stutterd and another lady travelled with her from Reading, where the prisoner, who was very tipsy, got into the carriage. The guard asked him to get into a smoking but he said he would get into that carriage, anddid so. Soon after the train started from Reading the prisoner said, "Oh, my God, this is my child; you have stolen it." She did not answer him. He repeated that she had stolen it. The prisoner was sitting opposite to her. He drew out a buck. horn handle knife similar to the one produced, and said "You see this steel ? " Witness said, "If I were you I would lie in the corner and go to sleep; you will be better." Prisoner said, "I shall put your daylights out before Igo to sleep. It is my child; you stole it." He put the knife away, and was quiet for a minute or two. He then took it out again, jumped up, tried to take the baby from her, and said "Will you give it to me, or I will out your throat?" Miss Stutterd took hold of the cord outside the window, and a third lady was pushing the prisoner back. Prisoner threw up his hands and said, "Oh, my God," and fell to the seat. Miss Stutterd suggested that they should all sit upon him, but witness was too frightened. Prisoner was then crying. He once more tried to get at the child, but did not produce the knife again. Min Stutterd repeatedly pulled the cord. Shortly afterwards they came to Radley. They were screaming "Murder," and the stationmaster and porter came to the carriage and took the prisoner out. —Miss Martha Stutterd, Banbury, gave oorroborativs evidence, and added that she was pulling the cord for 20 minutes, but it had no effect.—Edward Gregory, guard in charge of the train, said he had no signal to atop during the journey. It was his duty to teat the oommuni. cation cords, but he did not on this oocesion, as the train was so short. As the train passed Culham he noticed a person's arm out of the window, but he did not stDp tt:e train, as he thought it was someone playing with the cord.—Sergeant Weekes deposed to arresting the prisoner on E.M.S. Volage.—Mr. Cummer said the company and also Mrs. Starkey would be satisfied if the case were dealt with as one of assault. The prisoner appeared hitherto to have borne an exemplary character, but had been drinking heavily while on leave.—The Chairman said the Bench were sorry to find a respectable young man with such a good character in this position through drink. He would have to pay £5, or go to prison for a month. The magistrates thought the guard was very remiss in placing such a man in a carriage with ladies. They also thought that the communicator between passengers and the guard was not good enough, and hoped this opinion would be duly laid before the  company.