Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1880-11-06 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

ARREST.  ...nab rani, u Three men, named llartley, Smithson,and Bardsley, arc in custody at Manchester, charged with the murder of a widow named Caroline Barkham. 54 years of age, lately living at 100, Welcomb-street,lute. The on sonar Hartley is a chemist and druggist, said to haven , house at Southport, but carrying on business at a chop is Chador-road, Manchester. He wee arrested at the Radnor Hotel, Huh., in consequence of the discovery of the woman's body on the previous night as it was being removed on a handcart from his shop by the prisoner Smithson. The woman Sr re ported to have been formerly in his service as house • keeper. Hartley made a statement to the police when arrested. The other prieoners had in the meantime been brought up at the City Police-court, charged with being concerned in the murder of a woman then unknown. John Smithson. a man about 35 years of ace, is a brickmakeie labourer. Thomas Bardsley, the other prisoner, appeared in the dock well - deemed, and had described himself as a tram ler for Hartley, the chemist. Police-Constable Carroll said about a quarter past ten deka on Thursday eighths was on duty in Chesier-road. He raw the prisoner Smithson walking along with a handcart, which appeared to contain bed clothing. He went towards it, and asked what he had there. When the witness got near he saw that the cart contained the body of a man or woman. He again asked Smithson what he had there, and he said, "My wife." The witness asked hini where be won taking her to, and he rep.ied that he was taking her home, but refused to say where. The witneas fo,lowed, and eaw a leg or the body fall so as to hang down:by the side of the cart. He thought there was something wrong, and arrested Smithson. The hood. cart and the body were taken to the polim-station. There were bruises on the faoe. The prisoner would gim no amount whatever of the body, neither would he say where he was going to with it or where he had got it. Police-sergeant Potts said on Thursday night he went to a house in Brewery-street. Bradford, which was occupied by the prisoner Smithson and his wife. He saw therethree women and the prisoner Bardsley. They were mated. He asked who lived there, and one of the women replied "Smithson," adding that he was not at home. On looking round the witness saw an iron bedstead setup, and sheets hanging around it. Addressing one of the women, he asked whether she was Mrs. Smithson, and she said "Yes." He then asked what the bed was for, and she answered, " That man” (pointing to Bardsley) " has sent my husband to fetch a corpse from the railway station, and we are waiting for it to come that we may lay it out." She made so. e further remarks to the effect that she knew nothing more about the matter. Mr. Superintendent Meade said he had a statement in writing by the prisoner Bardsley, and signed by him, in which he admitted baying assisted the prisoner Smithson to place the dead body on the handcart. The two prisoner., who had nothing to say, were remcnded. . _  The matteris erecting great attention in Manchester, owing to the euspicions removal of the body. It is said that two or three persons were standing by when it was taken out of the shop. and asked each other who was being carried away, but nobody knew. It is said that one of the women at Smithson's hours had spoken to an undertaker about the interment of the body expected there, which -as represented to be that of Bardsley's aunt, who had died at Roehdale.