The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1893-02-18 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

SENSATIONAL MURDER IN SPAIN.  • A sensational murder trial, which has excited •sreat attention all over Spain, was brought to a close on Saturday at Nalvorde del Fresno (Caceres). A woman, named Dona Pedra Lajas, was indicted, along with her three servants, for the murder of her husband, Juan Lopez, a rich landowner and merchant, on April 27, in peculiarly revolting circumstances. The charge set forth that the woman incited Natalio Martin Sabio, one of her servants, to commit the crime, promising to marry him after its aceompliahment ; that she likewise, by other promises, induced Jose Martin Antunez to assist in the perpetration of the murder ; and that she held a light at the door of the bedroom in which the sleeping man lay while Natalio slew him with an axe. The body, which bore the marks of 26 axe wounds, was subsequently found in an alley, whither it had been carried by the actual murderer, aided by his instigator, Dona Pedra, who, on returning home, compelled the fourth prisoner, her maid, Ramana Martin Garcia, to wash up the bloodstains in the room where the tragedy took place, and thus made her a party to the crime. This woman, when the prisoners were first arrested, told how the ghastly deed had been done, and deposed that she had seen Jose bearing away on his back the dead body of her master. During the Interval which has elapsed since the murder, however, Raman& has become a helpless imbecile. She was the first of the four prisoners interrogated when the case came on for trial a few days ago before a local jury, but the questions addressed to her by the judge were answered only by a vacant stare and meaningless signs, and medical men who were called to speak to her mental condition declared her to be perfectly incapable of giving evidence, or even comprehending the meaning of the questions put. The prisoner Jose denied all knowledge of the crime, while Dona Pedra similarly asserted her innocence. The latter, however, imparted a new element into the case by charging two of her neighbours with its perpetration. She declared that one Domingo Donoso, having witnessed a terrible quarrel between herself and her husband, who was always cruelly ill-treating her, came to her secretly and offered his assistance in making away with Don Juan. With the proposal, she averred, she would have nothing to do, but, in spite of her refusal, Domingo Donoso, accompanied by another man, came to the house late on the night in question and found her alone, her husband having retired to rest. After threatening her, the men went to Don Juan's room, murdered him, and carried the body out into the alley, where it was found next day. They then returned, land forced her and her maid to remove all traces of the crime, threatening that she should share her husband's fate if she ever revealed their names. airhe prisoner Natalio, who was charged with the actual murder, when his turn for examination came, similarly accused Donoso and his alleged confederate. The Judge, suspecting collusion between Dons Pedro, and her fellow prisoners, 11 ordered that they:should be confronted with each other in court. 'This was done, with the result that the story set up for the defence completely broke down, the prisoners contradicting each other in regard to several essential particulars, while Jose, who was charged with keeping watch outside the room while Natalio despatched his victim, maintained that his mistress had previously invited him to murder Don Juan, and that he had refused to do the actual killing. After hearing all the evidence, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. They were sent back to reconsider their verdict. After sitting till one o'clock in the morning the jury returned with s verdict of guilty against all of the accused, but finding that in Dona Pedra's case there were extenuating circumstances. The maid servant Raman& they found to be of unsound mind, and therefore irresponsible. The court sentenced Dona Pedra to be imprisoned for life, and Natalio and Jose to penal servitude for life. The woman Raman& was acquitted on the ground of imbecility.