Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1847-10-20 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

HUSBAND.  About half-bast ten o'clock, on Tuesday morning, the inhabitants of Moor-street, Birmingham, we're alarmed by cries of murder, proceeding from an eating-house, kept:le- a man named Matthew Davies. The police immediately ran to the spot, and in the haek yard a Irighlful spectacle presented itself. The wife of Davis lay dead in the gutter, with her throat cut from ear to ear, while her husband stood quite unconcernedly in the door-way. It appears that Davies and his wife, for several months past, have lived on very unham terms, and he was in the habit of ill-treating her. His conduct has lately been remaikablv bad, awl last week it was so outrageous that oil Friday she was compelled again to seek the protection of the magistrates. A warrant was accordingly granted against him, awl on Tuesday lie was to have apFeared before the Court to answer the charge. In the course of yesterday, Davies, while under the inflaence of liquor, upraided the deceased, but this moining, apparently inure subdued in manner, he entreated her to abandoe legal proceedings. She positively refused to do so, when he went into the brewhouse, where his wife and a Mrs. Yarnold were, and sharpened a common table-knife, and soon after, Mrs. Yarnold, happening to look up, saw Davies approach his wife, as if for the purpose of a kiss. Ile placed his left arni round her neck, and drew the knife repeatedly across her throat, almost severing her head from her body. Mrs. Davies strugglcd to tree herself, drew up her handkerchief to her throat, and by a desperate effort broke from him and rushed into the yard, when she fell. Two officers took the murderer into custody, the whole occurrence occupying not more than three or four minutes. Three of their children were in the house at the time. He was led before the magistrates, who were sitting not twenty yards distant from the spot, and remanded to await the result of a coroner's nerviest. Bt RM NG!! AM. - Wednesday afternoon.—An inquest was held at the Wool pack Inn, Moor-street, on the body of Mary Davies. Dr. Birt Davies, the borongh coroner, presided. The prisoner was introduced, in custody, into the jury-room. He appeared to be perfectly calm and collected. The following witnesses were examined:—  E.iza liarnall said, that she was at the house of deceased, and proceeded to peel some potatoes in the back kitchen. Mrs. Davies, the deceased, came in, and sha 'ward the prisoner ask the deceased, while they were peeling potatoes, not to appear against him at the public oflice. The prisoner said, "'Don't go, Mary—such d—d nonsense—its no use going—l'll be tidy." Ile alluded to going before the magistrates, in consequence of a summons issued on Friday. The decemed replied," If God spares me, I will go." He still continued to ask her not to go. The prisoner during this time steeled his knife five or six times on the steelyard. The prisoner then put his arm over the left shoulder of deceased, and witness thought he was going to kiss her. He said more than once, "Mary, don't go." She replied, "If God spates me, I will go." At last he said, " D—n your eves, you shan't go," and immediately afterwards witness saw a eush of blood upon her throat. It appeared to come from the right side. Witness then gave the alarm of "Murder!" and the deceased for three or four yards followed her down the yard. After her (witness's) return, the prisoner placed his hands in his pockets, iind turned his back to the fire. [Witness here identfied the knife with which the murder was comrnitted..l Henrietta Hughes deposed as follows :—She was a neighbour of deceased, and yesterday morning, between ten and eleven o'clock, she saw the deceased on the floor. The blood was gushing out, and she died during her removal upstairs. Mr. Macpherson, sare"eon, stated that the wound in the throat was about seven inches in length and three in depth. It cut the jugular and windpipe, and must have proved fatal almost immediately. After a short consultation, the jury returned a verdict of "Wilful Murder ;" amid the prisoner was committed to take his trial at the Warwick Assizes.