The Warwickshire Herald. — 1886-09-23 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

THE SMALL HEATH MURDER.  COMMITTAL OF THE ACCUSED.  ' At the public offices on Tuesday, before Mr. Kynnersley, William Clent (21) was again bronght up on the charge of causing the death of Walter Harry Langley, of Acock's Green, by stabbing him with a knife in the Golden Hillock-road, Small Heath, on the Bth inst. The accused, who was attired in a rather shabby suit on the previous occasion, was very neatly dressed on Tuesday in a blue coat and vest and narrow striped trousers. He wore a low stand-up collar and a bhck necktie. His deatneanour differed also from that affected when he was previously before the magistrate. He did not then appear to fully realise the extreme gravity of his position, and paid little heed to what was going on. On Tuesday, however, he was more concerned, his face wore a somewhat troubled and anxious expression, and he watched the proceedings very closely.—Mr. Peet (Cheston and Peet) appeared for the defence. —Mr. Sidney Talbot Hackett. who accompanied Langley to the Sydenham Hotel on the night of the Bth instant, repeated the evidence he gave at the inquest as to his playing with Langley, the accused, and another young man a double-handed game of billiards, the quarrel between Langley and Clent, and the stabbing of Langley by Clent.—Percy Smith nave similar testimony, and in addition to the evidence he the before the Coroner, he said he saw prisoner in the passage of the hotel and heard him say, "If he gets knocking me about FIl knife him."—Crossexamined: Clent did not say he would not fipt until some of his own friends were present. NN itness was standing about two yards off the deceased when he saw the blows struch. —Robert Averill Innes, billiard marker at the Sydenham Hotel, spoke to the young men playing billiards on the night of the Bth inst., and also said prisoner went back to the billiard room and took something from a black bag. When prisoner was leaving the room he heard a click as though a knife had been opened. —Albert Hincks, barman at the S 3 denham Hotel, stated that he saw the accused and his friends leaving the billiard-room. Clent had a knife in his hand, and witness asked him what he was going to do with it, but the young fellow hurried by into the street without making any reply. Witness followed to the door, and saw Clent walking along the footpath away from the deceased. As prisoner passed he saw him close a knife similar to the one produced (a large whitehandled clasp knife with a spring back). He heard Clent say as he passed, "I've done it. You can do what you like with me now." When prisoner passed the hotel he commenced to run.—Mr. Messiter, house surgeon at the Queen's Hospital, described the nature and extent of Langley's wounds, adding that he died four hours after his admission into the hospital from syncope and itemorrhage.—Cross-examined by Mr. Peet: If Langley had had skilled medical attendance immediately he received the wound his life might have been saved.—ln reply to a question as to whether anything had been done to Langley's wounds, Mr. Messiter observed that a bandage had been put on, and that hemorrhage had ceased.— Detective-inspector Bennett said when he arrested the prisoner at his father's house, Stoney-lane, Sparkbrook, he said "He (meaning Langley) isn't dead, is he ? " He afterwards told the officer where to find the knife, and Detective-sergeant Tubb found the knife in the place indicated.— Police-constable James Griffiths, who had charge of the prisoner immediately he was placed in the cells at Moor-street, said the prisoner stated on the 9th instant that "the papers are issuing a tissue of lies about this affair. I only did it in the heat of passion."—Prisoner, when formally charged by Mr. Hebbert (Magistrates' Clerk) with killing and murdering Langley. replied with a feeble voice, "Not guilty."—Mr. Peet said he did not know whether the Stipendiary considered there was sufficient evidence to warrant him in sending the prisoner for trial at the Assizes.—Mr. Kynnersley said there was, and committed him to take his trial at Warwick Assizes on the capital charge.