The Sun. — 1865-12-21 (London, England)

MURDER AT LEEDS. Patrick Welch, 3, labourer, was charged with the wilful murder of John Rouane, at Leeds, on the 29th October. The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Hannay and Mr. Bruce • the prisoner was defended by Mr Blackburn and Mr. Gully. Me. Hannay, in opening the case, stated that the deceased man, John Rouane, met with the wound which caused his death in the streets of Leeds on the night of Saturday, the 29th of last October, and he died on the following Monday. He was a young married man, 29 years of age. The prisoner was also a married man. A man named Doherty, who would give evidence in the case, and several other witnesses, lived in Lower Cross-street, in the Bank. On the night of the 28th October Rouane had, in company with Doherty, been at severalpublichouses, and in particular at one named the Shuttles, which was near to the place where he lived, up to, or almost up to, 12 o'clock. He (Mr. Hannay) laid no great stress on the fact that the deceased had been at other publichouses in the course of the evening, because though there might be contradictions and discrepancies in the evidence, it was agreed on all hands that deceased was sober. As to the prisoner, he believed the evidence would show that he was tO some, but not to a great, extent in liquor. After leaving the Shuttles, Doherty and Rouane proceed in the direction of Lower Cross-street, accompanied by their respective wives,- who had come to the publichouse to fetch their husbands home. On reaching the street in which they lived the two men told their wives to go into their homes, whilst they remained in the street a little longer. It was unfortunate for the deceased man that he did so ; for in a very short time afterwards he received the wound which caused his death. The prisoner, who, they would remember, also lived in Lower Cross-street, was going in the direction of his house as the deceased and Doherty were walking up the street. Some words were exchanged between Doherty and thedeceased ; the former, it was said, asked him if he had stones in his pocket, referring to some bygone affair, and no doubt some conversation of a not very pleasing character passed between them. No very serious quarrel, however, occurred. The prisoner walked up the street on the causeway, and stood at his own door ; the deceased was at that time standing in the street. The prisoner threw out a general challenge to fight any man in the street who chose, and the challenge was accepted by Rouane, who said he would fight him, and that he was never afraid of any man. Thereupon Welch crossed over to where Rouane stood. They immediately closed, got into a " cuddle," as one of the witnesses described it, and in a moment Rouane was heard to exclaim, "I am stabbed," or "I am done." Welch walked away and was not seen again that night. The occurrence was altogether of a momentary character. The men had only one deadly embrace, the deceased was wounded, and the prisoner disappeared. The wounded man fell into the arms of a person named-Cowan, and was carried away from the spot. It was discovered that he had received a wound in the stomach, and that his bowels were protruding. Believing that he was about to die, he made a statement of the facts. He afterwards rallied somewhat, but inflammation of the peritoneum setting in, he died on the Monday morning. A search had been made for the prisoner. It was found that he had left the town ; the police were sent after him, and he was apprehended in Goole. The policeman charged him with being the man who stabbed Rouane in Lower Cross-street, and he at first said he had not been there ; but afterwards admitted that he had. After half an hour's absence the jury found the prisoner guilty of murder, and sentence of death was passed.