The Sun. — 1863-10-13 (London, England)

SHOCKING AFFAIRS.—SHIELDS, Saturday Night . —A homicidal mania seems to have seized the Irish population of the North. This morning an Irishman named Terence Quin was placed before the Newcastle magistrates, charged with killing a fellow-countryman, a week ago, in Scotswood-road, in that town, by stabbing him in the neck. He was remanded, but at the time he was at the bar a most shocking affair occurred in this town, which is almost certain to end in a charge of murder against the offander, as the surgeons have no hope that the woman will live. A pensioner named Thomas Booth lived in Church-street, North Shields, he having been 22 years in the 36th Regiment before he received his discharge and pension. He is an Irishman, and his wife is also of Irish parents, and he followed the occupation of shoemaker in Church-street. Ho has been married some years, but recently he and his wife have led a drunken dissipated life. Two months ago his wife left him on account of his ill-usage, and went to live with her mother; but he, having received his quarter's pension on Friday week, went to her mother's on Sunday, and persuaded his wife to return and live with him again, and from their return until this morning they have been drinking and quarrelling. On Thursday evening, the woman applied to the police for protection, stating, as her appearance proved, that she had been beaten by her husband, and she displayed her gown to the policeman on duty in evidence, also, that he had attempted to wound her with a knife. The policeman advised her to apply next morning to the magistrates for a warrant for th e apprehension of her husband, but she did not appear at the police court to lodge a complaiiit. This morning, about half-past 10 o'clock, Booth went to a publiehouse and purchased and took home with him a gill of whisky, and immediately on his return a tearful quarrel arose between him and his wife. Cries of distress arose, but no one durst go near the house, until a water-woman, named Elizabeth Garfitt, came to the door, which she opened and went in. She immediately observed a quantity of blood upon the floor, and Booth's wife lying upon a shakedown bed with her husband kneeling upon her. He held a shoemaker's sharppointed knife in his hand, which was covered with blood, and he attempted to thrust it into his wife's neck. Garfitt exclaimed, " Booth, what are you doing ? You'll be hung for this." He replied, "No, I won't." His wife then called upon Garfitt for God's sake to come and save her, and with much courage and firmness the woman closed in upon Booth and held him fast until his wife crept away, and found shelter in a neighbour's house. Booth afterwards skulked away, and was captured in about half an hour afterwards crouching in a back yard. Booth's wife, immediately after she got into the neighbour's house fainted, and as she had the appearance of having been desperately wounded, medical assistance was sent for. Dr. Emerson and Mr. Burt, of the Dispensary, shortly after arrived. Dr. Emerson found that there were two wounds in the woman's abdomen apparently caused by a sharp pointed knife. The bowels were protruding from the wounds and there was great loss of blood. Tho woman was almost pulseless and apparently at the point of death. She has somewhat recovered under the use of stimulants. Dr. Emerson dressed the wounds, and has been unremitting in his attendance, but holds out little hopes of her recovery, Another dreadful case of assassination nearly occurred at Gateshead yesterday. Wm, Todd, a farmer, had discovered that an impropriety had existed between his wife and another farmer named Robert Rutherford. Todd had purchased a pistol and loaded it with shot, and then sought out Rutherford, whom he found standing in a shop, and pointed the pistol at his chest. It fortunately missed fire, and before he got another cap on it Rutherford overpowered him and held him till a policeman came up and took Todd into custody. The pistol was charged with shot. The borough magistrates of Gateshead, before whom Todd has been brought, have intimated that he will be sent for trial.