Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1883-02-17 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

TERRIBLE DOUBLE MURDER IN CHESHIRE. In the early part of Friday week • shocking double murder was committed at Smallwood, a country village four miles from Congleton. The victims are Thomas Harlem and his wife, who for a considerable period had kept is common lodging-house, living in a quiet, inoffensive manner by themseNes. The skulls of both were found to be badly battered, and the man quite dead, and his wife still lingering, but she has since died. It seemed that the Crime MA perpetrated with a hammer, which was found in the house. The motive for the crime appears to have been plunder, the murdered man having amassed a considerable sum of money. At present the perpetrators of the murders are unknown, though a tramp is suspected, and the police are using every exertion to trace and bring the proper parties to justice. The house had been ransacked, and a man was seen near the house shortly after the occurrence earryingsome bundles. The house is situated on the road leading from Congleton to Arclide, It stands by itself, and is a low dilapidated building. The district is very thinly populated, the nearest house being one hundred yards distant, and is just ' the spot where such a tragedy might be enacted and remain for days undiscovered. It appears that last Frida week a man known by the name of "Jack" obtained lodgings in the house, Among the other lodgers was a rag and bone gather named John Slack, and two other men named " Sampty" and Jones • and the latter has been apprehended and lodged in Congleton gaol on suspicion. On Friday morning, the day on which the murder was committed. Slack says he left Jack in the house, all the other lodgers having previously left. The man Jack appears to have done nothing but beg from door to door. At mid-day he was seen looking in at one of the windows, and it is supposed that be then entered the premises and committed the deed. The murder appears to have been perpetrated with a joiner's hammer, which has been found stained with blood. The woman was discovered in a back kitchen lying in a pool of blood. EarlaMs body was found in the kitchen, near the fireplace, where he usually sat, and ho was evidently struck from behind, death being almost instantaneous. The lodger " Sa.mpty," who is comparatively well off, has missed his bank-book and a suit of clothes. No clue to the whereabouts of "Jack" has been obtained. The prisoner denies all knowledge of the crime. Ho states that he returned to the house about three p.m. and tried to get in, but found the door locked. This being a most unusual thing, he forced an entrance, and than discovered Earlam and the woman lying in pools of blood. It is believed there was no money in the house, and that the murderer only obtained a suit of clothes as his plunder. The inquest on the body of Thomas Earls" who was murdered at Smallwood, near Coughston, was opened on Monday. The woman Moran still survives. John Slack, a lodger, said the missing lodger, named Jack, stayed at deceased's house on Friday night, and left in the morning. Deceased and Jack were on friendly terms. Witness could identify Jack if he were found.—Edward Sarnpy, labourer, and also a lodger, left the house at 6.30, and returned at 3.30. Ile forced an entrance, and found the woman in a pool of blood. Earlam was in the kitchen, dead, and frightfully mutilated. The house had been ransacked, Witness left two rough-looking lodgers in bed, and could identify them—The medical evidence showed that the bones on the right side of the skull were completely smashed. The cheek bone and the jaw were also broken. Death must have been instantaneous, and the blow was such as might have been struck from behind with the hammer produced.—The enquiry was adjourned. The injured woman, Mary Mohan, recovered conscionsness for a few moments on Wednesday. On being asked who injured her she exclaimed " Jack," apparently referring to the lodger who disappeared on the day of the murder. Before [ further questions could be put she re. [ lapsed into unconsciousness. The funeral 0, the old man Thomas Earlam, who was mra dered, took place on Wednesday. The police is, yet have no clue as to the movements of the tramp Jack White. It is a curious coincidence that the description of him issued by the police agrees in every detail with the description of a person who is wanted for a felony in Derbyshire committed six days beforo the appearance of Jack White at the deceased nian Earlam's lodging-house.