Middlesbrough & Stockton Gazette and General Advertiser. — 1874-09-03 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

WIFE MUEDER AT CAMBERWELL.  A horrible wife murder was perpetrated at Camberwell on Thursday morning. The name of the priesner, who is now under detention at the Lambeth Posse-court, is John Walter Coppen, aged 82 years, who, with leis wife, Emma Scrivington Coppen, aged 30 years, have for the hest six or seven months kept the Clarendon Coffee-hense, situated at 39, Churchstreet, Camberwell. It is believed the couple have not yet been married for a twelvemonth, and it is stated that they have lived comfortably together with the exception of a few "matrimonial jars" which have centred froto time to time. Coppen is a man who stands acme 51 t. Bin, in height, is broad Lein libel muscular, with a somewhat heavy and reeetigefui cast of oeuntetance. lie is a butcher by itatie, and Las a businese in thatline It Penge, which is managed by a relative. Yesterday morning about on o'clock, he was engaged in chopping up meat :or the purpose of making be, f. steak puddings, and during the time le was so employed it appears that he hail a slight quarrel with his wife, the result of which ass that she threatened to leave the house, went upstairs, put ou her bontat, and was descending agaiu, aiparently resolved to carry out her threat, when Cot pen, who was annoyed at thig proceeding, met her, are with a butcher's knife pierced his wife on the lilt breast just below the nipple. The furee of Ile thrust, aided by the momentum of the bed), of ;be unfortuoate woman, who at the time was dew:tiding the blears, ceased a deep incision, probably severing one or more of the veins. Mrs Coppen threw up her arms, shrieked aloud, and fell down. A man named Pearson, a customer, who happened to he in the coffee-house at the time, at Klee seemed the attendance of a constable, who, in his lete, summoned Dr Pinder. The constable next lied Sergeant Pearman, the officer on acting ty in charge at the Camlierwell Police-court, who a Dr Pinder, renntined Hi attendance by the side Mrs Conen until she expired, which was about : an hour from the time of the infliction of the tin& busing the curlier part of this p nod the ie woman occasionelly struggled hard, which in. rcased the flow of blood. Coppen stood calmly by, evidently unler the impression that the wound was not dangerous and a- elid med from time to time in trying to staunch the Wood, cud eiving his wife brandy. liming the last ten minutes ck hr oxiatonee Mrs CI pen appeared to swerm giedualiy away irons trhanstion by km of blood, old died almost without a strugele. Serelbut Fearman searched the ;dam and found the kuife with which the fatal ad wee committed in the kitchen drawer. He took C'ippen into custody, aud removed him in a cab to the Camberwell Ponce cation, whore he charged iittl• Here the prisoner, when Serjeaut Warman 'eas procsedieg to search Lim, beciorne somewhat exsued, and at find made some show of resistance. ilventually, however. ho submitted quietly. lathe course of the afternoon the prisoner was brought up at the Lambeth Police court, and enlarged with the wilful murder of his wife.—Charlotte Berry, a servant, said that when her mistress was on the sofa she said to prisoner, "I am sorry for you, but I keravated you to do it."—The policeman who apprehended the priso-oer corrobpirated this statements adnd stated that prisoner remarked that the deed was one in a moment of passion, and he was sorry for ih—The prisoner was rematided.  CONVICTION OF THE Pains