The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1872-06-08 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

MURDER AT DOVER.  A shocking murder was committed last Friday night in the Citadel Barrarks at Dover. The deceased, Daniel Donohue, aged 33, and the murderer, Francis Bradford, aged 19, were both privates in the K Company, 2nd Battalion 3rd Buffs, and occupied a room in common.  It appears that on the night referred to the prisoner was rather noisy, and the non-commissioned officer in charge of the room being absent on duty as provost-sergeant, Donohue threatened to report him ik Corporal Kavanagh, and left the room for that purpose. Bradford endeavoured to strike him on his return with a poker, but was prevented by Private Stephenson. Donohue then went to bed, and the lights were put out. Bradford a few minutes afterwards was heard to cross the room, and ask Private Green (who slept next to Donohue) for a pipe. Green gave some careless reply, and immediately afterwards Donohue was heard to cry out "I'm stabbed, Pm stabbed." Corporal Dillon, of the band, then came in with a can lie, the gam was turned on, and the men, proceeding to Dons' hoe's bed, discovered Bradford is the act of striking him with his list, while in the other hand he held a bayonet, which was taken from him by a man named Brown. It was then seen Donohue had been stabbed, the weapon penetrating the bed-clothing and entering the abdomen to the extent of some three or four inches. The prisoner was then taken to the guard-room and a surgeon fetched to Donohue, a is comrades, meanwhile, using every endow our to stop the bleeding. Upon the surgeon's arrival Donohue was almost pulseless, and although he lived some 20 minutes afterwards, he only rallied sufficiently to remark he was dying, and wondered what his poor wife and ,aridly would do. The deceased had married without leave, and his wife and two children were living at a place called Durham-hilL Only the day previously he had obtained permission to mess away from barracks. The corpse was removed to the dead-bonne, and the prisoner given into custody and conveyed to the station. Half an hour afterwards he was sleeping soundly.  • The prisoner had been in the service about two years and bore a very fair character, the deceased, 14 years. and was within two months of obtaining an additional good conduct stripe. --- - - •  On Saturday morning at 11 o'clock the prisoner was taken before the Dover maistrates. He is a native of Lewes, in Sussex, and aged 19. Previously to his entering the army, he was a labourer, and can both read aim write, lie showed the utmost indifference to is position during the whole examination. On the Mayor calling his name and reading him the charge he made no reply. li, the course of the examination it transpired that after being reported, the prisoner said to the deceased, "Perhaps you won't have the chance of reporting me again." lie was quite sober at the time of the occurrence. On his way to the station, using afoul exp, ession, he said, "I won't be troubled any more by you." The prisoner was committed for trial at Maidstone Assizes . _  ..„-. The inquest was held at the " Albion" Inn, and the jury, after about 20 minute.' deliberation, returned a verdict of "Wilful Murder.'