Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1887-10-08 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.  A VICAR MURDERED BY HIS CURATE.  About midnight last Saturday a shocking tragedy occurred at Cretingleam, a village about six miles from Framiineltam, Suffolk. The Vicar of the parish, the Rev. William Weymott Farley, was murdered by his curate, the Rev. Arthur Edgar Gilbert Cooper. For some time past the Vicar, who was seventy-three years of age. had been in bad health, and about twelve mouths ago he engaged the curate mentioned to tales the entire •charge of the parochial work. The latter lived at the Vicarage with Mr and Mrs Farley, the only other inmatea of the house being the groom and a maidservant. On Saturday Mr Farley kept his bed all day, and the curate also complained of being unwell, stating that he had been unable to sleep. There was nothing in his conduct, however, to arouse suspicion, and about ten o'clock at night he read prayers as usual. Two hours later, wheu the Vicar and hi wife had fallen asleep, the curate knocked at the bedroom door. Mr Farley WM aroused, and in reply to his que,,,tion Cooper said he wanted to see tne Vicar._ The curate was wearing only a dressing gown, and he opened the door with the intention of entering the room. Mrs Farley pulled him out and locked the door, but Mr Parley called out to he:. "Poor fellow, let hie. in and see what heewanti." Ihe door was; then opened, the curate came in, and walked round to the side of the bed where Mr Parley was lying. Very few words passed between them. Agaie ordered out by Mrs Farley, the curate went away, and tee Vicar then called out, "Ho has cut my throat." Directly afterwards the unfortunate clergymen, who wee a very stout man, rolled heavily on to i the floor, and there died within a few minutes, hi throat having been cut from ear to ear. lu the meantime Cooper had gone into his own bedroom, which adjoined that of the Vicar, and was heard moaniug and sighing. Mr Farley cried, and aroused the groom, who got up and went for Mr Jones, of Framlingion, without knowing what had actually happened. While he was away Cooper dressed himself in his usual clerical attire and left the house. News of the tragedy reached the village policeman, and he took charge of the premises. About five o'clock in the morning the curate knocked- at the front door, which was opened by the officer, lie said that he wanted to go up stairs, and the policeman ailowcd him to do so, but, of course, took him into custody, and never lost sight of him afterwards. Later on he was removed to Framlingham I'olice Station. As far as can be at present ascertained, the prisoner had no motive whatever for the crime. When questioned by the parish clerk on Sunday morning, he said he first thought of doing it on the previous day. The murdered clergyman has a grown-up family, one of his sons being a doctor in London. Cooper carne from Tunbridge Wells, but nothing is known of his family in the neighbourhood. lie was not popular in the parish, and there are rumours that ho has shown symptoms of insanity. It is a fact, however, that , Mr Farley had lately advertised for another I curate.