The Warwickshire Herald. — 1888-01-19 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

KILLING A BROTHER-IN-LAW.  At the Central Criminal Court, before Mr. Justice Charles, a young man, named Albert Ed waroVicko, 7, 23, butcher, has been put on his trial for the wiltul murder of Robert Maxwell. From the opening statement of Mr. Poland, it appeared that the prisoner had resided at Deptford with his mother. sister, and the deceased. The latter (who was of intemperate habits) was married to Vickory's sister. In the course of his drunken bouts, Maxwell frequently ill-treated his wife, which caused great unpleasantness in the family. The prisoner particularly resented this conduct of the deceased. On the 21st November Mrs. Vickory remonstrated with Maxwell in regard to his treatment of her daughter. The prisoner was present at the time, and was greatly annoyed to see Maxwell strike Mrs. Vickory. The next day Maxwell again came home very drunk, and next morning, early, Vickory went to his bedroom and struck him a violent blow on the head with a piece of wood. The prisoner did not seem to have intended to take the life of the deceased, for lie imp ediately said, "That will do him good, and teach him to treat his wife better, and not to strike my mother again." Maxwell's wife was in the room at the time, and on her going downstairs and telling him that her husband was very much injured Vickory at once went for A doctor. Maxwell died at the hospital six days after the occurrence. In conclusion, the learned counsel said that by the law of England if one person killed another it was priuvi fade murder. But prbbably there were circumstances in this case which might reduce the offence to manslaughter.—Evidence corroborating this statement was given by Mrs. Vickory, a sister of the prisoner, and the widow. According to the medical evidence death was caused by inflammation of the brain which arose from fracture of the skull.—Mr. Poland, in summing up for the prosecution, contended that the evidence indicated that the act was one of deliberation.—Mr. Geoghegan urged that at worst it was only a case of manslaughter. The prisoner committed the act in a fit of passion, and under circumstances of great provocation.—Without leaving the box, the jury found a verdict of guilty of manslaughter, and the prisr,ner W4l sentenced to five years' penal servitude.  CHARGE AGAINST AN OFFICIAL  Margaret Dodd surrendered to take her trial at the Central Criminal Court on Saturday for publishing a libel upon Frederick Pitchford. The prosecutor was inspector of nuisances to the Acton Vestry,and it was part of his duty to inspect the houses of persons in the locality for sanitary purposes. The libel complained f consisted in the defendant having written a letter to the vestry in which she charged the prosecutor with having acted indecently to her. He was at once suspended from duty, and he then instituted the present prosecution. He was examined, and swore that he had never assaulted or -behaved indecently to the defendant, and he also denied having acted indecently to other married women.— Counsel for the defence contended that the letter was a privileged communication, and the Recorder having ruled that it was so, the jury returned a ver dict of not guilty.