The Warwickshire Herald. — 1896-02-13 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

THE LONDON CAB TRAGEDY  VERDICT AND SENTENCE.  At the Central Criminal Court, before Mr. Justice Lawranoe,Alfred Chipper**ld, 114 eierk.Waa indicted for the wilful murder of his wiken ihoember 18th. Mr. Horace Avery. Naito prosecuted, said the prisoner's wife, • young woman 18 years of age, had been brought up in early life under the oars ot foster parents at Leighton Mustard. She came to London a short time ago, and obtained • situation as barmaid at different houses, one of which was the Ram and Teazel. The prisoner had been courting the girl some time, and from the correspondence that was found in her possession be appeared to have been very attached to her, and jealous that she was paying addresses to other young men. The deceased left her situation and went to her home at Leighton Buzzard in December last The prisoner visited her there, and ultimately brought her hack to London. He afterward, went to Ireland with the gill, and there be married her on December 18th. The next day the parties returned from Ireland, and Chipperfield took his newly-married young wife to Leighton Buzzard to the house of a Mr. Brandon who had adopted the deceased from • child. On December 18th prisoner left Leighton Buzzard for the purpose of bringing his wife to furnished lodgings in London. They arrived at Euston Station about 8 o'clock, and a four-wheeled cab was encmged, the prisoner telling the cabman to drive to Annette-place,wherepis father lived. He stopped at several public-houses and called for drink. Outside one of the public-houses the prisoner left the cabman for nearly an hour. The deceased was left inside the vehicle, and appeared very cheerful. On the return of the prisoner the cabman resumed his Journey, but had only gone a few paces when he was stopped by some bystanders, and the deceased was found with her head hanging out of the door enchavouring to get out Her throat was cut in a terrible manner. The police were summoned, and the prisoner was found with his throat cut also sitting in the cab. The razor was found beneath the seat wet with blood. The deceased was conveyed to the surgery of a medical man in the neighbourhood, but she soon expired.— Dr. Bond, who had investigated the case, was of opinion that the wound was not self-inflicted.— Several letter, found in the possession of the deceased, written to her by the prisoner, couchad in affectionate terms, were put in and read. In one of these the prisoner said "lie loved her from the bottom of his heart, and that nobody else should have her but him."—Mr. Adams, the house surgeon at the hospital, spoke to dressing the prisoner's wounds, after doing which, the prisoner said: "It is no good, I wish I had taken strychnine."—Dr. Robinson described the wound as resembling more that of a self-inflicted one than a homicidal one. There was • wound on the left hand, which might have been caused by her putting up her hand to protect herself.—Dr. Bond expresed an opinion that the probability was that the wound was not selfinflicted, but inflicted by scnne person either sitting or standing by the woman's side.—The jury found the prisoner guilty of murder. Sentence of death was paned in the usual form.