The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1873-07-18 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

MONDAY. THE CHARGE OF MURDER AT DOWLAIS.  Charles Doran, described in the calendar as a fireman, 35 years of age, was indicted for the wilful murder of James Magner, at Dowlsis, on the 14th of April. The prisoner was also charged on the coroner's warrant with the same offence. Mr. B. T. Williams, with Mr. B. Francis Williams, conducted the prosecution; the prisoner was defended by Mr. Henry Allen. From the evidence, it appeared that both the prisoner and the deceased lived in High etreet, Dowlais, the latter being a lodger in the house of a man named Haggerty. The prisoner is a married man, and it was alleged that an improper intimacy had taken place between his wife and Nlagnor, who was formerly a lodger at his house. The two men were consequently on bad terms. On the 14th of April, Magner had been drinking in his lodgings. While in a state of half drunkenness he requested Mrs. Haggerty, his landlady, to fetch some beer. Mrs. Haggerty refused to do so, and a quarrel took place, during which the deceased told her to " go to Mrs. Doran," adding an approbrious epithet. Doran heard the observation, and some angry words ensued between him and Magnor. The prisoner told Magnor to pay his wife is. GI which he owed her for lodgings ; and the deceased, in reply, said he would pay her "on the double." The prisoner thereupon took something resembling a rolling pin from beneath his waistcoat, and struck Magnor two ' violent blows on the head, which felled him to the floor. While lie was lying there, and his head bleeding from the wounds, Doran kicked him violently twice. A woman who was in the house at the time said to the prisoner, "Oh !Charley, Charley, you have killed the man ;" and the prisoner replied, "Oh, no; the -- is not dead yet." The deceased was in a state which one of the witnesses described as "stupid drunk," and he made no attempt to resist the attack or to strike Doran in return. He lay bleeding on the floor until the police were called in, and died a few minutes afterwards. When the prisoner's house was searched the police found a rolling-pin and a poker, both of which were stained with blood, and there was a hair on the poker. He hail been seen by one of the witnesses leaving Mrs. Haggerty's cottage with the poker and the rolling.pin in his hands. The medical evidence showed that death resulted from an effusion of blood upon the brain, caused by the external violence.  Mr. Allen, in addressing the jury for the defence, contended that the prisoner had received provoca. tion by the words Magnor used towards his wife, and that the provocation was sufficient to reduce the crime from murder to manslaughter. The learned judge gave a lengthened summing up, in which he pointed out that the really important question for the consideration of the jury was whether the prisoner had received provocation, and if so whether it was of a nature to justify them in returning a verdict of manslaughter instead of wilful murder.  The jury, after retiring for about ten minutes, returned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter, and the prisoner was sentenced to twenty years' penal servitude.  Ibodil,, f I, aziwitude. ~ found g, : ~,Y„' Elizabeth , to . ~ thterPreted Clery)r-' woman - buddy 1 ILL merciful guilty r ooriout ‘,. considered Penal , ever, 4ve beliel Fyn oft' Engl therefore, viz in hi; to follow 1)1!n ...wink c wink CUII Maher ' dinnned, , lortl6hl 11180.A..__,the it Y w,„ -Itactioe t The pri ut or , totit V; I a ~' Iltl. _. ,