The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1884-06-28 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ALLEGED WIFE MURDER AT NEW BRIGHTON.  AT the Wallasey Petty Sessions, on Wednesday, before Major Chambres (in the chair) and Messrs. A. J. Eskriggs and W. B. Marshall, Thomas Edmund Morris, an optician, carrying on business in Renshaw-street, Liverpeor, surrendered to his bail on the charge of having feloniously killed and murdered his wife, Ellen Morris, on the 4th April, 1883. Inspector Thomas Roots, of the Criminal Investigation Department, Great Scotland Yard, London, appeared to prosecute on behalf of the Treasury, and Mr. Seger, of Liverpool (instructed by Mr. Thompson, of Birkenhead), appeared for the accused. Mr. Kent, the Magistrates' Clerk, on the case being called, said :—With regard to the prosecution in this case, I have had a written communication from Messrs. Southern and Co., of Manchester, the solicitors who have had charge of and conducted this prosecution so far, to the effect that they are not going on with it and that the matter is now being taken up by the Treasury, by which department it will now be carried on. I believe there is a gentleman present to represent the Treasury, who has, I believe, some application to make to the Bench. Inspector Roots: I am an4ffispector from the Criminal Investigation Department, Scotland Yard, and I have been directed by the Treasury solicitor to make an exhaustive investigation into this case, which is not as yet complete. The Treasury solicitor has written to me to-day, directing me to ask for a remand, as he has not yet had time to prepare his case, and I, therefore, ask for an adjournment to this day week. Major Chambres : Will there be any chance of you being able then to proceed with the case. Inspector Roots: I ani afraid that I will not be able to complete my enquiries in this neigh. hood before Friday night next. That will not allow me to lay the case before the Treasury before Monday. Major Chambres : Do you think to-morrow week will be too soon' Inspector Roots: Yes, I think it would. Major Chambres : Do you think there Tould be a reasonable chance of your coinileting the case by Thursday week? Inspector Roots: Yes, sir. Mr. Seger: On behalf of Mr. Morris, I must oppose any further adjournment in this case. I should be glad if the Treasury would inform us whether any steps have been taken as to the exhumation of the body of Mrs. Morris. We have had nothing in evidence yet as to that. If the exhumation of the body is considered undesirable, then the Treasury ought to say so at once. Every moment of delay is to my client a great grievance and cause of great expense, and on his behalf I shall to my utmost oppose any further application for s remand m the case. It seems very strange to use that the Treasury should not be able to add anything to the depositions, or to say anything as to their intention with respect to exhumation. Major Chambres : I think, however, that after what has fallen from the representative of the Treasury, that we could not very reasonably deny a delay in the case. They appear to have done all that could be reasonably expected from them, having entrusted an official to make further enquiries into the case. Mr. Seger: I am entirely in the hands of the Bench. Inspector Roots: I can state that the exhumation will not take place until I report upon the matter.  week  plting  Mr. Sager : That amounts to this—that the Treasury see no grounds for discharge. Inspector Roots: Of course I cannot state that. The Clerk, for the purposes of a remand, proposed to read over the evidence of Mrs. Whittle.  Mr. Segar, however, consented to a remand under the circumstances, and the accused was therefore remanded until Wednesday next at two o'clock in the afternoon, the same bail and sureties being accepted.