The Herald of Wales. — 1887-05-21 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

THE MURDER OF COL. I FEND ALL.  TRIAL OF THE PRI3ONERB,  At Warwick &seizes on Wednesday Thersa Rooney, and Joseph Lester were indicted for the wilful murder of Colonel Fendall, at Birmingham, in February last. Our readers will remember that the late colonel was seen in company with Rooney, and was also found mortally wounded afterwards in her house. •  Before Justice Hawkins, at the Warwick Assizes, on Thursday morning, the hearing of the charge against Theresa Rooney and the three Leetere, parents and son, in ret,ai to the murder of Colonel Fendall, in Birmingham, was continued Detective Dobbs spoke to eisiting the house occupied by Rooney and Looter, the younger, shortly after the alleged murder. Rooney denied that a man had been taken from there to the hospital, but said she found one lying. the previous night, in the gutter, in Lichfield-road. She thought he was drunk, and had him taken to the hospital. Afterwards, she told a different story, stating the man who Carne home with her followed her upstairs, and fell down, and she found him lying on the floor. Leine., junior, who was in bed, said he had been in the house only an hour. When at the police 'dation, Lester slid to Rooney, "No, It 11 the truth," and she said, "I amid tell no more than what I have said already, that the man waadrnuk, and came to the house. Tell them the same tale." When Lester as searched, one of the coins found in his possession was marked itith blood, and there was a cut on one of his fingers, which be Raid was caused by a ?ince of glass. Rooney, on being charged with the murder, next day, and cautioned, said io was an accident, and added there was nobody but herself and deceased in the house at the time. Joe, meaning Lester, she said, knew nothing of it. Lester said he amid soon clear himself. The witnese spoke to starchinr the house occupied by Rooney and Lester, and finding a hammer and s. sofa leg there. Cross-examined: Neither bore any stains of blood. P. model of the staircase at B.ooney's house was here produced, and witness said that on steps so mach worn that any one ascending there might fall , down. The tut on Lester's linger was such PM might have been caused by picking up pieces of the champagne bottle broken in Rooney's la >use. Mr. Morrison, formerly house surgeon it the general hospital, Birmingham, deposed to the nature of the injuries of deceased, who died soon after admisdion from frdcture of the skull. In erose-examieation, witness said the fracture might have been occasioned by deceased falling backwards from one of the stair Mope, and ether injuries, to the body and legswere probably caused by his being clumsily lifted, corned a long distance, and put into a cab. Witness exetnined Lester, and found no mark upon him and witnese noticed his clothes were not blood-stained. The evidence of Detective Black as LI finding deceased's overcoat at the elder Lester's house concluded the CaPe for the prosecution. Mr. Hugo Young insisted there was no ciao whatever to go to the jury as against either of the Lester'. Mr. Fraith contended that the fact  that Lester, junior, being in Romney's company during the night in question was ample proof of hie knowledge of her plans. The Judge said that, although at present be should not rule either way, he questioned whether there was any evidence against the younger Looter; if there was, it was of the shadiest possible kind, and went almost exclusively to I show that he could not have been at the house. I If the case tailed against Lester, junr., it must likewise against the elder Lester. Mr. Etherington Smith, in reviewing the case for the prosecution, commented on Romney's contradictory statements as evidence of her guilt, and urged that Lester was to the house at the time of the alleged murder. After counsel bad addressed the jury and the judge had summed up, the jury found Rooney and Lester guilty of manslaughter, and the elder Leiters guilty of being acoceeories after the feet. Sentence postponed.