The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1879-07-05 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE RICHMOND MURDER. TRIAL OF CAT EIERINE WEBSTER.  The trial of Catherine Webster for the wilful murder of Julia Martha Thomas at Richmond, on or about the 2nd of March last, was commenced at the Old Bailey, L ,n-don, on Wednesday, before Mr Justice Denman. The Solicitor-General and Mr Poland prosecuted; Mr Warner Sleigh defended. The Solicitor-General, after referring to the nature of the charge, said that the prisoner had been engaged as servant by the murdered lady, after whose death she continued to order from various tradesmen goods in her name for domestic purposes. She had in the most systematic manner endeavoured to sell the furniture in the house to a person named Church, and she also appropriated to herself a quantity of the deceased lady's jewellery and other articles, which would be proved were her mistress's. The furniture had been disposed of to and partly paid for by Church,who was about to remove it, when Miss Ives, the landlady, interfered, and her interposition caused it to be returned to the house. Fearing exposure the prisoner fled to her relatives in Ireland, where she was arrested and brought over to Richmond. On the return journey she made a statement to the detectives, in which she implicated Church, and asserted that she had been bound over by him to secrecy. In consequence of this statement Church was arrested, but after a preliminary investigation he was discharged, and the Crown decided to call him as a witness for the prosecution. The finding of the box containing the remains of Mrs Thomas was next touched upon. Julia Nichols, servant girl, who knew Mrs Thomas, was next examined. She stated that she saw Mrs Thomas pt the Presbyterian Church at RichPond on the morning and evening of the 2nd of March. On the following Sunday she was not there, and she did not again see her alive. The bonnet produced had been the property of Mrs Thomas and was worn by her on the Sunday referred to, when she left before the conclusion of the service. Miss Ives, the landlady of the home, and who resided next door, was then called, and she stated that on Sunday, March 2nd, she heard, shortly after Mrs Thomas's return from church, a noise in the house as if caused by the fall of a heavy chair. The noise was on the dining room floor, and sounded as if inside of the room, but nearer the hall. On the following morning she heard no other noises. The trial of Catherine Webster for the murder of Mrs Thomas at Richmond was resumed at the Old Bailey on Thursday. The boy Porter, in cross.examination, said that he was not surprised at the prisoner asking Lim to leave her alone on the bridge with the box, nor was he surprised at her asking him late at night to assist her in carrying the black bag, which he supposed was dropped into the river. Henry Porter, father of the previous witness, was next called and stated that when Webster visited him he at first did not know her, not having seen her for several years. She told him she had an excellent home at Richmond, but that in consequence of her having been unfortunate with her lodgers she had determined to sell the furniture and asked him to find her a broker who would dispose of it. The witness added that the prisoner showed him a portrait,which she said was that of her father, and also a number of gold rings,which she represented as having belonged to her deceased sister. The witness next proceeded to give in detail the way in which she was introduced to Church; the purchase of the furniture for £6B; the removal of the plate; and their being stopped when about to remove the furniture.