Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1880-02-07 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

MIIMS2R AT MANCHESTER. ARREST OF TWO MEN. Two men, named Richard Heald and Thomas La cock—the former a dealer in coals near Maneheater, and the latter describing himself as a working smith— have been arrested on the charge of murdering Sarah Jane Roberta. The arrest was mainly brought about by the publication of the decoy letter written to Mr. Greenwood, in whose service the murdered girl had been employed, and the handwriting of which coincides with that of other letters received by other persons from the prisoner Heald. The two men were appre heeded in Plymouth, whenee they intended embark ing for Australia.  HAILD BEFORE THZ LANCASHISE The prisoner Robert Haild, alias Thomas Wait, was brought up at rise Manchester County Police-court Strangsways. In the charge-sheet he was desoribed as 30 years of age, a coal dealer, into of 17, John-street, Harpurhey, and the charge preferred against biro was thai he, on the 24th Deoember, 1879, " ' ' " " ' • "  aNancheater, unlawfully, wilfully, knowingly, and corruptly made and subscribed before a justice of the peace a certain declaration in lieu of an oath, directed and authorised to be made and subscribed under authority of the Act 5 and 6 William IV., cap. 62, he well knowing the same to be untrue in a certain material aesignment. There were two assignments of perjury; one that the prisoner falsely stated that he had never before been in the Australian colonies, and the other that he gave his name as Thomas Wait instead of Robert Haild. He admitted that he had done so, and was remanded, with a view to see if henna be identified as having been near Mr. Greenwood's house on the day of the murder. His friends say they are prepared to prove an alibi. He is the son of a respectable dyer in Manchester, for whom he was working some time ago, and persons who have heard that some stains on his clothes are to be examined imagine that they may be fully accounted for by his employment in the dye-house. His father and brother have tried to visit him, but were not admitted, the police informing them that the prisoner said ha wished to me scone but his wife. It appears that be married her in Brisbane, and returned from Australia last year. The wife says it was well known to their neighbours that they were going out again, and that it will be emy to prove an alibi with regard toiler husband's whereabouts on the night of the murder. Other persons say that, he was occupied at the very time in selling some of his household goods to neighbours. These and other points are being sifted by the police before further proceedings are taken against the man. He is reputed to have passed an unsettled life, but not to have been of bad or intemperate habits. Apprentice to a printer, he in- , sisted on going out to Australia when ho was about 16. For the greater part of the fifteen years eince then he had been in Australia or elsewhere abroad. He was at home three years ago, but went out to Queensland atthe same time as the young woman whom he afterwards married there. She came home last year, and he followed.. He has been often heard to regret that he did not remain in the colony. Having had one " assieted passage" already, it is supposed that he resorted to a false name to obtain another. His statement that his wife and child were to join him at Plymouth with their boxes is not yet disproved. Many other particulms about the man are forthcoming, whioli would be of no moment but for the natural eagerness of the Manchester people to judge whether the polioe have in custody the perpetrator of a very alarming as well as brutal crime which seemed likely to QR., pursuit. Robert Haild was brought up a second time at the County Police-court at Manchester, on the charge a perjury, and remanded. In the course of the day Haild asked whether he would not be allowed enhance to clear himself of the charge of murder preferred against him, which be said he could very shortly do. Sir J. Mantell informed the prisoner that be was net charged with murder, and that he now stood remanded on an accusation of perjury.