The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1884-06-07 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A GIRL.  In London, on Monday, at the Worship-street Police-court, Thomas trriah Coney, 38, described as a labourer, living at 4, Nicol-street, Shoreditch, was • brought up on a charge of having attempted to murder his daughter, aged 11 years. It appeared from the evidence of the police and from that of the young girl, who had with difficulty been brought to •the court, that the alleged attempt took place on the previous day (Sunday), at about five o'clock. The prisoner lived at the address given with his wife and two children, the one in question being Charlotte Ann Coney. The prisoner and his wife had quarrelled on Saturday night and also on Sunday morning, the prisoner himself having been drinking heavily. There were lodgers in the house who lived in a room above that occupied by the prisoner's family, and they heard the noise of quarrelling during Sunday. This went on the most of the day, and at about teatime a loud scream was heard, which caused the lodgers to go below to see what was going on. On entering the prisoner's room they found him with his daughter Charlotte. She was being held up in a standing position upon a chair, and the prisoner had placed a thick rope round her neck and tied it tightly. The rope was carried above a nail driven in the wall, and the prisoner was holding with one hand the other end of it, apparently about to pull it and to suspend the child and strangle her. The child was struggling to get away, and the two men who had gone to the room at go opportune a moment rushed to her and succeeded in rescuing her from her father's grasp. The prisoner said to the men,." If you hadn't come now, I should have hung all the three and then hung myself." The wife and other child had, it appeared, run away from the place, and there was considerable trouble in finding them afterwards. The girl Charlotte was examined at the police-station, but there was no visible thark upon her throat, and it was considered that the rope had not been tightened round the neck. After being allowed to leave the care of the police the little girl ran away from the neighbourhood, and was some time afterwards found at the house of her uncle, a short distance off. She was still under the protection of her uncle, and he undertook to look after her until there was hope of her safety at home. The prisoner's wife said that her husband had during Saturday night a fit of delirium tremens. When he kept away from drink he was a steady man, and he was not often violent. The police said they were not aware of any previous charge against him, and his general character appeared to be good. The prisoner expressed his sorrow for what had occurred, and said he should not have been guilty of this but for drink. He was remanded in custody.  House HumNo.—Agent (to couple who think they have at length hit on a thoroughly quiet spot). "And you won't find it dull neither. There's good piano-organs comes round two or three times a week—the muffins is regular—you can have yer chairs caned and kettles mended at yer very door, and other litl le things just as handy. [Collapse of couple].—Judy. "GET OUT! "—Why should you expect upholsterers to be always willing to become subscribers to public charities? Why, because, you see, they are chair-ortable people,—Judy.