Northern Times. — 1857-08-11 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

BEFORE MR. BARON WATSON.  Thward Hardman, aged 28, shoemaker, was indicted for the wilful murder of Ellen Hardman, his wife, at Chorley, on the sth of March last. Mr. Monk, Q C., Mr. A Crosse, and Mr. Allison prosecuted; Mr. Overend, Q.C., and Mr. Brett defended the prisoner. Mr. Mork in stating the case to the jury, said it was winecessary for him, in a charge so serious against the prisoner as that of ha,virg taken the life of hie own wife, to request the careful ano discriminating attention of the jury. The prisoner was a shoemaker residing at Chorley, and had been married to the deceased woman about two years and two months. That union had not been a happy-one. The prisoner and his wife were of different religious creeds, and that element of discord had produced the ordinary consequences. He only referred to this as one source of dissatisfaction on the part of the prisoner with his wife, she haiing promised him that she would leave the Church of England of which she was a menber, and adopt the tenets of the Cherefiverf Rome. After their mstriage this and other sources of difference produced a separation, and in three months after their marriage she returned to her Asher's house. After a time he sent for her back again, and she agreed to return and live with him ; and the latter part of their married life had certainly not been distinguished by the differences which had rendered the former part of it so unhappy. cn Shrove Tuesday the deceased woman was taken ill, and on the sth of March, in the following week, she died. She had been attended_ throughout her illnees by Dr. Smith. At this time the prisonec lived at a place celled Botany Bay, a hamlet of Chorley. On the afternoon of Shrove Tuesday the prisoner was in the house of a men na'ued Darwin, a beerhouse keeper, when his wife passed on her way from Chorley, and ehoek her fist at him. Darwin, sf eing tbis, said to the Drieoner, " What is the matter ? You had better he off.'' The prisoner went away, and returned in half an hour, saying his wife had been supping some broth at home, that it had made her ill, and that she had vomited and was much purged. In the course of that day he told another witness that he had " warmed some broth for her." Two days before some broth had been made by a neignixme named Rethevell, who had borrowed a pan to make it in from the deceased, and in re urn he had sent her. some of the broth, which was made of meat and vegetables. Rothwalre family partook of this broth w:lhout tiny ill effects from it, and so did the deceased on the Monday,. and put away some that remained, which she took on Shrove Tuesday, on her return from Chorley, whore see had been. The next day ( Wednesday) the prisoner wrote to his father-in-law that his wife was taken vary ill, and on Tnnrsday he went for Dr. Smith, who attended her. The prisoner told Dr. Smith she was safferieg from a bowel complaint, and unless there was a change she coned not live long The deceased woman was a healthy robust woman, welt formed and muscular. The prisoner wrote again to his fa herein-law describing his wife as vomiting and very ill, and the baby as being also ill. His wife had been confined in the previous October. Her father came over to see her. She complained of her illness, and said she thought she should like a little wine, and her father bought her some blackberry wine, of which the Finnic. Her father remained with hor all day, and