The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-07-06 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ALLEGED MURDER AT THE BIRKENHEAD BREWERY.  THE PRISONER BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES.-THE INQUEST AND VERDICT.  At the Borough Police-court, on Saturday— before Dr. Stevenson and Mr. C. Singleton— Henry Martin, 153, St. Anne-street, was charged with the wilful murder of Henry Burrows, 4, Mornington-street. There was an alternative charge of manslaughter against the prisoner. Mr. J. T. Thompson prosecuted, and Mr. R. B. Moore defended. _ _ _  Mr. Thompson said he intended merely to call sufficient evidence to justify a remand. Having briefly stated the circumstances of the case, he called the following witnesses. David Roberts, 134, Conway-street, said he was in the employment of the Birkenhead Brewery Company as tunman. On Thursday afternoon, shoat four o'clock, his attention was called to something taking place in the cellar. He went down into the cellar and found the deceased man Barrows lying at the bottom of the steps. The prisoner was also in the cellar. Witness asked Burrows what was the matter and he said, "Martin chncked some carbolic acid on me." Martin made no reply. Witness and a man named Williams washed the face of the deceased man and rubbed it with oil. The face was all over dirt. The deceased was lying on the broad of his back, and they got him into a sitting position on the floor. The prisoner then came up to the place with the can produced, containing carbolic acid, which he threw in the face of the deceased. Some of the acid went on to his chest. Martin said nothing. He put the can on the shelf and then walked upstairs. Burrows was then taken to the hospital. Charles Williams, 105, Well-lane, Tranmere, said he was in the employment of the Birkenhead Brewery Company as engineer. On Thursday afternoon, the 27th Jane, he went down into the cellar with the last witness and found Burrows and Martin there. Witness asked Burrows what was the matter and he replied that Martin had thrown some acid on him. Martin made no reply. Witness and Roberts cut the strings of the apron which Burrows was wearing, and whilst they were cutting the string from his neck Martin came with the pewter can containing carbolic acid. He stepped towards Burrows and dashed it in his face. Witness asked what he had done that for, and Martin said, "Take that, you b---" Some one was sent for an officer, and the deceased was taken to the hospital. William Bowen, 60, Livingstovie-street, said he was a brewer in the employment of the Birkenhead Brewery Company. The two men, Martin and Burrows, were under witness. Martin was chief cellarman and the deceased man under cellsznian. There is a well in the cellar of the premises in Livingstone-street in connection with the drainage of the cellar. On Monday the two men had instructions to clean out the well and put a little carbolic acid in it afterwards. During the afternoon witness's attention was called to the cellar. He went down and found Burrows lying on his back, and some of the other men attending to him. Witness said, "Martin, have you done this? " He said, " Yes." Witness said, "You must be a very bad man." He said, "Am I going to put up with his nonsense ? " Witness said, "There is no mistake, you have killed the man." One of the men remarked, "I think the man is dead now ". and Martin said, "If he is not dead he ought to be." He then walked out of the cellar, and Burrows was taken to the hospital. Barrows never spoke in his hearing. Mr. Moore intimated that he should reserve his cross examination of the witnesses.  The Bench then granted a remand until to-day, Wednesday.