The Potteries Examiner : — 1880-01-31 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

THE BURTON-CRESCENT MURDER EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENT.  At Bow-street (London) police court, on Saturday, James Wells, illies Phillips, 22, describedas of no home, who was arrested on leaving the Haute of Correction on Tuesday last by Inspector Pell of the It division, after undergoing a term of imprisonment for felony, was brought before Mr. Flowers for further examination, charged on his own cod. fession with the murder of Mrs. Rachel Samuels, at 4. Burton-crescent, on the night of the II tie 12th December, 1878. On,heing apprehended the prisoner made a statement to the effect that he and another had entered the house by means of a skeleton key, and had murdered Mrs. reunuels. The details of the stati merit were not disclosed on the last occasion, by the request of Mr. Superintendent Williamson, of Scotland yard. It will be remembered that Mary Donovan wee arrested and charged with the murder, on the 14th December 1678, but after being remanded from time to time until the lOthJanuaryllast yearshe wassummarilydischargeil by Mr. Flowers, on the ground that the evidence adduced was not sufficient to warrant her detention. Its her defence she denied all knowledge of the murder, and related an incident that suggested some confirmation of the petitioner's confession. She stated that on leaving 4, Burton Crescent on the 11th December, when sho was employed as charwoman, she observed two men loitering about. The prisoner, on Saturday, stated that -he had been subject to gross ill-treatment in the house of correction, and when he complained of illness they refused to admit him to the infirmmy, on the grohnd that he was "shamming." He was weighed, and a false statement was made to the committee that he weighed over eight stone, when he actually was only 60t. ills. He wished to bring his grievances under notice, and to state that when he was afterwards admitted to the infirmary he was fed on half-rations. Ile complained of serious illness, but had had only half the usual allowance of food, and he was kei;t in a dark room. Poison was put into his food, and it made him sick. Mr. Flowers said he thought enough had been mid to justify serious inquiries into the ,matter, and therefore he proposed to adjourn the ease for that purpose. The prisoner, however, proceeded in a rambling statement to the effect that an officer came to him one night with a pillow, intending to smother him, and when he (prisoner) jumped up to demand what he was about to do, the man mid he was bringing it for another prisoner. He made tho statement about the confessien because he thought it woald save him from being murdered by these men. The prisoner was eventually remanded for another week.  ylichg A bill will be submitad to Parliament during the omiug session, placing the appointment of RegistrarGeneral under the direct control of the Loral Governnt Board. The Belgian Uovernment, tired of the frequent duels between French journalists in Belgium, lalui dipli,natically applied to France to devise means of repressing them. :‘l.a.ny deaths have occurred in the hospitals at Borne from the ancessive cold.  ne funeral of Mr. Robert Lockhait, the pronuDent promoter of the numerous cocoa and coffee rooms in London and the prtu inc. that. hear his name, took place at Kensal Green the other day. Ile died suddenly from an attack of bronchitis.  On the 16th inst.. died at Neuhuaus, Bohemia, Herr Seligmann Feigh. in his 104th rear. To the last he as 111 the full enjoyment of his mental I powers, and on the 12th inst. he made up his accounts las usual. He died from the w witness of old age.