Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1885-07-04 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

THE WFHTECHAPEL MURDER.  SENTENCE OF DEATH.  At the Central Criminal Court, Henry Alt, 31, baker, was indicted for the wilful murder of Charles Howard; and on a second count he was indicted for wounding Ann Eli= Russell, with intent to murder her, in Rutland-street, Whiteehapel-road, on the 18th March last. Mr. Poland briefly opened the ease or the prosecution, and then called Mrs. Ann EliVl Russell, who stated that she was a widow, and resided at 25, Rutlandstreet, Whitechapel. Her husband had been a police. constable. On the night of the 18th March she went out and net the decea.ed, Charles Howard. She had known him for a short time. She had previously known the prison T. who had asked her to marry him, but she had declined to do so. She afterwards promised to marry the deceased man, Charles Howard. As she was going home with Howard they met the prisoner, and went together into the White Hart public - house in Turner -street, a short distance from her lodgings. They only stayed a short time. A friendly conversation took place. They tad a little drink, but they were all sober. They left, when the house was being shut up. Prisoner was at that time lodging at a public-house in Whitechapel-road. They crossed the road together, and, in the hearing of Howard, the prisoner asked her to marry him, to which she replied, "No, air; as I said before, I am going to marry Howard." Her land. lord and landlady came up, and after some conversation the prisoner stabbed Howard two or three times in the side. Howard had not done anything, and then prisoner got hold of witness and swung her round, after which he stabbed the witness six times in the chest and three times in the back. Ho said nothing at the time. Howard had gone away to the corner of Rutland-street, after Ire was stabbed, and she saw him there after she was stabbed. Alt again ran to him and stabbed him again. Her landlady took her into the house, and she was at once taken to the London Hospital,where she remained nine weeks. While Alt was stabbing her her landlady went into the house and shut the door. Alt was on friendly terms with her late husband. In cross-examination by Mr. Besley, witness said she had never told prisoner she would marry him, but she told her landlady that she would marry him at the end of twelve months from her husband's death. She had never taken poison and I asked prisoner to give her an emetic, or done anything I else to induce prisoner to marry her. The other I witnesses, whose evidence was fully reported when the case was on several occasions before the magistrate, were called. Mr. Poland afterwards inimmed , up the case on behalf of the Crown, and contended that this was either a case of murder or nothing. Mr. Besley next addressed the jury in defence of the prisoner. He pointed out what he alleged were discrepancies in the evidence. He put it that at the utmost the jury could only give a verdict of manslaughter. He said that the prisoner had had much provocation. Mrs. Russell had promised to marry him. He had, after that promise had been made, entrusted his bank-book to Mrs. Russell, and then she, his affianced wife, took up with another man, and a quarrel ensued about this. By a sudden impulse, after they had all been drinking together, and in the course of an angry dispute, this occurrence took place, which proved that it could only be one of manslaughter. The learned judge then proceeded to sum up. He first explained the law as to what was murder and what VMS manslaughter. He then analysed the evidence with great care, and left it to the jury to decide. At ten minutes past three the jury retired to consider their verdict. In the course of 25 minutes the jury returned with a verdict of guilty, but with a strong recommendation to mercy on the ground of extreme provocation. Mr. Justice Stephen then, in the usual form, passed sentence of death, and said the recommendation of the jury should be conveyed to the proper quarter.