The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1885-11-06 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE HER,EFORDSHIRE MURDER. SENTENCE OF DEATH. At the Gloucester Assizes, John Hill (34), sailor, and John Williams (36), painter, were indicted for the murder of Ann Dickson, alias Doherty, .at Weobley, on September 30. Mr. Darling and the Hon". A. Lyttelton prosecuted; Mr. Griffiths and Mr. Cranstoun defended Williams, and Mr. Ram, by direction of the judge, defended Hill. The circumstances of this ease are of a particularly revolting nature. Two women, the deceased,' and Mary Ann Farrell, the latter coming from Manchester, became acquainted with each other at Worcester about the end of August last. From Worcester they walked to Weobley, Herefordshire, and were employed in bop-picking at the Rename by Mr. Rogers. On the evening of Wednesday, September 30, the two women went into Weobley, and after purchasing some bread they went to the Red Lion Inn, where they had a pint of ale. This was about half-past six o'clock, and as Doherty expected a man named Cox, of Worcester, with whom she lived, they remained at the inn until nearly ten o'clock; but Cox did not come. At the time the women went to the house I there were there the prisoners Williams and Hill, ! and others. Hill said he was going to the Homme, and he and the women agreed to walk together for company. As they left the house Williams was standing at the door with other men, and Farrell said to the deceased that she did not like his look, and would go to the police station for protection: but deceased laughed, and said she was "soft." In the house Williams had behaved rudely to her. Farrell opened the gate of a field through which they had to pass, and at that moment she received a violent blow from behind the post in front of her. She believed the blow was struck by Williams, because Hill was behind, and when she recovered her senses Williams was dragging her child from her and putting it on the ground, She and Williams walked on till they came to a shepherd's house, when she screamed "murder,'' and the shepherd came from his house, and let her into a barn, where she remained the night. When she called for help Williams disappeared, and she did not know what had become of Hill anti the deceased. Some of Farrell's teeth were knocked out; and next morning when she returned to the village she was shown the other woman, who was lying dead. Between six and seven o'clock on the morning of October 1 two men who were going to work found the body of the murdered woman lying in one of Mr. Rogers's fields. She was lying face downwards, her legs were bare, there was blood all round the place, and traces where she Lad apparently been dragged from the road up to the place where she was lying. There was also blood on the aide of the road 30 or 40 yards from the body. Mr. W. . Walker, surgeon, Weobley, was sent for, and he found that the woman had been dead several hours. Her face was completely smashed in, the injuries having been caused by a blunt instrument. It was admitted that the murder was committed with the stick belonging to Williams. It was found in the field broken, the knob not being far from the body. Williams was arrested at his abode in Weobley, and there was a large quantity of blood scattered over his clothes. He made statements the effect of which would be to throw the guilt on Hill. The latter disappeared from Weobley on the night of the murder, and two days after he applied at the police-station at Newport for a night's lodging, giving a wrong name. There were blood-stains on his clothes, and stains on his shirt corresponding with similar marks on the clothes and body of the woman. While at Newport he caused a letter to be written to a brother living in Wales, asking that £2 might be sent to him immediately, that his address might not be given, and that as he was in trouble he intended to get out of England as soon as possible.—Both prisoners were found guilty, and sentenced to death.