The Warrington Examiner. — 1872-12-21 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

ALLEGED MURDER OF A WOMAN AT WIDNES. COMMITTAL OF THE PRISONER. On Monday, an inquest was held at the Prescot Union Workhouse, before C. E. Driffield, Esq., coroner, in reference to the cause of death of Sarah Ann Dutton, alias Smith, who died at the workhouse hos*, al, on Friday, from injuries alleged to have been inflicted by Henry Southern, alias Smith, a man with whom she cohabited. The accused was not present, being confined, under a remand by the magistrates, in Kirkdale gaol. From a statement made by a witness, Emma Freeman, it appeared that the prisoner and deceased lodged with her at the Marsh, Widnes. The prisoner was a labourer, employed in discharging flats at Mr. Palin's, Widnes, but did not work very-regularly, being a man ,of dissipated habits. The deceased was a sober woman, and worked occasionally as a charwoman when she could obtain employment. She was about 37 or 38 years of age. The parties had lived together for several years as man and wife, but not on very comfortable terms, and quarrels between them were of frequent occurrence. On Saturday, the 19th October last, the prisoner and his wife had an altercation, of which the witness (Freeman) took no notice at the time, and went out. Hearing afterwards that the prisoner was killing his wife, she returned, and found deceased in her bedroom, and the prisoner trying to burst open the door. Prisoner was persuaded to go away, when deceased came out of the room and called him names. She also threw a piece of wood at him. After fastening herself in another room, where she remained a short time, she ran down stairs into the back yard, followed by the prisoner, who however, did not catch her. As they were returning, the deceased threw a stone at the prisoner, and he threw an empty bottle at her, but neither of the missiles appeared to have done any injury. The prisoner and deceased then returned to one of the bedrooms, and in a short time the witness (Freeman) heard a noise, and went up stairs. The deceased was then lying on the bed, the prisoner holding her by the hair of her head, and striking her with his fist in the face. Witness pushed him away, but he pulled deceased with him, and she fell upon the bedroom floor. Deceased then got under the bed for protection' when prisoner, who wore clogs, kicked her several times, and trampled on her with one foot, at the same time threatening to kill her. Deceased cried, "Oh, he has killed ma. lam done; lam done." He said "If you are not done I will kill you." Deceased then came from under the bed, walking very lame, and proceeded to her own room. She showed her arm and knee, both of which were bleeding, saying the ' prisoner struck her on the arm with a poker, and kicked her on the knee; he also threw some boiling water upon her. After some further altercation, the prisoner and deceased appeared to be more quiet, but in about an hour the former came down stairs and , said his wife was deltd. The witness (Freeman) then went upstairs and found deceased lying upon the bed in a state of insensibility.— She was subsequently attended by Dr. King, of Widnes, who, finding that the lodgings she occupied were incommodious for a patient suffering as she was, had her removed to the Prescot Union Workhouse. The symptoms afterwards became more aggravated, and the deceased died on Friday last. Hannah Brunt, Police Constable Clarke, Mr. E. Francis, Medical Officer at the Workhouse, and Dr. King, who attended deceased soon after she received the injuries, gave corroborative evidence. The Coroner, under the circumstances, recommended the jury to leave another tribunal to decide whether the crime was that of murder or the lesser one of manslaughter. The Jury returned a verdict of "Wilful murder against Henry Southern, alias Smith." fact