The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1866-11-03 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

MURDER AT ROCHDALE.  On Monday, at the Rochdale Police.court, Bridget Illineworth, Mary Leaney, and Thomas Heape were charged with causing the death of Sarah Malone, on the 20th instant. The case has been three time before the coroner and a jury, and the contradictory evidence given by the witneases canned suepicion, and now, from confession made by a person named Hannah Smith, the case has assumed the serious character of murder. , The prisoner keaney is a native of Preston, and a short time ago she was imprisoned for damage done to scone goods, the deceased giving evidence against her at the time. The first witness called at the inquiry was Dr. Corn; who stated that, on Saturday night, the 20th inst., he went to the house of Bridget Illineworth, and found Malone in bed, insensible, and =Raring from compression of the brain. She hal a cut on the left side of her head, an inch and a half in length, and 'going through to the bone. She died shortly after. The persons in the room dated that the deceased Dad fallen against the grate. He examined the grate, and found it covered with dust, and no way disturbed. On Wednesday, he made a post-martean examtealion, end found a lathe slot of blood in the *till tinter Che  wound. A -Ohrtion of the blood was of -Old date, caused by violence, and the other of recent date. As she was intoxicated and excited, the external wound canoed death. Smith, who has been reviling .at Illingworth's house, in Concert Tavern Yard, with the deceased and Leaney. said that shout eleven o'clock at night, on the 20th inst., while she, the prisoners Leaney, Illingercrth, and Heaps, were seated in the house, the deceased came home with a man. Ilbngworth gave her a candle, and they went up stairs. She heard 'he deceased rewiest the man to leave her, awl Leaney went up and orchired the man down. He came down, and left. After drinking a quart of beer, Leaney and Heaps went up stairs, and came down in about ten minutes. Heaps left the house, but returned. Illingworth sent Lowrey upstairs for the candle, and Leaney called out for Heaps and Illingworth to come upstairs to assist to lift the deceased into bed, as she was lying on the hearth-stone. As they were lifting the deceased, illingworth found a pool of blood on the floor, and a wound on the side of the head, and the doctor was sent for. A short time after, when she (the witness) was standing in the street close to the door, speaking to a man, Illingworth and Leaney were alone in the home. She heard Rlingworth ask Leaney how the deceased had receivel the wound. Leaney replied that when she and Heaps went up stairs, the deceased was on the bed asleep and would not remove. and she struck her on the head with the iron candlestick. She then went into the house, and Leaney and Illingworth told her that she was not to tell any person that a man had been up with the deceased. She said that she would mention it if she was asked, Leaney and Illingworth replied that if she did they would beat her. They agreed to tell one story at the inquest, but at the second inquiry they decided to say that they saw a man go up with the deceased. What she had now told the magistrates was nothing but the truth. The Chief Constable stated that he had a person named Millo in custody for neglecting to support his wife and family, and as soon as he had been taken into the cell, the prisoner Heaps said he was the man that went upstairs with the de. ceased. The witness Smith did not recognise him as the person, and Mills stated that at the time he was in the Infirmary; therefore he wished him to be remanded so that he might make inquiry. The prisoners and Mills were remanded.