The Staffordshire and Potteries Examiner. — 1881-01-01 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

THE ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER AT STOKE.— Arthur Haigh, professional singer and clog dancer, WAS charged with assaulting Marie Briggard, ott the eth inst., with intent to do her grievous bodily harm.— Complainant said she was a widow, but had been living with prisoner as hie wife at 24, Cornwallis-street, Stoke. Prisoner was a dyer by trade, but had recently been employed as a professional singer and dancer. About twelve o'clock on the night of the 6th inst., he returned to his lodgings, in company with his partner, rrank alildway. • Prisoner on coming in said he would wash upstairs, he having returned with hie face still black. She said she would wash him, and when she went to do so they eommenced laughing at him. He was very vexed, and struck her in the eye. He afterwards said something about going to bed, but she told him she should not go to bed with him again, but he would see what she wonld do the :ollowing day. She kinked at him, and he got up the poker and struck her on the arm. She did not exactly remember what took place afterwards. She did not see a knife until it was shown her. She was removed to the Infirmary the same night, He had been very kind indeed to her previously, and was very vexed, or would net have done what he did.—George Stokes, waggon builder, Cornwallis-street, Stoke, said complainant and prisoner had been lodging with him, and on the night named he heard them quarrelling about washing. Witness was in bed at the time, but heard a blow struck and complainant say she would settle him in the morning. She also said she would not sleep with him again. Prisoner was very drunk, but she taunted him again and again. He said she would not go to bed with anyone else. Witness then heard a rumbling noise, and cries of murder. He got up and went downstairs, where he found complainant lying on the floor in the porch, and prisoner in the act of striking her on the arm with the poker. The poker, which was now produced very ranch bent, was straight the day before the occurrence. Prisoner really did net know what he was doing. Witness picked her up and put her on the sofa, complainant being unconscious at the time. The knife produced was witness's property, and was perfectly straight before the occurrence.— Police-eenstable Charles Gibbons said he WAS called in by the last witness, and, from what was said to him, charged prisoner with stabbing complainant with the Knife produced. Prisoner, in reply to the charge, said "so, she tumbled over. a basin and out herself." He iu the presence or witness, Iwo, caiuiactug her, asked her not to give him in chart,e. The room was more like a slaughter-house than anything else, blood being bespattered about the floor and on the walls.—Dr. A. MoAldowie said he was called in to see complainant on the 7th inst., about three p.m. Complainant was lying on the sofa quite conscious, but sufering from shock. He found a scalp wound on the forehead about two inches long. On the bask of the head there were two lacerated wounds, one three inches long and the other a lit* mere than an inch in length. On the left arm there ilia severe bruises and swelling, and there were seveial braises on both shoulders and on the back of the neck. There was a wound on the ring finger, and the ring was imbedded in the wound. She had lost a great deal of blood, and witness bandaged up the wounds temporarily, and sent her to the Infirmary. His opinion was that all the wounds with the exception of those upon the forehead and the finger had been caused by a blunt instrument or very heavy falls. The wound on the ring finger might have been caused by complainant clutching of a knife. The wounds altogether were of a character dangerous to lite, He did not think the knife had been used in the manner indicated by its appearanee.--eThe Stipendiary said he had made-up hls mind to commit prisoner for trial at the ensuing Assizes on the charge of attempted murder. Prisoner reserved his defenee.  _ PLATEMMEER FlNBD.—James Cheaters, a plate. maker, was charged with leaving his work on the 4th of October without notice, and in debt to the amount of .£6 15s.—Mr. Jackson, manager for Messrs. Alcock and Son, proved the charge, but adtled that defendant left his table fall of green ware, which had been fettled and credit given for it. The balance, 43 155, was what was now claimed.—The Stipendiary made an order for the payment of the amount with costs.