The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1891-11-07 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

HOLE. A COLD-BLOODED CRIME. TUE MURDERER S ANTECEDENTS.  Hetton-le-Hole was last Saturday afternoon alive with the story of a terrible tragedy enacted that morning in the populous colliery village of that name. The tragedy, then on everybody's tongue, was contained in very narrow limits. The details were so brief and clear that nothing was let to conjecture. A cold.blooded, deliberately-planned I murder had been perpetrated in the open street and in broad daylight, and fter committing the erime the murderer had quietly handed himself over to justice. The only doubt which apposed to exist was in regard to the exact nature of the errand upon which the unfortunate woman set out I when she left, her home in the morning at the Four I Lane Ends shortly after ten o'clock. It is true that the prevailing opinion was that Mrs Addison's intention was to proceed to Durham to be married to Andrew Simpson, but many of her neighbours and acquaintances doubted the accuracy of this story, their impression, gathered from conversation with Mrs Addison herself previous to her departure, being that the sole object of her journey was to Pay a • VISIT TO HER MOTHER at Spennymoor. The point is an important one. Of the nature of Johnson's conduct towards the; deceased there appeared, however, to be but one opinion. "He has behaved to her like a brute," said one of her neighbours, a kindly-looking old body. "Ah," she added, "it's a sad thing. I knew her poor husband well. He was as canny a man as ever lived." "Has he been long dead?" enquired our reporter. "Why, yes, hinney," she replied; " he's been dead these fifteen years. He used to drive a cart for the stores." We were standing near the neat - looking little cottage in which the remains of the murdered woman were lying, and as we eonversed a little crowd collected and listened with saddened faces. " Ay, he's many • time threatened her, but he's done it at last," said one of the group. "Had he lodged with her long ?" I enquired. "Yes," replied • little woman, the tears starting to her eyes; "h. was with her fourteen or fifteen years, but she's had him to keep most of the time. He never did any regular work." Then first one and then another of the little group told how Mrs Addison, whom they all described as  CANNY, DECENT_ BODY,"  - • had borne with Johnson until her patience was [ exhausted. This dims:, it appeared, was reached three or four weeks ago. Her son, Christopher, had just been married, and the room occupied by Johnson was required for the newly-wedded couple, and Johnson had to seek other quarters. This [ expulsion from the house where he had so long found shelter, and the suspicion that Mrs Addison was favouring the attentions of Andrew Simpson, appears to have greatly embittered his feelings • towards the unfortunate woman, and the con! • pacture is that be formed the resolution to take her life some weeks ago, when he is stated to have procured the resolver with which he camI mated the dastardly act on Saturday. Hs seems, however, to have maintained for some time an outward appearance of friendship towards his victim, whom he visited and conversed with in a , rational manner only an hoar or so before