Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1880-11-13 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE WUOLD-BE MURDERER BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES.  A. special sitting ot the South Stockton Magistrates was held on Wednesday morning, when the prisoner was brought up on a charge of wilfully and maliciously firing a revolver at Mr Appleton with intent to I murder him. The Magistrates on the Bench were Alderman Richardson (in the chair), Mr W. Whitwell, and Mr C. A. Head. There was a ranch smaller attendance of the general public than might have been expected, but, as a matter of fact, very few persons were aware that the prisoner was to be brought before the Court this morning. Thurlow is a middle-aged man of medium height, with tawny moustache and whiskers. As he came from the Comt-yard to the dock he seemed to be perfectly cool and unconcerned, and when the charge was formally read over to him he did not show the slighest signs of sorrow at the terrible position in which he bad placed himself. He is a single man, and has been living in Brunswick-street, Stockton. On Tuesday afternoon Sapt Bell, of the Stockton Division of the Durham Constabulary, saw the prisoner in the cells, and at once identified him as the man who was found drunk is the streets at Stockton a short time since with a • revolver in his possession. On that occasion, however, the prisoner was very leniently dealt with, as the weapon was not loaded and there was nothing to lead to the suspicion that the man had any intention of perpetrating a murder or of committing suicide. Mr Theodore H. Ward, of Middlesbrough, appeared at the South Stockton Police Court on Wednesday morning to conduct the prosecution on behalf of Mr Appleton. The prisoner was not defended. In opening the case Mr Ward explained that he did not propose to go fully into the charge to-day, but merely iutendedlto call such evidence as he thought would justify a remand of the accused till Tuesday next, when he hoped that Mr Appleton would have sufficiently recovered to be able to attend and give evidence himself. The facts of the case were very simple, and also very clear; but, as they would come out in the evidence which he proposed now to produce, he would not trouble the Bench with any unnecessary remarks on the subject. He then called Mr Thomas Kirkpatrick, the manager and 13 earetary at Mr Appleton's mill. He said that about half past three o'clock yesterday afternoon be went into Mr Appleton's private office, and saw the prisoner standing talking to Mr Appleton, who was seated in his chair at the desk. Mr Ward: Did you pay any attention to the conversation between Mr Appleton and the prisoner ?—N o ; not particular attention, but I heard some of it. What did you gather from the conversation which you heard ?—I gathered that the prisoner was asking Mr Appleton for a character. And what did Mr Appleton say about it? —tie asked the prisoner what he wanted a character for, telling him that during the time be was in his employ he worked as a topsman, and not as a millman. Did the prisoner make any reply to that remark ?—Yes; he said, " I would not come back here to work on any account; I would rather beg my bread." What did Mr Appleton say to that ?—I don't remember his exact words, but they were to the effect that he wanted to know in