The Cotton Factory Times. — 1886-06-11 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

SAMPLES AND QUOTATIONS SENT FREE TO ANY ADLEESS.  Shocking Manler by a Factory about twelve months ago Waite said he and his wife lived most happily together, but latterly they have been Operative at Bump. on very miserable terms. He had repeatedly threatened As briefly reported on Saturday, a murder of a most to take her life, and she had complained to the neighrevolting character was committed at Bacup on Friday bouts about it. He had also told her that Ashworth would have to leave the house, and she had replied that evening. The perpetrator of the deed was a weaver in if he went she would go too. When apprehended a a cotton factory, named John Waite, aged about 35 a letter was found in prisoner's possession addressed to years, and the victim his wife, a little his senior in his wife and dated about three weeks back, stating that years. The couple belonged to Cambridgeshire, and he intended to commit suicide, and asking her to forgive when they came to Rosseudale a sew years ago they him. Prisoner and his wife and family have attended were so poor that they had to walk all the way from Thorn Wesleyan Chapel, and on Saturday the prisoner Whittleses, in that county. For a short time Waite was visited in gaol by the Rev. D. Solomon, of .13s,cup. p It is stated that in the event of a conviction at the was employed by a Sacup grocer, cleaning his shop and taking out parcels, while his wife, Harriet by name, assizes a memorial in prisoner's behalf will be got rip. went out washing and cleaning. Later on both secured employment in the cotton mill, Waite as a weaver and his wife as a winder. Owing, however, to attacks of rheumatism, from which he suffered acutely, and to the fact that he learned to weave late on in life, his earnings were irregular, and were not as much as Mrs. WMte thought they should be, and had in fact led to quarrels between the two. The house in which the couple lived—not very happily it would seem—was in Rochdale-road, Bathe, the only :door being in an entry leading from the road. It is a two-roomed house used as a living room, but there was a bed in it, used up to recently by a lodger, of whom it is said Waite became jealous, and who had to leave. Three children also lived in the house, a boy of 11 years, a girl of 9, and another boy aged 7. Waite left work at half-past five on Friday evening, as usual, arid reached home about six o'clock. The tea was not ready, there being no bread in the house. Waite offered his wages to his wife, but she declined to accept "such a bit,' and an altercation ensued. The children were in the house at the time, but Waite told them to leave, and they did so. Waite, according to his own confession, then seized the fire tongs, with which he felled his wife to the ground. It was uot until his wife lay helpless on the ground that Waite co,.eoiveti the idea of murdering her. He then attacked her with a sharp penknife, with which he inflicted wounds on various omits of the head and body. Then, seizing the breadknife, he cut the woman's throat from ear to ear, completely severing her head from her body, save an inch or two at the back. After washing the blood off his bands the murderer left the house, locking the door after fnm. Seeing his children in the road, he called to his little girl to go along with him. Holding the girl's hand, Waite walked down the road as far as the house occupied by Police-constable Low. Placing the door key on the table, he told Low he had murdered his wife. Waite was then taken into custody, and conveyed to the lineup Police Station. On entering the house the police found Mrs. Wade lying on the hearth in a pool of blood. On the floor near to her head was the breadknife, and close to her feet the penknife. The tongs, broken, lay under the dead body. The walls and furniture were besmeared with blood, and from the appearance of the room it was clear that a terrible struggle had taken place. At the police station the prisoner made. a statement to the effect that when he arrived home he three or four times offered his wife his wages, amounting to between us. and 125., but instead of accepting it she began to upbraid him for not bringing more money. Exasperated by his wife's language, he seized the tongs and struck her. 'hey struggled together, and at length she fell to the ground. Seizing the breadknife in a moment of frenzy, Se forted the point through her neck, and then drawing it though the flesh, cut her head almost completely off.