The Sun. — 1844-08-16 (London, England)

MURDER AT MANCHESTER.  MANCHESTER, WEDNESDAY EVENlNG.—lntelligence of a shocking murder, within the last few hours, committed on the body of a married woman named Jane Miller, the wife of a cotton operative, residing in Bradshaw-street, Hulme, in this borough, has reached the police. It appears that all the inmates of the house, except deceased and a young man named George Evans, a machine maker from Clifton, near Bristol, went out before six o'clock this morning to go to work, and deceased was seen alive at seven o'clock, and again at nearly eight o'clock, when she took her husband's breakfast. When her husband went to dinner, however, at a little past twelve o'clock, he found the door fast ; but he soon afterwards obtained admission, along with a lodger. named Birmingham, by the back window. The hus band had no suspicion of anything untoward having happened in consequence of the door being fast, but thought his wife, who was labouring under indisposition, had gone to bed. He went up stairs, therefore, and Birmingham, who found that his dinner had not been set out as usual on the table, proceeded to open the door of a small closet in the back parlour, that served at once as a coalhole and larder, when he was astonished to find the unfortunate woman lying upon the floor within it, her feet towards the door, and quite dead. He at first thought that she had committed suicide ; but on examination of the body two fractures on the back of the skull were discovered, and a severe wound on the left temple, as if received from some blunt instrument. A bruise was found also, as from a severe blow, on one side of the mouth, and much discolouration of the throat and neck, as if strangulation had been attempted. Marks of blood were then found on the backparlour floor, near the fire, and on an oilcloth which partially covered the floor, but which had been in some degree removed by an attempt to wash the places. Two ragz, which had been used for this purpose, were found, one in the closet, and the other up stairs. Evans, who had been drinking for several days, and who had been left in bed that morning, was then sought for, but not being found in the house, he was inquired for of the neighbours. The result was such as to leave but little doubt but that he was the author of this atrocious murder, and that his object was the trifling money deceased had about her person, and the plunder of the house. Several of the neighbours stated that they saw him leave the house about ten o'clock, and that soon afterwards a hackney-coach was driven to the door, into which he took a corded box, and was driven away. No disturbance or noise of any kind had been heard in the adjoining houses, and consequently his departure created no suspicion at the time of anything wrong. From the description given of the box which Evans had taken away, it was discovered to belong to Birmingham, the other lodger, and it was then found that three suits of Sunday clothes, one belonging to Birmingham, one to deceased's husband, and one to her son, had been taken away. The deceased's pocket was also discovered to have been partially torn off, and to be turned wrong side out, and from this it is supposed the murderer obtained a sovereign and some silver. An instrument which had been made by Evans some time before, called a life preserver, being a thick piece of steel about a foot long, and the thickness of a man's wrist, with a thong at one end to wrap round the wrist, was then searched for. It had been latterly hung on a nail near the back parlour fire, but it had been removed. It was ultimately found in a table drawer, one and of it covered ;with blood, and no doubt it had been used as the instrument with which the murder was committed.  Evans had served part of his apprenticeship at Bristol, but had come to finish it at Messrs. Etherington and Co.'s, Manchester, and he is said to have received about 7s. a week wages. His intemperate habits had led to increased poverty of circumstances, and he was somewhat in debt at his lodgings. The police, on hearing that he had gone away in a coach, made inquiries, and traced him to the station of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. On the murderer arriving there the ten o'clock train was just starting ; he paid the cabman, and went into the office to inquire at what time the next (second-class) train started. He was told twelve o'clock ; whereupon he said, " Well, I must go by the eleven o'clock firstclass train, as my business is urgent." He remained at the station for a full hour, apparently with as much coolness as if nothing had happened, and at eleven o'clock left for Liverpool. Two of the most active officers of the Manchester police are in pursuit of the murderer. They have issued the following description of his person :—He is about 21 years of age, 5 feet 5 inches high, rather stout, left eye sore, particularly at the corner, and requires often to use a handkerchief ; dark brown hair, short behind and long at the sides ; no whiskers, round face ; dressed in dark moleskin jacket and trousers, dirty green cloth waistcoat, dark cap, with braid round it. Ho had in his possession a silver lever watch, double bottomed, No. 2,017, that he stole from the above house, and a large blue box about one yard and a half in length. Supposed to be a native of Bristol.