The Sun. — 1865-09-29 (London, England)

EXAMINATION OF THE PRISONER THIS DAY. WESTMINSTER POLICE COURT.—It will be fresh in the recollection of our readers that on Tuesday, August 29, great excitement was caused in Westminster by the report that a labourer named O'Shaugnessy had, at 12 o'clock in the day, in Regent-street, Westminster, cut his wife's throat and then made a desperate attempt on his own life. This account was soon confirmed. The parties, who are of the sister country, had been walking the streets and quarrelling all the morning, the man being apparently under the influence of liquor, and at 12 o'clock, while proceeding through Regent-street, a crowded thoroughfare at that time of the day, he suddenly drew a razor from his pocket, cut his wife's thrOat severely, and inflicted a wound on his own throat of such a nature that both were conveyed with all possible alacrity to the Westminster Hospital in a very precarious condition, no hopes being entertained of the man's recovery for some days. The woman, who was not so severely injured, showed favourable symptoms soon after her admission to the hospital, and, although the man became worse, after ten days he recovered, and was pronounced sufficiently convalescent to be brought up for examination to-day. On being placed in the dock, William O'Shaugnessy, the prisoner, whose neck was bandaged up, was very weak, but much stronger than his wife, whose throat was also bandaged up, and who could hardly speak, was then charged before Mr. Selfe with feloniously attempting to murder his wife, and also with feloniously attempting to commit suicide. Mary O'Shaugnessy—l live at 7, Lillington-street, Phn7 lico. lam staying at Westminster Hospital. Sergeant Mason—They were living apart, and he was living at 7, Bridge-row.  Witness—l was living at 142, Lillington-street, Pim lico. He lived at Bridge-row. I have lived apart from him six years, and maintained myself. I had occasion to summon him here the fortnight after I left him: that was for threatening me, and he was bound to keep the peaco. Knowlaud, 141 K— He was not locked up. Witness—l saw him on the 29th August, a little after eight o'clock. He came to the room where I live. There was no one else there besides me. He wanted to come and live with me again, and I said he shouldn't. He insisted upon stopping, and then I left the room, and would not stop with him there. The people where I lived said he ought to be ashamed of himself. I left the room, and he came after me. Befere I went I threw some water in a pail over him. He stayed in the room about 10 minutes. I went down stairs the first time. He came twice. When he came back the second time I threw  the water at him. I can't say what time ho came back about nine o'clock. When he came back he brought some boys to take the things out of my room. I loft the house altogether then, and I did not know what to do, because he followed me everywhere I went. I came down hero and asked for a summons, and he followed me into the court. I remember his speaking while I asked for the summons, and he was put out of court for making a disturbance at 10.30 by 263 A. I didn't get the summons, and went to the corner of the square (Vincent-square) towards Regent-street, and he followed me. I slapped him in the face, I was so annoyed. He said he would pay her for that presently. He still followed me and put his two hands into his coat pockets. I have got nothing more to say. Mr. Selfe—Go on, please. Witness—l did not see anything. He passed his hand across my throat. I did not see what he had in his hand. He said something when he did it., but I don't remember. When lie naa none iti ne sniriea ou his jacket, and said "I will do for myself now." I put my hands to my throat, and felt all blood. A woman put my clothes up above my neck and said she would stop the blood, and a man said he would strap up the wound, and they took me to the hospital. Mr. Selfe—Did he appear to you sober ? Witness—He was quite sober that morning. Mr. Selfe—Do you wish to ask your lota question ? Prisoner—No, your worship. Jemima Fulford, married, wife of George Fulford, 141, Regent-street, Westminster—l remember the morning of the 29th August. I was standing at my own door. Shortly before 12 I saw two people standing close by the railway talking, the last witness and prisoner. I went to go for an errand. I heard the woman say, "You nasty looking wretch !" and I looked round and passed on; and as I was coming back three minutes afterwards, about three or four yards off, I saw him take her as if he would give her a good shaking. I saw his hand at her throat and the blood spurting out ; and he immediately took hold of his own throat and said, " See, here's another!" and he had a razor in his hand. He walked along by the railings and cut his own throat, and sat on a door step. A little boy picked up the razor and offered it to me. Mr. Charles Antonini—l was house-surgeon at Westminster Hospital when she was brought in. She had a very largo wound, extending almost from ear to ear—only one wound. The windpipe was not severed or injured at all. She was very weak from loss of blood, and in a dangerous state. It was not in the direction of the jugular vein, but, as it were, from jaw to jaw. I also saw the prisoner. He was brought in at the same time. His was the same kind of wound, but even more severe, deeper and longer in the same position. Both were in considerable danger, and the wounds, if not attended to, would have been fatal to life. He left this morning. I don't know whether he is going back. Arthur Mason, 10 B—l was on duty at the station about 12 o'clock. I heard of the occurrence and went to the spot, and found prisoner lying down; his neck had then been tied up. I assisted to take him to the Westminster Hospital. [The razor wits produced covered with blood.l Mr. Antonini—The wounds I saw might be produced by such an instrument as that. Mason—This morning I took him into custody. He said he knew the charge against him. The depositions were ordered to be immediately prepared for the prisoner's committal for trial.