Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1880-07-17 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

THE HERDER AT MUTH.,  At the Maidstone Assize, before Mr. Baron Pollock, Tomas Berry, 37, carpenter, of Brith, vas charged rods tbe wilful murder of Caroline Adams, at Broth, n June 15. Mr. Byron appeared for the prosecution, 0 Ate. Gabs. defended. Mr. Byron, in opening th, case mid the prisoner had lived with the deceased for two years, but ehe left him in May last. On 13 Le met her at a public-house near grA in company with her sirter. The proems]. asked them to drink with him, but this they refumd to do, and it appeared they went into the tea garden adjoining. The prisoner followed them, and seeing the deceased sitting under a walnut approached her, and without any previous miming, stabbed her several times with a chisel. g„,,,ral witnesses were called in support of the prosecution. James Borges, Police-constable It 384, gave evidence as to apprehending the prisoner, who mid, It is all right. Is she dead P" Witness replied, .1 believe she is," and the prisoner answered, " A rod job too." He was not drunk at the time. The prisoner also stated there were two more persons whom ,wished to kill, and if he did not do it some one else would. Howard Keen, surgeon, of Belvedere, mid he saw the deceased shortly after the occurrence. She wes dead. 31r. Dickens contended that the not was not a deliberate one, ard that it was commstted when suffering under the influence of drink. He strongly urged the jury to say by their verdict that the prisoner woe not at the time of the occurrence responsible for his actions. Bis lordship hawing briefly summed up, the jury almost immediately returned a verdict of guilty. Baron Pollock, who told the prisoner he could hold out no hope of soy remission of the sentence, then paned the sentence of death in the usual form. The prisoner, who appeared to take the matter very coolly, prior to loving the dock, quietly mid to his lordship, "The witnesses have not told the truth." He then waived be hand to the Court, and mid "Good-bye."  TREATMENT AND MORTALITY OF PhISONERS. Resulting from circumstances disclosed at three recent inquests held on the bodies of prisoners in her Majesty's Prison of Olerkenwell, a cornmite° is in the course of formation with the eject el bringing under the notice of the Government and tho public the dietary and treatment of shorbterm prisoners, as well as the allegation that in the prison referred to there are cello unfit for delicate men. To this end the aid of the Board Association will be invoked. Two of the inquests have been very recently held one of the eases resulting from the suicide of a prisoner named Hellier, aced 17 years, a Great Northern Railway van attendant, who, by reason of his term of imprisonment being only one month, received only bread and water for breakfast and supper, with porridge for dinner. In the other ease, that of John Harvey, who died from acute pneumonia, and whose eentence was two months' iniriemment, the dietary was as follows ; Breakfast dally—broad.6os.; gruel, one pint. Dinner. Sunday and Monday bread, Son.; suet pudding, Som.; Friday—bread, Hoz. ; potatoes, Boz. ; Tuesdat , Thu,day, and Saturday—bread, Hoz. ; soup, half-aspint Supper—bread, Son.; gruel, one pint. It is stated the the mortality among short term Drisoners in this gaol is very large on account of insufficient food, and that hence an inquiry is necessary.