The Northern News. — 1896-05-02 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE CLITIIEROE MYSTERY.  TRIAL OF STARR FOR MURDER.  The trial of the young man, Henry Bertram Starr, for the murder of Eleanor Coulthard, at Clitheroe, on the 23th March, took place at Manchester Assizes, which were opened on Monday by Mr Justice Henn Collins. In charging the Grand Jury, the Learned Judge said that the question as to whether there was or was not a .prima-facie case against the prisoner, which would pistils. them in sending the prisoner to take his trial for murder, was one which would deserve their anxious consideration. Prisoner was keeping company with the deceased girl, or at all events, he was the last person seen in her company before she was found in the water drowned. From some conversation which was overheard he seemed to have made some proposition to her which she declined, but they were apparently quite friendly. Early next morning, prisoner was seen by a policeman thoroughly wet. Asked to account for his condition, he could say nothing beyond that he had been in the water. Later in the day the girl's body was found. There were no indications of violence, and medical men seemed to be able to judge from the condition of the lungs whether the person drowned had been under physical compulsion. It was suggested that the case was one of suicide. Many hypotheses might be given to explain the presence of deceased in the water, and it was for them to say whether on these facts there was a prima-facie case. The Grand Jury found a true Bill, and on Tuesday Starr was put upon his trial. He pleaded nut !platy. Mr Foard, with Mr Mc.Keand and Mr Jordan, appeared to prosecute, and Mr Mc.Keever defended. Mr FOARD, for the prosecution, stated the circumstances as they appeared a few weeks ago in the News. The deceased girl, Eleanor Coulthard, was the daughter of respectable parents living in C irlisle, where the girl had become acquainted with the accu,ed. She was engaged as a domestic servant with Mrs Chorlton at Chatburn, near Clitheroe.  On the Sunday before the tragedy prisoner appeared at Chatburn, and met the .girl near her mistress's house as she was returning from church. That night he went to Clitheroe and slept at a lodging house, which he left before 4 o'clock in the morning. He then asked a constable where he could pawn his coat, as he had no money. At ten minutes to seven that night he turned up at Mrs Chorlton's house, and asked that lady if he might see Coulthard. She informed him that the girl had gone to the station to see a friend off. He went in the direction of the station and was soon after seen in her company. They went for a long walk, in which they were watched by two boys, and eventually at 10-25 were seen at the entrance to a footpath along the river. It was only from the prisoner's own admission that they knew that they had gone along this footpath which lined the river bank. At 12-15 that night Police-constable Holmes, who bad met him in the morning, met the prisoner coming out of the footpath. His body was then wet above the waist. Holmes asked if he had seen the girl he spoke of in the morning, when he replied, "No. I have not seen her. I have been boozing all day." He then went to a lodging-house recommended by the officer. He there dried his clothes, and be stayed in bed till two in the afternoon. Meanwhile Coulthard's body was fund in the Ribble, near the footpath, and Sergeant Bowman visited the prisoner, when he admitted having quarrelled with the deceased because she would not run away with him. He said he left her standing on the footpath, and expl lined that his own clothes became wet through his having fallen off a little bridge. Taking the circumstances into consideration and the first denial that he bad seen the girl, and his subsequent admission that he had, it was impossible to believe that this girl came to her death by mere accident. Witnesses in support of the Counsel's opening statement were called, and deposed to the facts narrated. Letters found on the prisoner from the deceased were read. They were of a loving character, but contained complaints as to the loneliness of her situation, the dreariness of the place, and her earnest desire to be again in "Bonnie Carlisle." Eight letters were partly read, the last one begging of the prisoner not to go away Nsithout seeing her, and promising to go away with him in a few weeks' time.  Mr Itc.KEEvEn, for the prisoner, urged that there was no evidence upon which the jury cou'd convict. The JUDGE summed up, placing the evidence carefully before the jury, and the latter after a short consultation returned a verdict of Not Guilty.