The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1880-12-25 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.  Great excitement has been occesioned in the little sind pleasant village of Walton, near Wakefield, by the occurrence of a shocking murder and attempted suicide of the murderer. The perties to the tragedy are a liveiurer named Thomas Beckett, and his wife Hannah, who for some time past have lived at the village in question. The deceased was about 30 years old, and was the daughter of a farm labourer, her husband being employed at Hemsworth Colliery. The house where the tragedy was corn• mitted is the first of a row of eight small cotteges situate in a yard, and at the end of the yard nearest the highway are several larger buildings, formerly used as offices and stables. The cottages are of the ordinary type of labourers' houses, being one storey in height, end consisting of two rooms, one of which served the purpose of a kitchen, the ether at the hack being used as a bedroom, where Beckett and his wife slept. The three houses immediately ad joining Beckett's have been unoccupied for some time, and this may perhaps account for the fact that no noise was heard by any of the neighbours. In fact so unconscious were some of the neighbours of what was transpiring that a person was actually milking his cows in an Otthouse wioining during the time the fearful scene was being enacted, and was unaware of anything unusual until he saw a crowd around the door. The first to discover that anything wrong had occurred was the brother of the deceased. He is employed as a labourer by the Aire and Calder Navigation Trustees, and reached the house about ten minutes past five at night. He found the door locked, but suspecting nothing he went and asked some of the neighbours if they knew anything about his sister. He could gain no information, however, and he then went into an adjoining house, where he waited for a short time. At last, becoming impatient, he determined to effect an entrance by means of the window of the bed-toom. For this purpose he had to get into a field at the back of the row and climb the wall of the house. On entering the room he states that he saw two figures on the bed, but was unable in the darkness to discern who they were. Feeling conscious that something was wrong, he hastily made his way into the kitchen :and struck a light. Returning into the bed-room he was horrified to find his sister and her husband lying side by side on the bed with their throats cut. Without welting to see whether they were dead or live, he at once rushed to the house of Police-constable Newton, who has been for many years stationed at Walton, and is well acquainted with the district. Newton at once proceeded to Beckett's house, which he reached shortly tsfter six o'clock. He found that Mrs. Beckett was dead, the body being still warm. Her husband wee quite conscious, but suffering from great loss of blood. His right arm was placed under his w ife's neck, and his left arm was thrown over her body. It was evident that the wounds had been inflicted by a razor, which was lying on the bed, and it is somewhat singular that on the floor was found a table-knife, the blade of which was nearly doubled, as though it had come into violent contact with some hard substance. The knife was smeared with blood, but this might have been caused by falling on the floor of the room, which was covered with blood. The gash in the throat of the poor woman is of the most fearful kind; and it is evident that the windpipe was at once severed. The deceased woman must have been taken unawares; she was a strong and powerful person, and it is thought could easily have overcome her husband. Beckett, who was a native of Brackenhill-common, near Noetell, is described as having been a quiet and inoffensive man, and on the day of the tragedy was working as usual up to three o'clock at the colliery. For some time pad there has been a great unpleasantness between the parties in consequence of the conduct of Mrs. Beckett. It is said that until recently they have lived happily together, but the cleansed woman having formed an intimacy with another man led to disagreement between them. On the evening in question Beckett, on returning home from his work, met his wife on the highway near their cottage. He asked her where she was going, and her answer was that she intended to visit Hamilton's Diorama, which is at present being exhibited ist Wakefield. Suspecting that she intended to go along with another man, it is said he accused her of it, and she at once admitted it was so. It seems that he then persuaded her to re-enter the house. and that also immediately afterwards he committed the rash act.