Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1883-06-16 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

TERRIBLE MURDER AT WOOLWICH. In the Woolwich Union House, Flemetead, before the coroner ends jury, an inquest has been held as to the death of Mrs. Mary Ann Hughes, aged 73, whose son, William Hughes, is in custody on a charge of killing her. The crime was committed under circumstances of peculiar atrocity. From the depositions of the deceased and her husband, it seems that their son came into the house, slightly under the influence of drink, and demand,l his supper. His mother told him it was not ready, and then, before the eyes of her husband, who was lying in bed in the last stage of a fatal illness, accused seized a hammer and struck her repeated blows on the head, The husband, who has since died, made a strong statement against the prisoner; the mother in her dying deposi. tion tried to shield her son, saying that she met the Injuries which caused her deAth by a fall in trying to escape from hie threatened violence. A witness stated that on the night in question he went into the Hughes's house, where he found the old woman on the bed beside her dying husband, bleeding profusely from wounds in the head. The prisoner said to witnes,, " I don't think I ought to leave her here ; I ought to finish her off." Two medical men, who had made a post-mortem examination, reported that there were eleven wounds on the skull of the deceased, causing four fractures and an abscess on the brain which was the immediate canoe of death. The jury returned a verdict of Wilful murder spinal William Hughes."  Mn. Boar, M.P., as president, and Mr. W. Crawford, as secretary of the Miners' National Union have Issued a joint circular to the miners of the United Kingdom in reference to the action of the Liberty and Property Defence League In sending agents into the Mining districts urging the miners to oppose the Ern. ployers' Liability Act Amendment Bill, and to paid can. Tasters petitioning and putting forth every effort to defeat the proposed measure. After stating that the Amendment Bill has been introduced at the urgent request of the Trades Union Congress, representing over a million trades unionists of the country, the writers enter Into a lengthy criticism of the objections taken by the league, and claim that the Employers' Liability Act, 1880, instead of being afailare, has been attended by the most beneficial results. In conclusion, Messrs. Burt and Crawford analyse the constitution and objects of the Ileagae, and then leave the miners of the United Kingdom to decide whether thee are the men, and the league the organisation, which deserved their confidence and assistance._ . .  - AT the Police-court, Burton-on-Trent, a young Married woman, named Mary Abrams, was recently charged with attempting to murder her two children, and also with attempting to commit suicide. It appears that the prisoner quarrelled with her husband, and, leaving home with her children, ahe went to the canal and threw them into the water, jumping in afterwude herc tell. Assistance was fortunately at hand, and all three were rescued. The magistrates committed the woman for trial at the assi/ea. _  THE first meeting of the Land Ref orm Union, has been held at Anderton's Hotel, Bleet-etreet. London. Mr. Councillor Walker, of 13irmingham, presided, and among the company were Miss Helen Taylor, Dr. G. B. CLarke, Mr. J. L. Joynes, and others Resolutions were passed In favour of nationalisation of the land, and in sympathy with the work of the union in endeavouring to were the restitution of the land to the people.