Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1885-09-25 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE.  A murder and suicide was committed at Derby early on Monday morning, the victims being George Bowcock, aged 48 years, a Midland Railway employe, and his wife, who was about the same are. They resided in Calvert-street, near the Midland Railway Station. The family went to bed about half-past nine on Sunday night, and there was then nothing to indicate the probability of anything unusual. The youngest child, a baby, slept in the room with its parents, the other four children sleeping in an adjoining room. About half-past twelve o'clock the eldest boy heard his mother call out twice. He went to the door of his parents' room, and asked his father what his mother was screaming about. Bowcock replied, "She's all right; she's better now," and the boy returned to his room. Shortly afterwards, on hearing his father go downstairs, he opened his door, and saw his father with a candle in his hand. He said, what are you going about for ?" Boweock replied, "Go back, you bad lad; there's nothing amiss; your mother is better now." The boy said he wanted some drink, and then went back to bed. In a few minutes Bowcock brought up some tea in a cup, and left the room. About half an hour afterwards his son heard him downstairs, making a noise in the cellar, as if he was chopping coals. Eventually the boy fell asleep. At half-past six in the morning he entered his parents' room, and found his mother lying on the bed. The bedclothes were disordered, and had a good deal of blood upon them. He ran to Mr. Patrick, who lived next door, and asked him to come in. Mr. and Mrs. Patrick at once went into the house and up into the bedroom' where the woman was lying. She had over her heads torn flannel petticoat, which had evidently been placed there by her husband, after he committed the deed. There were three large gashes on the woman's throat, and the windpipe had been completely severed. Her hands were also cut, as if she had struggled desperately with her husband. Another neighbour, named Clarke, then came in, and found Bowcock lying dead at the bottom of the cellar stairs. He had a piece of broken rope round his neck. Police-constable Stoke was then called in, and he found that Bowcock had hanged himself over the cellar door, in a peculiar manner. Fastening one end of the rope to the latch on the house side of the door, he had passed the rope over the top of the door and, making a noose at the other end, suspended himself by it, his feet hanging down the steps. Death had thus resulted. The rope had afterwards broken, and that this occurred after his death appeared from the fact that there was a bruise en the man's fore head, evidently caused by falling down the steps. The razor with which the murder had been committed was found on a table M the sitting-room below. Bowcock, it appeared, was a most considerate husband, in addition to being a steady and well-behaved man. He had been employed at the Midland Station for 18 years, and up till recently he had charge of the steam whistle in the locomotive department. Latterly his duties have consisted of looking after the stationary engines in the sheds. Ten months ago he commenced to suffer from softening of the brain, and since then he has ben incapacitated from attending to his work. Being a member of the Midland Railway Club, he received relief from that quarter; but recently he was struck off the roll of those entitled to receive the club benefits. About a fortnight ago he went to Southport, and stayed for a week at the Convalescent Home. After his return to Derby he felt so much better that he decided to make an effort to resume work on Monday morning. Bowcock was told, however, at the station that he would have to produce a doctor's certificate that he had entirely recovered, and this seemed to have preyed upon his mind, as he thought he should experience some difficulty in obtaining that document.  A farmer named Morgan O'Brian has been arrested for murder at Nenagh under the following circumstances. The accused was walking home on Sunday night when he was accosted by two farmers, James Ryan and Patrick Lynch. The former called O'Brian a Government man and other offensive epithets, whereupon O'Brien ran into his house, seized a rifle, and shot one of them dead.  Two lads under ten years of age were ordered to be flogged by the Barnsley marristrates on Fridny for stealing a horse worth £4O. They rode to Doncaster on the St. Leger-day, and tried to sell the animal for 10s. _ . _  The details of a shocking case of vitriol throwinb was gone into lief ow; the Chester magistrates on Monday. Charles Davies, plumber, got very drunk and delirious with passion against his wife, lie seized a bottle of corrosive fluid and flung it at her. The stuff missed the mother, and fell over the head and face of his daughter Sarah, aged eleven. The poor chili ran sceeamimt in agony from the house, and was earned to the Infirmary, where it 'was found that she had sustained dreadful injuries. She was unable to Mead, aid the wham was veto reeended.