Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1882-01-28 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE AT CHATHAM. At the Prince of Guinea Tavern, Pim-road,Gillinghtm, hiqueen, have been held by Mr. W. G. Harris, coroner, upon the bodies of John Thomas Osborne, retired wheelwright and cab proprietor, aged 62 years, and Mary Elizabeth Brenchley, aged 38 years, who had bera living with the former as his wife. The jury, after being sworn, proceeded to the residence of the decensed to view the bodies. That of the woman was lying in the scullery and that of the man in the front bedroom. The back bedroom was next visited, where the bedding was saturated with blood, and woman's hair and blood were lying almost in all directions everything, in fact, bespeaking a terrible struggle. The first witness examined was Elisabeth, the wife of Thomas Tapley, of Stoke, Kent, blacksmith, who mid The deceased, Mary Elizabeth Brenchley, was my daughter by my first marriage. She was a single woman, and in her 38th year. She had lived with John Osborne, at 102, Pier-road, for four years. They had both spent Christmas with an, and appeared to been very good terms. Ido not know much , about them. My daughter remained at my house nearly a week, when she returned to the ionise of Osborne. Ost the following morning I was Bent for, and found het suffering from wounds in the throat and other parts of the body. She was quite sensible, but made no statement to me. She could spmk feebly. I remained with her until six o'clock the next evening when she died._  ..„, To the Foreman: Mr. Osborne left her house two days of ter Christmas Day. He promised to return to dinner, but did not do so. Ada Elizabeth Davis, aged 12 years, staled: I acted as servant to Mr. Osborne for several months. 1 remember Mrs. Osborne (Brenchley) returned home at about three o'clock in the aftetaoon. Mr. Osborne WAY in the house at the time. Mrs. Osborne told Mr. Osborne in her hearing that he had been disgracing her friends. Mr. Osborne then said somethingabout "the back bedroom," and she asked what business he had to break the door open. Mrs. Osborne's things were kept in that room. My master said something about a letter relating to insurance, and also a bottle which he found under the Ind. My mistress then asked me to feteh a knife, some brrsid. and cheese, and some beer. The knife was the same as that now produced. There was no one else on the premises but the two deceased when I left. Osborne sat near the table with his head resting upon his hand, and , raid very little to Mrs. Osborne, but he did say, .‘ I do not want to make a row." The penknife now produced ,1 is the one which Mr. Osborne always carried about in his I pocket. I have heard Mr. Osborne say that Mrs. Osborne wanted to poison him, and this annoyed Mrs. Osborne very much. To a Juror: I left the house at a little after three o'clock. Mr. Osborne did not complain of Mrs. Osborne not being home. John Robert Osborne, smith and house agent, stated: Deceased,John Thomas Osborne, was my uncle, and aged 62. On the evening of the tragedy at about seven o'clock, in consequence of what I heard, I went to his house. There was a crowd round, and from what a Mrs. Davis told me I sent for the police. Constable APFerran arrived, and I accompanied him into the house. In thekitchen wr saw Mine Brenchley coming towards us. She had something wrapped round her neck, She pulled it aside, and raid, "Look here." She was coverts' in blood, and we got her to a sofa, and called in I two women. I asked where was Mr. Osborne, and • she replied, "I don't know." I went upstairs and there saw Mr. Osborne with his throat cut and blood oozing from the wound. He was dead upon the floor. There were no signs of a I struggle, and I have no doubt whatever it was his own act. I neat went into the back bedroom, and there saw signs of a most desperate struggle. We then returned downstairs and did what we could for the woman. I said, "Who did this '?" She replied, " I can't be bothered," and motioned me to keep back. Mies Breachley I told others, "Osborne did it." Constable McFarren gave I similar evidence, and Eliza Elliott and Maria Whiffing' ham also stated that the deceased wanan bad men' tinned Osborne as the man who had wounded her. Doctors Buzzard and Hugo described the injuries to both the deceased, leaving no doubt that Osborne had 'oeen the asnilant, and that he had subsequently . committed suicide. It was also stated that Osborne was very much depressed previous to the tragedy. The coroner, in summing up, read two letters written by Osborne, apparently just before the deed was committed. I They contained statements of a very rambling nature, setting forth that the woman had been poisoning him and his child; that she had been unfaithful to him, and had been his min, for which he intended paying her out. The jury ultimately returned a verdict to the effect that Osborne had murdered the woman, and had also committed suicide, whilst of unsound mind.