The Shropshire Examiner and all round the Wrekin advertiser. — 1875-08-20 (Wenlock, Shropshire, England)

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER IN WOLVERHAMPTON.  At the Wolverhampton Police Court, on Tuesday, before W. Edwards (Mayor), and W. H. Jones, Esqs., Elizabeth Owen, a fine-looking young woman, of about 32 years of age, was brought up in custody, charged with having attempted to murder her husband, Theodore Owen, a railway clerk, residing at NO. 10, arimstone-street, Springfields.—The prosecutor said the prisoner was his wife. and he had been married to her two years and three months, and they had two children.— Mr. Barber (Deputy Magistrates' Clerk): What happened last night P—Owen We were having a domestic broil at about ten o'clock.—Mr. Barber: Were you quarrelling in the house —Owen:'e Yes, sir, and she lashed herself into an ungovernable fury and great passion. As she was clearing the tea things off the table she picked up a knife and began throwing her arms about, and in doing so she caught me with the knife on the side of my neck.—Mr. Barber By accident, or not P—Owen : By accident, I believe. I got up to go out of the house when she began to throw her arms about, and it was then that she caught me with the knife. —Mr. Barber: Did she cut you ?—Owen: Just a slight graze, that was all.—Mr. Barber: Now tell the truth. You say it was by accident and not wilfully P—Owen Yes, sir, only accidental. I don't believe she had any murderous intent whatever.—Mr. Barher Did you fetch the constable P—Owen No, I went out of the house and remarked to one of the neighbours that my wife was in au ungovernable rage, and whilst throwing her arms about she caught me on the side of the neck with a knife. A great crowd of people collected together.—Mr. Barber: Is she jealous of you P—Owen No, sir; she has a very had temper, and when she gets into a violent passion she cannot control herself.—Mr. Barber: Has she over shown any signs of insanity P—Owen: NO, sir; she is only uncontrollable when in a passion. She was an attendant in the Stafford Lunatic Asylum before we were married, and while there she was struck several violent blows on her head. —Mr. liarlier: Have you not noticed any other peculiarity in her manner P—Owen No, sir; nothing no harni.—The Mayor I suppose the blood ran freely P—Owen: No, sir.—The Mayor: How long did you know her before you were marded P--Owen: Three years.—Mr. Barber: Was she passionate then P—Owen: No, sir. She has been very violent almost from the time we were married. I don't wish the Oitse to go any further, as it is nothing more than the result of her violent temper.—Mr. Barber: Are you not afraid of her l—Owen : Oh, no; she never intended to do inc any harm. I was going out of the house lieemeee of her temper, when she cut Bather Are these quarrels often P Owen: We have a few words sometimes.—Mr. Barber: You should try and avoid thein.—Owen : I generally go out of the house when sho is in a passion, and I was going away List night when die c!tught me. She canuot control herself when she is in a violent temper, for which she is always sorry afterwards. She is sorry now.—The prisoner said she had nothing to ask her haslend. Police-constable Cummings was then called, and stated that be arrested the prisoner ' at twenty minutes past eight o'clock that morning. He brought her to the police-station, and charged her with having attempted to murder her husband by cutting his throat. She made no reor. Witness afterwards received the table- ! knife produced from the prisoner's husband as the one with which she committed the offence. She was afterwards searched by lfrs. Deans, the , female searcher at the station, when the follow- I ing letter was found upon her:—" As you think I more of other people than you do of me, it is mere mockery for me to try to live comfortable with you. I cannot. So•to put an end to the bad business, I leave made up my mind to end it ! by my death. Anything before a life of misery. Perhsps some kind friend will tell you the rest. I So farewell and drink to my deo lb in a I bottle of brandy." The letter was written ! in lead pencil on two slips of yellow railway paper.—The prisoner said it was her husband's handwriting.—Mr. Barber: Then he contemplated suicide P—Prisoner. : No. I :an not afraid of that.— Owen, on being recalled, said the letter was in , his handwriting. but he had no recollection when it was al itten. It was written some men :b ; ago, and ought to have been " pitched " into the tire. —Mr. Barber But it is very aggravating to your wife to write a letter of that kind.—Mr. Love, the police surgeon. said the prosecutor was brought to his surgery, and, on examining him, he found is superfiCial mark about lin. in length on the left side of his neck, over the course of the large vessels. If it had been deeper it would have been a dangerous wound—The prisoner, in her defence, said she found the letter on the , table after her linsband went out last night, and he absented himself from home till half-past nine. She was very sorry for what she had done. She had never done it before, and she would not do it :14;Am—inspector Thomas, in reply to the Bench. said the prisoner's permits, residing at Uttoxetcr, had been telegraphed for.—The Mayor (to prisoner) It is :ill very well for you and your husband, to tell this fine tole. It seems he has done his best to screen you as much as possible.—Prisoner t It was not done purposely.— The Mayor The Bench cannot look over the matter. and you will be hound Over to keep the pew, twit is your husband for six months in one sur,ty of -4:2ot—The prosecutor Wati then I cautioned not t, aggravate his wife in future, as she was of such a peculiar temperament.  men are still discussing whether they shall give up the use of chloroform and take to ether as tile anwsthetic. The general opinion is in favour of so.doing. Experience, so far goes in favour of etlar. but Of COUTSe it lies not been SO usod as chloroform. However, as the 1,1,1 now goes in fi:vour of time substitution, we expect doctra to make it.