Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1880-12-25 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY. Great excitement has been occasioned in the little and pleasant village of Walton, near Wakefield, by I the occurrence of a shocking murder and attempted e suicide of the murderer. The parties to the tragedy e are a lalmurer named Thomas Beckett, and his wife I 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 I Colliery. The honsu where the tragedy was cornmuted is the first of a row of eight small cottages i situate in a yard, and at the end of the yard nearest i the highway are several larger buildings, formerly I used ae offices and stables. The cottages are of the ordinary type of labourers' houses, being one storey in height, rind consisting of two rooms, oue of which served the purpose of a kitchen, the ether at the back being used as a bedroom, where Beckett and him wife slept. Tbe three houeee immediately adjoining Beckett's have been unoccupied for some time, and this may perhaps account for the fact that no noise was beard by any of the neighbour.. In fact so unoonsoiona were some of the neighbours of what wee transpiring tlaat a person was actually milking his cows in an outhome adjoining during the time the fearful some was being enacted, and was unaware of anything unusual until he saws crowd around the door. The first to discover that anything wrong had occurred was the brother of the deceased. He isemployed as a labourer by the Aim and Calder Navigation Trustees, and reached the hones about ten minutes past flee at nighty He found the door locked, but suspecting nothing he went and asked seine of the neighbours if they knew anything about his sister. He could gain no information, however, and he then went into an ad joining 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-room. For this purpose he had to get into a field at the back of the row and climb the wall of the hour.. 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 'ma wrong, he hastily made his way into the kitchen :and struck a light. Returning into the bed-room he wae horrified re find his sister and her husband lying side by side on the bed with their throat. not. Without waiting 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 acnuainted with the district. Newton atones proceeded to Beckett'a house, which he reached shortly after six o'clock. He found that Mrs. Beckett was dead, the body being still warm. Her husband was quite conscious, but suffering from great Lanni blood. Hierightarm was placed under his wift's neck, and his left arm was thrown over her body. It was evident that the wounds bad been inflicted by a racer, 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, whial was covered with blood. The gaeh in the throat of the poor woman is of the most fearful hind; 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 ia thought could easily have overcome her huyband. Beckett, who was a native of Brackenhill-common, near Nostell, is described ae having been a quiet and inoffensive man, and on the day of the tragedy was working as usual up to three °clock at the colliery. For Name time past 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 deceased woocan 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 at Wakefield. Suspecting that she intended to go along with another man, it ie said he excused 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.