The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1872-08-10 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE STOTTRBRIDGE OBSERVER.  said to her, "On into house. Where's your mother ?" He was told she was in the house, and replied, " 1 make you both prove your words." The eldest daughter then left on an errand on which she was engaged, and the prisoner went towards his house, through the garden, and to the entrance, which was at the back. He met his younger daurliter at the corner f the house, and to her he said:" I'll kill all the 1— lot of you." He then went into the house, and said to his wife, who was there with the two younger children. "Y; u've been out in the hundred acres with a hundred fellows a month ago." 'the wife replied " I don't know -.hat you mean," and he said, "I'll let you knows. I will kill you." He then took her and threw I her, still with the child in her arms, against a dresser. She escaped out of the house and into a; cottage under the amen roof, where there was at the time a Mrs. rheas, the wife of a labourer, who was expecting her confinement. Here she was follows dby the prisoner end the daughter of 12, and he ordered her to go home. On his promise not to strike her again she left that house, but went up the gatlen and across the road to another cottage, in which there was a woman named Heriing, via had lately been confined, and a nurse and some little children. She was again fat lowe 1 by the prisoner and the daughter and again I ordered to go to her own house. She asked what it was for, and he replied, " You know." The nurse told him not to beat his wife any more, and he said he would not if she would go back, but she was always running about "newsing,." She then left, he followed, and directly they got into their own garden he struck her, knocked her down, and kicked at her. At this time the little girl took the ha i .and went into Mr. Phony's cottage, and thence by ter direction to find assistance. In the meantime a eon of Mrs. Herring, a young man of 18, who was called as a witness, had arrived at his mother's cottage. The deceased once snore escaped from her own house, and went towards the Herrings', followed by the prisoner, but the door was locked against her. She returned towards her JWD house, and when again within the garden was knocked down and kicked and dragged round the corner of the house and into the ' door. This was seen by those in the Herrings' house, and George Herring said that he unlocked the door and went out, that he saw the deceased knocked down, andkicked four times, and then went away upthe road to bring home the rest of the things he had to bring. He returned five minutes after, and saw the prisoner fetch three pails of water, but hearing nonoisehe and his father went in to supper. In the meanwhile the alarm s had been given by the little girl, and a Mr. Wood, a farmer near, came down himself, and sent at the same time for a surgeon and a policeman. The little girl met her sister on her way back, and the two went in home be. fore any one else had arrived, and found their mother dead on the ground, with her clothes nearly. off and covered with blood and water. Even at that time the prisoner took her np and threw her against the dresser. The elder girl cued out" Don't, father ; she is dead," to which he replied, "She is only. dewl.drunk." The prisoner went in several times to Mr. Pheare either before or immediately after this, and said be had killed his wife, and some people would go and commit suicide, but he was ready to give himself up. A short time after Mr. Wood arrived, and then the policeman and Burgeon. To them the prisoner said much the same as to Mrs. Phears, but added that he had done it in a passion. The injuriee sustained by the deceased were detailed by the surgeon, who said there were ten or twelve jagged wounds in the ecalp, and that repeated and great violence must have been used, which were quite sufficient to account for death. The case was rendered the more painful as the principal witnesses against the prisoner were his two slaughters, whose evidence, with that of the other persons above named, established the facts above narrated. - -  For the defence it was urged that there had been no intention on the prisoner's part to take life. The learned Judge, who commented severely on the conduct of the neighbours, summed up the ease minutely, and the jury returned a verdict of Gudty, and he was sentenced to death.