The Cannock Chase Examiner. — 1875-08-21 (Cannock, Staffordshire, England)

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER IN WOLVERHAMPTON.  At the Wolverhampton Police Court, on Tuesday, before W. Edwards (Mayor), and W. H. Jones, Begs., 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, Grimstone-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 P—Owen : 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 tha knife. —Mr. Barber : Did she cut you P—Owen : Just a slight graze, that was all.—Mr. Barber Now tell the truth. You say it was by accident and not wilfully t—Owen Yes, sir, only accidental. I don't believe she had any murderous intent whatever.—Mr. Barber : 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 an ungovernable I.:we, and whilst throwing her arms about she caught me on the side of the neck with a knife. A great crowd of people collected toaether.—Mr. Barber : Is she jealous of you f—Owen: No, air; she has a very cad temper, and when she gets into a violent passion she cannot control herself—Mr. Barber: Has she ever 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. Barber: Have you not noticed any other peculiarity in her manner P—Owen No, sir; nothing no harm.—The Mayor: I suppose the blood ran freely P—Owen: No, sir.—The Mayor: How long did you know her before you were married —Owen : Three yearn—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 case to go any further, as it is nothing more than the result of her violent temper.—Mr. Barber: Are you not afraid of her P—Owen Oh, no; she never intended to do me any harm. I was going out of the house because of her temper, when she cut  .0.-W, Barber; Are the 'ie quarrels ofthn Owen: We have a few words sometimes.—Mr. Barber: You should try and avoid them, —os-en : I generally go out of the house when she is in a passion, and I was going away last night when  , . ~ . she caught me. She um-not control her7ielf 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 hus. . .. - .  band. Police-constable Cummings was then called, and stated that he arrested the prisoner at twenty minutes past eight o'clock that morn. ing. He brought her to the police-station, and charged her with having attempted to murder her husband by cutting his throat. She made no reply. Witness afterwards received the table. knife produced from the prisoner's husband as the one with which she committed the offence. She was afterwards suirched by Hrs. Deans, the . .  fen-tale-searcher at the station." when the follow- I ing letter was found upon her—" As you think more of other people than you do of me, it is ; mere mockery for use to try to live comfortable ; with you. I cannot. So to put an end to the bad business, I have made up my mind to end it by my death. Anything before a life of misery. Perhaps some kind friend will tell you the rest. : So farewell and drink to my death in a ; 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 contemplatel suicide?—Prisoners No, I sins notafraid of that.— ; Owen. on being recalled, said the letter was in his handwriting. but he had no recollection when it was wiitten. It was written some moult,: ago, and ought to have been "pitched" into tne fire. —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 a 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 wouncl.—The prisoner. in, her defence, said she found the letter on the table after her husband 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 again.—lnspector Thomas, in reply to the Bench. said the prisoner's parents, residing at Uttoxetcr. had been telegraphed for—The Mayor (to prisoner): It is all very well for you and your husband to tell this fine tale. It seems he has done his best to screen you as much as possible.—Prisoner: It was not done purposely.— The Mayor : The Bench cannot look over the matter. and you will be bound over to keep the pwme towards your husband tor six months in one surety of 4:2o.—The prosecutor was then ;cautioned not to :ufgravate his wife in future, as I ; she was of such a peculiar temperament.  I 14  1:41  161. i2l  2 13 ;1