Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1862-12-10 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

TIIE YSTRADYFODWG MURDER.  EXAMINATION OF TUE PRISONER BEFORE TUE MAGISTRATES.  The examination of Thomas Edmunds, before the magistrates, charged with the murder of his fellow. servant, Jane Lewis, was commenced on Thursday morning, in the large room, at the New Inn, Pontypridd. Deceased and the prisoner lived together at the Ty'nylylau Farm, Ystradyfodwg, in the county of Glamorgan, and deceased was found on a footpath, near the house, with her throat cut, on Sunday night, Nov. the 2nd. The deceased was 21 years of age, described as a very handsome girl, and the prisoner was aged 23. The motive suggested is that of jealousy. A young man, named Thomas Williams was courting her, and the prisoner also wished to be her lover. The particulars have already been given. The case was was heard before William Perkins, Beg. Mr. Thomas Stockwood, of Cowbridge, appeared for the father and mother of the deceased, and Mr. Verity, of Bridgend, defended the prisoner. The room was crowded to excess, and the greatest excitement prevailed to g within the door. Mr. Stockwood, in opening the case, said: He appeared to watch the proceedings at the request of the parents of the deceased. It was well known that upon Sunday night, the 2nd of November, the deceased left the house of her master and uncle for the purpose of going to chapel, (between five and six o'clock,) and was never seen alive afterwards. Ile should have to establish two points, first, that she was murdered, and with regard to that he would have no difficulty ; but the next point was one of much greater difficulty—it wes to endeavour to ascertain by whom she was murdered . With regard to that there was no suspicion resting against anyone but the prisoner, Thomas Edmunds. He was her fellow-servant, and on the evening in question left the house nearly at the same time as the deceased. Nothing was afterwards seen of her alive. It would be proied that the prisoner afterwards went to the house of Keziah Morgan, and there represented that be was going to be married to the deceased in such a hurry that he could not wait until the following Thursday, when Mrs. Morgan said she would give him a wedding dinner. Notwithstanding that they were going to be married so 81100, they were not seen together that day. They did not go to chapel together. It frequently happened in eases of murder that the evidence was circumstantial, and in the present case hts duty was merely to produce evidence that would raise the possibility of the guilt of the prisoner. If he succeeded in this it would then be for the worthy magistrate to commit the prisoner for trial before one of the leered judges. Before calling witnesses he wished to remark on the strange conduct of the prisoner on the evening in question. lie shouhl prove to them that the prisoner wished to pay his addresses to the de. ceased, but that he was not her favourite suitor, lie wished to impress upon the bench his remarkable circumstance, that although he had invited persons to come to the wedding, yet on the night the deceased was murdered be made no inquiry about her safety, and went to bed without manifesting any anxiety fb, her, or offering to go and search for her, When called out of bed to go with his master to look for her ' at midnight he expressed no surprise. These circumstances, connected with the fact of his proclaiming that they were going to be married, were of themselves suspicious. Then the razor was in all probability the property of the prisoner, and leaving it near the body only went to show that it was part of a preconcerted plan to disarm suspicion, and lead to the supposition *at deoeased committed suicide. The learned gentleman next commented on that portion of the evidence which raised the supposition that the prisoner was jealous of the deceased, and proceeded to call witnesses. The evidence which was of a circumstantial kind, hat been already given. The case was adjourned. On Saturday the hearing of this cue was resumed, but not concluded, and the prisoner was further reman(le I until Thursday.