Northern Times. — 1859-03-30 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

WIFE MURDERED IN THE STREET, AND SUICIDE OF THE HUSBAND.  For some years the town of West Bromwich has not been in a state of such intense excitement as existed at a late hour on Friday night, last, on its becoming known that a young collier, named John Corbett, had cut his wife's throat in Reform-street, and directly after inflicted two such deep gashes in his own throat that it was thought he could not live many hours The circumstances under which this double murder, as it may well be called, occurred, stand thus. For a period of five years, the unhappy pair lived together in Walsall-street, and there is no question that, although they had two fine little boys, the issue of the marriage, yet jealousy on both sides prevailed, and mutual accusation.' and suspicions led to freqnent quarrels, and sometimes to blows, Two weeks ago they separated, Mrs. Corbett and the children going to the house of her father, John Bird, of Reform-street, and her husband taking lodgings in Gad's-lane, near the Shoulder of Mutton publichouse. It would seem, from circumstances, that the man himself desired to make matters up ; at all events, the murdered woman went to him at his lodgings on Sunday last., and passed the night in his company. Since the period of the separation Mrs. Corbett worked at " nailing" with her sister, Sarah Bird, in a shop at the back of the Hen and Chickens beerhouse, kept by Mrs Lydia Biddlestone. Corbett himself was employed at the Messrs. Dawes's new pit near Bromford Works. Here he was at his labour as usual until half-past six nn the night of the fatal occurrence. We have no particular account of him further until about eight o'clock the same evening, when he was seen in Reform-street, proceeding in the direction of the nailing shop where his wife worked. If he bad been drinking at all in the interval, we are assured that at this hour, although in a state of some excitement, he was quite sober. However, some person heard him remark, "There will be murder done this night." At 20 minutes past eight, his wife, accompanied by her sister, left the workshop. They had not proceeded many yards up Reform-street, on their road to their father's, when Corbett, who had hid himself behind a low wall just opposite the Hen and Chickens, sprang out into the road, and in an instant, putting his left arm round his wife's neck, inflicted a fearful cut on one side of her throat with a large clasp knife which he held in his right hand. The poor creature screamed "Murder," but instantly seizing her again in the same manner, Corbett made a fearful gash with the knife on the other side of her throat, a third in the direction of her bosom, and instantly ran off. A woman, named Weaver, coming up at the moment, by her aid and that of her sister, Corbett was led, or rather carried, bleeding profusely, as far as Mr. Grainger's, the Globe Tavern. This is within a few yards of her father's house, and being taken there, the poor creature died from loss of blood and exhaustion, at a quarter to nine, less than half an hour after her throat was eut, as above described. Messrs. Keyte, Cotterill, and Manley, surgeons, were sent for.by Major McKnight, who was soon on the spot, and these gentlemen promptly attended, but they arrived only in time to hear from the poor sufferer the deep long-drawn sigh, which closed her life. The sister of deceased says that the tragic scene she witnessed was enacted without the murderer speaking a word, but Mrs. Weaver states that Corbett, asking his wife, " Will yon come and live with me ?" and receiving the word " No" in answer, said, " Then you shall live with no one else," and then did the murder. We have said that Corbett ran up Reformstreet with the bloody knife still in his hand, as seen by his own sister, Mrs. Harris, whose garden looks into this street. Arrived at the top of Bull-street, the wretched man pointed the fatal weapon at his own throat, and by a desperate cut separated his windpipe, and fell, bleeding and senseless, to the ground. Major M‘Knight, accompanied by Inspectcr Hclland and Police-constables Barris and Moss, came to the spot where Corbett lay with the knife still in his hand, and .whilst the officers remained with the poor wretch, who was taken to Mr. Broom's beerhouse close by, the medical gentlemen referred to also arrived. The wounds which the murderer had inflicted upon himself were sewn up; and although Mr. Keyte aad Mr. Cotterill certified that he might be removed to his brother-in-law's (John Harris), Walsall-street, which was done in the course of Saturday morning, yet they considered his recovery impossible. Corbett was about 27 years of age, and h s presentedtwaltre of thea t ree yearsthe housesun goefr, , theand parentsscene o f tohf wretchednesse wife andat that o as it was bYte husband's sister was most distressing, enhancedwtothu theand ptrheeseontcheerofsitxheyetawros olifttlaegeb, nowoys referred tot, aonmeothhreer. There is a collateral circumstance in immediate connection with this tragedy which we publish, as the name of the party implicated was voluntarily and frealy communicated to us. Corbett, as previously stated, worked in a pit at Bromford, and the doggy of the pit is said by Corbett himself, when he left his work, to have repeatedly during the day of the murder, jeered him before the men in the pit with reference to his wife's leaving him. Ho was unmanly and base enough to avow that he had been improperly intimate with her during the week, and made other statements which were well calculated to cause the deepest feelings of anger and revenge in a husband against a woman who could thus act.—Birmingham Daily Post.  BRIGHT I AND " THE " FUTTERMAN (Air —" Villikins and his Dinah.") Oh ! 'tis of a famed merchant 'who Liverpool does dwell. Who supply folks with Butter who want it to sell ; Ins name it is Kelly, you scarce need be told, Whose Butter is worth all your silver and gold. As Kelly was wSeiingiginiiiig—oßultitit3elirtit-7-oBnn-ar3;li—Butter-li-day. In walks REFORM BRIGHT, and to him did say, Come leave your shop Kelly, and with me away, And I'll find you a place with no work and good pay. Singin'—Butter-li—Butter-li—Butter-li-day. Oh! no, my brave BRIGHT, that wont suit my mind, For to" cut my " old place" I do not feel inclined, So Tote you the good pay I will gladly make o'er, rve England with Butter a year or two more. Singin'—Butter-li—Butter-li—Butter-li-day. That's a good noble Kelly—then John Bright replied, You're a "Brick," my "old buck," and not to cc bribed; So, in order your Butter to put to the test, Send me weekly, henceforward a ton of your best. Singin' —Butter-li—Butter-li—Butter-li-day•