Penistone, Stocksbridge, Hoyland & Chapeltown Express, etc. — 1902-03-14 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

THE MLXBORO' WIFE STABBING CHARGE. A PLEA OF 'GUILTY."  A sequel to a New Year's kite tri-igede at Melborn' was found in the trial of Walter John lAsir. aged 48. described as a joiner, who was indicted for having, on Dec. 31st. maliciously wounded his wife, w:th intent to do her grevious bodily harm. Law has been in prison since- be was arrested by P.s. Baldwin ausl P.c. Woodward. early on the morning of New Year's Day—The prisoner pleaded guilt.— Mr. Bradley. barrister, Sheffield (instructed by Mr. F. Allen, solicitor, Dui:master). appeared fur the prosecutain, and detailed the fads of the case. It was, he said, a most painful case. nut only on account of the nature of the injuries,. but. also on account of the relationship of the parties. On the evening of the last day if L3at year the prisoner, whose wife was living apart from him, went to his a feis lodgings. and requested to see her. She went outside the door of the house to speak with him, when he suggisted that they should resume cohabitation. She retuned to entertain the suggestion, whereupon the prisoner produced a knife and struck her a blow on the top of the head. calming • her to fall to the ground and bleed profuselv. Later in the evening the prisoner called at a put. be house in Mesboro% where he told a barman that he had stabbed his wife, and he showed a knife. which was taken front him. The doctor who dressed ths wounds found Mrs. Law suffering from an incised wound at the back of the beret four and a half inches long, which went down ti the bone. The doctor put five stitches in. At the time the depositions were taken before the magistrates. the dolor said it wax t serious wound. lanal he could not then say the woman was out of Idanger.—Dr. Dhannavir was called, and he raid it was qu:te possible after nail an injury that , abscess on the brain might be formed in after life. 1 —P.c. Woodward, at the request of the Judge.' d the weapon—a butcher's large knife—and produced said he understood the prisoner had the knife concealed 'somewhere in hi• clothing.— P.c. Woodward sant the prisoner's brother was • butcher, and he got the knife from his brother's shop.—The prisoner. :when &liked if ha had anything to say why sentence shawlsl not be upon him, said: My wife provoked me. 7ah.:l 1 been cutting a pig up with that knife. and that is the reason I had the knife. I am a botcher, as well as a joiner. She provoked me. I never kicked at the door. I am very sorry. I hope you will b. as lenient as you. eon. It is a first offence. I have been locked up all the year.—The Judge, in sentencing the prisoner, said: You will take the consequences of making this murderous assault upon your wife with a murderous knife. That is what it is and nothing else. I do not know whet,ter I can u, pt your story. but when you went to call for your seLe you were armed  with the knife. Because you could not get her to live with you you struck her • blow me .the top of the bead. ft was a dangeroue blow, vitiA might have brought about her death, in which cam you would have been put on your trial for murder. The order of the court is that you be sent to penal servitude for five years.  MODAL MANIA AT MIABORO'. Wilivain Steen, a labourer, of Mexboro', was indicted for having, on Jan. 11th. attempted to omemit suicide by cutting his throat with a razor. —Mr. Harold Newell. barrister (instructed by Mr. F. Allan, solicitor, Doocaster). appeared for the peosecution.—A jury was first empannelled to decide the question of whether or not the prisoner was fit to plead, the prison authorities having reported him to be imene.—Dr. By. Clarke, doctor at Wakefield prison, said be had had the priaontr under observation since Feb. Ist, when he was went to the prison on remand. He found the pri• loner was at the present time suffering from acute er.elancholia. He did not think the prisoner was mentally fit to plead, but he might understand the evidence—The jury found that, the prisoner was unfit to plemi—The Judge said the order of the court would be that the prisoner be detained in sofa custody until His Majesty's pleasure be known.-The above are all the local eases dealt with on Monday.