The Tamworth Examiner and Working Men's Journal. — 1875-08-21 (Tamworth, Staffordshire, England)

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER IN  WOLVERHAMPTON.  At the Wolverhampton Police Court, on Tuesday, before W. Edwards (Mayor), and W. H. Jones, Esqs., 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 f—Owen : We were having a domestic broil at about ten o'clock.—Mr. Barber: Were you quarrelling in the house f—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 f—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 the knife. —Mr. Barber Did she cut you f—Owen: Just a slight graze, that was Barber Now tell the truth. You say it was by accident and not wilfully f—Owen Yes, sir, only accidental. I don't believe she had any murderous intent ; whatever—Mr. Barber: Did you fetch the con- I stable P—Owen : No, I went out of the house and I rem-irked to one of the neighbours that my wife was in an ungovernable rage, and whilst throwing her arms about she caught me on the side of the neck with a knife. A great crowd of people collected together—Mr. Barber: Is she jealous of you f—Owen: No, sir; she has a very bad temper, and when she gets into a violent passion she cannot control herself.—Mr. Barber: Has she , ever shown any signs of insanity f—Owen: No, I sir; sh*.e. 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 F—Owen : No, sir; nothing no harm.—The Mayor: I suppose the blood ran freely P—Owen : No, sir.—The Mayor Hew long did you know her before you were married fs -Owen: Throo 14,r}„r Was she passionate then ?—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 f—Owen Oh, no; she never intended to do me any harm. I was going out of the house beassue of her tc,inper, Whil s,lie cut me,—My. Barber; Are these quarrels .yft,nr Owen: We have a few words sometimes.—Mr. Barber You should try and avoid them.—Owen I generally go out of the house when she is in a p tssion, and I was going away last night when she caught me. She cannot control herself 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 .husband. Police-constable Cummings was then ! c4lled, and stated that he arrested the prisoner; at twanty minutes past eight o'clock that morning. He brought her to the police-station, and I charged her with having attempted to murder I her husband by cutting his throat. She made no reply. Witness :afterwards received the tableknife produced from the prisoner's husband as the one with which she committed the offence. She was afterwards searched by Mrs. Deans, the female searcher at the station, when the following letter was found upon her :—" is you think I snore of other people than you do of me, it is I mere mockery for me to try to live comfortable I with you. I cannot. So to put an end to the I bad business, I have made up my mind to end it ; by iny death. Anything before a life of misery. ; Perhsps some kind friend will tell you the rest. So farewell and drink to my death in a bottle of brandy." The letter was written lin lead pencil on two slips of yellow railway I ; psper.—The prisoner said it was her husband's I handwritings—Mr. Barber: Thens he contemplate! suicide F—Prisoner No, I am not afraid of that,— Owen, on being recalled, said the letter was in his handwriting. but he had no recollection when I it was ws Men. It was written some moult: ago,i and ought so 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 bins, he found a superficial mark about IA in, 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 wound.—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 house till half-past nine. Shexas very sorry for what she had done. She laid 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 Uttoxeter, 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 mush as pos; sible.—Prisoner It was not done purposely.— ; The Mayor The Bench cannot look over the matter. and yeas will be bennel over to keep the peace towe rds your lossl.ml for six month s in one sursty o..S2o.—The prosecutor was then ' cautioned not to sggravate his wife in future, as she was of such a peculiar temperament.  Inen are still diseusing whether they 12 Finn ~-;ive up the use of chloroforai and take to , ether as the anesthetic. The general opinion is 17, in favour of no doing. Experience. so far goes in favour of utlarr. hut- of course it I,IF not been so us..-. 1 as chloroforai. However, as the Ids Fi..•l 11,V goes in favour of the sub,stitution, we , expet &eters to make it.