The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1871-06-09 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SUICID& AT YORK.  A most dreadful ease of wife murder and attempted suicide of the murderer occurred at York on Monday evening last. The murderer is Matthew Cook, a ehmaker and cleaner, carrying on business in Goodramgate, York, and his victim is his wife Sarah. Roth are something turned forty years of age, and tae husband for • very long period has been addicted to drink. His fits of indulgence were spasmodic, after a period of steadiness it being his wont to break out and drink deeply and without reason for a fortnight and three weeks at a time. Formerly he held the situation of foreman of CM !Argo watch and clock making establishment of Mr. Kleiser, of Stonegate, York (where he has :A present a son employed), but the irregularity of his habits led to his dismissal, and he has since then carried on a small business on his own account. For a number of days past he is said to .have been drinking, and on Monday is said to have applied to his wife for money to satisfy his craving al petite. She, however, refused him, and ultimately in the evening the two along with their youngest child, between two and three years old, went cut for a walk in the country. At about half. past nine o'clock they were in a lane leading from the cily to Haxby, and known as Haxby-land, about half a mile from the outskirts of the city, where a man named Barnes, who was returning from fishing noticed them lying on the road, and the child sitting on the grass at the side of the footpath. The man, who lay across her, called out thrice and excite dy to Barnes to lend him a knife, upon whieh Barnes at once ran down the road for alaistance. At this time there was no blood or evidence of violence to be seen, and the frightful deed which was subsequently committed, did not for a moment suggest itself to the mind of Barnes. But a few minutes had, however, el peed before there was a cry of "Murder and , suiede !" and a rush of several persons, who were ' in the lane at the time, to the rescue. It was then discovered that Mrs. Cook lay on the floor, weltering in blood, which flowed from a large number of frightful gashes in her throat and face, whilst the murderer himself still knelt upon her, and was in the act of dashing her head on the ground. He however, taken off, and then commenced dancing about the road, in the wildest excitement, singing snatches of the song, "Sally's the girl for me," heaping dust and dirt from the road upon the face of his victim, and in other ways indulging in the most insane extravagance. He also hackel with the knife at his own throat, but was resti 4,ned until the arrival of a North Riding constable, who was shortly afterwards joined by Police, constable Smith, of the York police force. These two discovered that Cook had made three gashes in his own throat. Dr. Proctor, of York, was at once summoned to the spot, and on examining Mrs. Cook, declared, in the hearing of the murderer, that she was dead, upon which Cook remarked," That he had , sent her to bell before her time." The murderer's wounds are not dangerous. The instrument w ith which the murderer effected his object is an ordinary clasp. knife. On Tuesday his excitement (which is supposed to have been the result of delirium tremens) had sunk into a moody and callous silence, and he seems but little moved by the contemplation of the dreadful act he has committed, and the danger of the position in which he has placed himself. The 'child has been taken charge of by the Rev. J. E. :Sampson, near to whose residence the murder took place.