The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

290.   ALBERT LOWE was indicted for the wilful murder of   Mary Lowe his wife , March 30th .

He was likewise charged on the coroner's inquisition with the said murder.

  WILLIAM KINGSTON being sworn, deposed,

"That he lives in  Angel Gardens, Shadwell ,

"within three doors of the prisoner.

"That he sat up on the night of the 30th

"of March, to attend the night-men who

"were emptying the necessaries belonging

"to the houses in Angel Gardens. That

"at about three o'clock he heard the cry of

"murder! in the house of the prisoner, and

"saw the deceased in the entry stooping and

"holding her hand to the lower part of her

"belly, who told the witness that her husband

"had murdered her. He was asked, if

"the deceased was intoxicated with liquor,

"having said in his deposition before the

"coroner that she was, he now after much

"hesitation, said he believed she might have

"had some liquor."

  JANE ONEAL being sworn, deposed,

"That the deceased came to her house at

"eight o'clock in the morning and begged

"of her for Christ's sake to let her lie down

"upon her bed, for her husband had kicked

"her upon her private parts, and had stamped

"upon her as she was lying upon her back in

"the entry. The witness said she sent for

"the prisoner, who said that his wife had used

"him very indifferently; but that he forgave

"her all she was ever guilty of before, but he

"would never forgive her after what he had

"seen between her and those nasty fellows who

"were there last night; and that she should

"never lie in his bed again. That when he

"came down he saw his wife lying in the entry;

"that he gave her a kick, but not to kill her

"or hurt her. That the deceased then said

"don't believe him for he is a savage. That

"the prisoner would not admit the deceased

" into his house again, but prevailed on the

"witness to let her stay in her house, which

"she did till the Friday; that then she was

"taken home, and died on the Saturday.

"That the prisoner sent a doctor to the

"deceased some time on Saturday. The

"witness said she had not heard of any criminal

"connexion between the deceased

"and one of the night-men; and that the

"prisoner was very jealous of the deceased."

ANN BATEWELL being sworn, deposed,

"That she lived next door but one to the

"prisoner. That the deceased came into her

"house on Monday the 27th of March, at

"about nine at night. That she had a cut on

"her head which bled very much, and had two

"marks on her arms and upon her shoulder.

"That the prisoner being sent for came to

"the deceased, and asked her to go home.

"That the deceased said but you'll beat me

"again; to which the prisoner made no reply.

"The witness said she heard an outcry

"on the Wednesday night, but as she did

"not go out of her own house, she did not

"see any thing of the matter. That she

"went to see the deceased on Saturday evening

"just as she was expiring. That the

"deceased was a very likely woman and appeared

"to be about thirty years old.

  MARY KINGSTON being sworn, deposed,

"That she came into the prisoner's room

"about three minutes before the deceased

"expired. That on the next day the prisoner

"told her that he found his wife on the

"floor in the passage, that he kicked her twice,

"upon which she struggled very much; that he

"said to himself, Lord, what shall I say for

"myself, what shall I say for myself! The

"witness said she had known the deceased

"four years; that she was as clean, industrious,

"and sober a woman as any in London.

"She was asked if the prisoner at that time

"expressed any jealousy respecting the behaviour

"of his wife, which she answered

"in the negative."

  RICHARD PRIEST being sworn, deposed,

"That he lived next door to the prisoner.

"That he heard the cry of murder at the

"prisoner's house, three or four times

"that night at between ten or eleven and

"again at between three and four o'clock.

"That he heard the prisoner's door open,

"saw the deceased come out holding her

"hands upon her belly. That she cried out

"that rogue, that villain my husband, has been

"the death of me, or has murdered me. The

"witness said he thought it a family affair,

"and therefore did not interfere in it.

  ELISABETH PRIEST (the mother of the last witness) being sworn, deposed,

"That at half after three o'clock she was

"awakened by a prodigious noise in the

"house, as if something had fallen down the

"stairs. That she heard the shrieks of a

"woman who seemed in very great distress.

"That she heard blows struck, which

"founded as if in the entry at the bottom

"of the stairs. That she heard the cry of

"murder three times and then heard the

"woman, whom she believed to be the

"deceased, give another shriek, and that

"she never saw the deceased afterwards."

Mr.   CLAUDE ATKINS , an Apothecary, being sworn, deposed,

"That he was sent for to the deceased on

"Saturday the 1st of April, at about seven

"in the evening. That there was no one

"with her but a little girl. That he asked

"her what she complained of; to which she

"replied her husband had thrown her upon the

"floor and stamped upon her. That she made

"bloody urine, and had spit blood. She complained

"of being much bound in her body,

"and very sick, and begged to have something

"sent to relieve her, or she said she was a

"dead woman. The witness said he went

"and prepared some medicines immediately

"and sent them. When the servant who

"carried them, brought word back, that

"the woman was dead."

Mr. HOLFORD, a Surgeon, being sworn, deposed.

"That at the desire of the officers of the

"parish he opened the body of the deceased.

"That he found the bladder ruptured large

"enough to admit a hen's egg. That the

"bladder in other respects appeared to be in

"a found state. That from every appearance

"of the bladder he was convinced that

" the rupture must have been occasioned by

"great external violence, and that it was undoubtedly

"the cause of her death. He likewise

"said that from the appearance of the

"intestines he was of opinion that the deceased

"had been addicted to drinking spirituous

"liquors.

"The prisoner said he left his defence to

"his counsel, who called,

  MARY POMEROY , who being sworn, deposed,

"That the prisoner hired her to wait on

"the deceased on the day she died, that the

"deceased, three hours before she died, told

"her that a month before she had swallowed

"a pin which caused her to spit blood; that

"her husband gave her a shilling to go to

"the doctor's for his assistance; but that she

"could not get the pin out, and that she

"never had been easy afterwards."

"Mr. Holford being again called up said,

"that this was the first time he had ever

"heard it mentioned, that the deceased had

"swallowed a pin, and that the pin could

"not have made its way to the bladder."

"Mr. Atkins was asked whether the deceased,

"when he enquired of her what her complaint

"was, mentioned any thing of her

"having swallowed a pin a month before.

"Atkins said, she did not."

  ANN KENNEY being sworn, deposed,

"That the prisoner came and told her

"when she had swallowed a pin. She said

"the deceased did sometimes get in liquor."

  MARGARET KENNEY the daughter of the last witness being sworn, deposed,

"That she was with the deceased when

"she died; that the prisoner came home

"about six o'clock, and asked the deceased

"how she did? The deceased said she was

"very bad; that he asked her whether she

"wanted any thing? and she said no; that

"the prisoner desired her to get up to have

"the bed made. That the witness helped her

"out of bed and set her in a chair. That

"she soon after fell down in a sit and expired."

OWNA ONEALE being sworn, deposed,

"That, at about ten o'clock at night of

"the 30th of March, he heard the deceased

"and a man together in a necessary-house,

"near Angel Gardens, and that, from

"what he heard pass, he was convinced

"they were criminally concerned together.

"That he afterwards saw the deceased come

"out of the necessary and go into her own

"house. He said it was not one of the

"night-men that was with the deceased, but

"a labouring man."

  ANN AMELIA CORNACK being sworn, deposed.

"That the prisoner bore a good character

"for tenderness and humanity to his wife

"and children. That the deceased drank

"excessively and was a very troublesome

"woman."

  MARY ATKINSON being sworn, deposed,

"That the prisoner had lodged at her

"house half a year ago. That he was a

"hard working honest man. That he always

"behaved well to his wife. That the

"deceased was a drunken wicked woman

"that quarrelled with every one. That

"she had known the deceased fall down

"twice of a night when she had been intoxicated

"and then has given it out to her

"drunken companions that her husband had

"thrown her down."

(The prisoner called four other witnesses who all gave him a good character, but his wife the reverse.)

NOT GUILTY of murder, but Guilty of manslaughter only .

Tried by the First Middlesex Jury before Mr. RECORDER.

[Fine. See summary.]

[Imprisonment. See summary.]