Inquest of Sarah Ann Kelly

ALLEGED MURDER IN ST. LUKE'S.

INQUEST AND VERDICT.

James Kelly, 23, an upholsterer, of 21, Cottage-lane, City-road, St. Luke's, was charged before Mr. Barstow, at Clerkenwell Police-court, on Friday, with attempting to murder his wife, Sarah Ann Kelly, by stabbing her in the neck at the above address, on the previous night.
Police-inspector Maynard said the prosecutrix was lying at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and was too injured to attend.
Mrs. Sarah Brider, mother-in-law to the prisoner, said that Kelly had only been married to his wife a little over a fortnight. She lived in the same house with them. On the previous night they were all in the parlour, and the prisoner accused his wife with keeping the company of girls of loose character at Islington. There had for a day or two previously been a slight quarrel between them. She said, in reply, "I won't live with you any longer; you are unkind and cruel." The prisoner said, "You won't leave me; I'll stop you from doing so," and added that he would "knock her down." Nothing further was said at the moment, but after a few minutes he asked her to forgive him, and sit by his side on a couch. She said she could not forgive him, and the witness saw him put his arm round her neck and drag her head down to the floor. He then ran out of the room, and his wife fell down on the carpet in a swoon, bleeding very much at the neck. A doctor was sent for, and she was conveyed to the hospital.
Dr. Raynor said that on the prisoner's wife being admitted to the hospital she was in an unconscious state. She had a punctured wound below the left ear nearly three inches deep. Her life was very much in danger.
The prisoner was taken into custody by the police on returning to the room. A pocket-knife was found on the floor with the blade broken sharp off from the handle.
Mr. Barstow remanded the prisoner.

Police-inspector Poule, of the G division, reported to Mr. Barstow, on Saturday afternoon, that the young woman was in a dying state, almost all hopes having been given up of her recovery. Mr. Barstow, accompanied by the inspector and the chief clerk, at once drove to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, in order that the injured woman's depositions might be taken down in writing. When the prisoner, James Kelly, who has only been married to his wife for a fortnight was charged with the attempted murder on Friday, evidence was given by his mother-in-law, that in consequence of a quarrel with his wife, he stabbed her under the left ear with a pocket-knife, inflicting a deep wound. The prisoner stands remanded till next Friday.

On Monday morning Police-inspector Maynard, of the G division, reported to Mr. Hosack, the sitting magistrate at the Clerkenwell Police-court, that the woman had died at half-past ten on Sunday night.

Yesterday morning Mr. Langham held an inquiry at St. Bartholomew's Hospital relative to the death of Sarah Ann Kelly, aged 22, late resident in Cottage-lane, City-road, St. Luke's, who is alleged to have died from injuries inflicted upon her by her husband, James Kelly, who is now under remand at Clerkenwell Police-court, charged with the offence.
The Jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against James Kelly.

Source: The Clerkenwell Press, Saturday June 30, 1883, Page 3

THE ALLEGED WIFE MURDER IN ST. LUKE'S.

At the Clerkenwell Police-court, yesterday, James Kelly, aged 23, an upholsterer, of 21, Cottage-lane, City-road, St. Luke's, was again charged before Mr. Barstow with willfully murdering his wife, Sarah Ann Kelly, by stabbing her in the neck on the 21st of June.
The evidence already given by the prisoner's Mother-in-law at this Court, and at the inquest recently held on the Deceased showed that the Prisoner stabbed his wife below the ear with a pocket-knife during a quarrel. They had only been married a few weeks. At the inquest a verdict of Wilful Murder was returned against the Prisoner. Kelly's wife made a statement at St. Bartholomew's Hospital a few days before she died corroborating the evidence given before the Magistrate by her mother, Mrs. Brider.
Mrs. Brider on being further examined yesterday, said the Prisoner, before the occurrence on arriving home, said "no woman would master him."
On her repeating her evidence at the inquest as to the conversations which took place between the Prisoner, Witness, and Deceased, Kelly called out from the dock, "Speak the truth," adding, "I can't bear a liar."
Frederick Hammond, a coachman, repeated his statement made at the inquest that he heard the Prisoner say to his wife, "I'll give it you for walking Upper-street."
On hearing this the Prisoner attempted to rush from the dock to get at the Witness, but he was prevented from doing so by the gaoler. He called out, "Oh, you liar."
The Prisoner in answer to the charge, now said to the magistrate: "I can say that I did it in my madness. I did not know what I was doing. I was led to it by certain things that were said and done. I loved my wife and I love her still. She had great faults which I do not mention as I have caused great trouble in the family, and I do not wish to cause more. But a great many lies have been told, and false witnesses brought forward. That is all I have to say."
Mr. Barstow then committed the Prisoner for trial.

Source: The Clerkenwell Press, Saturday July 14, 1883, Page 2