CHARGE OF BURNING A WOMAN.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1121, 12 August 1882, Page 4

CHARGE OF BURNING A WOMAN.

At the Lambeth Police Court lately Thomas Taylor, 48, was charged on remand with causing the death of Mary Ann Smith, with whom he lived, by throwing at her a lighted paraffin lamp, and setting her on fire. From the evidence it appeared that the prisoner and the woman, after returning to their lodgings in Gurneystreet, New Kent-road, had some words. Mrs Bowles and others in the house shortly afterwards heard loud screams, and the deceased called out “ For God’s sake come up, for he has set me on fire.” Upon several persons going up, they found the woman standing on the landing in flames, which were with difficulty extinguished with difficulty. The poor woman, who was dreadfully burned, was taken to Guy’s Hospital, where she expired on Saturday last from the injuries. The prisoner during the time the deceased was on fire never attempted in any way to assist in putting out the flames. From the statement made by the deceased and witnesses it seemed that in the midst of the quarrel the prisoner took up the lighted paraffin lamp and threw it at her. She afterwards, however, said that the lamp might have got knocked over from the table. Since the prisoner had been locked up ha sent to one of the witnesses the following letter: —“ Clerkenwell Prison. Dear Mrs Bowles, —Hope you are quite well. Will you be so kind as to let me know how my poor wife is ? What shall Ido P I will be steady the rest part of my life. Ask her to forgive me all I have done. Ask Matthew to bring me some bread and butter. Ask my wife whether I had better write to my master. Ido not know what to do. I have been kind to you all; now you have placed me in misery. Not one soul to oome to Me me—not half enough to eat, for I am hungered ” —The prisoner now declared that the lamp got knocked over.—Mr Ellison fully committed the prisoner to take his trial at the next Old Bailey Sessions.