THE COWBRIDGE MURDER CONFESSION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2268, 12 April 1886, Page 2

THE COWBRIDGE MURDER CONFESSION.

At the Glanmorganshire Assizes 1 " oW , Wednesday, David Roberts and his fathoz 1 Edward Roberts were indicted for th? murder of a farmer named David Thomas at Cowbridge, in October, The murdered man was returning homo with a considerable Bum of money in Mb possession, when he was sot upon by the younger prisoner ( who battered his brains out with a stick. David Roberts, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to death] The father was acquitted. In his written confession, David Roberts describes how ho and his father and the deceased had been drinking in a public-house, and afterwards left to go to their respective homes. He adds"David Thomas went over the stile by the end of a mill, and there we left hino and wont to our homes. I also wish to mention that my father, when w& left the Duko of Wellington publichouse, was what they commonly call 'blind drunk,' 1 had therefore to. lea j him home. .1 brought him ; home to his house near Llanblothian, and I put him to bed, but I am very dJkg to say that after I had done so I leifthe house by myself, took a big stick, and went to the top of Llanblethian hill, I • went down the footpath leading to Cowbridije, and met David Thomas coming up, and I asked him for hi 3 money. He asked me where I came from, and I told him I cam# from Coubridge. I said, " I want your money first.' I told him ft he had better give it me, or else I'd make .f him, So we had a little scuffle and J A threw him down, and struck him with tho '■ stick I had in my hand three timus. Then I robbed him of all his money and all his papers, and took them home and burnt' them, and the money bag also. I alia wish to state that when 1 did come my father was in bed fast asleep. Afe • I had burnt everything, I went to bed and got up tho next morning at seven ' o'clock. When 1 got up I went to the garden and counted the money. The reason I went to the garden to count .the money was I did not want to let my. father know I had any monoy, because ho would want to know where I got it from, and I put the money where you found it, and nobody saw me put it there, my father being in bed at the time,. ,1 am; the guilty person. JNobody olae had My. thing to do with it, John Thomamfcdi' my father are innocent, David Rotwta; is my name. My life I know must part A. and tor the murder of David Thomas.— David Roberts, son of Edward Roberts," . —By tho judge's direction tho jury fouiid. \ Edward Roborts not guilty, David < Roberts was then brought up and sentenced to death