SHOCKING MURDER IN WALES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2146, 10 April 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

SHOCKING MURDER IN WALES.

At the recent Glamorgan assizes, David Roberts), 30, and Edward Roberts, 60 (father of David Roberts), both labourers, were indicted for the wilful murder of David Thomas, a cattle dealer it Llaoblethian, near Cowbridge, on the 30th October last. David Roberts pleaded "Guilty," and Edward Roberts "Not Guilty." The evidence was to the effect that on the night of the 90th October, the murdered man, Thomas, left a public-house in Cowbridge in company with the two prisoners, and that on the following morning Thomas was found dead near Llanbletbian mill, having apparently been murdered with a hedge■take. A. large sum of money which | Thomas had in hie possession j* misninf?. ' In hi§ written confession David Roberts described how he and his father had been drinking in a public-houte, and afterwards left to go to their lespective homes. He adds : — " David Thomas went over the ■tile by the end of a mill, and there we left him and went to our homes. I also wit>h to mention that my father, when he left the Duke of Wellington public-house, was what they call 'blind diunk.' ,1 had to lead him home. I brought him borne to his hoitse near Llanblethian, and I put him in bed, but I am very sorry to say that after I had done io I left the house by myself, took a big stick, and went to the top of Llanblethian hill. - 1 went down the footpath leading to Cowbridge, and met David Thomas coming up, and I asked him for his money. He allied me whore I came from, and I told him I came from Cowbridge. He said, ' (Jo to Cowbridge.' I •aid, 'I want your money first.' I told him he had better give it to me, or else I'd make him. So we had a bit of a scuffle and I threw him down, and T struck him wiih the stick I had in my Imnd three times. 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 also wivh to state that when I did come home my father was in bed fast aaleep. After I had burnt everything, I went to bed, and got up the next morning at seven o'clock. When I 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 money, because he 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. lam the guilty nerbon. Nobody else liad anything to do with it. John Thomas aud my father are innocent. David Roberts i«s my name. My life I know must part, and for the murder of David Thomas t— David Roberts, son of Edward Thomas."— By the judge's direction, the jury found Edward Roberts " Not guilty." David Roberts was then brought up and sentenced to death.

An autograph album, filled by himself, is owned by a young man spoken of by th» Chicago Times. After he nad got an album filled with signatures in the first place, its appearance offended his taste because of its want of neatness and uniformity. So be pot a new book and copied all the naroei into it, and w«s happy,