Birmingham Daily Post (25/Aug/1891) - The Tragedy Near Huddersfield

The following is a transcription of a historic newspaper article and may contain occasional errors. If the article was published prior to 1 June 1957, then the text is likely in the Public Domain.

THE TRAGEDY NEAR HUDDERSFIELD

Joshua Lockwood and George Farnham were charged before the West Riding magistrates at Huddersfield, yesterday, on remand, with murdering Catherine Dennis, a servant girl, last Friday. The police stated that further enquiries had shown them that the prisoners could not have had anything to do with the murder, and they asked that they should be discharged. Prisoners' counsel complained of the hardships his clients had been subjected to, and asked what compensation would be given. The magistrates declined to answer the question. The prisoners were discharged.

Yesterday afternoon Mr. Barstow, one of the West Riding, coroners, held an inquest at the Ivy Hotel, Linthwaite, near Huddersfield, on the body of the murdered girl Evidence of identification was given by the girl's uncle, who came from Flint with her father, who could not speak any English.

Mrs. Brook, landlady of the hotel, said deceased was the best servant. she ever had, being most willing, truthful, honest, and steady. When witness left to go to Huddersfield on Friday, a man named Stockwell was in the kitchen eating a pie, and two carters were also in the taproom. Stockwell was using a thin bladed knife, and, although a regular customer, had never been allowed in the taproom before. She had never seen him speak to the girl, and the latter had no sweetheart.

John William Iredale now admitted be was in error in identifying Farnham, one of the arrested men, as the man whom he saw in the house at a quarter past three o'clock.

Dr. Haigh, who made a post-mortem, said the wound in the neck was made by a small but sharp instrument. It was an inch in length and from two and a half to three inches deep. It was certainly not self-inflicted. There was an attempted outrage, but it was not carried out.

The inquest was adjourned for a week.

The funeral took place while the inquest was proceeding, being conducted by the Rev. J.F. Forde, curate of Milnsbridge. The unfortunate girl's mother was present, and was so overcome at the graveside that she fainted. An active search is being made for Stockwell. It is rumoured that he is in the neighbourhood, but the enquiries made by the police lead them to believe that he may be hiding among the disused stone quarries and coal workings on the moors.