Maria Lewis

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 30th August 2024

Place of origin: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire TRIAL; 19 August 1844. Shoplifting and stealing print Aged; 24 years old Status; Married - 1 child. Husband; John Transported 4 1/2 years ago to V.D.L. Mother; Jane Brother/s; Edward. Transported in Percsa ?? Sister; Janet 1873 - INQUESTS; Lewis, Maria. Age; 47 years old Ship to colony: Tory. Remarks: Free by Servitude Date of death: 31 May 1873 Date of inquest: 9 Jun 1873 Verdict: Murdered against George Langley who has been committed for trial The Tasmanian (Launceston, Tas. : 1871 - 1879) Sat 19 Jul 1873. CHARGE OF MURDER. George Langley was indicted for the murder of Maria Langley, otherwise Maria Humphreys, alias Maria Lewis, alias Maria Miller, at Oyster Cove, on the 31st -of May last. A second count charged the prisoner with manslaughter. It will be remembered that on tho the 31st of May last the deceased was drinking at Flight's public-house and the prisoner went to fetch her home. When the couple started from the hotel Maria Langley (as the deceased was known) was the worse for liquor, and it would appear that Langley and deceased were seen some time later in the evening, lying on the side of the main road, somewhere about midway between Langley's hut and the public house, and that the deceased was heard calling but, "Oh, George, don't kick me". 'Subsequently the prisoner went to a house not far distant from the spot where the cries proceeded, and asked the inmates to come to his assistance, that his wife (meaning the deceased) was feeble, and unable to get along. The inmate's followed him to the spot where the woman lay, and it was discovered that she was dead. Langley appeared to be much put about then he learned, this. He wept bitterly and said that the woman had wandered away from him while he was looking for a light. The body was removed next morning, and in a day or two Dr. Smith made a post mortem examination, which revealed the fact that the woman had died from injuries to the abdominal regions produced by a succession of violent blows and Langley was taken into custody. Mr Graves, who. defended the accused laid great stress, on; the fact that deceased, although a drunken woman, had lived with the prisoner for18 or 20 years, and had always been well treated by him, as a proof that even if he had in- inflicted the injuries which had produced her death, he had no intention of doing her any serious harm, and that therefore the jury could only find him guilty of manslaughter. The summing of the learned Judge, however, was decidedly opposed to the construction. put upon the case by Mr Graves, but the jury after about forty minutes' deliberation returned a verdict of manslauhter, and prisoner was put back for sentence