Robert Ward

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 16th August 2024

1876 - Deaths. 28 April. 1876 Name: Ward, Robert General Hospital Hobart. Admission dates: 28 Apr 1876 Ship: St Vincent Place of origin: Surrey Date of death: 05 May 1876 Record ID: NAME_INDEXES:1501301

135

C H on 11th April 2024

Old Bailey Online ROBERT WARD. Killing; murder. 20th August 1849 Text type Trial account Defendants ROBERT WARD Offences Killing > Murder Session Date 20th August 1849 Reference Number t18490820-1603 Verdicts Guilty > Manslaughter Punishments Transportation 1603. ROBERT WARD , was indicted for the wilful murder of Sarah Ward:—he was also charged on the Coroner's Inquisition, with a like offence. MR. ROBINSON conducted the Prosecution. SARAH WARD . I am the prisoner's daughter—the deceased was my mother—I lived with them in James-street, Stepney—my elder sister Louisa lived with us. On the night in question I came in and found my father and mother quarrelling—I do not know what about—I was frightened, and went up-stairs to call my sister Louisa—I had not seen them do anything—when I came down, I saw my mother on the floor, bleeding from her head—the poker was at her head—I took it—I do not know whether the point was in her head or at her hair—there was a fire in the room—when I went up-stairs they were both sitting, my father with his back to the fire, not far from it—I went out to fetch Mrs. Wren. Cross-examined by MR. COOPER. Q. You have always lived at home with your father? A. Yes, he has always been kind to me—lie is a twine-spinner—there are five of us. SARAH WREN . I live facing the prisoner—the deceased came to my house on this evening, and shortly after she left I heard them quarrelling—their eldest daughter was in the familyway, and I heard the prisoner say to the deceased she was a complete walking-newspaper, and the neighbours were always looking after her—he said she had been talking about it—she said, "No, I have not; the neighbours can see pretty plainly without my telling them"—he said, "She is mine, and I will not see her lost for you"—(I understood that he would see her through her confinement—the mother did not mean to abandon her—I heard her say she would act a mother's part, and see her through her trouble)—in five or ten minutes afterwards the younger daughter came oyer to me—I went and found the deceased on the floor, with blood running from her head—the prisoner was there—I said, "Oh Mr. Ward, what have you done to your poor wife?"—he said, "I have struck her over the head with the poker, but I did not intend to do it"—she was alive, but insensible—I picked the poker up and threw it inside the fender—it had laid inside a chair at the side of her head—I asked him if he would give me a little water to wash the wound—he said, "Don't take cold water, have warm water"—he made some water warm, and got a bit of rag and wiped the blood from her head—he then went out, and I saw no more of him. Cross-examined. Q. Have you known him some time? A. Five months; he is a hard-working, industrious, civil man—I never knew him to give a neighbour a cause of quarrel; he is a good father, and was kind towards his wife, as far as I know. LOUISA WARD . I am the prisoner's daughter, by his first wife. I saw the deceased on the floor; the doctor came, and after that I saw my father—he asked me if I had hid the poker—I said, "No"—and he told me to go and hide it—I put it behind two boxes—I saw the body at the hospital—my mother's name was Sarah Ward. Cross-examined. Q. You lived with them? A. Yes, all along—they quarrelled about me, my mother did not want me to be confined in the house, and my father wanted it—he had been out that day, and she had been after him—I was in bed when she came home, and did not hear the quarrel—this is the poker (produced). EDWARD HUMMELL (policeman.) About a quarter to eleven o'clock I was called, and saw the prisoner's wife lying on the floor—I went away, came back and took the prisoner, he had a book and pencil in his hand—he said if I would allow him to make out his account for his daughters to get the money for his work, he would go quietly—he said to the eldest daughter," This is all through you, it is your fault this has occurred"—I asked him where the poker was, he said he did not know he had a poker—in going to the station he said he thought he struck his wife with his fist, he did not believe he did it with the poker; that his eldest daughter was by bis first wife, and that caused the dispute—the woman was taken to the hospital. JOHN BEVAN (policeman.) I went to the house, and found the deceased's cap, here is a bole in it as if burnt—the wound in her head corresponded with it—here is blood down the cap string—On Saturday morning I found this poker behind some boxes in the front bedroom, here is some hair on it. CHARLES HARPER . I am house-surgeon at the London Hospital. On Saturday morning the deceased was brought there—I found on the left side of her head an opening which communicated with the brain—there was a circular piece knocked out of the skull—that was the cause of death—I think this poker would have produced it, with a thrust, or it might, possibly, if thrown—she died at twelve o'clock on Saturday night—she did not appear sensible after she came. (The prisoner's statement before the Magistrate was here read " I had had two or three pots of ale, it quite overcame me; I did not know what I did; I do not recollect anything of shying the poker at her.") MRS. WREN re-examined. He appeared sober, and to know what he was about. GUILTY of Manslaughter. — Transported for Ten Years.