The Times 1821 - 1830 Sep 12 1826 Murder of Mary Brown

Sep 12 1826 Murder of Mary Brown

The Times, Tuesday, Sep 12, 1826; pg. 3; Issue 13070; col F                                              MURDER.                                             ------------                        (From the Carlisle Patriot of Saturday.) A great sensation was excited in Carlisle yesterday afternoon, by a report that a woman had been murdered in a field at St. Nicholas, just outside the southern suburb of the city. The rumour was too correct. Many persons hastened to the spot, and there they found, weltering in her blood, mortally wounded, a woman named Mary BROWN. The perpetrator of the crime is Philip TINNELEY, a man who has usually had a stall in Carlisle market, and sold cotton balls and other small wares. It appears that BROWN was a woman of loose character. Her husband, Henry BROWN, is a whitesmith at Whitehaven; and it is said, cohabits with another woman. He lately resided at Penrith; but is a native of Wetheral, near Carlisle. He and his wife had lived separately for some time past, originating, we are informed, in her unchaste and disorderly conduct. Thus left to herself, she pursued the path of vice, and fell in with TINNELEY, with whom she indulged in improper intercourse; nevertheless, they often quarrelled. At length, on Wednesday last, it would appear, TINNELEY induced her to accompany him into the field spoken of, where he inflicted several mortal wounds upon her head with a hammer. The poor woman fell under the blows, apparently dead; and TINNELEY stood over her, with an intention of burying the body; but she at this moment opened her eyes, and looked upon him so reproachingly, that he shrunk from his purpose, and quitted the field. He then went 14 or 15 miles into Scotland; but, conscience-stung, returned, and on Thursday afternoon repaired to the spot where he had left his victim, and was horror-struck at finding her still living. He hastily retired from the scene of blood, and went to the houses of some of his acquaintance, to whom he confessed the deed that he had done. The unfortunate woman was removed to her former lodging, where she died this morning at three o'clock. TINNELEY was taken into custody on Thursday evening, and is now in gaol. Soon after ten this forenoon (Friday), Richard LOWRY, Esq., Coroner, held an inquest, on view of the body, at the house of Mrs. Nancy IRVING, sign of the Jovial Butcher, Botchergate. The age of the deceased was 26 years. Ann IRVING, of Botchergate, innkeeper, sworn. - A man with a white hat (who is now in custody) came into my house about four o'clock yesterday afternoon, and sat down, and asked me if I had heard of the woman that was murdered in Botchergate. I said "No." He then said there was one murdered, and he was the man who did it; he observed he had been fourteen miles into Scotland, and had come back to give himself up. I inquired who the murdered woman was, where she lived, and what was her name; he said they called her BROWN, and that she was a bad woman. The man then said nothing more, but got up and went out towards the old workhouse. I thought he was deranged, and turned frightened at him. He had nothing to drink; but had been in my house several times before. He was quite collected in his appearance. He took out a handkerchief and began to cry. I desired an Irish girl, named Sally JONES, to go after him to the old workhouse, to see if he confessed any thing there respecting the murder. She returned in a few minutes, and said it was true; the man had confessed, and the woman had not been at home all night. I sent the girl to the old workhouse (the place where the deceased lodged) because the man went in there. He said he returned from Scotland "because he could not bide it." Ruth WILLIAMSON. - I live under where the deceased lodged. I heard that the prisoner and the deceased had gone off together; and when I saw him on Thursday, I asked him if he had returned. He said, "Returned! Where have I been?" The prisoner had visited the deceased for six or eight weeks occasionally. They call him Philip TINNELEY; but I never knew his name before yesterday. The deceased and prisoner always appeared to be on terms of intimacy until Sunday week, when he struck her, and followed her down stairs in a great rage, vowing vengeance against her; but he had no weapon in his hands. He made use of several wicked expressions to the deceased. I told him I thought he had little to do to come 18 or 20 miles to fight with women-folk. He made no further search, and returned me no answer. I went into my house, and locked myself in. The deceased had hid herself from him under a neighbour's bed, in a room adjoining to mine, and prisoner went away. I said to the deceased, if she submitted to such like folk, she was right served. She replied, it was Sunday, and she did not like to make any disturbance. The deceased was not a woman of good character. I saw the prisoner on Wednesday (the day of the murder,) but did not see them go out together. I saw the prisoner when he came in yesterday, about ten minutes past four; he said "Where's Mary BROWN; have you heard any thing of her?" I said, "I have heard nothing; where is she?" He then said, "I've killed her; I've hammered her brains out." I fainted from fear; but as soon as I recovered my strength, I left the house and him sitting in it. When I was running out of the room, he ordered me to stop, and said he would take me to the place where the deceased was. I ran into a house, in which there was a young man, named STORY, whom I requested to go into my room, as there was a man who had murdered Mary BROWN. I then gave information to other persons in a weaving shop, when one of them, named Edward M'BRIDE, went to our house, locked the door, and found the prisoner in Richard STORY's house. I then followed with a number of others, and asked the prisoner what Mary said to him when he was murdering her. He said he would tell me afterwards; but he never did. Prisoner told me afterwards, on the same day, that he went away for the purpose of leaving her; but that he had turned back determined, he said, to see the far end of her; and he just went and killed her, because he wished to die for her sake, as she would not live with him. I accompanied the prisoner and a crowd of people to the spot where the deceased was lying, which was a field near Botchergate. I knew the deceased; she was not entirely dead, but in a dying state; she was breathing. I did not examine her head; but saw that the fore-finger of her right hand was cut and broken. The right side of the deceased's head and face were very bloody. I saw the deceased when they brought her home; it might be about two hours after; and she died about three o'clock this morning. Prisoner said that her finger was broken by the second blow, on account of the deceased holding up her hand to defend herself; he did it with a hammer, which he afterwards threw away, but said he did not know where he threw it. Other witnesses corroborated this testimony. Felix ROCK, constable of Botchergate. - I took the prisoner in custody on Thursday afternoon about five o'clock, in consequence of information I received from the witness THURSBY, that a woman was lying murdered in a field belonging to Mr. STUDHOLME, and that the man was there who had done it. The deceased was lying on her back, about three yards from the prisoner, whom I took to the Clerk of the Peace's office; but there being no magistrate present, I conveyed him to gaol without examination. When I took the prisoner first in custody he said - "I am the man who has done it, and I hope I shall suffer for it." In the Clerk of the Peace's Office the prisoner confessed that he had murdered the deceased; and also said that he told her an hour before he did it, that he intended to murder her, and that he saw some gentlemen shooting in a field, whom he thought would be coming that way and prevent him; but they did not come, and so he murdered her!! The prisoner seemed much distressed in his mind; he wept, and had a handkerchief in his hand. Mr. James MARRS, surgeon, and Dr. ATKINSON, deposed that any one of the wounds was sufficient to cause death. John ARMSTRONG, constable, produced a quantity of clothes, which were literally steeped in gore. The marks on the hat had been evidently struck with a round-headed instrument resembling a hammer. The constable got the clothes produced from Mary GRAHAM, where the deceased lodged; but he did not see them taken from her body. The Coroner asked the prisoner his name, when he audibly replied, "Philip TINNELEY." Mr. LOWRY informed him that he did not wish him to make any confession; when the prisoner coolly replied, "I have made one already." The Jury retired, (merely for form's sake, for they were perfectly satisfied,) and in three or four minutes returned, finding a verdict of "Wilful Murder against Philip TINNELEY." The prisoner is a diminutive man, of unprepossessing exterior, and altogether very shabby in his appearance. Whilst ARMSTRONG, the constable, was showing the Jury the bloody clothes of the deceased, the prisoner stood with his hat partly before his face, eyeing them askance. A copious perspiration spread over his face, and the convulsive heaving of his breast clearly indicated the emotions contending within. But though he was apparently labouring under much mental suffering, when spoken to by the Coroner, he returned a very audible and collected answer. During the time he was before the jury, he stood with his eyes closed, and only opened them to look upon the clothes of the deceased, which he had so shockingly stained with her blood. There was a dark scowl upon his countenance, which gave to his person a forbidding and rather terrific appearance.

 

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