ALLEGED MURDER AT WHITEHAVEN.

MRS. JANE TWEDDLE, the woman who was taken to the Workhouse Infirmary on

Wednesday last suffering from injuries alleged to have been received at the

hands of JOHN FLEMING, died on Tuesday morning. She had been in a state of

unconsciousness ever since her admission into the Workhouse, but there was a

slight improvement in her condtion on Monday, when she took nourishment

better than she had previously done, but notwithstanding this she died on

Tuesday morning.

She was a widow and lived with her daughter, and the man FLEMING, at Little

Scotland, Chapel-street. It appears that FLEMING returned home on Easter

Tuesday evening the worse for drink, when he abused SUSANNAH TWEDDLE

(deceased's daughter), and the deceased interfered, and it is alleged that

he turned upon the latter and knocked her down, and struck her on the head

and face whilst on the ground. The daughter then ran out for assistance.

When the police went to the house, FLEMING confronted them and used bad

language, he afterwards rushed at P.C. SHEFFIELD with a knife, which was

taken from him, and he attempted to attack SERGT. DOWTHWAITE with a poker,

which was also wrested from him. He was removed to the lock-up.

It is stated that FLEMING took hold of deceased by the hair, dragged her

into a passage and back into the house again, when he jumped upon her.

Deceased never spoke again and DR. DICKSON was called in and ordered her

removal to the workhouse infirmary. Death is supposed to be due to

concussion of the brain.

FLEMING was brought before the magistrates on Monday and charged with

inflicting grevious bodily harm upon MARY TWEDDLE, but was remanded till

to-day (Thursday), it being expected then that the deceased would be able to

give some evidence in the case.

The inquest was opened at the Workhouse on Tuesday by MR. GORDON FALCON,

coroner, and a jury. SUSANNAH TWEDDLE gave evidence of identification, the

deceased being her mother, who was 65 years of age. The coroner said he

thought he need not take any further evidence that day. JOHN FLEMING was in

custody, and would be charged with the wilful murder of the deceased. It

was therefore necessary to adjourn the inquiry so that a post mortem

examination could be made.

As the jurors all lived in town, and as the prisoner was in custody there,

he thought it would be more convenient to hold the inquiry at the Police

Station, as the Home Office had issued a new order that any person in

custody on a charge of murder, manslaughter, or of causing the death of

anyone, must be present at the inquest, and if it were held at the Police

Station, the prisoner's removel would be obviated. The inquest was

adjourned till to-morrow (Friday).