THE ATTEMPT TO MURDER A SWEETHEART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9184, 13 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE ATTEMPT TO MURDER A SWEETHEART.

At the Chester assizes recently, before Mr. Justice Field, John Cocker (24), factory worker, was indicted for attempting to murder his sweetheart, Sarah Jane Smith, at Macclesfield, by throwing her into tho canal. Mr. Lloyd proc-ecuted, and Mr. Yatcs defended. The case for tho prosecution was that the prisoner had kept coinpany with the prosecutrix for two years, against the wish of the girl's parents. On April 16th they left Macclesfield in search of work at Bollington, walking along tho towing path of the canal. Suddenly prisoner, without a word of warning, jumped behind his companion and pushing her into the canal, shouting " Sink, sink." He threw a can of victuals they had been carrying into the water, and ran away, leaving the girl struggling in the canal. A man who happened to be passing managed to rescue prosecutrix, who thereupon informed the police. Prosecutrix, an attractive-looking girl, scarcely sixteen, said her parents had abused her because of her attachment to the prisoner. They had been engaged for months, and at thu time in question tho banns were actually up. For three days before witno<?3 was off work ill, and as the prisoner also stayed away both were dismissed. A youngwoman once told prisoner that witness did not want him, whereupon he said, "If I don't have her, nobody else will." The defence was that the prisoner being informed he could get no work at Bollington, returned to Macclesfield, and tho fjirl believing sho was deserted, threw herself into the canal either to drown herself or bring back her faithless lover to her feet. Prisoner wept bitterly throughout the trial.—The jury found him guilty, and ho was sentenced to eight years' penal servitude.