WOMAN'S MAD LEAP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13355, 8 December 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

WOMAN'S MAD LEAP.

TERRIBLE FIGHT IN A TRAIN.

DEATH FOLLOWS JUMP FROM CARRIAGE.

A TRAGIC affair look place on the Tag Vale Railway, Glamorganshire, between Forth and Trehafod stations, resulting in the death of a woman named Maggie Jo.vis at the Cardiff Infirmary and the apprehension of George Phillips, collier, residing at Morgan's Terrace, Forth, on a charge of c; using a woman's death. The victim of the tragedy is a married woman, whoso husband, a." man named John Jones, is m]) . posed to be living at Treorky. It appears that up to about two months ago deceased bad resided with Phillips for about five rears at Forth. -During this period a labourer named . Harry Scratton, now of Cattail. Mieste:i. seems to have been greatly resented bv Phillips, who. it is stated, elleges that she decamped with the greater part of the furniture in his house. \, n . Jones and Scratton bad been in correspondence with each other, and had arranged for a meeting at Treherbert. Phillips got to know .of this arrangement, and at Ystrad station the woman, who travelled by the fourteen minutes past six tram, complained that ~

TIE WAS "SHADOWING" If BR, and that she could not get rid of him, with the result that an official of the company intervened, and Phillips was prevented from going into the same compartment with her. Phillips returned to Forth, and went to his lodgings. Later he went to the Forth railway station. Having seen the woman in company with Scratton in the train, he is said to have entered the same compartment. Here a fearful struggle ensued.- Immediately the train started the two men had an altercation about some monev matters, and this led to blows. Phillips, however, it is said, soon transferred his attention to the woman, and it is alleged that he inflicted some nasty cuts on her face, blood streaming freely. It should'.be added that there were, besides the combatants, two other persons in the compartment—Mr. Francis Henry Gear, of North-street, Forth, and Miss E. A. John, of Eheola Terrace, Trehafod. The former made a brave attempt to prevent Mrs. Jones, who had opened the door, from jumping out, but his efforts were unavailing, and she eventually succeeded in attaining her object whilst Mr. (rear was trying to save himself and Miss John from blows which were now being struck in all directions. Scratton had also attempted to defend Mrs. Jones, who fell headlong from the train, which at, that,,time was going at full speed. At the time a mineral train was passing along the other rail, with the result that Mrs. Jones was badly mutilated. Both her legs were cut off below the knees by the passing train, and the right arm was also broken. Information was at once given to the police, and Inspector T. Williams was soon on the spot, and caused Phillips to be arrested and the woman conveyed to the Cardiff Infirmary. Tier injuries, however, were so terrible that her condition was hopeless,. and

SHE DIET) AT THE INFIRMARY next morning. The story of the tragedy was related to the magistrates and the coroner. At Ystrad, Phillips was brought before the stipendiary charged with causing the death of Margaret Jones. Francis Henry Gear deposed that he was in a thirdclass carriage travelling to Pontypridd, in the same compartment as prisoner. Deceased, the man Scratton, and a young lady whose name he did not know were also in tno compartment. After the train started an argument arose between prisoner and Scratton with regard to some money, matters. Phillips said to Scratton, "When are you going to pay me that money? You have — well ruined my home." The next thing ho saw was Scratton pulling -out something from his pocket, which Phillips examined with a magnifying glass. Some discussion took place, arid the woman got up from her seat, when Phillips shouted,; "Sit down." Witness heard the words "I don't care." Prisoner then said to Scratton, "You don't care," and then struck him several times. He came round, and. finishing with Scratton, struck Mrs. Jones' also. "He then turned round to Scrattoir again; The woman, who received ten or a dozen blows, opened the door and went out through it. Before that there was it scuffle on the. floor of'the carriage. Superinten-dent-Cole: Who opened the door?— The woman had all to do with the door. When she (Mrs. Jones) got out witness shouted, "She's going■'• out." Phillips, addressing Scratton, who was on the floor, said, " You will — well go after her." The Stipendiary : Did Scratton defend the woman at all?—Scratton tried to get at the communication cord, 'there is no communication cord on the 'Tuff Vale Railway?—No, sir. P.C. Lucas gave evidence of arresting prisoner, who, in reply to the charge,.said: : "The three of us were scuffling in the train. I don't remember anything of the carriage door being opened until I saw it open when the train stopped. Scratton and me was in the scuttle when the train stopped." ~ , : The stipendiary advised prisoner to reserve his cross-examination of the. witnesses until he was professionally represented, as the case could not be concluded that day. i'risoner remarked that he had nothing to question the witnesses about, and had nothing to say beyond what he had told .- the police. "' I do not suppose," added prisoner, "there were 20 blows struck altogether." At the inquest a verdict of "manslaughter" was returned against Phillips, who was subsequently committed by the magistrates to the assizes on that charge.