The quiet little street, West-street, Rushden, was early on Monday morning the scene of what is alleged to have been a murderous attack on a wife. A young married couple named Brandon, of Poplar Cottage, Irthlingborough, were staying with the wife’s parents in West-street, and on Bank-holiday are said to have had a quarrel. The husband made certain charges against his wife, and then left. He returned, however, on Sunday, and the affair seemed to have blown over.

  Early on Monday morning, however, it is stated that the wife was awakened by feeling her husband’s hands about her throat. He had a razor in his hand, and a slight wound was inflicted on the left side of her throat.  She seized his hand and screamed for help, with the result that her father and mother were quickly on the scene.  Peace again reigned, but shortly afterwards, when they were seated downstairs, one on each side of the fireplace, Brandon is alleged to have suddenly seized the poker and dealt his wife a heavy blow on the top of the head.  The police were called in and Brandon was arrested by P.S. slaughter soon after seven o’clock.  The woman’s injuries were attended to by Dr. Pearcey, assistant to Dr. Baker, who found that the blow on the head had cut through to the bone, and that the wound was a serious one.

  The sequel to the affair was that during the morning Arthur Brandon, shoehand, was brought before Mr. W. H. Wilkins at the Rushden Police Station, charged with unlawfully wounding his wife, Mary Jane Brandon, “with intent to kill and slay.”  -  Supt. Alexander laid the information, and applied for prisoner to be remanded till to-day at the Wellingborough Police Court.

  Prisoner had nothing to say, and was remanded to Northampton Gaol.

  At Wellingborough Police-court this morning, prisoner was remanded for a week.  

19^th August 1904

Serious Case From Rushden

The Charge of Attempted Wife Murder - Reduced to a Charge of Felonious Assault

  To-day (Friday), at Wellingborough, Arthur Brandon, shoe finisher, Irthlingborough, was charged with feloniously assaulting his wife with intent to do her grievous bodily harm at Rushden on August 8^th. Mr. J.T. Parker defended. The charge was originally one of wounding with intent to kill and slay.

  Mrs. Brandon said she had been married to prisoner eight years, and there were three children.  On Aug. 1^st they went to Rushden to her parents’ house, and during the day angry words passed between her and her husband.  The latter left the house and was not seen again until the following Thursday, when he accused her of misconduct.  This she denied.  On Sunday, Aug. 7, he came again and seemed most excited, witness’s mother, in fact, thinking he looked dangerous.  He stayed in the house that night, and next morning he left the bedroom in which they had been sleeping for a few minutes, but returned, and she went to sleep again.  Directly afterwards she felt something at her throat and saw her husband standing over her with an open razor in his hand, which he had evidently brought from Irthlingborough.  Prisoner cut her throat with the razor.  She held up her arm and screamed; her father and mother ran to her assistance, her father holding prisoner, while her mother seized the razor.  Witness dressed and went downstairs and sat with the baby on her knee in the sitting-room.  Prisoner and her father came into the room.  Prisoner stooped down as if looking for his boots, and then she felt a blow on her head, which stunned her for a time.  The larger poker produced was kept in the room.  Prisoner had frequently threatened to murder her, and had several times tried to strangle her.

  Mr. Parker severely cross-examined witness with a view to proving that she had misconducted herself with men.  Witness denied the accusation.

  After a long hearing prisoner was committed for trial.