SUMMARY OF REPORTS IN THE SWINDON AND CIRENCESTER MERCURY SECTION OF THE NORTH WILTS HERALD ON SATURDAY MARCH 6th 1875 – RELATING TO CHARGES AGAINST PATRICK WALTER HEANEY AND THE DEATH OF HIS WIFE, CATHERINE HEANEY
CIRENCESTER PETTY SESSIONS
Saturday February 27th 1875
Patrick Walter Heaney (PWH) – formerly on the staff of the Royal North Gloucester Militia and lately recruiting sergeant of the district - was arrested the previous night, charged with threatening to kill his wife, Catherine Heany (CH). As CH was too ill to attend (her death anticipated by several medical men) the case was not gone into and PWH was remanded until Monday.
Monday March 1st 1875
PWH was again placed in the dock but as CH had now died (on Sunday morning) Mr Supt. Wood asked for an adjournment until Wednesday to make enquiries into the case.
PWH asked for bail saying that as his wife was dead there was no-one to take charge of things at home and that he wanted to get out to see his wife interred. ‘My brother-in-law will be bail for me to any amount.’ His bail request was not granted.
Wednesday March 3rd 1875
PWH (who lived at Brook Cottages in the Beeches with their daughter) was charged with the manslaughter of his wife CH.
CH had been ill for 12 months with a tumour. Elizabeth Mapson (her neighbour) gave evidence. She had helped CH in the last few weeks and had seen her get worse in the last few days. CH had died in her arms. Mary Powell (who lived next door but one) gave similar evidence.
Next to give evidence was Catherine Ellen Heaney (CEH) – daughter of PWH and CH – ‘9 years of age, a well attired, pretty looking child, said she had lived at home with her father and mother’. She testified that she had slept at Mrs Robbins on Thursday night and returned home on Friday morning with Mrs Powell. They found CH in the front room. PWH came downstairs and sent CEH on an errand. When she got back PWH struck her because he said she had been gone an hour (CEH said it was only 10 minutes) and then got a knife from the table and went towards CH holding the blade towards her. CH ran into the other room and CEH ran to get Mrs Mapson. When they got back CH was sitting in the kitchen and PWH was in the parlour having his breakfast. CEH said that CH had been ill for about 2 months and now appeared worse than she had seen her before.
CEH also reported:
*That about a fortnight before CH had broken a saucer and ran out of the house afraid. PWH threw a plate through the window which struck CH on the back of the head.
*That PWH had turned CH and CEH out of the house several times at night. The last time was just before Christmas when they went to a neighbour’s. On other occasions they went to the closet in the garden and stayed there all night.
*That PWH was in the habit of keeping a barrel of beer in the house and would ask his wife to get him some – he did not ask civilly and kindly but did not swear.
When cross-examined CEH said ‘Her father was generally kind except when he had a drop of beer. He was a kind father and husband.’
Mr Hodges (in general practice in Cirencester) gave evidence next. He first called to attend CH on February 22nd. CH’s sister had called on him the day before and asked him to go. PWH was not
there. He found CH very weak, suffering from an incurable internal cancer. Whilst there, CH complained to him that PWH was very cruel to her. Mr Hodges recommended that CH leave her husband and get some comfortable apartments in the town away from him (as he understood that she had means to live upon).
Mr Hodges called again on Friday February 26th when CH was in much the same condition as on his previous visit. On the Sunday morning (February 28th), however, she was in a state of collapse and he was there when she died at about 12pm. PWH was not there.
Mr Hodges testified that CH had made a statement to him. She said her husband was going to use a knife on her, that it frightened her very much and she managed to get away into another room. She was panting for breath and died within half an hour of saying this. He was astonished to see her condition as she was so much altered. However, after hearing this from CH and things he heard from other people present he attributed the great change in her condition to PWH’s threatening behaviour. Mr Hodges had previously expected CH to live 4 to 5 months. She had cancer of the abdomen. She was not suffering from any other disease. Her heart was sound.
Mr Thomas Warner – a magistrate for the county of Gloucester (formerly in practice as a surgeon) – said on Friday (February 26th) evening he was requested to attend the house in his capacity as a magistrate. CH was in the parlour, bolstered up in a chair. She gave a statement which she signed. Her appearance was that of a dying person. Once or twice she was alarmed when she heard footsteps outside the house and said she hoped she would never see PWH again. Her sister said ‘Carry, don’t be alarmed, they have taken him to the station.’ Mr Warner was there 2 hours, during which time CH described a great many things to him, including that PWH came towards her with a knife threatening to kill her, using bad language. Also other episodes like being expelled from the house and staying in the closet, being sent to the cellar 4 or 5 times during some nights for beer, being chased round the garden and knocked down and not long ago being beaten by PWH with his fist on her arm so much so that she couldn’t use it for some time.
Mr Superintendent Wood said that was all the evidence he had to offer. He should have called Mrs Day (CH’s sister) but she was in bed, too ill to appear that day.
PWH’s attorney then briefly addressed the Bench. He said that although the case was involved, it was really one of manslaughter, it being alleged that PWH had accelerated the death of his wife. He reminded the Bench of a similar case where after a long hearing the accused was acquitted and he submitted that this was a weaker case.
The Magistrates retired for 20 minutes. Their decision was to commit PWH for trial at the next assizes. As a coroner’s enquiry would be held, PWH was remanded in custody until after that time for the purpose of hearing any further evidence which might be forthcoming. Bail was rejected.
THE CORONER’S INQUEST – the morning of Thursday March 4th 1875
Mr J.G. Ball, county coroner held an inquest on the body of CH at the Waggon and Horses Inn, Dyer Street. The evidence given was substantially the same as presented to the magistrates the day before. After a very brief discussion the Jury returned the verdict:
‘That Caroline Heaney had been suffering some time from an internal cancer, and having been much neglected, unkindly treated and threatened by her husband, Patrick Walter Heaney, she died at his dwelling-house, in the parish of Cirencester, on Sunday the 28th of February, and that, in the opinion of the jury, her death was accelerated by the conduct of her husband on the preceding Friday.’
The Coroner said he could not help remarking that he had seldom more fully concurred in the verdict of any jury.
ADJOURNED MAGISTERIAL ENQUIRY – the morning of Friday March 5th 1875
The hearing of the charge against PWH was completed at the Police Court and he was formally committed for trial at the approaching Assizes.
(Summarised from the original newspaper reports by Meryl Lyons on 15th February 2022)