Morning Post
London, UK
23 June 1883

James Kelly, 23, an upholsterer, of 21, Cottage-Lane, City-Road, St. Luke's, was charged with attempting to murder his wife, Sarah Ann Kelly, by stabbing her in the neck on Thursday night. - Police Inspector Maynard said the prosecutrix was lying in St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and was too severely injured to attend. - Mrs. Sarah Brider, mother-in-law to the prisoner, said that Kelly had only been married a little over a fortnight. She lived in the same house with them. On Thursday night they were all in the parlour, and the prisoner accused his wife of keeping the company of girls of loose character. She said, in reply, "I won't live with you any longer: you are unkind and cruel." The prisoner said, "You won't leave me; I'll keep you from going," and he added that he would "knock her down." Nothing further was said at the moment, but after the lapse of a few minutes he asked her to forgive him, and sat by her side on a couch. She said she could not forgive him and witness saw him put his arm round her neck and drag her head down to the floor. He then ran out of the room, and his wife fell down on the carpet in a swoon, bleeding very much at the neck. A doctor was sent for and she was conveyed to the hospital. - Dr. Rayner said that on the prisoner's wife being admitted to the hospital she was in an unconscious state. She had a punctured wound below the left ear, nearly three inches deep. Her life was in great danger. - Mr. Barstow remanded the prisoner.