ATTEMPTED MURDER:
MARTIN DOYLE 27th August 1861.
Cheshire Observer
Saturday 8th June 1861
BRUTAL ATTEMPT TO MURDER NEAR SANDBACH.
We have to report one of the most brutal attempts to murder which it has been our lot to record for some time past, especially as occurring in this county. It seems that on Thursday last information was given to the county constabulary that a murder had been committed at New Road, Church Lawton, near Sandbach. An officer proceeded to the place where it was said the murder had been committed, and he found a large quantity of blood there, and several sharp-edged stones, covered with blood. The person who was supposed to be murdered was a woman, and had been removed to a public house a short distance from Church Lawton. Thither the officer went, and found that though the woman was not dead she was in a very precarious state, her body being literally covered with cuts and bruises. A man named Martin Doyle was taken in custody, and was charged with committing the offence, by P.C. Dale of the county force. Dale took his prisoner before G.. W. Latham Esq., magistrate, who on learning the dangerous state in which the woman was, remanded Doyle, and proceeded to where the woman lay. This was at a place called “Talk o' th' Hill,” and is in the county of Staffordshire, just over the Chester border. Mr. Latham took down the depositions of the (supposed) dying woman. She said : My name is Jane Brogine, I am the wife of John Brogine he left me at Ormskirk about nine months since, he took my children with him, a boy and a girl, I have not seen him or them since, I became acquainted with the prisoner, Martin Doyle, about a month after my husband left me at Ormskirk. He stayed with me three or four days there, we then went to Wigan and there lived together about 11 weeks, at the house of a man named, Daugherty, he there left me to go in search of work. I then went to Burnley and stayed about two hours at the house of my brother, Robert Livingstone. I then went to Bradford Infirmary and remained there about five weeks with a bad leg. I then went to the house of Maria Curtis and remained there about three weeks, from there I went to Oldham and lived at the Star Hotel as maid of all work, I remained there until Friday, 24th May. I then went to Ormskirk by train, and remained there one night at the house of Thomas Marrenals. The prisoner there came after me, he followed me next day on my way to St. Helens, he had another young man with him, he carried, my bundle and came with me to Prescott, we slept together at a lodging-house and left there about 11 o'clock the following morning, and came the next day to Warrington, and slept there one night, we left about a quarter to 12 the next day and went to Holmes Chapel, and slept there at a lodging-house near the railway-bridge, we left there about 10 o'clock this morning and came on our way to Newcastle, as the prisoner said he had a brother there and could get work. We came through the Linley Tollgate between one and two o'clock. We then came to a hollow place on the side of the road, it was raining fast, we sat down under a tree about five or six yards from the turnpike road, we remained about one hour and then I went to sleep, and he pulled my head on to his knee. I awoke and found his elbow a great weight upon my head, I should think I was sleeping about three quarters of an hour. He then got up and said he would go and see if it had done raining, he came back with a great stone in his hand, and stood at the back of a tree, he threw it at my head, and it knocked me down and made me feel quite silly. I then shouted, and put up my hands, and said “Don't' What is that ?” He then came and placed his knees upon my breast, and seized me round my throat and forced my tongue out. He then saw he could not finish me with that, and got a sharp stone and said he was determined to have my life as he had come there for it. I had expressed a wish that morning, if he did not get work at Newcastle, to return back. He then began to knock me about the head and face with a stone. I asked him to spare my life, he said “No, your life I intend to have.” He kept hammering at me until I was covered with blood, he said “Now, you b_____ r, arn't you done.” I then drew my breath and gave a great sigh, he then gave me four or five more knocks, I could neither speak nor see, and fainted as he went away, from me. As he went away he said, “Now, devil, you are done.” I remained there a short time and was getting a little better, when I heard the noise of a cart coming up the road, and crept towards it as well as I could, but I could not see my way, and the man stopped the cart, he said, “Oh, woman, who has been committing murder ?” I said “It is the man who has gone down the road in a white jacket, that has done this.”
Dundee Advertiser
Saturday 10th August 1861
Martin Doyle has been found guilty of cutting and wounding Jane Brogine at Church Lawton on the 30th May last, with the intent of committing murder. The woman is recovering. The Judge having passed sentence of death, the prisoner said firmly, “Amen, I am willing, my Lord, to die for what I have done.”
Lancaster Gazette
Saturday 31st August 1861
EXECUTION OF MARTIN DOYLE, AT CHESTER.
Martin Doyle was executed at Chester, on Tuesday, for the attempted murder of Jane Brogine, at a place near Sandbach. On Saturday, Doyle, who was twenty years of age, had an interview with his wife which lasted two hours, and was of a painful character, and on Monday he saw his brother, the presence of whom completely overpowered him. His brother was deeply affected, but the convict said to him cheerfully, “Patrick, don't trouble about me, I am quite ready to die, it is all for the best.” Since his condemnation, he has been remarkably light hearted, and apparently careless about his fate, and this state of mind he maintained up to the last. Ever since he was sentenced to death, he has expressed his sorrow for what he had done, and has often said he was thankful that he did not kill the woman. He said he could not describe what made him do the deed, something came over him for a time that took entire possession of him, and he scarcely knew what he was doing. He felt sorry for what he had done almost as soon as he had inflicted the fearful wounds, and that was the reason he gave himself up to the police. The convict slept not on Monday night, but occupied his time chiefly in singing hymns, reading prayers, and talking about his past life. He ate a hearty meal about four o'clock, drank two or three glasses of weak brandy and water during the night, and partook of a good breakfast at half-past seven in the morning, after which he had another glass of brandy and water. On coming from his cell to be pinioned, he said he should not thank anybody to tell him he was not to be executed, for he felt ready to die. During the time he was in the press-room be said, “Our Saviour was led like a lamb to the slaughter, he made no resistance, neither will I, I know I shall be forgiven.” He then walked out, ran quickly up the scaffold steps, and gazed with a smile upon the crowd below. He wished to make “an address to the young,” but his spiritual adviser implored him not to do so, and he abandoned the intention. He stood firm whilst the rope was being adjusted, and the fatal bolt being drawn, he died almost without a struggle.
A memorial was forwarded to Sir George Grey on Monday week praying for a commutation of the sentence to transportation for life. A reply was I received a few hours before the culprit was executed, stating that the Secretary of State saw no reason to stop the course of the law.
Saturday 8th June 1861
BRUTAL ATTEMPT TO MURDER NEAR SANDBACH.
We have to report one of the most brutal attempts to murder which it has been our lot to record for some time past, especially as occurring in this county. It seems that on Thursday last information was given to the county constabulary that a murder had been committed at New Road, Church Lawton, near Sandbach. An officer proceeded to the place where it was said the murder had been committed, and he found a large quantity of blood there, and several sharp-edged stones, covered with blood. The person who was supposed to be murdered was a woman, and had been removed to a public house a short distance from Church Lawton. Thither the officer went, and found that though the woman was not dead she was in a very precarious state, her body being literally covered with cuts and bruises. A man named Martin Doyle was taken in custody, and was charged with committing the offence, by P.C. Dale of the county force. Dale took his prisoner before G.. W. Latham Esq., magistrate, who on learning the dangerous state in which the woman was, remanded Doyle, and proceeded to where the woman lay. This was at a place called “Talk o' th' Hill,” and is in the county of Staffordshire, just over the Chester border. Mr. Latham took down the depositions of the (supposed) dying woman. She said : My name is Jane Brogine, I am the wife of John Brogine he left me at Ormskirk about nine months since, he took my children with him, a boy and a girl, I have not seen him or them since, I became acquainted with the prisoner, Martin Doyle, about a month after my husband left me at Ormskirk. He stayed with me three or four days there, we then went to Wigan and there lived together about 11 weeks, at the house of a man named, Daugherty, he there left me to go in search of work. I then went to Burnley and stayed about two hours at the house of my brother, Robert Livingstone. I then went to Bradford Infirmary and remained there about five weeks with a bad leg. I then went to the house of Maria Curtis and remained there about three weeks, from there I went to Oldham and lived at the Star Hotel as maid of all work, I remained there until Friday, 24th May. I then went to Ormskirk by train, and remained there one night at the house of Thomas Marrenals. The prisoner there came after me, he followed me next day on my way to St. Helens, he had another young man with him, he carried, my bundle and came with me to Prescott, we slept together at a lodging-house and left there about 11 o'clock the following morning, and came the next day to Warrington, and slept there one night, we left about a quarter to 12 the next day and went to Holmes Chapel, and slept there at a lodging-house near the railway-bridge, we left there about 10 o'clock this morning and came on our way to Newcastle, as the prisoner said he had a brother there and could get work. We came through the Linley Tollgate between one and two o'clock. We then came to a hollow place on the side of the road, it was raining fast, we sat down under a tree about five or six yards from the turnpike road, we remained about one hour and then I went to sleep, and he pulled my head on to his knee. I awoke and found his elbow a great weight upon my head, I should think I was sleeping about three quarters of an hour. He then got up and said he would go and see if it had done raining, he came back with a great stone in his hand, and stood at the back of a tree, he threw it at my head, and it knocked me down and made me feel quite silly. I then shouted, and put up my hands, and said “Don't' What is that ?” He then came and placed his knees upon my breast, and seized me round my throat and forced my tongue out. He then saw he could not finish me with that, and got a sharp stone and said he was determined to have my life as he had come there for it. I had expressed a wish that morning, if he did not get work at Newcastle, to return back. He then began to knock me about the head and face with a stone. I asked him to spare my life, he said “No, your life I intend to have.” He kept hammering at me until I was covered with blood, he said “Now, you b_____ r, arn't you done.” I then drew my breath and gave a great sigh, he then gave me four or five more knocks, I could neither speak nor see, and fainted as he went away, from me. As he went away he said, “Now, devil, you are done.” I remained there a short time and was getting a little better, when I heard the noise of a cart coming up the road, and crept towards it as well as I could, but I could not see my way, and the man stopped the cart, he said, “Oh, woman, who has been committing murder ?” I said “It is the man who has gone down the road in a white jacket, that has done this.”
Dundee Advertiser
Saturday 10th August 1861
Martin Doyle has been found guilty of cutting and wounding Jane Brogine at Church Lawton on the 30th May last, with the intent of committing murder. The woman is recovering. The Judge having passed sentence of death, the prisoner said firmly, “Amen, I am willing, my Lord, to die for what I have done.”
Lancaster Gazette
Saturday 31st August 1861
EXECUTION OF MARTIN DOYLE, AT CHESTER.
Martin Doyle was executed at Chester, on Tuesday, for the attempted murder of Jane Brogine, at a place near Sandbach. On Saturday, Doyle, who was twenty years of age, had an interview with his wife which lasted two hours, and was of a painful character, and on Monday he saw his brother, the presence of whom completely overpowered him. His brother was deeply affected, but the convict said to him cheerfully, “Patrick, don't trouble about me, I am quite ready to die, it is all for the best.” Since his condemnation, he has been remarkably light hearted, and apparently careless about his fate, and this state of mind he maintained up to the last. Ever since he was sentenced to death, he has expressed his sorrow for what he had done, and has often said he was thankful that he did not kill the woman. He said he could not describe what made him do the deed, something came over him for a time that took entire possession of him, and he scarcely knew what he was doing. He felt sorry for what he had done almost as soon as he had inflicted the fearful wounds, and that was the reason he gave himself up to the police. The convict slept not on Monday night, but occupied his time chiefly in singing hymns, reading prayers, and talking about his past life. He ate a hearty meal about four o'clock, drank two or three glasses of weak brandy and water during the night, and partook of a good breakfast at half-past seven in the morning, after which he had another glass of brandy and water. On coming from his cell to be pinioned, he said he should not thank anybody to tell him he was not to be executed, for he felt ready to die. During the time he was in the press-room be said, “Our Saviour was led like a lamb to the slaughter, he made no resistance, neither will I, I know I shall be forgiven.” He then walked out, ran quickly up the scaffold steps, and gazed with a smile upon the crowd below. He wished to make “an address to the young,” but his spiritual adviser implored him not to do so, and he abandoned the intention. He stood firm whilst the rope was being adjusted, and the fatal bolt being drawn, he died almost without a struggle.
A memorial was forwarded to Sir George Grey on Monday week praying for a commutation of the sentence to transportation for life. A reply was I received a few hours before the culprit was executed, stating that the Secretary of State saw no reason to stop the course of the law.
