Newspaper Extracts
Case of Stabbing, Victim, James Milnes
4th April, 1861A most shocking case of stabbing occurred on Tuesday at Rotherham, Yorkshire, the victim being a labourer named James Milnes, and the accused being Robert Creswick, a publican's son.
The parties were drinking together until a late hour on Monday night at public houses, whence they adjourned to the house of Milnes, where they had more drink. Creswick there became very wild and quarrelsome, actually putting Mrs. Milnes on the fire. Milnes interfered to protect his wife, and Creswick after some struggling left the house.
He returned almost immediately, however, and, seeing Milnes at the door, ran fiercely at him and stabbed him in the abdomen with a knife. The knife made a dreadful wound, and, on a surgeon arriving, it was found that a large portion of the bowels were protruding, and that they were so punctured as to render recovery utterly impossible.
Creswick was consequently lodged in custody, and the deposition of Milnes was taken before the magistrate. Yesterday Milnes was in a dying state, and was not expected to live many hours.
