Mr. Campbell Foster objected to their being put in, on the ground that they were irrelevant; but Mr. Lockwood contended that his learned friend had gone too far, and that, inasmuch as he had opened the letters to the jury, he was bound to put them in now. His lordship entertained a contrary opinion, and consequently none of the documents were brought before the court.
Inspector Bradbury produced the bullet found by the surgeon in Mr. Dyson’s brain.
At the request of Mr. Lockwood, witness produced the photograph of Mrs. Dyson and Peace taken in the fair ground.
He said it was handed over to him by Mr. Jackson, the chief constable at Sheffield.
Mrs. Dyson was here recalled, and in answer to Mr. Lockwood she said the photograph was that to which she referred in her evidence.
This was the whole of the evidence regarding the murder, and Mr. Foster proposed to call evidence of threats used by the prisoner against the Dysons in July, 1876.
Mr. Lockwood objected to this course, but his lordship ruled that the evidence was admissible.
Rose Annie Sykes, wife of James Sykes, Darnall, proved that on the 1st July, 1876, she saw Mr. Dyson coming down the street. The prisoner was following him, and endeavouring to trip him up. On the night of the same day she saw the prisoner take a revolver out of his pocket, point it at Mrs. Dyson’s head, and say he would blow her brains out, and those of her husband, too.
Cross-examined by Mr. Lockwood: Witness said she heard nothing about a poker or a threat from Mrs. Dyson that she would use one. She did not hear about this time of any disturbance with the police, or of Mrs. Dyson being inebriated. She was quite certain about the date, because her little boy was born on the Tuesday following.
James Sykes, Darnall, said on a day in July, 1876, he was with his wife and Mrs. Dyson at Darnall. Peace came up at the time, and Mrs. Dyson said “That’s the man that’s always annoying my husband.” Peace replied, “I will annoy your husband and you and all.” At the same time he pulled a revolver out of his pocket, and presenting it at Mrs. Dyson, said, “I’ll blow your brains out and your husband’s too.” Peace then went up a passage, as if he was going into Mr. Dyson’s back door. He returned in a minute, and said, “Now, Jem, you be a witness that she struck me with a life-preserver.” Witness replied, “No, I will be a witness that you threatened to take her life.” He did not notice that Mrs. Dyson had a life-preserver, or that she struck at the prisoner.