March 25 1924
The incidents surrounding the death of Councillor WJ Twaddell MP, who was murdered in Garfield Street in May of 1922, were recalled yesterday when, at a special court in the County Courthouse, Crumlin Road, before Mr H Toppin RM, two men appeared to answer the capital charge.
One of the men was Michael Pratley, of Moira Street, who has already been returned for trial in connection with the fatal shooting in Messrs Purdy and Milliard’s sculptors, Hamill Street, while the other prisoner was a young man named James Woods, of Ballyhornan, Ardglass, Co Down, who, until his arrest and internment by the Northern authorities some months ago, held a position of colonel in the Free State Army.
Considerable police activity was observed in the courthouse prior to the proceedings, and no-one was allowed into the court where the trial was held without being subjected to questioning as to his business. The result of this was that when the prisoners were brought forward, the attendance in the court consisted only of the officials, counsel for the Crown and defence, the police and civilian witnesses, a number of pressmen, and a few curious barristers.
Throughout the proceedings Pratley maintained the same air of amused indifference which had been so commented upon during his previous trial, but the other accused sat still and silent throughout, with his eyes fixed intently on the witnesses.
The charge was that “on the 22nd May, 1922, they did feloniously, wilfully, and of malice aforethought, kill and murder one Wm J Twaddell”.
Opening the case for the prosecution, Mr Mussen said it was one of cold and deliberately planned murder, carried out in broad daylight so far back as May 1922. The murdered man was a highly respected citizen, well-known, and a member of the Northern Parliament.