Shocking Double Murder at the Thames.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1771, 18 October 1875, Page 2

Shocking Double Murder at the Thames.

A MOTHER KILLS HER TWO CHILDREN.

SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO " STAR."

GRAHAMSTOWJSf

Saturday evening.

There was great excitement in our usually quiet community when it became generally known that a murder of the most brutal aed unnatural character had been committed in the heart of Grahamstown, and in open day. In a small close between Golden Crown-street and Owen-street there is a cottage occupied by an industrious miner named John Walls with his wife and children. About four o'clock on Saturday afternoon some boys were playing marbles in the vicinity, when they observed the mother STRIKING THE CHILDBEN WITH AN AXE. Both the children were then lying on the ground with the mother standing over them with the murderous instrument, making repeated brutal blows at the forms of her poor little offspring. A lad named Baxter at once gave the alarm, and Mr Adam Elliott, who was near at hand, looked down the close and saw the woman deal two more frightful blows with the axe upon the little girl. He rushed towards the epot, and a number of neighbours also ran in. The poor childrenPatrick Henry, a little boy eight years old, and a girl named Mary Anne, six years — were lying on the ground a few feet from the verandah of Wall's house covered with blood. The woman when she saw Elliott and the others laid down the axe with the utmost coolness and advanced towards them, making some remark about being " told to do it" or something of that sorb. Information was at once despatched to the police and Mr Sandes the chemist also came to the spot to see if anything could be done to relieve the sufferers Detective Brennan and Sergeant Elliott found the children lying side by side. The boy's head seemed to |have been battered in with the thick end of the axe. The skull was frightfully smashed, and the brains protruding between the smashed bone. The little girl had evidently been struck with the sharp edge across the temple, splitting open the skull. The second blow had cut open her neck, inflicting a sickening wound. Both the children were alive when found, but beyond hope of recovery. This was so clearly the case that when Dr. Perston arrived be did not think it worth while disturbing them by having them removed to the hoppital, and the poor little victims were laid side by side in bed with their hands stretched out towards each other, where they died, the boy in about an hour, and the girl in about an hour and a half after the shocking occurrence. The wretched mother was at once taken into custody, and continued to exhibit the greatest, callousness. The father, on learning the dreadful calamity that had befallen his house was in a terrible state of distress. During the eight years he has resided at the Thames he has borne the character of a straightforward, honest, hard-working miner. Both he and his wife are North of Ireland people, having arrived from Belfast in 1864. Mrs Wall also appeared an intelligent, wellconducted woman, but latterly had given way to drink. She is naturally of a very strong build. Sunday afternoon. In order that the bodies might not have to lie over until Monday afternoon, Sub-Inspector Bullen called the inquest on Saturday night, and the jury viewed the dead bodies and then adjourned until one o'clock on Monday. The bodies were then committed to the charge of their father for interment. During to-day they have been seen by a large number of people, and a more pitiable sight I never witnessed, with their poor shattered heads and innocent faces bent towards each other, their hands, still and cold stretched in the same direction. General sympathy is felt for the unfortunate father, who evidently feels the bereavement under such shocking circumstances very acutely. This day. With reference to the murder case. It seems that the woman has been given.to habits of intemperance for some time. She took in washing but was generally able to do her work. Her husband has constant work, so they were not in want, but the house was very bare of furnitnre, and most of her earnings were spent in drink. She is not known to have procured much during the three days previous to the murder, but the stoppage of it is supposed to have rendered her temporarily insane. . The husband says that he went out to work as usual on Saturday morning, when his wife appeared in her usual health and spirits, but some of the neighbours state that she had been rather strange for two days. On ibeing jtaken to the watchhouse her clothes were covered with blood, and in reply to a question from Inspector Bullen as to how she was, she said, " I must be mad."

The Inspector said: "Whv^T~*^ ■ you say tCat ?" . y> What **<* 1 She replied : "Because I have killia H children, but they told me to do ft % ■m* H It is not clear who was meant hV^ U thought that she imagined ehe hea'Jl > " I and was in a state of delirium. "J^ in When people went to the house tb™ ■ 1 not find a change of clothing for thn °0?"1 I and there was very little furniture Wom«r; j The prisoner slept well on Satftj^Mta-, but wa3 carefully watched by tnewESp ' they were afraid she might inkr* iT^^m* On Sunday she did not seem iS. talk, but remained sullen and unconcer a - To-day she is in much the same condiK ' The general impression is that the wn is insane. Her conduct in prison v "^ been that of a sane woman. - n°t The inquest will take place at 2 n «