REPORTED DOUBLE MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6763, 21 July 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

REPORTED DOUBLE MURDER.

«, The Manchester police and the river Irwela inspectors in Salford are investigating an extraordinary story of a double murder, said to have been committed on the boundary lu» of the two boroughs recently. The c rcumstances as detailed are of a minute and apparently credible nature, but in the absenW of substantial confirmation some doabfc 13 thrown upon the tale. It seems that on the evening in question a Sallord police-constable was told by a girl named Grace Matthew, twelve years of age, that about a quarter to eight o'clock that &ight she saw a man and a woman throw two children over the parapet of Blackfriars Bridge into the river Irwcll. The girl said that she first saw the man ami woman together on Deansgate, not far hoa the river, and heard them talking abosdrowning the two children they had vnta them. The elder of these appeared to be firs or six years of age. She seemed to be lams on one leg, and was dressed in a dark rid frock. The younger child was being earned, and seemed to be about six monshs old, ana wore a red bonnet and cape. Eearing what the man and woman said about drowning the' children, Matthews followed them, as sne says, to Blackfriars Bridge, where they stooa a short time. In going along Deansgaie sue heard one of the children say several tim«, "Mamma, don't drown me." After standum a few minute?, the man took up the aW« child and threw her over the parapet,, ana Matthews heard the splash of the body » the water. The woman, who was carrying the youDger child, then threw that also oyer the parapet into the river. The description given of the couple is that the man was oi.ciddle height, sandy complexion, slenfler build, about thirty-five years old, and dresseu in dark clothes, and the woman of stature, and rather stoat. statement was corrorated by a girl nan! | Mary Griffiths, aged eleven. Steps werek* once taken to investigate the affair. * police officials dragged the river from eiaye o'clock at night until one in the m« n ™S; Next morning the search was resumed, ° uo bodies were found, nor were tne p« able to obtain any other confirmation oi . story. Blackfriars Bridge is a weU-n* qnented throughfare being the main ™ between Manchester and Salford, Z. weather being beautifully fine, it would see>£ almost impossible that the tragedy cou have occurred without other witnesses w the two girl*