A FATHER MURDERS HIS FIVE CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6829, 6 October 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

A FATHER MURDERS HIS FIVE CHILDREN.

A TEftußlt-E tragedy was committed on August 8, at Waltbamstow, a father having murdered his five children. Tho wretchel parent is named William Gouldstone, aged 126, S,ud ho is described as a blacksmith. No motive can be assigned for the murders except ©no, viz., that he had grumbled with his ■wife because she had children bo quickly. He ia stated to be a most abstemious man. At his examination before the magistrate the *£rst witness called was Mrs, Ada Hamilton,the wife of William Hamilton, residing in the same house as the prisoner, No. 8, Courtney Place, St. James's-street, Waltbamstow. | Examined by Mr. Wells, the clerk of the Court, she said, —I am a monthly nurse, and know the prisoner. I have been acting as nurse to hia wife, who was confined on last Wednesday night week, the Ist of August, of ■twins, both male children. I have been residing in the house as a lodger for the last ten weeks. There were three other children in the family—Charles Gouldstone, 3J years old; Herbert Gouldstone, 2| years old; and Frederick, aged 16 months. On Wednesday night, between 5 and 6 o'clock, I was in Mrs. Goulds tone's bedroom, in the act of washing the two babies, when the prisoner came, in from the street. I heard him go into the kitchen. The two eldest children were at that time in the kitchen playing, and Freddy •was in the bedroom with me and his mother. When I heard the prisoner come in 1 went to the kitchen to see who it was, and I said to 2um, " Oh, you did frighten me; I woodered who it was." He made ho reply. I did not notice anything particular about him. I "Went back into the bedroom and finished -washing the babies, when he came into the Toom. This was ten minutes after he came indoors. He stood by his wife's bedstead, Imt did not speak to her. She said to him, "How-is it you are home bo early?" and le replied, " I left the place while the manager had gone to dinner, and I came home." Win wife then asked him if he had told them at the sbop abont her confinement, and he -answered "No." With that he took the little boy Frederick off the bed and -out into the kitchen. At this point the witness seemed to be much affected. When I had finished washing the first infant, I went "into the kitchen, after I had put the babe by its mother's Bide. -I saw the prisoner sitting -on the fireguard, the three children playing on the floor. He had a piece of string in hia ' band. I have seen it since. It was similar "to the piece produced now by Inspector Foul'kard (a piece of white twine such as is used by tradesmen -to tie up small parcels). I : asked'the prisoner if he had had his tea, and he said "No." I then told him it was ready lor him, and with that I went back into the bedroom and washed the other baby. Having done 80, 1 pot it into the bed by the side of 'the mother, and I then returned to the kit--chen. ' -I passed into the washhouse beyond, and saw a chair by the cißtern. The children were at this time still playing in the kitchen. "The cistern was in the washhouse up high. The prisoner was sitting on the fireguard in "the kitchen. When'l noticed the chair under the cistern, of course, I did not think oi anything of this sort. A perambulator had -atood-there, bnt it had been moved out a bit. I asked who put it there, and the little boy Charley said, "Daddy did." I took the chair back into the kitchen, and then went back to -the bedroom and got Mrs. Gouldstone out of •her bed. I re-made the bed and she got into it again. Just at this time—as she was getting in the -bed—the prisoner came along the passage and looked into the room. I said " You can come in, Mr. Gouldstone. He made some answer in a mumbling tone which I could not hear. ' With that 1 said to Mrs. Gouldstone, "Shall I leave the.room a minute? perhaps Mr. Gouldstone wants to speak to you !" and she answered, " Yes, do my dear." With that I left the room, and went downstairs. I heard the prisoner open the kitchen door —which was shut as I passed— -walk across the landing, and go into the bedroom. I got to the yard door, when I heard screams of "Murder" from the prisoner's wife. 1 ran npstairs and tried to open the door, she ■-stillcrying "Murder" inside. I could hear no one speak but her. I heard her saying, "'■Good God! he is murdering my children." I did not hear the cries of children. Being unable to open the door, I leaned over the banisters, and called for assistance. The landlady of the house, whom I had seen in the yard wh«n I was there, ran towards me. We both poshed the door to try and force it ■ open, but could not do so. With that the prisoner opened' tho "door himself. I had called out.to him," Open tho door." Prisoner's wifo was atill-orying out. When he opened the door I said, " Oh ! you wicked man, what have you done?" He said, "Ihave killed my children. lam a happy man now. Your other"three' children are in the cistern," He was then speaking to his wife. I then went to his wife's side and saw both babies bleeding from, the mouth. There were marks of ■violence on them. One of the children had a bruise over one of its eyes. I examined the children, and finding they were not dead, I at once sent for a medical man. They appearedtobe dying. The prisoner went into the kitchen, and I stopped with his wife for a few seconds. Mrs. Gouldstone said to me, "He says he has killed the other three children. Go and see, will you?" I went into the kitchen, and saw the prisoner coming in at the ' kitchen door from the wash-housa with the "boy Frederick in his arms, and he laid him on the floor. The child was wet. I turned back, and seeing Mrs. Gouldstom? coming out of her room along the landing, I ran back to her, as Ididnotwanthertosee the child. The child seemed as if it had been in the water, and to be dead. I was very much frightened. I went back to the prisoner's wife, and I did not leave her for ten minutes. When I went into the kitchen again I saw the three children lying on the ground with a gentleman leaning over them. They were all of a row, -side by side. They were swamped with water. By this time a gentleman—a chemist —was there, and the prisoner was also in tha kitchen. He said nothing and no one spoke to him. I saw a pjlice-constable come afterwards, and saw the prisoner taken into custody. 'Prisoner and the policeman went into the bed room, and his wife asked him to leave all the money he had, as she bad the doctor--to pay. Both the infant children were now dead; one died half an hour after the prisoner •waa-taken away, and the other about 2 o'clock yesterday morning. I did not hear the .prisoner charged by the police. While in the room with his wife, the prisoner kissed her and he said, " All the children are dead sow; I shall be hanged and you will be single TTou wished them dead, and now they are." He then kissed his wife. I have lived in the house for ten week, and know that the prisoner has always lived on good terms with ,his wife:; but I noticed he appeared strange after the twins were born. He was not unwind to the children ; he seemed fond of them iill; buc he-had not looked at the twins. The wife is now dangerously ill in bed. The .prisoner was then remanded. During the hearing of the case he was apparently quite 4!alm and collected, though be seemed care--worn and restless.