The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-08-17 00:00:00

THI DOUSLI CHILD MIAMI AT CLIVIDON.

Elizabeth Williams will/ arraigned on two Indictments,
and on the coismer'i ingulaition, charging her with tho
wilful murder of tier ohildren, Elisabeth and William
John Williams, aged respectively eighteen months and
tin ee year'. She was accommodsted with • seat in the
dock, and during the proosechup oovered her facie with
• liandkerohief.

- iir..-E.ile;;;Secuted ; Mr. Prideaux defended.
Of the many painful cases of murder which come
before eourts of justice the present is, perhaps, the most
painful ever heard. It shows the sensitive feeling of
woman ; the least apparent slight of the husband
towards his wife may produce such • state of mind u to
induce her to coulinit almost any act. The facts are
siniple. The prisoner was a young woman, the wife of •
journeyman painter, living near Bristol. They had
been married four years, and had lived together on the
most affectionate and kind terms. She had two chil-
dren, one three years, and the other eight months old.
She was, however, frequently in a distrestei state of
mind, and it was a dying request of her mother that her
husband's mother should look after her. She was
subject to Ste, end her mother-in•law frequently stayed
all night with her. There wee almost a wildneas in her
love for her husband and her children. On the 2nd of
August she had some alight disagreement with her
laush•nd about the payment of some taxes, and she
fancied her husband was not so kind to her as usual.
On the morning of the third of August she got up and
mule breakfast; eke thought her husband was more
kind to her. The husband kidded his children and left
for his work. Her fatherin-law met her about 10
o'clock that morning going towards the railway station.
She had her little children with her. About 8 o'clock
that evening she went into a publiehouse at Clevedon,
took a glass of beer herself, and gave the children sonic
gingerbeer and some cakes. She left the house and
nothing more was seen of her until the next morning,
when she was seen walking in a meet excited state
through Nailsea towards &idol, and some ten miles
fro u Clevedon. She was without bonnet and shawl, and
her drum was extremely wet. A policeman saw her and
asked her what was the matter ; she said her two chil-
dren were drowned and she had done it, and she had
been looking for • police station to give herself up. The
policeman took her to the station and she then made
this heartrending statement :—" I have drowned my
two children at Clevedun. I wish to give myself up.
My name is Elisabeth Williaina, the wife of William
Henry Williams, a painter, living at SL George's,
Bristol. On Monday morning last my husband was cool
to me in consequent). of sty nob having paid some tease;
we had stew wont.. I told him 1 wouM leave him ; he
told ice 1 had better go. I remained at home. My
husband Game home in the evening ; he wee cool to me,
and did not speak so kind as us mi. Next morning I
got up end prepared breakfaut for my husband; it. an,
paired more kind to me I he kissed the two children,
but not ins. After he was gone I dressed toy two
children with a view of currying out my throat. I went
by railway to Clevedon. I bought some oaks' for the
children, and welked about Clevedon till ft o'eloels. I
then went to • pubilehoase and had a glen of beer. I
walked about till 10 o'clock, and eat on a plane bench
near the beech, My shildren fell asleep In my arum,
I walked down with my children in um arms 'till
asleep, with their heeds on my bremt. I went with the
intention of drowning myself and my elillilme, I met
the tide find walked into the itee up to my welet, when I
stumbled over a stone and fell beekwar4th end I did not
know writ happened for mina lime, When I canoe to
w ool( owimmething floating re tla hp valor,
_I got
it, and found it wee my little boy, Need, an 4 I put II
down *pin, I then ow my lie baby M the water
I gave a OMANI end went away, wanted Iloilo till
el
met two Nye, who old ' That 10111411 le 'fed, I ask
for II polleelletlon to give myself up," lie reading of
thli Oakmont mooed bite Nrehilit 'unlit on, and many
eye. were solaced with Weft
The father 14 the poor tenfilinell lltls 4 Mkt Hike
NA lie atatel that cite was madly fond o her hitolianoi
I
and (Mikhail, end would never lit the @Mt 11 ht, coot
her eight, He had known Mg froin geh . kW WO
ptWet 111111014 to Ate, All lief /Amoy lied kelt NCO
inilt donut*, and her gran fellow lied drowfird
ilium! ,
Tile anted Judge Intervened, end eeld he lied neelif
heard on dietreceing i @MC II was inkiestthe itialedy
wee Morelli ry, and th, jury Milli &anvil the poor
iroll bile mune Or illittllti.
NON Mob Vitality, on the ground of Inanity.
The him And IVll4_oillelde the Owl in a eats of the
protein ilistrem, Ile had not molded hit Wife 1 he had
merely told her alio had listed MINI ttl paying wine
11111tle Willitillt ielthig a round, hut her feellnge were so
sensitive that the multi not hear Ilia itlea of doing clip
thing of which he dieappruvod,

Atittnit
Mc Martel Chinni Arrived in this city it 11111111144 i
tiree 1011011 ii this Afternoon, ton the purpooe o holding
the autumn MAIM of Nisi 'niue The 'WIIO4 judge
*al met ci the railway Wriulitito lit 'l'empleimeads by
the aeiltig huh sheriff, II oNilotards, Nog,. the deputy
sheriff, W. U Nato, Noy, the right worshipful the
Mayor, low Allan Cooke, it", sod the usual gorittse,
and eras eondeeted to the Dud hall, where the 111:1111111111.
Ilitlll woe opened In the oust form.
The anise is reported to be • heavy one, there being
between BO and OU ORM espeettd, several of which are
set down for epeeist juries. Atuonget the eases are
suing whieh promiee to present fuotures of unneuul In.
toted. A widow lady sue. en author of some celebrity
fur a libel on her aliarauter I a lady who still retains her
maiden atate brings an action againit an honourable
member of the Nouse of Commons for a breaeh of hie
promise to marry her, ',ling her damages as high os
£lO,OOOl and in a third own a gentleman of fortune
sue, a farmer for having horsewhipped him on the
publio highway. The trials will common°, tomorrow
morning.

HOME CIRCUIT.
GUILDFORD, AUGUST 9.
(Before Mr. Justice) WILL and a Special Jim.)