The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-02-29 00:00:00

AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.

The Le i:j); ..f;;;;ilis—iesp-oitttiltie. for -Cit..; lowing :
We recently visited a house in Culcheth in which a girl
of the name of Ellen Sudworth resides, who has been
bedridden only about two months short of five years,
more than four of which she was dumb, and about ten
weeks never once voluntarily opened her eyes. Miss
Siiilworth is not quite Ili years old, and is the daughter of
William Sudworth, shoemaker, living on the road to
Warrington from Leigh. at a point on the wayside known
as The Row, in Cnlcheth. The family bear a good name
in the district, and no suspicion exists, so far as we
a.scertainol, that the facts deposed to by them, and given
below, are incompatible with the truth of the rase. On
the contrary, many of the neighbours bear witness to
their strict accuracy, an far as they have themselves had
opportunity of judging, but into the tueslical theories,
whatever it may be, we do not now propose to enter. It
is stated that the girl's illness commenced on Easter
Monday 1871, having on the Sunday attended, WI usual,
the service at Newchurch Church, of which the Ices% hr.
Illaek is rector. At that time she complained of having
pains in the head as if, in her own wonls, "tier head
were in a thorn bush." Not long afterwards she took to
her bed, and in July following her speech gradually
enervated, and she became to all intents and purposes
. dumb. Henceforward the girl became utterly prostrated,
and has since remained in a languid and oftentimes life-
lege condition for weeks at a time. The only refreshment
she took was tea, wine, or diluted brandy, a few drops at
a time placed upon her lips. Solid food of any kind she
was and is still unable to masticate, and, as may he readily
conceived, she is reduced to a mere skeleton. Her wants
were made known by the motioning of the hand. Of
course she has been tenderly nursed during her long ill-
ness, and her condition has been the wonder of the
neighbourhood. About 10 or 12 weeks ago Miss Sudworth,
though retaining her sight, involuntarily closed her eyes,
in which state she remained, according to the statement
of her parents. ten weeks, although when the eyelid was
raised for her she could see perfectly well. The most
remarkable part of the atom)' is that a little over a week
ago the girl recovered her speech simultaneously with the
power to open her eyes. When this happened blood
gushed from her eyes and nostrils, and the girl informed
us that at the moment in question, there was a sort of
jumping in her head, very like the tearing of a piece of
calico. The ability to speak after being so many years
dumb caused the family to be greatly overjoyed, but with
this difference her condition may he mid to be unchanged.
Her parents state that she lost her speech for 11 hours
about a year before her present illness commenced. Some
years ago Dr. Bephton, of Culcheth, desired to have
her removed to London under the care of Dr. Seddon,
a recommendation with which Dr. Page. of Carlisle,
concurred. To this, however, the parents declined to
accede.

DREADFUL WIFE MURDER IN BRISTOL.
On Tuesday afternoon a shocking case of wife umnler
occurred in Bristol. In a small house in Barton-street
St. James's, a man named Edward Deacon resided with
his wife, Amelia Deacon, and a step-daughter named Ann
Hallett. The man Deacon is about 27 years of age, and is
a shoemaker by trade. Mrs. Deacon was a Gamma and
was some years older than her husband, and it appears
that ever since their marriage they had lived very un-
happily together, quarrels and brawls between them being
of frequent occurrence. It seems that about five years
ar,o Deacon deserted his wife, and he only returned to her
lost Christmas. The separation bad not the effect of any
way altering their lives for the better, and altercations
and disputes were frequent. The man was very much
addicted to intemperance, and the treatment of his wife
was extremely cruel. On Tuesday the man was drinking
in various public-houses in the neighbourhood the greater
iaart of the day, and it is stated that he returned to his
shortly after four considerably the worse for liquor,
and there was no one in the house but Deacon and his
wife. The neighbours heard sounds as of quarrelling, and
after having been in the house a short time, the man
Deacon went to the house of a neighbour and borrosed a
small chopper, used for the purpose of chopping sticks for
the fire. On obtaining the implement Beacon at once
I returned to the house, an-I he must have immediately
made a murderous assault upon his wife. A piercing
scream was heard, and a number of neighbour's at once
ran out. They went into the house, and there they saw
Mrs. Deacon lying close by the grate with her brad clove
in, and presenting a terrible appearance. Her husband,
Deaoin, was standing by, and appeared quite cool. He at
once went with • woman to the Central Police-station.
Whilst she was relating her story to the inspector, Deacon
iutemipted and said, " Allow me to speak. I have killed
nay wife. I have killed her. On arriving at the house
the officers found a number of neighbours in the down.
stair mom, supporting Deacon's wife in a chair. They
bra,a,i the poor creature's head round with cloths, and
had her removed in a cab to the Infirmary. She was
alive when rem% ed, but quite insensible, as far as being
able to speak or recognise anyone goes, although when
her wounds were being dressed she did not appear Mien-
aihic to pain. The wounds she had received were of a
frightful nature, and the wonder was that the poor woman
could live for an hour and a half after receiving them.
She lingered that time in the Infirmary, but from the
first there was no hove of her recovery. The worst wound
was just behind the right ear, which was cut through.
The gash penetrated to the brain, and was three inches
in length. Above this was another very dangerous one,
and altogether there were no less than five distinct
wounds, and from two of them the brain protuded. The
man Deacon was, of course, detained at the Central
station all this while, and whilst in the reserve-room he
fainted, but quickly recovered. lie seemed excited by
drink, and said that he had not eaten much since Friday
last. On its being ascertained that Mrs. Deacon wan dead,
the husband was formerly charged by lisspector May with
the wilful murder of his wife Amelia. In answer to the
charge the prisoner replied "Quite correct" He was
romposed, and slid not seem to feel his position so much
as one would have supposed, Ile was locked up in use of
the cells at the datum, and he had not been there long
before he asked for something to eat, and he VFW eaPPhed
with food. This is the third case of wife murder that has
occurred in Bristol In about 12 months.