The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-12-26 00:00:00

by the horror-stricken father, who had rushed thither
with his hands and clothes wet with the blood of his
daughter.
The little girl's story was to the effect that a man, ap-
parently a collier, came to the door and asked if William
Houghton lived there. The ester Anne said he did, but he
was then down at the hall. No sooner had she replied, than,
raising a heavy hammer, he struck her a violent blow in the
forehead, but not felling her he pursued her round the
little kitchen, striking with the hammer as he ran, and be-
epattering the walls and floor with blood. She escaped by
the open door, and turned to the right to make a circuit of
t e barn, apparently in the hope if reaching the hall, but
after following for a couple of seconds the villain turned
hack, and, proceeding at once to the front of the house, in-
tercepted the chill by the pit, and, with another blow of the
heavy hammer, must have struck her dead on the spot where
she was found. Successful BO far, the ruffian t now returned
to the house, where MAW Kate, who had heard her sister's
screams followed by au ominous silence, remained in great
alarm. First the murderer struck her on the back of the
Lead with *be hammer, and then dealt her several blows on
the shoulders; but not able to stun her so soon as he wished,
he took the little thing by the throat, and after squeezing it
tightly he threw her over the hedge already spoken of into
the pasture field, where, bruised and terrified, she shivered
in the inelenient weather, not daring to move until roused
by her mother's voice. Two boys who were in bed upstairs
were not aware of what was going on below.
The only booty the wretch had 4.l4:Lined was a silver watch;
the money beiug kept upstairs, where he had not ventured.
A hammer such as that described, with hair adhering, was
found in a neighbouring wheat field. A reward of £541 has
been offered for the apprehension of the murderer.
At the inquest on Friday, Elizabeth Houghton, the mur-
dered girl's mother, after giving some preliminary evidence,
said •
tin Tuesday night I left home at a quarter.past sin, and my
husband went out with me. Ile was going to Wigan by train,
and I was going to milk at the farm. We left the children
all right in the house. My husband did not go to Wigan. as
lie missed the train; so he joined me at the farm. After-
wards he went down to the railway to meet Mr. Roper, and I
waited his return About twenty-five minutes to eight we
left the farm together. We niet our underlooker, Thomas
Parkinson, in the lane, and he walked with us till we came
opposite the pit in front of the house, and then I walked
leisurely 011. Abollt twenty yards further I saw something
lying on the grub Having a can of milk on my head, I
could not see what it was that looked so white, so I waited
till my husband came up, when I said, ''What Mist think
this Is? 101 l the ducks that have stopped out?" lie stooped
down to look, and said, ''Oh no ; it's ion. .innie, and she is
dead.' He ran back at once to tell Mr. Roper. Parkinson
stayed with the body, :old I went onto the house. All there
was quiet the baby wan asleep in the cradle, and the fire
was burning. I called "Kate," and she Kate) answered
from the other side of the hed:e, " I am here, mamma." I
went to the place, and foiled she hail just risen from the
ground. I asked her what was to do, and she replied "I will
tell you, mamma. Where's our Annie ? Have you found
her • ' I said, "We have found her; hut what has Iwo to
do, and she replied, "A man's been and struck our Annie on
the head wdli is hammer, and she bled, and she ran out
and him after her, and then lie came back and hammered
my head and back. Then he threw the hammer on the
dresser, and got hold of my throat with lioth hands, and
brought me out of the kitchen, and threw me on the flags.
He held me there, and then he kicked me, and then
he got hold of ,use arm sad threw me nicer the fence, and 1
could not speak. When I came that I could speak I dared
not, and lay still waiting for you coming.' She Rote . did
not hear anything more of him, only she thought she heard
him leave the house. After that I took Kate down to
where Parkineon was, and then I Carried Atinie's body into
the house anit found she was terribly ()Allred about the
heal. As soon as my husband returned with Mr. Roper.
Information was given to the police. Ws towel the body
about twenty minutes to eight. Kate was hurt very much.
She is bruised 011 the head, but she complains of her back
most, where she was haimeered, and she thinks kicked too.
tier thumb Is also hurt, and there are scratches snit finger
marks on her neck. The only thing we have missed irons
my house Is my silver watch. The ribbon guard had been
torn off and thrown into a drawer. The watch hail been
left in a small box on the chest of drawers. The drawers
were all open, and had evidently been meddled with.
The inquest was then adjounseil for a fortnight.
Several persons upon whom slight suspicion has fallen
have been talents before the girl Kate, but up to Friday
evening no one had been identified.