The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-14 00:00:00

DOUBLE MURDER AND SUICIDE NEAR

GATasuadn.

atom She Newcastle Chronicle.)
The usually quiet village of Eighton Banks, near
Gateshead, was thrown into a state of great excitement
on Saturday by • report that the wife of a pitman
named Stoker bad murdered two of her children,
and had afterwards put an end to her own exis-
tence. The fearful story was unfortunately too true.
It appears that Stoker and his family, consisting of his
wife sod four children, the eldest ten years of age,
the youngest seven months, occupied a cottage at Galloping
Green, between Eighton Banks and Wreekenton. About
sees on Saturday the husband left borne to go to New-
castle, fur the purpose of making his weekly "marketing,"
leaving his wife and the children in the house. After
Wm the throe elder children went out of the house to
play, and about two o'clock the mother was observed to
osll in the youngest of the three, who is a girl three
years of age, and on the child entering the house Mrs.
Stoker locked the dour and thee pulled down the window
Wanda. This circumstance was not remarked at the
.

time, as most of the people of the village were awe
•at Newcastle. Nothing, therefore. calling for n
traps fired outside the cottage until the return of the
hanl at four o'clock. But dreadful work had been
done is his home during his absence. On Stoker's
arrival et his house, be found the two eldest girls standing
on the door step weeping, and eayiug that their mother
had locked the door, and would out let them in. He called
out to his wife, but received no answer ; and his fears thee
locoman aroused, he looked annual fur some mesas ee
obtainiug lUATCAS to the house. lu the window there was a
wooden squere, which was contrived to open and shut when
required fur the purpose of ventilating the apartment in
warm weather, and having succeeded iu opening this, he put
the eldest little girl through Into the house. She had no
sooner got fairly clear of the window than she called out, and
told her father that the mother and children were lying of
the bed covered with blood. He requested her to open t. 4
dour and let him is, and on her doing so, Stoker walked
to the bed, and was horrified to tied his vde and the two
children lying with their threats cut and their bodies bathed
in blood. The two children were quite dead, and at that time
the distracted father thought that his wife was dead also.
He alarmed the neighbourhood, and several of the iababie
touts of houses near came to the scene anal rendered all
the assistance in their power. A messenger was despatched
to Wmckenton for Dr. Davis, who shortly afterwards
arrived at Galloping-green, where he was joined by Dr.
Gibson. On those gentlemen proceeding to examine the
bodies, they found that Mrs. Stoker was still alive, hut they
could bold oat no hopes that she would continue to exist far
more than a few hours. They sewed up the gash iu her
throat, and she was then able to utter a few incohereut ex-
pressions, but it was with some dirti.mltv that she could be
prevailed on to take any strengthening t;ordial. la reply to
her liuslaud, she said she bad cut the children's thrusts
two hours before she cut her owe, anal on being asked what
wee her motive for committing the horrid deed, she said,
"I was out of my head." According to this statement, she
must have cut her own throat either immediately before
her husband's snivel or as soon se she heard his voice
at the door. On esamioation of the bodies of the
children it was found that their throats had beau
cut in the most determined manner, but it was evident
that the elder of the two had struggled with the men.
derma, as she was cut on the anus and un one leg,
The throats had been cut with the razor with which the
hneband was accustomed to shave. Nothing extraordinary
hail been observed in the demeanour of Mix Stoker to lead
to the suspicion that she contemplated any act vanish as this
terrible deed. Since the birth of her youngest child she had
been depressed in spirits, and this de on had been in.
creased lay the fact that her hush:eel had been unwell and
unable to work during the last fortnight. The sufferings
of the unhappy woman were protracted until about hail.
past 1 o'clock me Sunday, when the hand of death brought
anerd agony
teaan teexci.dlentitonc.liatetewr"saaboa wuife34 yarn
aid a mother.
re.
Much sympathy is felt for her husband, who is said to be
steady and indintriont pitman. He was employed at
Springwell Colliery.

ROYAL Fiii HOSPITAL, G RAY'S-INN-ROAD.
The samba. of *Wits volleyed at this hospital during the
week aiding Noy 11 we 3,42 ti ; of which 702 were new
ewe.

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