The Express.
London, England, 1861-11-06 00:00:00

SWEDES AND SUICIDE AT PRESTON.

A dreadful and dietreseing event, the murder of
a child by its mother, and the self-destruction of the latter,
at Ashton-on-Ribble, near Preston, was brought to light on
Sunday. From inquines made in the vicinity of the spot
where the tragedy oecurrel, it appears that this double
mime was perpetrated eleven days before its discovery, and
that want, necessity, or shame was the incentive to its
commi4ion. About half-past four o'clock on Saturday
afternoon last, two youths from Preston were strolling
through Ashton' slung
and while walking sl' • footpath leading
through some fields near Gravestowo, from the Marsh,
they saw the body of a child Boating on the surface
of a peed contiguous to the path. With some little
trouble they drew the corpse to the bank.
It was found to be that of • child about twelve months old,
very fat, and well dressed; indeed, it seemed from its
clothes, some of which were quite new, to have been the
object of an anxious solicitude, for its dress bore evidence
that it had been treated with the greatest are and tender.
new It was at first thought the infant had beee strangled,
and then thrown into the pond; but it was after-
wards suggested that the crime might be the act of
the mother, and that probably her body
might also be found in the pond, which was dragged
earls on Sunday morning, when the body of • fine strong
young woman, apparently about twenty-five years of
age, was discovered. the iris well and neatly dressed,
bee upper garments being • good bonnet, with veil,
good drew, lied cloth cloak. In her pocket were found
two printed coloured cards (duplicates), the address on
which was partly obliterated by saturation with water, but
deciphered to be either "Mr. or Mrs. Junes, Alliance
House, IllackpooL" On the back of one of these cards was
written the following address :—" Mr. Thomas Hatton,
Bieck Hores-street, opposite the Union Foundry, Bolton.
le-Moors," and behind the other the address, "Mr. Hughes,
No. 2, Carter street, Upper Georgeatmet, Salfonb" There
was also • left-luggap ticket, referring tO • box that bad
been left at the railway station at Preston, bearing the
number "&50 ;and on reference to the register at the left-
luggage office it was found that this number indicated a box
which had been deposited there on the 214 October, by a
penou who had simply given the surname " Wright." The
box pointed out by the railway official as that to which the
ticket referred was handed over to Mr. Superintendent
Leary, and yes afterwards, in the presence of Sergeant.
Lockwood and Norwood, examined at the headquarters of
the county constabulary, Chapel-street, Preston. It
contained the ordinary wearing apparel of a domestic ser-
vant, but no money ; nor was anything found that would
give a due to proving the identity of the deceased. Tele-
re were despatched to Blackpool, Bolton, and
Safford, with a view to ascertain whether she was
known at the places above-mentioned. The police have
been active in the matter, and have ascertained that
on the 22nd alt., the day after the box was left la
the railway station, a female answering to the descrip-
tion of the deceased was seen by a woman who lives in
Prestos harry* past her house apparently in • very ex-
cited state, sad having a child in her arms ; and on the
was day another woman who lived at • abort distance from
the pond ia which the bodies were discovered saw a female,
who, from her description, was the deceased, sitting on the
grass near the margin of the water, with an infant on her
knees. It wee supposed from these facts that the unfortu-
nate woman had been in semi* at Blackpool during the
past Nesse°, in some domestic situation, that she had pre-
viously put her child out at nurse, and that, being at the
time of the tragedy out of place, and without the mean, of
providing fax the infant, she lead, in • moment of frenzy,
oefroyed herself and it.

Late in the afternoon on Ifosity, a young man named
Jolts Preston. a pier. went to the Plough lon, in Ashton.
when the begins had bath bees minveved, sod identified
the corpse of the female as that of Hannah Wright, the
daughter of a ferryman living at Werton ; that the
child aria hers, and that it had Ibsen awned at a house in
Neeth-road, but he was very nawilliag to give further in-
formation.

EXTERSIFT ROBBERIES ON THE LANCASHIRE
AND YOJLESHIRR RAILWAY.

On Monday, at the Went Riding Police Court,
Halifax. Oeorp Hartley, fanner, &gland was brought
Wby Mr. Lockwood, ruperintendent constable on the Le-
ashes and Yorkshire Railway, under the following cir-
gemetaseam Toe SOMA years past the company have sus-
Weed vey heavy losses, the result of a sines of extensive
nelsberhn. eanemitted chiedy at Sowerhy•bridge. Todmorden,
and Rochdale railway stations. The loss of property last
winter, at these three stations alone, amounted to upwards
of 3011/. This system of plunder has been going on for
about seven years, and ootwithstasding that Mr. Lockwood
los earned himself most strenuously in endeavouring to
bring the offenders to justice, all his efforts have hitherto
been unavailing. The robber* it is sup, have all
been committed by one gang of desperate livhsg on
the folders of the moors separating the two counties of
Yorkshire and Laacsshire. Except last year a robbery has
taken place every year at Sow -bridge static*, on the
night following the winter cattle fair at Halifax, for many
raeir peat. After the cattle fair at Halifax on Saturday
Mr. Lockwood proceeded to Sowerby.bridge station,
accompanied by three of his men, with the determination
to remain on the " look out" all sight. About half-past
one o'clock on Sunday morning, Use luggage train from
Manchester. keeled with goods far Leeds, Bradford, and
Halifax arrived at the station, awl the trucks, as usual,
were stunted on to a ailing. Some time afterwards
Mr. Lockwood heard one of the truck doors opened, and
:=g that thieves had entered the premises, he
his men at various points near the road leading
ever the tunnel, is readiness to pounce upon the plun-
derers on their retreat from the station. The police-
men remained la their respective maim= till nearly
4 o'clock without seeiog anything of the robbers. The
superintendent thee went to the train, and found ms nia.
takenble signs of a robbery having been committed, but
could vo 00 000 about. Shortly afterwards, however, a
footstep was heard oe the road over the tunnel, and when
the party approaching had pawed the policeman nearest
the Wawa, he pre an alarm, and the other constables
ems up. The thief then jumped over the wall, but Super.
intendant Lockwood followed, and, after a smart chase, suc-
ceeded in capturing bins. Other two men now came up and
assailed the c,eistables with large stones, disabling the super-
istendeat and one of his men. The officers managed to retain
their custody of the first man, but his accomplices succeeded
it, effectini their escape. Afterward@ a large quantity of
goods, weweighing 3 cwt. 3 qrs ei lbs., and consisting of dresses
and perm of drapery, all consigned to Bradford houses,
were found is the corner of a field war the station, just
ready for carrying off. In the truck from which this pro-
party had been abstracted the thieves also cut open doe
trusses, but, owing to the vigilance of the police, they failed
to get anything away. The robber captured by Lockwood
turned out to be George Hurtler, a man of property, living
'on hio own farm at Soyliscid. Moocher two men concerned
in the robbery are both known to the officers, and it is ex.
=Vithey will also be in custody in a few days. After
a statement of the case, the rowistr .tes (S. Water.
bran. Esq., sad W. H. Rawson, jun., Esq.) remanded the
*maw till Thursday.

THE YELVEZTON MAIRIAna CANE. —This re-
markable case will (says the !risk Tindea) in a few days be
brought prominently before the public. The 'nog
Moss taken to the charge of Chief Justice Monaluin will be
segued before the full Court of Common Ens next week.
Mr. Whiteside and Mr. Serjeant Sullivan will appear for
Mn. Yelverton, while the sime course' as before will, we
understand, represent Major Yelverton. As regards the
Beach ease, we learn that then is no probability of ado.
ri6loll being given in it for at least a year or more. The eel.
doom taken last week by Major Yelverton 's COMIIIIIISMO at
Mats:heater was of such a emillietiog nature that Mrs.
Yelvertoo's advisers have decided on what in Scotch legal
phraseology Is termed "leading a counter proof." This
will occupy considerable time, and will prevent any de.
ris;on being gives by the High Court of Session for a long
time.

ATAL ARRACLT ON A WOMAN. NORWICH,
TURADAT.—AR 6qamt was opened at Mattiaball Bemis
yesterday, by Mr. Prom coroner for Norfolk, on the body
of • woman named Howard, Ipl years of age, who bad died
from • maw esioult committed upon her by Hemp
Ilmsham. a !slimmer, liviog in the village. It apeman that
on the eight of the 27th nit. &sham 'was iatoxieated. and
began quarreling with his wife, and Howard, the husband
of the deceased, went to him owl remoestrated with him
no his conduct. Hashes took the well-intentioned advice,
however, very ill, and struck Howard. The deemed then
interposed, and entreated !Wham not to hit her Mishima
antin, as he was a cripple; but the brutal fellow only re-
clotted that be would make • cripple of her tiro, and struck
several blows, which brought as paralysis, from which
she died on Friday. The medical gentleman who attended
the deceased befog of opinim that the violence which the
deceased had sustained at the hands of Barham had been
the proximate cause of her death, he was apprebeeded.
The inquest was adjourned for the production of further
evidence, and Bealsern also staoda rawest/1M for examination
before the magistrates cm Friday next.
CRTNTAL PAL Y/ Oil SHIWNO DAT.
TURBDAT, Nov. 5. Admiesiene on payment, 688 ;
ditto by mama Meets, 417 ; teed visitors, 983.