The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-25 00:00:00

The Tripl

louthwark.

CORONER'S INQUEST-THIS DAY.

Tho coroner's inquiry into the circumstances connected
with the murder of the three children by their mother,
Esther Lack, was held to-day by Mr. Carter, the coroner for
Surrey, at the Winchester Arms, Southwark-street.
The witnesses examined were those who gave their tes-
timony at the Southwark Police-court on the occasion of
the examination and committal of the prisoner for wilful
murder by Mr. Bircham.
The accused was not present at the inquiry.
George Lack, son of the accused, said the deceased were
his two sisters and brother, their ages being, Christopher
aged nine, Eliza aged five, and Esther about two years.
His father was the first person from whom he heard of the
murder. He told him to go upstairs, and there he saw the
children dead and his mother was standing over the bed.
She had for the last seven years been subject to Severe
illness, and at times her mind had been astray.
In reply to the Coroner lie said he had never heard his
mother utter dangerous threats towards her children.
Richard Henry Gardener, son-in-law of the deceased,
said he resided in the same house as the accused, Mrs.
Lack, No. 10, Skin Market-place, and was awoke by his
brother-in-law, who heard crying outside the door.
He got up and asked what was the matter ? George Lack
could not answer him. lie went into the front room first
floor, and repeated his question, when the prisoner said
(pointing to the dead children dying on the bed), " That's
the matter." Their heads were nearly severed from their
bodies. When he asked, " What she had done it for ?" Mrs.
Lack said, "She did it because the children were poor and
had no one to take care of them, it was better that they
should be in heaven than knocking about the streets. She
said she did not know she had murdered the children until
she had killed the baby.
By the Coroner—He had never hoard his mother-in-law
threaten the children. He had heard her say that she
wished they were somewhere else, but after that she would
kiss them.
Henry Pope, M 54, said he took the accused into custody.
He found in the room the two razors produced. There
was blood on the largest one. The accused said sho had
killed the children with the largest one.
These razors were then identified as belonging to the
husband of the accused.

Mr. Edward Hibberd, the surgeon who had examined
the bodies, said death in each case had been caused by the
wounds in the necks of the children. They wore so deep
that the heads were nearly severed from the bodies. Great
force must have been used in inflicting them. The
razors shown me would produce the wounds.

The Coroner—Do you think there was any struggle in
either of the cases ?

Witness.—No ; the great rush of air into the lungs
would prevent the children crying out or struggling.
Death must have been almost instantaneous.

Constable Pearce, 7 M, said, when he went into the
room he asked who did it. The accused said she knew
quite well what she was about, and that she was then in
custody for the murder of the three children. She said
afterwards—" I woke up about three o'clock and got the
razors. I came upstairs again, and first cut the throat
of Christopher, then I went to the bed and cut the throat
of Eliza, and then I cut the throat of the baby. On being
asked what induced her to do such a shocking thing, she
said she was going into Guy's Hospital, and she did not
like to leave the children in the care of strangers.
The Coroner said the jury having heard the evidence,
it now became their duty to determine how the deaths had
been caused. He would not stop to inquire whether the
children could have inflicted the injuries themselves, be-
cause that was impossible. The evidence appeared to him
so plain that there could not be any doubt as to who was
the perpetrator of the murders, and they must
not allow any sympathy to affect their verdict. if
the mother was ever so mad, they must not take
that into consideration, because they had no power to dis-
charge her. That matter rested with the superior courts.
They had to return a simple verdict, and the evidence they
had heard would, ho felt certain, enable them to decide the
matter.

One of the jury asked the constable whether he observed
any blood about the person of the accused ?
Pearce said her hands were completely covered with it.
The jury then returned a verdict of wilful murder, in
each case, against Esther Lack.

The witnesses were then bound over to appear and give
evidence against the prisoner at the next sessions of the
Central Criminal Court.

TEE SUN, LONDON FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 25, 1865.

MENTS.

August 24, at 10 a.m.

second to save his stake. About a mile and a half. 10
subs.

Mr. Brayley's Endsleigh, 3 yrs, Bst 91b (Cannon) 1
Capt. Gray's The Swift, 9st llb (P. Adams) 2
Betting-6 to 4 agst Endsleigh, who won after a good
race by a short head.
The Saltram Stakes (Handicap) of 15 SOTS each, 5 ft, and
3 if declared, with 100 added ; winners extra ; second
saved his stake. About two miles. 23 subs ; 11 de-
clared.

Mr. E. Brayley's Pearl Diver, 5 yrs, Bst 61b (in. 91b ex.)
(Cannon) 1
Mr. T. Parr's Moose, 5 yrs, 9st llb (inc. 51b extra)
(W. Boyce) 2
Captain King's Salpinctes, 3 yrs, 7st 31b (Storey)) 3
Mr. Carlile's Allow Me, 5 yrs, 7st 21b (Grey 4
Mr. E. Brayley's Pelios, 4 yrs, 7st 121 b (Murray) 5
Betting-6 to 4on Pearl Diver, 3to 1 agst Moose.
Won by three-quarters of a length ; two lengths between
second and third.

First Year of the Second Plymouth Biennial Stakes of 10
sous each, 5 ft, with 50 added, for 2-yr-olds ; colts, Bst
101 b; fillies and geldings, Bst 71b; penalties and allow-
ances; second to save his stake. Straight half mile. 16
subs.

Mr. J. B. Starkey's Kingsley, Bst 21b (J. Mann) 1
Mr. I. Woolcott's Ropley, Bst 21b (Dowling 2
Prince de Soltykoff's El Ole, Bst 101 b (W. Boyce) 3
Mr. E. Brayley's Exeter, Bst 51b (Cannon 4
Betting-6 to 4 agst Kingsley, 2to 1 agst Ropley, and 4
to 1 each agst Exeter and El Ole.

Won by three-quarters of a length ; a length between
second and third ; a bad fourth.

The Ladies' Plate of 25 sovs, added to a sweepstakes of 5
sovs each, for 2-yr-olds and upwards ; weight for age,
with selling and other allowances. Three-quarters of a
mile, in heats.
Mr. W. Stabbings' The Roarer, 3 yrs, Bst_7lb

(F. Adams) 1 1
Bavaria filly, fist 41b (Murra 2 3
Kathleen, ist 121 b (T Mann) 3 2
- -

, -
Betting-6 to 4 agst the Roarer, who won by a length ;
a bad third. Deciding heat.—Betting-2 to 1 on The
Roarer, who won easily by threelengths ; a bad third. The
winner was bought in for 50 guineas.

HORSES STRUCK OUT OF THEIR ENGAGE

August 18, at 9 a.m., Nuneaton out of Chatsworth
Stakes, Derby.

August 19, at 9 a.m., Vicksburg and Caprice out of
Yarmouth engagements, Exchequer and Tennyson out of
Staffordshire Stakes, Lichfield, Ozone out of all engage-
ments ; after 6 p.m. all Count de Lagrange's horses, except
Auguste, out of York engagements.
August 21, at 9 a.m., Hadji's Daughter out of York and
Yarmouth engagements, Coup d'Etat out of York engage-
ments, John Davis and Tippler out of Tradesmen's Plate,
Derby ; at 2.17 p.m., Sacrilege out of Hunters' Stakes,
Hereford ; at 4.30 p.m., Rosina, Queen Bee, and Katherine,
out of Yarmouth engagements ; Queen of Holland, out of
Nursery, York.
August 22, at 9 a.m., Duke of York out of Convivial
Stakes, Mother of Pearl out of Nursery, York, and Joco
out of all handicaps for which the weights have appeared.
August 23, at 1.30 p.m., colt by Vengeance out of
Media., 2 yrs, out of all engagements, 1865 ; and after 9
p.m., Mountain Flower out of Uffington Handicap, Lam-
bourne.

August 24, at 9 a.m., Lufra and King of Spades out o
Lichfield engagements.

:MBER MEETING.
Sept. 5.
• sovs each, with 100 added ;
Two miles.

Age st lb
Redmire • 3 6 9
Fat Jack
Nuneaton 4 6 9
Welbeck
Verdant 3 6 8
Shakspere ' 4 6 6
Helen 4 6 5
Arkansas
Farce 5 6 4
True Heart 5 6 4
The Guide 8 6 3
Harry Brailsford
Grinder 3 6 3
Endsloigh 3 6 0
Elland
The Pirate 3 5 12
Scheldt
Threadbare
Spring Gun
Sidewind
Defy
Ascot 3 5 7
sous, the rest in specie, by
ovs each. One mile.
Age st lb
Lady Bohun
Tippler 5 10 0
Redoubt 3 10 0
Arkansas
Principal
Queen of Trumps 4 9 12
Effie
Dean Swift
Alice Lee 4 9 9
Viceroy 3 9 8
Zeloo 5 9 7
Nu 3 9 4
Ascot 3 8101