The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-12 00:00:00

.NEWSI'APER
• -4, R.
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MITBDER OP SIX CHILDREN '1E,X44107r
,
MOTHER. ;
On Saturday morning an awful murder, one S
fold character, was discovered to have been perpetrated
in a cottage at West-end, situate about a mile west of
Esher, and on the borders of the royal domains of Clare-
mont. Some workmen passing by the cottage about
six o'clock a.m. saw a pillow stained with blood outside
one of the windows. Their suspicions were excited, and
they knocked at the door, but received no answer. As
soon as possible they obtained a ladder, and effected an
entrance through the window. They found in the room
they entered a woman with her throat cut, but not alto-
gether dead, and, lying by her side, two young children
dead from wounds in the throat. On searching the
other bedrooms, they discovered four more children
mm dered. Their throats were severed, and the weapon,
a razor, was found. Mr. hod, a surgeon of Esher, was
sent for. He pronounced all the children beyond the
power of human aid. The woman was not so, and he
dressed her wounds accordingly.
The name of the wretched creature is Mary Ann
Brough, aged 47 or 48, the wife of George Brough,
somewhat older than herself. Her name must be fami-
liar to some of our readers. She was first nurse to his
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, but was dismissed
before the prince was named—some said at the time,
because she had been detected drinking ardent spirits ;
others, because she had, contrary to medical restrio-
tions, received visits surreptitiously from her husband.
Her place was supplied by a woman named Batchelor,
who, having discharged her duties properly, is now
enjoying her reward. The miserable woman Brongh
was some twenty years ago, kitchenmaid at the palace
of Claremont, and her husband was then and afterwards
employed there as lamplighter, watchman, and porter.
He is now employed as the guardian of the ornamental
waters and fish-ponds of Claremont. His father was
coachman many years ago to Prince Leopold, now the
King of the Belgians. The marriage of Brough and his
wife took place at Claremont, and the result was a large
family. First a girl, now 19 years of age, living with
friends in Yorkshire ; then several children who died of
natural causes young ' • and finally, the victims murdered
by their mother on Saturday morning. Their names
are—Georgiana, the eldest, aged 11, Caroline, aged 8,
William, 7 years old, Henry and Harriet, twins, born
in March, 1851, and George, the youngest, aged 21
months. The murdered children were well known in
Esher, and the eldest two girls were remarkable for
their pretty exterior and more than ordinary intelligence.
Their persons were familiar to the royal French exiles of
Claremont, and the Prince de Joinville used often to
meet with them in his fishing excursions to the ponds
over which their father watched, and frequently con-
versed with them. When told of their fate, he ex-
claimed, "It is truly a terrible catastrophe ; it is
enough to make all the children of the village afraid of
their mothers."

The causes assigned for this wholesale infanticide and
for the present, successless suicide are many. Jealousy,
as usual, is alleged to have been the promoter of
this shocking tragedy. The husband believed her
faithless, and three or four days ago quarreled with
her, left his cottage, and took up his residence at
Esher. The inhabitants could only talk, wonder, guess,
and commiserate. The father of the murdered children
was seen frequently in Esher on Saturday. He had
been to his cottage more than once, and is described as
one like to make "a hole in the water." He appears
to be respected by the villagers of Esher, of which though
long resident, he is not a native. The cottage is his
freehold, and he was above want. The infanticide has
recovered from the effects of her self-inflicted wound,
and there is a probability that she may survive. To a
female neighbour who visited her on Saturday afternoon,
she said, " I cut the throats of the five oldest easily as
they slept. Baby was awake, and he gave me most
trouble. An inquest will be held at three o'clock this
afternoon.