The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-13 00:00:00

THE LATE MYSTERIOUS SUICIDE.

The interest in the results of the inquiry as to who
really is the man found as a suicide in the Mid-
land railway carriage rather increases than abates.
Amongst others, a letter was received by Mr. Mason,
superintendent of police, from a Mrs. Henry Astropp,
formerly of Louth, but now of Hull ; in which, after
making a detailed inquiry, she stated that her husband
had been missing for four months, and that he had been
either " wiled away," taken by force, or had been stupi-
fied by Catholic priests. The letter was answered, but
solely as to the materials disproving the identity, and
disabusing her mind of the supposition that the deceased
was her husband ; but so confident was she that some of
the particulars bore an analogy to the circumstances
connected with her husband, that on Tuesday night she
arrived at Lincoln, accompanied by her daughter, a
sweet little girl about eight years old. Mr. Mason in
vain endeavoured to convince her that it could not be
the person she inquired for, still she would search fur-
ther, and Mr. Mason introduced her to Mr. Hitchins,
the coroner, to whom she made the following extra-
ordinary statement :

Her husband belonged to the Catholic Church, and
had been a Catholic priest at Beverley and Sheffield.
they had been attached to each other for several years.
That the result of that intimacy was the little girl then
present. That upon its gaining currency that they were
about to be married, he was taken and put into the
asylum near Hull, during which time all letters were
kept from her, some of which contained money. After
the anticipated visit by the Commissioners of Lunacy
he was released, and shortly after they were married,
since which persecution had never ceased ; her husband
had property, and had lent a great deal to the Catholics,
some to priests, and some to a firm at Newcastle ; that
he was persuaded to go into the grocery business at
Louth ; and while there, on the 21st of April, he went
out, and that she had never seen him or heard from him
since, and, his brother had told her that she should never
see him again dead or alive. That after he had gone,
his brother had put the bailiffs in, under, as he stated,
an ra.ssignment, and the assignment had been prepared
by Mr. Walker, solicitor, of Hull. The last time her
'nusband was seen was at Grimsby pier, walking between
Mr. Walker and his brother, and a Catholic priest was
there. At this reference the poor woman became dread-
fully agitated.
Mr. Hitching reminded her that she was using the
names of respectable persons in a transaction, as repre-
sented by her, of an extraordinary character. Mrs.
Astropp said she was speaking the truth, and that Mr.
lyre, a solicitor of Hull, would see into the matter ; but
she wanted her husband.

Mr. Hitchins —Do you mean to say that while your
husband was a Catholic priest you were living in concu.
binage with him ; and that it was known.—Mrs. As-
trepp—We did live together, and as soon as it was
known we were going to be married he was put into an
asylum.
Mr. Hitchins—Have you made any public application
to aid you ?—Mrs. Astropp—Yes, sir ; but as I had
no .witnesses I could make nothing out.
Mr. Hitchins—Have you applied for assistance to
Mr. Walker, who, you say, got your husband's money ?
—Mrs. Astropp -Yes, I have, and he says he hadn't
any, that I must go to Mr. Edward Astropp, my hus-
band's brother. I went, but the door was locked. My
husband had above a thousand pounds, and he is en-
titled to three thousand more at his mother's death, and
she is 80 years of age ; but they might have all the
money if they would only let me have my husband.
Mr. Hitchins—l am very desirous of assisting your in-
quiries, in reference to the person found in the railway
carriage being your husband. The photograph which you
havebrought with you, and which you say is a strong like-
ness of your husband, is not like that of the person

found ; the forehead is too high, and much more
strongly developed ; the hair is thin and entirely
different, the deceased having thick curly hair,
and the photograph only showing a thinness of
hair. I exceedingly regret your situation, and from
the respectability of Mr. Ayre, your solicitor, as well as
the situation of Mr. Walker, solicitor, of Hull, and of
Mr. Edmund Astropp, and to which, I may add, not-
withstanding extraordinary letters you have from Ca-
tholic priests, they, as a body and church, will feel it a
duty incumbent on them to relieve your distressed mind
as soon as the facts are known to them, so that it is
more than probable yon will be in hut a short time sa-
tisfied that the father of your child, and your husband,
still lives.

The poor woman, in convulsive exclamation, " Oh,
pray God send it !"
Tendering her thanks for the commiseration shown
her, she left, and in the evening returned to Hull by
train.

DISTRESSING ATTEMPT OF A MOTHER
TO MURDER HER TWO CHILDREN BY
DROWNING.

Yesterday Anne Parker, a married woman, was
placed at the bar, before Mr. Long, at Marylebone,
charged with having wilfully, feloniously-, and maliciously
attempted to drown her children, Henry Parker, aged
six years, and Thomas Parker, aged four years, by
throwing them into the Regent's Canal, Regent's Park.
The prisoner, who was of short stature, and whose
right eye was blackened and swollen, as if from the
effect of some severe blow, was accompanied by her off-
spring, who stood on either side of her. It was evident
to all in court, from their manner, that they had been
well brought up, while they exhibited the most sincere
affection to their unfortunate parent, which was plainly
reciprocal on her part.
The nature of the charge having been stated to the
magistrate,
Police-constable White, D 125, said that about a
quarter-past six o'clock on the previous evening he was
on duty at the north side of the Regent's Park, when his
attention was drawn towards the Regent's Canal by hear-
ing some exclamations of distress, which appeared to
proceed from the voices of children. He proceeded towards
the spot, when, upon reaching tho slope that inclines from
the park to the bank on the side of the canal, he observed
the prisoner, who had one of her children in her arms,
looking about. He at the same time observed another
child in the water. He hastened to her, and reached
her before she effected her purpose, which, from her
confession afterwards, was to throw the child into the
canal. He pushed her on one side and jumped into the
water to rescue the one which was there, and at a few
feet from the bank. This was the younger one of the
two. He got it ashore just as its bead was sinking be-
low the surface of the water. Had he not arrived at
the moment he did he had no doubt but that the child
would have been drowned, as the water was at that
part about seven feet in depth. After the child was
brought out he observed a small basket, which led him
to suppose that a younger child might have been thrown
in by the prisoner. He made a search, but, while doing
so, ascertained that there was no other child there. He
told her that she must go with him to the station-house.
She offered some resistance, and said that, if he had not
made his appearance at the time he did, it was her in-
tention to have drowned the child she had in her arms,
and then to have thrown herself into the canal. When
they got to the top of the bank she tried to release her-
self from him, and partially succeeded, to run down the
bank. He had much difficulty in taking her to the
station-house, where, while tile charge was being taken,
she again said that she intended to do for the two
children.

Mr. Long—To do for them ?
Witness--Yes, sir ; for them, she said, and herself.
She was very violent, and it took three policemen to
place her in the cell.
Mr. Long—Did she say where she came from ?
Witness—She said that she came from Essex.
Mr. Long—Did she say from what part of Essex ?
Witness—Yes, from Plaistow.
Mr. Long—Did she say where her husband was
Witness—She stated that her husband had deserted
her, and that he had dons so several times.

Mr. Long—Was there any other remark made by
her?

Witness—Yes, 3 our worship ; on her way to the
police court that morning she observed that had he
(witness) not been at the canal she would have finished
herself and her two young children.
Mr. Long—Did she tell you the name of the youngest
child ?
Witness—Yes ; that it was Thomas Parker. She
had 3s. in silver and 7d. in copper in her pocket. There
was also a pawnbroker's ticket of a petticoat, pledged
on the 17th of August last.
Mr. Long asked the prisoner if she had any question
to put to the Witness ?
The Prisoner, in a low tone of voice, replied that she
had not.

There being no other witness, Mr. Phillipps subse-
quently took the deposition of the constable's evidence,
which, having been read over in the presence of the
prisoner,
Mr. Long, after giving her the usual caution that
what she had to say would be taken down and might be
produced in evidence against her, asked her if she had
anything toosay ?
The prisoner stated that it was trouble which had led
her to attempt to destroy her children ; that on Satur-
day last her husband knocked her about and tried to
strangle her.
Mr. Long—Have you anything more to say ?
Prisoner—Yes, sir. My husband left me six months
ago, and 10 days ago as well. He said he would kill
me last night if I was at home. Ile cut my head
and ear with a stick.
Mr. Long—ls that all ?
Prisoner—l have nothing further to say.
_ _

Mr. Long—lt is a most awful case, for had not the
constable interfered at the moment he did, you
would have been guilty of the murder of your child, if
not of both of them, to which you expressed your inten-
tion to add the dreadful offence of your own destruction.
He would send her to a place where she would have the
advice of a chaplain, which he 'hoped would bring her to
a sense of the enormous guilt with which she was
charged.
Mr. Long, seeing Mr. Tubbs, relieving officer of the
parish of St. Marylebone, in court, observed that he sup-
posed the parish would take care of the children, and
would endeavour to find the father.
Mr. Tubbs said that the children should be at once
admitted, and that he would endeavour to find the
father.
The prisoner was then fully committed to take her
trial at the ensuing Central Criminal Court.
The prisoner, on parting from her children, kissed
them affectionately. She remarked to them that they
soon would be separated, when they would never see
her any more. She urged them to say their prayers,
and told them to inform their father what had been her
instruction to them.