The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-03 00:00:00

JANUARY 3, 1848

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR, SUNDAY.

MURDER OF TWO CHILDREN

IN ST. LUKE'S.
At Clerk•owell Police Court, on Saturday, Har-
riet Parker, a repulsive downcast looking woman,
between thirty and forty years of age, was placed at
the bar before Mr. Tyrrwhitt, charged with theiwilful
murders of Armenia Blake, aged between six and
seven, and Robert Blake, her brother, between four
and five years. The case excited considerable inte-
rest, and at an early hour the court was crowded in
every part. The prisoner was allowed to sit in the
dock in consequence of her weakly state, as she was
evidently labouring under severe remorse and com-
punction of mind.
Mrs. Jane Moore, of No. 9, Cupid's court, St.
Luke's, deposed that on Saturday morning, about
four o'clock, she and her husband were awoke by a
loud knocking at the door. On looking out of the
window she saw the prisoner, who was very much
agitated, and she exclaimed, " Oh ! Mrs. Moore, I have
done it." Witness asked what she had done ? She re-
plied, " I went out with Blake last night, intending to
go to the play, when he met with a little strumpet,
and took hold of her arm, and he immediately
left me." Witness told her she had nothing to do
with that, and why had she come to speak to her
about it. The prisoner was leaving the street-door,
and she said, " I shall go and deliver myself up to a
policeman." Witness said, " Why, Mrs. Blake, you
do not mean to say you have done it ?" She replied,
" I have murdered the two children." My kusband
sent for a policeman. The prisoner cohabited with a
man named Blake, to whom the children belonged.
Went to the house where the prisoner lived, and saw
them lying dead.
Mary Mathews deposed that she was alarmed by
Mr. Blake this morning at four o'clock, who said that
her mistress had murdered her children. Witness
procured two policemen; they entered by the parlour
window, and found the children ; they only had on
their shifts and stockings. They were warm. :There
were scratches on their throats. There was no living
person in the room with them, except the policemen.
Mrs. Lucy Mathews, of Cupid's-court, saw the
prisoner knocking at Mrs. Moore's door. I asked
her to go indoors. The prisoner said, " I shall never
go in any more ; my heart is bleeding." I think she
had been drinking the over night, as she was much
excited. She complained that Blake had taken her
out to go to the play, and he left her to go with
another woman.
Sergeant Standed, 11 G, received information of
the affair at twenty minutes to four o'clock that
morning. He found the children lying dead on the
bed in the parlour. They were warm. Witness
sent for a surgeon, who instantly came.
Brown, 2.231 G, confirmed this evidence.
Mr. Charles Adams, of the Duke of Bedford,
Golden-lane, saw the prisoner and Blake at his house
on Friday night last. Whilst there Blake slipped
away from the prisoner. She left, but shortly after-
wards returned with the deceased girl, when the pri-
soner said, " I will have my revenge of the children
if I cant have it of him. She had it in her mind for
some time past. She would go to the gallows and die
like a trump for him." She looked at the clock, and
said to witness, " Mark the time, it is now twenty-
five minutes to eight o'clock." She had two small
drops of gin, and she left with the girl. The prisoner
had cohabited with Blake for three years. There were
other persons present when she used the threats to-
wards the children.
George Fowler, 161 G, deposed that at four o'clock
this morning the prisoner ran to deliver herself into
his custody. She would not tell what for. She sub-
sequently said she had murdered two children. On her
way to the station she said " It was my intention to
do this nine months ago, and I have done it now to
my sorrow ; but I knew what I was about."
Mr. Francis Wright, surgeon, of 110, Whitecross-
street, St. Luke's, deposed that he was sent for at a
little after four o'clock, and the children must have
been dead about an hour. He examined the bodies,
and found marks of violence on their throats near the
windpipe. The marks or scratchings arose from
some one grasping their throats tightly with their
fingers. He should say that death was almost in-
stantaneous.

Policeman 26 G saw the prisoner rush out of her
house, calling out, " I have murdered the children to
revenge their father • they were innocent ; through
my vindictiveness I have done the deed." Witness
cautioned her to say nothing. She said, in reference
to Blake, " I doted the ground he walked upon, and
he knew it." She also said, " I was not like a person
who was drunk ; I knew what I was about. I was
quite sober."
Mr. TrICRWIIITT now asked the prisoner if she
wished to say anything to the charge. He cautioned
her that she was not bound to say anything?—She
faintly replied—Nothing.
She was then remanded, and supported from the bar
in a wretched and dejected state, and conveyed to
prison in the police van.
INQUEST ON THE BODIES.

At twelve o'clock Mr. Baker, the Coroner, opened
an inquest on the bodies of the two unfortunate
children at the sign of the William the Fourth,
Golden-lane. Previous to the bodies being viewed
by the jury,
The CORONER observed that he was informed the
witnesses who were able to give evidence against the
accused were then at the Clerkenwell Police-court;
he therefore should not pursue the inquiry any fur-
ther than to obtain an identification of the bodies.
The Coroner then, accompanied by the jury, pro-
ceeded to view the bodies, which lay on a bed on a
turn-up bedstead in the front room on the ground
floor at the house No. 3, Cupid's-court. They were
in the exact position they were left by the accused.
The elder child (the girl) was at the foot of the bed,
with her head near the wainscot, in a position from
which, it was evident, a struggle must have ensued.
It was the opinion of the jury that the poor
child had been suffocated by a pillow having been
placed over its mouth. There was a scratch across
her throat about three inches in length. The other
child was at the head of the bed, and presented
appearances of his death having been caused in a
similar manner. The bed clothes were in a state
which showed that a most violent struggle had taken
place on the part of the murdered children fur the
preservation of their lives. There were no other
marks of violence about the bodies than those above
alluded to.
Upon the return of the jury to the inquest room

was found, upon the examination of the father, that
the Christian names had not been rightly given. The
jury were accordingly re-sworn to the right names,
and they were again under the necess4y of viewing
the bodies. The following evidence was then taken :
Robert Blake, No. 3, Cupid's-court, Golden-lane,
being sworn, said—l am by trade a grinder. The
deceased were my children, and were born in lawful
wedlock. I have been separated from their mother,
who is residing at Birmingham, about four years. I
was married to her in the year 1836. I was living
with a woman named Harriet Parker, who passed as
my wife. I cohabited with her shortly after I and
my wife parted. I have been living with her in
Golden lane about two years and a half. She is a
L widow.

CORONER—When did you last see your children ?
Witness—On Friday evening, between five and six
o'clock. I put them both to bed. [The witness was
here much affected, and seemed overpowered with
the anguish of his feelings. Mr. Garner, the sum-
moning officer, gave him some water.]
CORONER—What state of health were they in ?
Witness—They made no complaint, and appeared in
good health when I left them.
CORONER—WaS there any one with them at the
time you left ? Witness—res; I left them with
the woman who is charged with having murdered
them.
CORONER—How came you to leave ? Witness—l
intended to have gone to the theatre last night with
a friend, and I went out for that purpose.
Couormu—Was it a male friend or a female friend ?
Witness—A male friend, Sir.
CORONER—Did any words pass between you and
Harriet Parker ? Witness—No serious words arose.
She followed me out with an intention of annoying
me, and said I should not go.
CORONER—Did she say why she would annoy
you ? Witness—She did not say why, but I can
explain ber ideas.
CORONER—You must not say a word about her
ideas ; anything she said may be evidence against
her. Witness—She wanted to prevent me going to
the theatre, as I would not take her with me.
CORONER—Did she say anything at that time ?
Witness—She said she would follow me step by step,
go where I would.
CORONER—Did she slo so ? Witness—Yes, sir ;
she followed me to several places, and I tried to get
rid of her.
CORONER—Did you succeed ? Witness—After
going through several streets I went to the Duke of
Bedford public•house, in Golden-lane, which I am in
the habit of using, with the intention of staying there,
and of having a glass of ale with my friend, with
whom I was going to the theatre. She followed me
in. I told her to go home, observing that I did not
mean to go to the theatre. Then, while she was in
conversation with a person I escaped. I have not seen
her since.
Juror—Do you know anything of the circum-
stances attending the death of the children ? Wit-
ness—Nothing. I know nothing about it.
Juror—What time did you return home, and when
did you become acquainted with the deaths of the
deceased ? Witness—l slept at the house of a friend
in Goswell-street. About eleven o'clock that morn-
ing I was going down Golden-lane with a shopmate
to my work, when a person my shopmate knew told
him of the murder.
CORONER—Then you never saw Harriet Parker
after you left her at the public-house, nor heard any-
thing about her nor your children ? Witness—No,
Sir, not till my shopmate heard of my poor children