The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-04 00:00:00

HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.

THREE CHILDREN THROWN OVER BATTER,
SEA BRIDGE, BY THEIR MOTHER, AND
TW 0 DROWNED.
Saturday afternoon, about three o'clock, a most dread-
ful occurrence took place on Batersea-bridge, by a
mother throwing her own three children into the river
Thames, two of whom were drowned. It appears from
inquiries made on the spot, that about the hour above
stated, a young
woman, decently clad, was observed to
proceed on to Battersea-bridge from the Chelsea side,
accompanied by three children, one a boy about seven
years of age ; a girl, about four years of age ; and an
infant in arms, also a girl, about ten months or a twelve-
month old. When she got to the middle of the bridge
she walked to and fro a few yards in a hurried manner,
and then threw the children one after the other over the
railings into the river and was getting over the balus-
trades herself when she was prevented doing so by the
passers-by, who secured her , and gave her into the
custody of PolicemaneWoolgar, Y 54, who opportunely
came up and took her to the station-house in Milman's-
row. At the station-house she stated her name to be
Eliza Clark, her age twenty-four years ; that she was
the wife of William Clarke, & journeyman painter, liv-
ing at No. 7, Cumberland-street, Marlborough-road,
Chelsea, and that the children were her own.
During the time occupied by the above proceedings,
attempts were being made on the river to save the unfor-
tunate children, which were successful in one instance,
that of the second child (a girl), four years old, which
was immediately carried to the Swan public-house, at
the Surrey side of Battersea Bridge, where it received
every attention that its exhausted state demanded, and
is recovering. The infant child was also promptly got
out, but life was quite extinct, and the body was carried
to the Adam and Eve public-house, in Duke-street,
Chelsea, where it awaits the coroner's inquest.
Shortly before four o'clock the wretched woman was
removed in a cab to the Westminster Police Court,
Vincent-square, for examination.
EXAMINATION OF THE PRISONER.
As the Westminster police-court was about to close,
at five o'clock on Saturday afternoon, Eliza Clark, aged
24, residing at No. 7, Cumberland-street, Marlborough-
road, Chelsea, was placed at the bar before Mr. Burrell,
charged with throwing her three infant children into
the Thames from Battersea-bridge.
The accused, who is stated to be the wife of a jour-
neyman painter, although somewhat meanly dressed,
was a pattern of cleanness and neatness, and had the
appearance of a respectable and quiet woman.
James Perryman, potboy at the Adam and Eve, Duke-
street, Chelsea, sworn.—At about five minutes before
three, this afternoon, I was in the back yard of our house,
which looks upon the Thames, and is close to Battersea-
bridge. I was on a sudden startled by hearing some-
thibg splash in the water, and I looked towards the spot,
and saw a second child go from the centre of the bridge
into the water, and then I saw another one go in from
the same place. I immediately went and told my mis-
tress that I had seen a woman throw her children over
the railings of Battersea-bridge into the water.
Mr. Taylor, the chief clerk—Did you see any person
throw the children into the water ?

Witness—Yes, after hearing the first splash, which I
supposed must have been a child, I saw the prisoner
throw the two others into the river ; there did not ap-
pear to be much struggling.
Examination continued—The children were alive at
the time they were thrown into the water. I saw one
of them kicking as it fell into the water. I told- my
master, and we jumped into a boat and put off towards
them. I saw a man afterwards bring a child out. I af-
terwards went on the bridge and saw the prisoner stand-
ing near the parapet.
Jesse Hattan, a gardener at Wandsworth—l was
passing over Battersea-bridge, at about three o'clock,
when I observed the prisoner walking backwards and
forwards in a very hurried manner, and as she seemed
to be in the act of jumping over, I took her by the arm.
I asked her what she was going to do, and she said
she had thrown her children over there. I looked over,
and seeing two children in the water, inquired what she
did it for ? She said, " Distress ; she thought she had
better see her children go before her." I called a boat,
and I saw one child picked up and taken to the Swan
public-house, on the Surrey side of the bridge.
Mr. BußnELL—What age did that child appear to be?
Witness—About two years and a half.
On the prisoner being asked by Mr. Taylor whether
she wished to put any questions to the witness, she re-
plied, with much eagerness, but in a subdued tone,
" Have you got my baby 1 "
John Hinchin, a labourer, was crossing the bridge
when the prisoner called out, " Here, here ! do you see
my children in the water." She repeated this four or
five times. Witness went to the spot and saw the chil-
dren floating in the water. Witness observed, " I never
saw so affecting a sight." One child appeared to be
about two years and a half old ; the other younger
(witness saw but two). Witness saw one picked up,
apparently the eldest ; the other floated a few yards
higher up and disappeared, and, although the witness
looked several times, he could not see it.
Thomas Fordery, a waterman, who passed by directly
after the children had been thrown into the water, proved
picking up one and taking it to the Adam and Eve.
Police-sergeant, 20V, informed the magistrate that the
child was dead which had been taken to the Adam and
Eve. Dr. Wansborough had attended her, and bad used
every means that could suggest themselves to restore
her, but in vain.

Robert Woolgar, 54 V, stated that on hearing that a
woman had thrown'her three children into the water, he
took her into custody. She said that her husband had
ill used her ; that he would be home again at night to
ill use her, and the children should not see it,

Mr. BURRELL inquired as to the fate of the poor
children ?

The police replied that the one at the Swan gave
every prospect of recovery ; there was a second still in
the water, and a third dead at the Adam and Eve, as
had been stated.

Mr. BURRELL asked the prisoner whether she wished
to say anything?
Prisoner looked eagerly around her, and ejaculated in
a low tone—" He said " Good bye " when he went
out this morning; he has not said so for a long time
before. He doubled his fist in my face when he went
out, and said, " I'll come home thundering drunk, and
I'll be hung for you." He broke the panel of the door
by knocking my head against it.
Mr. BURRELL—Have you anything to say to drown-
ing your children? Prisoner (incoherently)—Suppose
I had died, my poor children would have been starved
to death. It's a hard struggle now to get them a bit of
bread. I have done all I could.
Mr. BURRELL remanded the prisoner till Wednesday.
Our reporter has very little hesitation in stating that
the accused gave every appearance of suffering from
aberration of intellect. He is informed that Dr. Wans-
borough expressed a similar opinion.
ADDITIONAL AND LATEST PARTICULARS.
The distressing and melancholy affair has created an
intense sensation throughout the neighbourhoods of
Battersea and Chelsea, and during the remainder of the
afternoon the bridge and waterside were crowded by
persons anxiously watching the search making for the
body of the missing child, which was continued until
dark, but without success. A large crowd was also col-
lected round the police station in Milman's-row, which
is near Battersea-bridge, until the removal of the miser-
able woman for examination at the Westminster Police
Court.

From inquiries which have been made by the police
since the examination, it appears that the wife, about
three-quarters of an hour before she threw her children
into the water, called with them at the house of her uncle,
Mr. Richard Champ, No. 13, Wellington-street, Manor-
street, King's-road, Chelsea, and there complained of the
ill-treatment she alleged she had received from her hus-
band, and remained there about a quarter of an hour,
and Mr. Champ, seeing her excited state, asked her on
her leaving to come back to his house to tea, as by that
time his wife would be home. She, however, said she
could not promise, as she was going under the arch of
Battersea-bridge, a remark which Mr. Champ unfortu-
nately took no notice of at the time, and she then left,
taking her three children with her. That was about
half-past two o'clock. About a quarter of an hour after
her departure, one of Mr. Champ's children found a
letter on the bed in one of the rooms into which Mrs.
Clark had been, which she gave to her father. It was
addressed to num Clark, her husband, and on its
being opened, the contents were found to be to the follow-
ing effect :—That her husband had for a long time past
continually ill-used her on coming home drunk ; that
he had a night or two before come home and knocked
her head through the panel of the door ; that she hoped
he would treat his next wife better than he had her ;
.street, Chelsea, leading to the
the poor child it appears, has a
e'rehead, which it is believed to
childrenthatt hat s
beforeh e
ww oisuhlhedde
be twe.
)usunel
dedetrhr
Be
receive
ace
thi
tvielerdsretehan-a
bt gr
iolde
gtbteee.
From an examination made by Dr. Wansborough,
rf o r her s
he
ean ; n d ahe dr
who examined the infant child lying at the Adam and
bru
have received by falling on its head on the gravel bottom
the river, the tide being low at the time, and it was
et
ti hes reo su seoafe:
tbhrDei dugfkoe
most probably killed by the fall. The other child,
fEs
of: Eve
ete
ropefu
which is at the Swan public-house, at the Surrey end of
the Battersea-bridge, is doing well. She is four
years
of age.
No trace had up to eleven o'clock last night been
dis-
covered of the eldest boy William, seven years
of age,
whom some people think was not with her at the time
that she threw the two younger ones into the water, and
in case that should be the fact, the police last
a description of the boy throughout the night sent
different divi-
sions. He is stated to be of a dark sallow
very dark under the eyes, very thin, and dressed
corduroy suit of clothes, without any ea in a
brown holland pinafore over his dress, and p or hat on, a
a pair of new
leather boots on.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—The ------utmost excitement
prevails respecting the appearances of Les Danseuses Vien-
wecaustet
dwebny forty-eight
tY
noises on this stage to-morrow. There is no truth whatever in
the statement that several of the principals amongst them had
gone back to Vienna. Two were sent home by Madame Weiss,
as having grown too large, and ten new ones have come from
her establishment in Germany. The greatest number that
everor danced
season
-seven—to-
rolast
tl
be
children.
MILITIA.—The Militia officers of the United King-
dom will dine together at the Freemason's Tavern on
miv one at the opera
Wednesday next, and it is expected that an unusually large
number will muster on that occasion, in consequence of
the recent attention that has been publicly
.) called to this
branch of our military service, by the critical position of our
relations with America.
SUICIDE FROM HUNGERPORD-BRIDGE.—EarIy On
Saturday morning last, another suiceide took place from litmgerford
or Charing Cross Suspensiontrildng . appears that soon after
twelve o'clock on Saturday moo _ inga,
saboyto.ung man, about twenty-
three years a age, and dress 4 1 hooting jacket of dark colour,
paid toll with others, on the Middlesex
tr side, but had not proceeded
many yards, when he threw
thimse over into the water.' 'Mc,
gentlemen were passing in thabo direction, and called out for assist-
ance, when persons put oft' in
decalbut waS of fair complexion,
alai splint iv. ad Wen inohes in ktfits.