The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-31 00:00:00

DI?A_DFVL MURDER OF TWO CHILDREN.

After Mr. Elliott had disposed of the public business,
and was about to leave the bench at Lambeth Police-
court yesterday, Mrs. Martha Bacon, a married woman,
26 years of age, of mild expression of countenance, but
with something in the appearance of her eyes chat
clearly indicated a disordered mind, was brought to the
court in custody, and charged with the murder of her
two children, the one' about 15 mouths, and the other
3+ years of age, by cutting their throats from ear to ear,
and also with inflicting some wounds on her own throat,
with the intention, no doubt, of committing suicide.
Police-constable Henry Cook, 75 L, said that at
about half-past one o'clock on that afternoon he was on
duty at the station-house in Kennington-lane, when the
prisoner and another woman, then present, called, and
the latter requested that he would accompany them to
a house in Four Acre4treet, Acre-lane. He went with
them, and on reaching the house No. 4 in that street the
prisoner unlocked the door and he entered the house.
On going ioto the back parlour he found a child, a boy
of about three years of age
Prisoner—Ttiree years and a half.
Witness—Well, it may be that—sitting in a chair,
with his head leaning on a table placed before him, quite
dead and cold, and hie throat cut from ear to ear. He
(witne,s) then went up stairs, and, on entering the back
room on the first fl nor, he found another child lying on
the floor, with its face downwards, quite dead, and its
throat also cut from from ear to ear.

Mr, Elliott—Wcat was the age of that child
Witness—Wtll, Sir, I should think it might be 15 or
1G months.

Mr. Elliott— On your way from the station-house to
her residence in Acre-street did the prisoner say anything
to you ?

Witness—l don't recollect that she did, your worship,
except that she did not do it.

Mr. Elliott—Well, go on with your evidence.
Witness—Well, Sir, on the bed in the room where I

Join, which was deeply stained
with blood, particularly the lower part of it, and on the
pillow there was one drop of blood and two others on
the sheets ; and on the floor close to the table there were
some marks of blood wuich were covered over with an
apron, as if to conceal them. There was also a mark of
blood on one of the room doors, which appeared to me
to have been caused by some bloody garment touci3;dig
it. •

Mr, Elliott—What is your opinion as to .the time
when the wounds on the prisoner and her 017,:ildren must
have been inflicted ?
Mr. Bushell--They were evidently done within 24
hours, and I should think about the time the prisoner
spoke of-8 o clock last eve Wing.
Mr. Elliott—What P`, ate were the children in as to
drees ?
Mr. Bush'l.),—Tlae youngest had nothing but a gown
on, but the elder, I think, had more clothing on, but
neither shoes nor stockings.
Mr. Elliott--Has any instrument been found by
which these wounds might be inflicted ?
Mr. Bushed--there was in one of the rooms a table,
on which there was some food, and I think also three
knives, and one which was apart from the others appeared
to me to be deeply stained and as if it had been wiped a
good deal, but still deeply stained.
Mrs. Amelia Oako, the searcher at the court, said she
searched the prisoner carefully, and could not find any
marks of blood on any part of her dress, except the upper
part of her under dress, and this she thought proceeded
from her own wound. While searching her the prisoner
said a man came in at the back window and killed her
two children, and asked if she (witness) thought she
should be locked up.
This being all the evidence, Mr, Elliott gave the
prisoner the usual caution, and told he; after this he
should hear anything she had to say.
Pri-oner—The only thing I have to say is that I
did not do it.
The prisoner, who during the examination kept look.
ink; at the different witnesses while giving their evidence
with a vacant stare, was then remanded to a future day,
and Mr. Elliott humanely directed that her husband,
who is at work
,at Reigate, should be made acquainted
with his melancholy bereavement without delay.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.
The bodies of the poor infants were left as they were
discovered, and information of the occurrence was for-
warded to Mr. Thomas Cooke, the summoning officer
for the parish of St. Mary, Newington, about 6 o'clock
in the evening. A search was then made, and marks of
blood were found on the various doors. In a cupboard
were no leas than six quartere loaves, very stale, and
nearly a whole Stilton cheese, the quantity of bread being
somewhat remarkable considering the smallness of the
family. Two envelopes where also found, on which were
written, " Mr. Bacon, at Mr. Marriage's, ironmonger,
Market-place, Reigate." They are supposed to be in
the handwriting of Mr. Bacon, who, it is stated, lest
home on Sunday evening last at seven o'eluck, to pro-
ceed to Reigate, to fulfil his duties at the establishment
of Mr. Marriage, by whom he is employed.
It is rumoured in the neighbourhood that the wretched
murderess has been confined in a lunatic asylum, and
that at the present time she is of unsound mind.