The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-13 00:00:00

COMMITTEE OF SELECTION.

Colonel W. PATTEN informed the house that owing
to the pressure of private business the Committee of
Selection would have to abandon the precedent of for-
mer sessions in requesting members to state what period
would be most convenient to them to attend to the
Private Bill Committee, but, at the same time, they
would be ready to attend to any representation mem-
bers might wish to make on the subject. (Rear, hear.)

THE IVALIN'ORTH MURDERS.
OLD COURT.
TRIAL OF BACON AND HIS WIFE.

(Before Lcrd Campbell, Mr. Justice Cresi,vcll, and Mr.

Baron Bramwell.)

This morning Thomas Fuller Bacon and Martha Bacon
were indicted for the murder of their two children,
Edwin Fuller Bacon and Martha Bacon.
Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Clerk appeared for the prosecu-
tion. Mr. Sleigh and Mr. Poland defended Mrs.
Bacon, and Messrs. Metcalfe and Lawrence appeared for
Bacon.

Mr. Bodkin, in opening the case for the prosecution,
said, placed in the pesition in which he then stood it
cwuoruillsd be
tanc
es his duty
to
bri
bring
o lay
ho before
horse
etothe jury f
the
prisoners
aatc facts and
the
barnd c uther-
charge of murder. The case was one of the most extra
ordinary kind that had occurred for some time; and the
fact that the prisoners were man and wife, and the
victims their children, added to the heinousness of the
crime. The learned gentleman then proceeded to detail
the facts of the case, which have already appeared in the
columns of The Sun, and, in the course of lis
observations, said It was his duty to inform the
jury that the female prisoner had been confined in
a lunatic asylum, and that she only quitted that
asylum two months before the commission of the murder,
but the version she had given of the murder, namely,
that a man had entered the window and killed her chit-
dren and attempted to cut her throat, was irrational,
absurd, and unworthy of belief, for the police had
examined the place and found the windows fastened in-
side, and that the dust and ground abou% the place bad
not been disturbed in the slightest manner. Having al-
luded to Bacon's version of the murder, he said he should
olio lay before them evidence to prove its entire falsity,
and he would prove that he neither lost a watch, note,
nor clothes, on the occasion, and that the whole story
about the robbery was a fabrication, and was only in-
vented to draw off from him the suspicion that attached
to him respecting the murder. With respect to blood
found on the trousers of the male prisoner, he accounted
for it by saying that he cut his finger at dinner on the
Sunday previous to the discovery of the murder. That
also was untrue. On the Sunday in question, ho should
prove that he wore black trousers, and that being the
case, if he had cut his finger on that occasion the
blood would have been found on the black trousers
and not on those worn every day by the prisoner. The
jury would take into their consideration the circum-
stance that the female prisoner had been subject to aber-
rations of mind; but in order to acqii, her on account of
the state of her mind, it must be shown that she was in
such a state of mind as to be unable to distinguish be
tween right and wrong. The learned gentleman can-
eluded his remarks by hoping that an all-wise Providence
would guide them to a right conclusion.
The first witness called was Harriet Monroe. She
said—l am cousin to the male prisoner. Oa Sunday,
the 28th of December, the female prisoner came to my
house and asked me if I would tome and stay with her
while her husband stopped at-Reigate. I said I would
do so, and it was arranged that I should go to their
house in Four-acre-street, Walworth, between the hours
of 4 and son the following Monday. Oa the same
Sunday evening I saw both prisoners together at her
brother-in-law's house. I did not observe his bands that
evening. On the Monday when I went to Bacon's house
in Four-acre-street, I knocked repeatedly at the door but
could get no answer. I listened and waited at the door
for about three hours, not getting any answer I returned
home, but went to Bacon's house again that evening
about half-past 10. On the Tuesday morning, about 1
o'clock, my mother and myself met Mrs. Bacon in Four-
acre-street, she had a rent book and half a sovereign in her
hand. My Mother asked her where she had been, and
she said she had been in the house all night. She then
said a man had got in at the window during the night
and had murdered her two children and cut her throat.
She said she was going to pay her rent and tell her land-
lord of the shocking affair. Mrs. Bacon, my mother,
and myself, returned to the house in Fouracre-street,
and, on going into the back room on the ground floor,
I saw the little boy sitting in a chair by the idle of the
fireplace with his throat cut. There was a quantity of
blood all round the place, and his face was resting on the
table. Mrs. Bacon made no other observation while
they were in the room but that " somebody came in at
the window and done it." On leaving the house I
went to the male prisoner's brother Mr. Edward Bacon's,
my mother and Mrs. Bacon (the prisoner), went
on to the police-station. I next saw Mr. Bacon after
he was brought up from Reigate on the Wednesday
morning, but I did not notice how he was dressed. I
some ditys after saw the male prisoner in a pair of
fustian trousers, but on the Friday the day of the
funeral, he did not wear them. I saw the fustian on
the day of the funeral at Four-Acre-street, he took them
off short'y before the funeral, and I then saw some
spots of blood on the legs of the trousers. Two or
three days after the murder I saw the spots of blood,
and told Bacon of it, but he said the blood came from a
cut on his finger.
Lord Campbell—What day did you first see the blood
on the trousers

Witness—On the Tuesday after he returned from
Reicate.
Examination oontinued—Bacon told me he had cut
his finger on the Sunday.
Lord Campbell—Did he say on what Sunday ?
Witness—On Sunday after Chriatmas day. He said
he did it at carving the dinner. A day or two after he
said he cut his finger while cutting some wood to light
a fire with. He made this remark during a conversa-
tion that was going on at my mothers. He said the
knife slipped and it cut his finger. The first time I saw
the cut on his hand was the Friday after the
murder, the 2d of January. He did not have
a rag on his hand. On the Thursday, as
the funeral was on the Friday, Mrs. Hyde
showed me a shirt of Bacon's upon which
there were stains of blood. She was just going to put
it into the tub to wash when she showed me two or
three very small spots of blood. One of the spots was
on the collar, as if ho had cut himself while shaving ;
the other two were on the wristband. I have remarked
several pieces of cord and twine throwing about in the
back kitchen and front room in the house in Four-acre-
! street. I recollect seeing a piece of cord thrown upon
the fire with the ashes after the police had left the house.
I have known the prisoners ever since their marriage,
which took place seven years ago. Mra. Bacon bad
been in a lunatic asylum in London, but I cannot tell
how long she had been there. My mother and myself
took her from the asylum in October of the last year.
Cross-fxamined by Mr. Sleigh—From all I know
Mrs. Bacon has always been kind and affectionate to
her children.

By Mr. Metcalfe—On the day ou which Mrs. Bacon
asked me to come and stop with her, she wished me to
come early in the morning. The reason I was asked to
atop with her was that Bacon said he did not like to
leave her alone at home the whole of the week, It was
from the circumstance of ha. being confined in the
lunatic asylum. The blood he had spoken of was on
the inside the collar of the shirt, and looked as if it had
come from his chin while shaving. ' I have often seen
his chin bleed while shaving. I never asked Mrs. Bacon
to confess what part she had taken in the murder.
By a Juror—She did not say what time it was
when the men broke into the house.

William Henry Cooke, a police-constable, L 75—
On Tuesday, the 30th of December, I was on duty
at the station-house in Kennington-lane, and I remem-
ber Mrs Bacon coming there about half-past 1 in the
afternoon in company with Mrs. Payne. They wished
me to come to Four-acre-street, as she said she thought
there waq something taken place very serious in the
house. I went with them, and on the way Mrp.
Bacon said somebody had come in at the window and
cut the children's throats and her own as well, but
she did not say when it had been done. On getting
Fonr-acre-street Mrs. Bacon unlccked the door and
we went into the back room, and I there found a
little boy with his head on a table with his throat
cut and quite dead. There was a goad deal of blood
about—on the walls, the furniture, and the floor. I

asked Mrs. Payne where the other child was, and she
said, "Up stair?," and in the room up stairs I found
the infant lying on the floor with its throat cut.
There was a child's bed in the room. . There was no

blood upon it, but it had the appearance of having
been slept in. Both the children bad their night-
clothes on. On seeing the children I said, "This is a

bad job," and Mrs. Bacon said she did not do it ; a man
came in at the window and did it. She did not say
what time. She said it was the back parlour win-
dow. I looked at the window, it was fasteued, but not
properly. The hasp of the window was bent, but it was
sufficient to hold it down. A person from the outside
could not have opened it. After the observation about
its being a bad job, we all went into the first floor front
room, and I saw a female's night dress lying on the bed,
nearly covered with blood. I particularly observed the
sleeve, there was a quantity of blood round the neck.
There was a quantity of blood on the floor. While I was
searching the room, Mrs. Bacon passed me and went
to a little box, from which she took out an envelope
and said that she must send it to her husband. The
envelope was already addressed to " Mr. Bacon, at Mr.
Marriage, Ironmonger, Market-place, Reigate." It
contained a blank sheet of paper. She said the writing
on the envelope was her husband's. I then returned to
the station•house and took Mrs. Bacon with me where
she was detained. She was taken before the magistrate
the same afternoon and was remanded. Before Mrs.
Bacon was taken to the police•office I took Mr. Bushel,
the surgeon, to see the children. On the table of the
room in which I found the little boy I saw the two
knives I now produee (they were two common black-
handled dinner knives). They bore marks of blood, an d
one appeared to have been recently sharpened.
examined the room on the Wednesday after the
discovery of the murder, but there was nothing
to lead to the belief that any person had entered the
window. The dust about the window had > lot been die-
turbed, and the ground underneath the wii ,dow, which
would have easily shown the impression of footmarks,
was also undisturbed'. On the Gth of January -I received
from a female turnkey of Ilorsemonger-lane • Gaol the
chemise which had been worn by Mrs. Baco a, which I
now produce. [The chemise was stained wit{ i :blood.]
Cross-examined by Mr. Sleigh—On the Ti tea day that
I I first saw Mrs. Bacon I did not think she, -was in a

right state of mind. She never manifested the slightest
feeling or concern about the children.
By Mr. Metcalfe—ln searching the house I found a
woman's apron. It had the appearance of a blo ,dy
knife having been wiped upon it. It had been
placed over a pool of blood in the room where
the little boy had been murdered. There were some
toys on the li;tle table before the murdered chill and
several on the floor. On the Tuesday I went to Reigate
to bring him back to Landon. I was told not to tell
him what had occurred. I went to the address on the
envelope, but I did not find him there, and Mr. Mar-
rige said he did not know him by came.
Re-examined by Mr. Bodkin—l found Bacon at the
Bell public house at Reigate. I arrived about one
o'clock in the morning, he appeared as if he had been
in bed, and the first question 1 asked him was whether
he had not an aunt of the name of Payne, and he said
yes. I was in plain clothes. I told him his aunt had
sent for him as his wife was very ill. He
wanted to know what was the matter, and said,
" What can it be V' I did not tell him what really was
the matter, in fact I had but little talk with him the
whole of the time we were coming to London. We left
Redhill by the mail-train at ten minutes to four in the
morning. He never asked me who I was, or made the
slightest inquiry.
Tnomm Horton, another policeman of the L diviFion,
said : I went with the last witness on the Tuesday to
Bacon's house in Four Acre-street, and found the
articles I now produce (a woman's night-dress and an
apron), upon which were large blood stains. The apron
was lying on the floor and night-dress on the bed. I
also examined the window and found the dust outside
undisturbed.

Rebecca Longbridge : I am matron of 11orsemonger-
lane Gaol. I was present when Mrs. Bacon was
brought there. I observed marks on her throat, it bad
plaister upon it. On the Wedneday I observed a mark
on her throat as if a string had been tied tight round it.
It was very visible at the back part of the neck. On
being questioned about it, she said it had been made
with the 'tulle, the same as her throat was cut with.

Emilia Oak, the female searcher at Kenningtor-lane
Police Court.—On the 30th of December I searched
Mrs. Bacon, and, whilst I was doing so, she said a man
had come in at the window and murdered her two
children, and cut her throat as well. She said " will
they lock me up," and I said " no," put on your clothes.
There was blood on her chemise but none on the outside
dress.

The Court then adjourned for a quarter of an hour.
On the return of the judges into court,
Mr. Charles Moshe!, the surgeon, was called and ex-
&wined by Mr. Bodkin. I was sent for on the 31st of
December from the Kennington-lane police-station to
Mrs. Bacon. I saw her, 'and en asking her how she was
she said she was very poorly—that a man had got in at
the window and cut her throat as also those of her chil-
dren. I examined her throat and found a cut about
three inches in length, it went over the windpipe, and
another cut downwards about two inches long, there
were also several cuts on the throat, but they were all
above the first one. There was no continuous cut, they
were all from right to left and from left to right
The principal cut was that over the windpipe, but it did
not wound that organ. The wounds might have been
caused by her own hand. If they had been done by
any other person she must have been quite quiet and
assenting. I told her the wounds had been done some
time, and she said, "Yes, eight o'clock last night." I
examined her bands and found the left covered with
brown colour as it from stains of blood. I noticed the
nails on the hand, the stains were much deeper colour
round them. The second finger of the right hand was also
partially staine,i. After the interview with Mrs. Bacon
I went to Four Acre-street and saw the bodies of three
murdered children. I found them with their throats cut,
and the wounds were very likely to have been caused by
one of the knives produced. As far as lam able to
judge the stains on the knives are those of human blood.
I was shown a woman's night dress in thefrent room on
the first floor. There was blood upon the, night dress.
That on the lower part of the dress, but it was quite
different from that which had proceeded from the throat.
It had the appearance of having been rubbed with
something for some time after. I was shown a diem ice
and also a pair of fustian trousers, upon which there
were appearances of blood on the front. I also saw a
waistcoat. There was a spot of blood on the collar. I saw
the waistcoat the first time. I wen tto the house, but I did
not closely examine it. When I next saw the waistcoat
it was in possession of Inspector Young. The witness
was then handed ,the trousers, and pointed out spots of
blood down the front.

Cross-examined by Mr. Sleigh.—When I sew the
female prisoner on Tuesday my first impression was that
she was not quite conscious of the act that had been
committed.

By Lord Campbell.—By that, do you mean she was
not in her right mind ?
Witness—l do, my lord.
By Mr. Metcalfe.—l was examined on the first
occasion, before the man was in custody, and I said it
was my impression that the act had been committed be-
fore the tires sh.. mentioned-8 o'clock. I should
be very sorry to pledge that the stains on the trousers
are those of blood. There are many things that will
produce very similar stains. It is my opinion that the
blood on the lower part of the chemise had the appear-
ance of having spurted on it, and for the blood to bear
the appearance it did it must have come from a living
person.
Dr. Harris, surgeon of Horsemonger•lane Gaol said :
I saw Mrs. Bacon for the first time on the 31st of
December. I observed wounds on her neck ; they had
been dressed with plaister. There was also one as it caused
by a cord being tied tightly round if. The mark
could not have been produced by hanging, it must have
been inflicted lying down—it is so regular all round the
throat. The curd must have been tied rather tightly, or
see-sawed, to have produced the mark. I asked Mrs.
Bacon how the injury was inflicted, and she said a man
had come in at the window and tried to cut her throat.
I have been shown a piece of rope by the police, and am
of opinion that it would cause the marks he had de-
scribed.

Cross-examined by Mr. Sleigh—When I first saw the
female prisoner I was of opinion that she was not a per-
so❑ of sound mind.

By Mr. Metcalfe—lt was my impression when I saw
the female prisoner at Horsemonger-lane gaol that she
had inflicted the injuries upon her throat herself.
Mr. Sergeant, who resided next door to the house no-
cupied by Bacon, said—l last saw the prisoners on Sur-
day, the 28th of December. They went out together.
I did not see theta again until the murder was discovered.
On the Monday following I was sweeping in front of the
door, and in doing so accidentally struck Bacon's door
and made a noise, and I heard somebody moving inside,
as if some person was approaching the door to open it.
The door was not opened, and I heard the Founds return.
I have frequently beard a child cry in Bacon's house,
but on Monday I did not hear any crying.
[We shall continue our report of the trial in our late
edition.]

A VERY TENDEIt CONSCIENCE.—A celebrated liquor
importer in Boston, United States, recently had his
pocket-book, containing a large sum of money, taken
from his pocket while entering church. A few days sub-
sequently he received the pocket-book through the post
(postage unpaid) accompanied with a note, in which the
writer stated that after spending the money he discovered
to his utter horror that he had been making use of funds
obtained in the infamous liquor traffic. He therefore re-
turned the pocket-book, and would do the same by the
money should he be able to lay his hands on it.—New
Orleans Delta.
DISCOvERY OF GOLD AT GRFAT BUDWORTFI.—In an-
other part of to-day's impression will be found an ac-
count of the discovery of gold at Great Budworth. We
should have looked upon the story as a hoax had it
not been sent us by a highly respectable gentleman,
and since confirmed by two other correspondents.
The village, we are told, is in the greatest excite-
ment. The first discovery was made on Friday
week by a man named George Littler, who was em-
ployed to dig the foundation for the new National
Schools. On Monday a second quantity was found, and a
third on Wednesday. A piece of rock, weighing about
61b., and beautifully spangled, has been found, which
the people believe to be gold. The finder has handed it
over to Mr. Warburton for safety, refusing 101. for his
prize. The gold, or yellow metal, is chiefly found, our
correspondents say, in very small grains in a sandy soil.
One nugget which had been sent to London for inspec-
tion had been returned as pure gold. A quantity was
found on Friday, and a specimen brought to our office.
—Warrington Guardian.
THE SILK CROP.—The reports regarding the silk crop
continue to be anxiously watched, but it is stillteo early
to form any conclusive opinion of its general prosperity.
In Spain, which is one of the countries where it is al-
ways most forward, everything has gone well to the
present time, and the impression is that there will be an
average supply. This statement is encouraging, since
it has been in Spain during the last two or three years
that the disease has first manifested itself. From Naples,
where also the season is early, there is likewise an ab-
sence of bad tidings, and the same may be said with re-
gard to the Levant. In France and Lombardy there
are as yet very little means of judging, and, indeed, in
any quarter it will be at least ten days or a fortnight be-
fore the prevailing uncertainty can be removed. Mean-
while the silk-market remains stagnant, sellers being
willing to accept lower prices, and buyers being dis-
posed to place confidence in the safe progress of the
crop, while they also attach importance to the more
than usual extent of preparation that was made in sea-
son to insure an increased production.
ENTIRE REBUILDING OF THE GAOL OF NEWGATE.—
Yesterday workmen were busily engaged in making the
necessary preparations for pulling down and entirely re-
building the interior of this gaol, and at present it is not
known whether the ancient walls which front the Old
Bailey will not also give place to new ones. The pre-
pa.rations were commenced by the erection of hoardings
at the north end of the building, where the reconstruc-
tion, will commence, and if the resistance which the efforts
of 'she ancient masons offered to the workmen in their
erideavours to breach that part of the place for a door-
vsay through which they will carry on their operation is
allowed to have any influence upon those conducting the
matter they will see that there is no cause for their
demolition upon the score of decaying strength.
The interior is to be completely rebuilt upon the
model of the Pentonville Prison and Holloway
House of Correction and the separate system en-
forced. The walls of this part of the building will be
raised a sufficient distance within the outer ones to
form a passage right round, and the same will be carried
out through the four walls from Newgate-street to that
past which abuts upon the area facing the old court, but
the governor's house will not be touched. In the origi-
nal plan it was intended to make the entrance for pri-
soners at the Newgate-street end, but whether that will
be done or not there is no certainty. At present the
prisoners are confined in one half of the gaol until the
other part is ready.