The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-17 00:00:00

MURDER.

On Tuesday night a revolting murder was eomnutted
vox Ackhurst Hall, three miles from Wigan. Mr.
William Houghton (the farm bailiff) and his wife, who
ived about two hundred yards from the hall, had left
;heir own house, in which there were five children, for about
►n hour. On their return home, at a distance of thirty or
:orty yards from the door, they saw a white object, which
vas at first mistaken for a duck, but which on closer in-
;pection was found to be the dead body of their eldest child,
i girl of 12. She was covered with blood and dreadfully in-
ured. The parents rushed forward to the house, calling for
;he second daughter, Catherine, aged 9, but for a short
;ime she could not be found. She was at last heard calling
timidly from behind a hedge, " Is that you, mother ? " The
:hild was at once taken to the house. She said that a short
;ime after her father and mother had gone out a man,
rather taller than her father, and apparently a collier,
ippeared at the door and asked if William Houghton
iced there. Her eldest sister said that he did, but he
Vail then down at the Hall; and no sooner had she
•eplied than, raising a heavy hammer, be struck her
i vio!ent blow on the forehead. She ran round the
Kitchen, and he pm sued her, striking her with the
Kammer, which cut her dreadfully. She ran out by
;he open door, and tried to escape to the Hall, but the
man went after her and her screams ceased, she, no doubt,
acing killed by another blow from the hammer. The man
:hen returned to the house, where the younger sister had
•emained in great terror. He struck her on the back of
:he head with the hammer, and then dealt her several
Plows on the shoulders, but he did not stun her. He then
took her by the throat, and, after squeezing it tightly,
;hrew her over into the pasture-field, where she lay, bruised
mod terrified, not daring ,to move until she heard her
mother's voice. An infant lay unharmed in a cradle
It the kitchen, and upstirs two children (boys)
were in bed, but had heard nothing of what occurred.
An examination of the house shewed that the murderer,
if ter thus disposing of the children, had put his hammer
m the dresser, on which its form was marked with blood,
►nd had then passed into the parlour, where he had ran-
lacked the drawers. The only article of value he ob-
;ained was a silver watch which had been left in a small
:asket, and from which he had detached the riband that
served as a guard. The money kept in the house was up-
stairs, and evidently he had not been there, for the drawers
aad not been disturbed. Information was at once sent
;o the Pemberton Police-station, and Superintendent
Ellison was promptly on the spot. Mr, Huet, surgeon,
)f Upholland, was also in attendance, and dressed the
wounds which the younger girl had received. She gave a
lescription of the man, which was at once circulated
through the whole district. On Wednesday morning, as

soon as the day broke, an active search was commenced
the hammer, and one was found in a wheat-field about
i. 50 yards from the house. A number of long hairs were
sticking to the iron, and when the weapon was shewn to
the surviving girl, she at once said it was that with which
the and her sister were struck. Mr. Parkinson, the
anderlooker of a colliery close by, recognised the hammer
is one he left at the smithy at half-past five on Tuesday
night. A reward of XOO has been offered for the app.
hension of the murderer.