The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-09-30

EHaLAHD..


a OarnivaI OF Crime-The Alton nIurder-A
sLissie Girl Cut to Pieccs-Suffocaflon On the
Underground Railroad-Strnnge scenes In n
= Pretestant Church-Tho British Working
. uIan and the Paris Observation-Disclosures Of
LONDON. August 81, 1857
me sdeaA season" in England has been horribly re-
fisvsd this year BY series Of most cruel murden
Every day for week past the papers have been filed
with details Of outraRcs crimes sickening accounts OF
sxscutous A shoots down his uncle IN
one oosnty; q goes mad In London and
cuts tho throats Of her little children; an
ether ruflan murders his wife and tries TO burn
hsr body: another kills his paamour and then hacks at
his neck and prstends that sho has Attempted to
Kill him; couple of villains brain poor pedestrian
with iron which, Here in this Christian country and
in age that Processes DO enlightened there seems
% b very carnival Of crime and brutality oudoes it.
selr in hideous forms OF guilt.
But OF all the recent crimes. that committed at Alton
In Hampshire, Saturday afternoon last, must take
precedence for its enormity. Three little girls qui
city playing the green grass river way close
BY footpath. and within call OF their mothers Pre-
ssntiy mrn came along and offered them three half
pennies to down into ''the hollow" They
ran. ana he after thom playfcly The mothers saw
'ths mimic chase and thought harm OF IT, But In
'phs hollow the offered Of the listle girls
named Fannie Adams, another hafpenny To 60 into
nsshboring hop garden with him She was q pretty
girl Of eight years old, but rather tall for her age Tho
nafpsnny tempting; but Fannie was frightened
che dsd not know why-and refused to 20. Then the
man took her In his arms while she cried to 20 home
and carried her into the garden giving hor tho money
% keep her SILL The other girls wondered little and
1hsn went with their play.
By. and by, after two hours had passed. Fannies
0eshsr missed her and went to inquire after her. The
had rofup
shsr ness, and whom questioned they told their simple
sesu. man had carried Fannie into the hop gardsn
that was all. By chance the very man happened 10
pa0 ~ that moment and tho .chiIdrcn recognized him.
SYou are the man who gave US three hafponca~ they
ssad. mo- no answered, good humorsdly, ~ vas
penuy and halfpsnny." MsL Adams asked him what
1bscoms OF her daughter and no said that he did NOT
know. She then spoke OF nrres,ing him. bat BIO said
that he could be found at tho ofco or the solicitor
whose clerk no was and 50 calmly walked away. The
sssarsh for Fannie resumed last part Of her
litsis body found. Only part for she had been 1T
sraily cut pieces Her and legs had been cut
on her chest hswn open and her inicstnes exraetod
Asr eyes out thrown into the river in tiny
Aiscolorsd hand sl clutchcd the fatal halfpsnny;
nef brains had been knocked out WITH q stone.
You can imagine the excitement in the sleepy town
OF Alton where murder had been committed boz
xors within the nemsry Of living OF course the
police vent Al once 10 the Office OF the solicitor whose
ssrk had been seen with the children and they there
found their man. HIS name Is Frederick Baker, and ali
hat he has 20 say is that he as innocent as whom he
was born The evidence scarcely sustans assertion
Baker had como into the ofcs after his walk by the
rver with wet boots. trowssrs that looked as II they
mad bean newly washed and blood upon his shirt sseves
He told fellow clerk about his meeting Mrs Adams,
and said at VIII 90 hard with me II that Iltsle girl has
Deen murdered" TO one OF Inc waters at a neshbor-
eng alshouse he remarked that be going 10 leave
Alton. The waiter replied, "wha, will you dot You
ewsrod careisssly "0h, yes; | would turn buschern
One OF the witnesses swosrs that Fannie Adams
Wa treated 'Just like butcher would cut
up sheep" But, In addition TO ali this Baker's
diary, In which he had just written found In his
kssk, and In IL this astounding entry :-'saturdav
31iA-KAi'ss vsups giu; 10 was nns and hot" Whsi