Widnes Examiner. — 1895-06-22 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

EXTRAORDINARY TRAGEDY ON A YORKSHIRE MOOR.  A MOTHER AND CHILD MURDERED AND BURIED. On Thursday morning a double murder of the most deliberate character came to light at Helmsley,near Thirsk, when the bodies of a Mrs. Hudson and her child were found buried on the moor about four miles from Helmsley.. The circumstances of the crime,so far as they have been elucidated, show that about three weeks ago a man named Robert Hudson, with his wife and child, obtained lodgings with Mrs. Holmes, at Bondgate, Helmsley, the former explaining that he wished to show his wife the natural beauties of the district, of which he was a native. The Hudsons, who were apparently on very friendly terms, took frequent drives over the moors, but Mrs. Hudson complained that the spots visited were very lonely. On Saturday, June 8, at nine o'clock in the morning, the Hudsons I left Bondgate, and the woman and child were not seen afterwards. Hudson himself returned later in the day and told Mrs. Holmes that his wife and child were going to remain with his aunt at Elovineham until Monday. He was going to join them at Hovinghatn, and they would return to Bond gate on Monday,on which day be invited Mrs. Holmes to j in them in a drive over the moors. Mrs. Holmes remarked that hehad better take the child's clothing with him, and he proceeded to the room to fetch it. When he had left the house it was found that he had not taken the garments, but had strewn his wife's and child's clothing about the apartment. On the Monday Mrs. Holmes and her daughter dressed themselves for the anticipated drive, but the Hudsons did not arrive. On Tuesday Mrs. Holmes received a letter signed "Mrs. Hudson," and written in pencil, requesting that her belongings should be forwarded to Darlington,as something had happened which prevented them returning to Helmsley. Mrs. Holmes fully believed that the letter was from Mrs. Hudson until Friday night last, when the deceased's sister from Sheffield arrived at Mrs. Holmes's house, bringing with her a letter written in lead pencil from Mr. Hudson in which he explained that his wife had gone away with a little money in her possession with a Helmsley man. Suspicion being aroused, the deceased's sister, a cousin, and Mrs. Holmes drove to Hovingham to see the aunt, who stated that the Hudsons had not been there, but they were expected to arrive on Saturday morning. The deceased's sister and cousin proceeded to Darlington and visited Mr. Hudson's parents, and were shown the clothing which Mrs. Holmes bad forwarded, and which had been washed and rut away. They could not, however,get any information regarding the Hudsons. The excitement was great on the return of the sister and cousin to Helmsley, and several people determined on Saturday to make a search on the moors. Among them was a gamekeeper named Robert Baker. His search for a long time was futile, and he decided to go as far as Helmsley and get something to eat, and ascertain if any other person in the search party had made any discovery. About three miles from Helmsley he met three men, one of whom named Tyerma s told him that while repairing a road he sat down to take a meal at a certain part of the moor and saw IS hole dug under a clump of trees. only about twelve yards from the moor road. To the point thus indicated the search party lost no time in going, and on reaching the place they found that the hole had been filled up. A hooked stick was put into the ground, and the covering soil being only about three inches and a half deep the body of the baby was dragged out. The earth was again pierced with the stick, and one of the limbs of the mother was uncovered. It was then determined to communicate with the police, who on arriving unearthed the bodies and found a large carvingknife on the breast of the woman. Hudson is supposed to be about 23 years of age and Mrs. Fludson 25, while the child was about a year old. The throats of both the victims bad been cut, and the clothing of Mrs. Hudson bad been torn, as if there had been a struggle. The two bodies were taken to the Union Workhouse Mortuary at ' Helmsley to await an inquest,