The Sun. — 1848-01-07 (London, England)

THE MURDER IN GOLDEN-LANE  The adjourned inquest on the bodies of the two children who were recently found murdered in Golden-lane was held yesterday at three o'clock, before Mr. William Baker, coroner, at the William the Fourth public-house, Golden-lane. Jeremiah Donnoghue, labourer, was the first witness called, residing at No. 9, Cupid's-court, who stated, that about one or two o'clock on Saturday morning last, he distinctly heard the voice of Amine Blake, one of the deceased, cry " Murder" several times. About four o'clock on the same morning he was apprised of the murder of the two childrer, Amina Blake and her brother.  Mrs. Blake, the mother of the deceased, deposed to their being two of her children by her lawful husband, Robert Henry Blake, under whose protection they were left in London. She was at present living apart from her husband at Birmingham with another of her children.  Mr. Wright, surgeon, stated that he was called in to see the deceased shortly after four o'clock on Saturday morning last. He found the body of Thomas Henry Blake, the younger, lying upon a bed on the ground floor of the house, the bedclothes were in the greatest disorder(; the body was warm, but life was extinct. There were several scratches on the tip of the nose and the nostrils, on the right side of the mouth, and upon the left cheek, and upon the throat near the windpipe; there were no other appearances of external violence on the body. He examined the chest and found the lungs perfectly healthy, but gorged with a dark coloured black fluid, the intestines and abdomen appeared also in a perfectly healthy state. On removing the scalp he found that the dura mater was covered with numerous bloody points, from which dark-coloured blood issued. The vessels of the pia mater were gorged with a dark-coloured fluid. The substance of the brain, when cut in two, also presented numerous bloody parts. There was no blood in the ♦entricles of the brain. Upon examining the body of Amina Blake, he found, with a small difference, precisely the same appearances, and in both cases he was led to believe, as the result of the examination, that death was caused by forcible compression of the mouth and nostrils. Mr. Courtenay, surgeon, of Whitecross•street, gave evidence of a similar nature.  The CORONER proceeded to sum up, and in doing so, completely exonerated the father of the children from any actual participation in the dreadful crime. There appeared to be no doubt that the murder was committed by Harriet Parker, who had been living with the father of the children for some three or four years. The only course for the jury to adopt would be to return a verdict of wilful murder against her. It appeared from her own statements that she had contemplated the atrocious act for some months past, and that, since she had committed it, she had stated that she gloried in what she had done, and had made use of the extraordinary expression, " That she could die on the gallows like a trump for it." With respect to any plea that might be set up on the ground of insanity, that would be a question to be tried in another place. The Coroner then proceeded to read over the whole of the voluminous evidence taken during the three sittings of the Court, after which he said, he would trouble the jury with no further remarks, but leave inatteiiu Laeir haud4 to return a true wail proper verdict.  After a short coksultation the jury returned a unanimous verdict of " Wilful Murder" against Harriet Parker, in both cases. Some of the jury wished to add to their verdict a few words expressing their views of the conduct of Blake, which they conceived to have been most reprehensible both towards his wife and children.  The CORONER said he could not permit the addition; he was sure, however, that the publicity which had been given to the facts would sufficiently answer the purpose contemplated by the jury. The Court wa3 then dissolved.