The Sun. — 1861-04-01 (London, England)

SUDBURY, SATURDAY. A painful sensation has been created in Suffolk by the murder of two children by their mother, at Edwardstone, near Sudbury. The name of the wretched murderess is Harriet Salmon, and she is the wife of a coal carter residing in the village. The victims are Elizabeth Salmon, a child of five years, and Susannah Humphrey, an illegitimate child of the woman's, three years older. The children were taken by her, together with an infant, a distance of half a mile, to a thick wood where there is a large pond 10 feet or 12 feet deep ; and here the two eldest appear to have been forcibly held under water till they were drowned. The infant was destined for the same fate, but some bows stretching into the water below its little person, supported it, and it was not sufficiently submerged to have its existence terminated. The woman herself then walked into the water up to her neck, and taking the children :out laid them on their faces on the grass by the side of the pond. She then went home and told a neighbour that her three children were drowned, but that she believed one was still alive. At first it was supposed that the children had met their deaths accidentally ; but the woman  herself subsequently made the following statement The Message was taken into consideration on the I ancesecling day, and, after a very lengthy and ani- to the police constable who was called in :—",I took mated debate, the following resolutions were car- I the little girl (the youngest and surviving child) tied by 16 votes to 9 : and threw ,her into the pond, but she could not "Resolved,—That the House of Assembly ex sink because she hung on the boughs; and as presses its profound surprise and regret that his soon as I had done that I saw the other two -axlllency the Governor has considered it becoming other little dears in the pond, and I rushed in after in communication transmit to this House, in answer to its them. As soon as I had got into the pond the cold of the 6th inst., aMessage of so water struck and me, I came to my senses and unprecedented a character. That the House of Assembly having the reard to maintenance its '• - 'dragged the two children now lying dead out. The ofthe erb .own dignity, and to the pre- little one I took out last. When I got it out I saw nervation of communicate th: erties of the people, incline to it breathe." She also said she did not know which informationcalls upon demanded by that way she went to the pond, or which way she came :Message, and former his Excellency for such a to theirhome, adding :—" If I did do it, I don't know anyreplyreqliest• it has a right to ve of her Majesty to this thing ex- ti • expect from the representative about it." It will be seen from this that the colony" poor creature's language and demeanour is incoheThe 47th half-yearly nxetine,.. of the shareholders rent, and she has been, it seems, in a high state of of the Bank of Jamaica was held on the Ist ult., .nervous excitement for the last six months, imaginhen the directors' report w stated that nothing had ing herself, without any definite reason, to be occurred during the half year requ- • labouring under various diseases. The youngest of inng special men • lion. The net profit, atter making pro,ision for all the two dead children had a contusion on the forebad and doubtful debts, amounted to £5,093 3s. 6d, head, and the arms appeared to have been squeezed; directors to recommend which enabled the an in- there were no contusions on the other one, but simiof 4 per cent., leaving L 1,733 38. the lar marks were observable on the arms as if creased dividend had been pressed or nipped. The facts stated abovey let to be added tothe reserve fund, which would . have been investigated by Mr. a A. Partridge, the :hen amount to £20,999 193. 10d. The forfeited _local coroner,:and a verdict of " wilful murder" has shared had been reduced in the six months by l-. -een returned against the woman. A warrant for January of h4/' 53,4124:. A further sale was made in 1-e„_committalmade to the county gaol at Ipswich has 250 shares, at £6. ,The directors Were ho.ding the "4. _,‘ out, and she now awaits her trial at the %ILeuramer.assizes. .