British Miner and General Newsman : — 1863-01-17 (London, England)

MURDER OF A DAUGIUER NEAR SEDGLEY.  ON Wednesday evening Mr. Phillips, deputycoroner, opened an investigation at Lower Gornal, touching the death of Hannah Thompson, eight years old, residing with her parents at the Straits, Cotwallend, near edgley, who died on Tuesday morning last from injuries occasioned by the act of her father, who had two or three days before thrust a sharp-pointed poker to the depth of three inches into her head. Rachel Thompson, sister of the de ceased, said: I am fourteen years old, and live with my father at the Straits. During a greater part of last Saturday week my father and mother were at home. My father went out about seven in the evening of the same day, and I did not see him again before I went to bed at about half-past ten at night. Ido not know what time he returned home. I and my sisters went to bed at the same time, except Hannah, the deceased, who went out of doors then, but I don't know where. I went to sleep, and was awoke by the noise of what I thought the fender down stairs. lat once heard my father's voice talking, and what I heard him say first was, "Now, you tell me the truth; I heard what your grandfather said to you." I then heard almost so soon as this was said Hannah, my deceased s;ster, cry out, "Oh dear, oh dear; don't, father." I then heard my father say, "Oh, dear, dear, dear, I have done it this time." I jumped out of bed, and, without dressing me, ran downstairs, and saw my father sitting on the bench. There was no candle lighted and the only light came from the fire. I saw my deceased sister Hannah resting on my father's arm, and blood was running down very fast from her head. I could not see where from, and did not see the poker sticking in. I ran out of doors, and screamed out, and, going into the lane, met Joseph Smith, a neighbour, and cried out to him, "Oh, dear, my father has killed my sister." I said so because she lay with her head lying over his arm, as if she had got no life in her. I went and told another neighbour, and then went to my grandmother's in search of my mother, who was not at home, and when I came back my fatber had been taken away. The poker now produced was the only fire-iron that I know of in the house that night, and it was in the fireplace when I went to bed. On returning home, after coming from my grandmother's, I picked up the poker to poke the fire out of the ashes before the fire, and I saw that it had blood about the point. To a question by a juror, this witness stated that her father was generally very kind to the children when sober. Further evidence in corroboration of the child's statement having been heard, Mr. Ballenden, surgeon, deposed to the wound being about half an inch wide, and about an inch above the left ear. He probed it, and removed a quantity of hair that had been driven into the head. The weapon had penetrated through the scalp and temporal bone to a depth of about two inches. He discovered no ashes about the wound. It appeared to have been done by some pointed, yet blunted, instrument. He saw the deceased from time to time, and considered her case hopeless. He was with her during a greater part of the night previous to her death. The inquiry was then adjourned.