The Warwickshire Herald. — 1886-07-08 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SHOCKING MURDER OF CHILDREN AT HALL GREEN.  The inhabitants of Hall Green were greatly excited on Saturday afternoon by a tragedy, which was committed by a woman living in the village, who, after taking the lives of two of her children, attempted to destroy herself by cutting her throat with a razor. The woman, whose name is Sarah Taylor, about 33 years of age, resided in the middle of a block of three houses close to Hall Green Church. She had seven children and is the wife of a working man employed as a labourer to Mr. King, farmer, of Greet. On Saturday morning the husband went to work, leaving his wife in bed, and apparently in her ordinary !health. She got up about seven o'clock, proceeded with her household duties in her usual manner, nothing peculiar being noticed in her conduct. After breakfast the five elder children went out for a walk to Greet, and did not return until two o'clock in the afternoon. The mother then sent them on an errand to one of the neighbouring cottages, and during their absence the terrible affair took place. The children came back home ill about half an hour, and not beinc, able to find their hs, mother of the eldest girl went upstairs, and on opening the bed room door beheld a most horrible spectacle, her mother lying in the midst of a pool of blood on the floor, with a frightful wound in her throat. The terrified child commenced screamand immediately rushed downstairs. Her cries quickly attracted the attention of the neighbours, who hastened to the house, and discovered in addition to the woman, who then had a razor wet with blood in her hand, two little children nsked on the bed with their throats cut in a shocking. manner. The elder of the two, a boy named James, aged three years, was found to have received a cut right round the throat, the head being nearly severed from the body. The other child, ten months old, had received a frightful cut just below the right ear, which had penetrated the jugular vein. Both of them were quite dead and presented a ghastly appearance, the bed on which they were lying being saturated with blood. The woman was in a very exhausted state, but not unconscious. Dr. Bradford, of Acocks Green, was at once sent for, and upon his arrival dressed the wound in Mrs. Taylor's throat. He then ordered her removal to the General Hospital, Birmingham, and she was conveyed there in a float, belonging to Mr. Henry John Bayliss, of the Hamlet, Hall Green, accompanied by another man named John Sparks. Superintendent Yardley, of Aeocks Green, was communicated with, and Police-constable Hinman was sent to take charge of the house, which he found in a very dirty state, but was totally unable to gain any particulars of the occurrence from the neighbours, who appeared quite ignorant of the woman's movement during the morning, although she was heard about the house, apparently attending to her domestic duties. When Mrs. Taylor reached the General Hospital she was in a thoroughly prostrated condition, having lost a considerable quantity of blood. Mr. Morrison, resident house surgeon, examined the unfortunate woman, and ascertained that she had inflicted a terrible cut in tho throat, extending 'wryly from car to ear. The windpipe had been hacked in a frightful manner, though fortunately the carotid artery was uninjured. The woman was removed to one of the wards, where she remains in a very precarious condition, the medical staff entertaining but little hope of her recovery. She was in such an exhausted state that but little could be ascertained from her respecting the motive she had for committing the dreadful deed. The husband has offered no explanation as to the probable cause of her rash act, but the brother, who called at the hospital, states that she had never complained to him of any distress in family matters. She and her husband had been living together on affectionate terms. There is no evidence to show that the woman was subject to habits of eccentricity. It is stated by a neighbour that she had a somewhat hasty tempers but from all the circumstances that have transpired there does not appear to have been anything to provoke her on Saturday. The supposition is that she committed the crime in a moment of mental aberration. She has been perfectly sensible since her admittance to the hospital and appears quite rational. It will be some length of time before she will be sufficiently recovered, even if she goes on favourably, to admit of her being put upon her trial.