Bridlington and Quay Gazette. — 1888-04-14 (Bridlington, Humberside, England)

DRIFFIE LD.  ARREST ON SUSPICION AT POSTON. Late on Monday night a woman named Mary Holliday was apprehended in connection with the mysterious drowning of a child in the Driffield Canal, and owing to the exertions of Police-constable Smith, stationed at North Frodingham, there is every probability of the I details of a terrible tragedy being brought to light. It will be remembered that on Good Friday, three men, named Thos. 0. Badman, Henry 0. Badman, and Thos. Waits, of Driffield, whilst fishing about noon at Bnakeholme Look, on the Driffield Canal, near Wansford, and about four miles below Driffield, found the body of a girl, about nine or ten years of age, entangled in; some piles of the bywash of the lock. Snakehohne Lock is a lonely spot, far distant from any highroad,between large towns, and how the girl came to be in the water nothing could be discovered. The body had the appearance of being well oared for, and Supt. Kelsey, who had the matter in hand, gave it as his opinion that the child had In en wrapped up to face a storm ; and Dr. Barges, of Driffield, stated at the inquest that the child had been in the water some weeks. The Jury returned an open verdict. Since that time Police-constable Smith has been most untiring in his efforts to clear up the mystery. On Monday night he arrested the prisoner at Poston-on-the-Voids, and charged her with the wilful murder of the girl, who is alleged to be her illegitimate daughter. The prisoner. who is about thirty years of age, has been acting as housekeeper since last Martinmas to a joiner named Russell, residing there. Poston is a village about two miles from the plane where the body was found. The child up to the time of her disappearance was residing with her grandmother, Sarah Holliday, at Beeford, a village about four miles from Poston. It is stated that the man to whom the woman acted as housekeeper had talked to the woman of marriage, but had raised some objection on account of the child. The police are very reticent on the question of the motive for the commission of ,the alleged crime bat the matter referred to may have something to do with it. The inquiries of Police-constable Smith led him to the discovery that some weeks ago, one night, the prisoner went to the grandmother's, at Beeford, and fetched the child away, for the ostensible purpose of sending her to a situation at Leeds. From that time she was never seen alive again. The grandmother was shown the clothing worn by the poor girl, and she at once declared them I Is be the clothes of her granddaughter. Policeconstable Smith then proceeded to Poston and arrested the woman. The arrest canoed a little excitement in Driffield, and a crowd hung about the police-station throughout the day. Late on Wednesday afternoon the prisoner was formally charged with the wilful murder of her child, before Mr. Holt, at the polioe•station,  The following evidence was given : Sarah Holiday, of Beeford, said, I am the mother of the prisoner, and have had the care of her daughter, Mary Beacon Holliday. She was nine years of age last January. About five weeks ago her mother same and took her away. It wae on a Tuesday, after tea, between five and six o'clock. Prisoner came before dinner and said something about taking her away. She said she was going to Leeds to a situation. , A. week afterwards I went to Poston, when the mother said they were going to take the child and bring her up. She said she had taken her to Hull, and that two Miss Cook's had sent her there and taken the ohild to Leeds. The clothing produced was that worn by the child when she left her house. Superintendent Kelsey said he was in a position to produce further evidence at a later date, and asked for a remand. A remand was granted to Wednesday next. The prisoner was then removed to Hull gaol.