The Telegram. — 1894-09-11 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

HORRIBLE MURDER OF A SHERBORNE WOMAN AT CHELTENHAM. A FATHER KILLS HIS WIFE AND SON. A great aeneation was caused in Cheltenham on Tuesday morning, when it VISA discoveresl that Job Hartland, greengrocer, of 503, Lower High Street, had murdered has wife and youngest son. Hartland appears to be a man of drunken habits, and at is alleged that he had frequently threatened his wife with injury. On Friday eight, he seems to have Piealthily crept into his wife's bedroom, in order to take from her some three or four pounds in geld which she had concealed no ler her pillow. In the act however, be aroused the woman, who was horrified to find her husband holding a hatchet over her head. In consequence of this Mrs. Hartland refused to sleep at the shop on Saturday night, and remained away at her daughter's home, in Cheltenham. until Monday morning, when her husband brought her the key of the shop. She went to the shop and conducted the business that day, and slept on the premises at night. On Tuesday morning, her lifeless, body, side by aide with thecorpre of her 12 years' old boy, George Hartland, was found in her bed. Hartland appears to have stayed downstairs on the mask until lie went upstairs, probably about daylight, to commit the terrible tragedy. The instruments of death were is coal hammer and a butcher's knife. Probably the wife was first attacked. Her head was nearly severed from her body, and there were also the marks of heavy blows on the head. Her hand was cut, as though she awake while the murderer was at his work and attempted to arrest his progress in it. The boy's throat was also gashed in a horrible manner, and, in addition, his skull was battered by some blunt instrument. The sickening spectacle was first seen by the deceased woman's law, C. H. Spiers, who seems to have heard rumours of the murders, set afloat by the murderer himself, and who broke into the hew* about nine o'clack on Tuesday morning. Nothing was heard by the neighhoura during the night or the early morning. About seveu o'clock Hartland met the postman outside his door, and after ascertaining that there were no letters for him is alleged to have made the remark, "If there were it is no use leaving them here, for tiny are all dead here.' He also appears to have made other statements concerning the tragedy. The police received information as soon as the discovery was made, and within half-an-hour Sept. Mcßae and Inspector Parker arrested Hartland, whom they found lying in is serni-druuken in a lane at the back of Clarence Street. He was not in a fit state to be brought before the justices on Tuesday. Hartland is a man about 60 years of age, and the parties have been married about 40 years, there being seven children of the marriage. He has been in Cheltenham about ten years, and previuusly lived at Alderten, a village near Winchcombe. His wife's maiden name was Anstey, and she came from Sherburne, Dorset. The funeral of Mrs. Hartland and her son, who were murdered by Mr. Hartland on Monday morning, took place at Cheltenham on Friday. Large crowds rtasembled outside the house and at the cemetery, and most of the tradesmen's establishments exhibited signs of mourning. The chief mourners were throe married daughters and three sons of Mrs. Hartland. The coffins were covered with floral emblems, including OM from the deceased boy's school.