The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1861-04-09 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

MURDER OF TWO CHILDREN.—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 murderess is Harriet Salmon, and she is the wife of a coal Garter residing in the village. The victims are Elizabeth Salmon, a child of five years, and Susannah Humpheey, an illigitimate child of the woman, three years older. The children were taken by her together with an infant, • distance of half • mile, to a thick wood where there is • large pond ten or twelve feet deep ; and here the two eldest appear to have been forcibly held under water until they were drowned. The infant was destined for the same fate, but some boughs stretching into the water below supported it, and it was not sufficiently submerged to perish. 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 afterwards walked 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 accidently ; but the woman herself subsequently made • statement to the constable who was called in :—" I took the little girl (the youngest and surviving child) and threw her into the pond ; but she could not sink because she hung on the boughs; and as soon as I had done that, I saw the two other little dears in the pond and I rushed in after them. As soon as I gut into the pond the cold water struck me, and I came to my senses and dragged the two children, now lying dead, out. The little one I took out last. When I got it not I saw it breath." She also said she did not know which way she went to the pond or which way she came home, adding, "If I did do it I don't know anything about it." It will be seen from this that the poor creature's language and demeanour is incoherent, and she has been, it 1100111 s, in a high state of nervous excitement for the last six months, imagining herself, without any adequate reason, to be labouring under various diseases. The younger of the two dead childrern had • contusion of the forehead, and the arms appeared to have been squeezed; there were no contusions on the other one, but similar marks were observable on the arms, as if they had been pressed or nipped. The facts stated above have been investigated by Mr. G. A. Partridge, the head coroner, and • verdict of "Wilful Murder" has been returned against the woman. A warrant for her commital to the county gaol at Ipswich has been made out, and she swede her trial at the Suffolk Summer Assizes.  FISTIVAL OF Tilt Tune 0101118.—The arrange. menta for the next meeting of the " Three Choirs" are now in &forward state. The meeting will be held at Hereford this year, and the engagements of the principal singers, band, and chorus, are all made. There will be a stronger caste than Hereford has yet presented. The principals include Mademoiselle Titiens, Miss Louisa Pyne, and Mrs. Weiss (sopranos), Madam* Sainton• Dolby and Susan Pyne (contraltos), Mr. Sims Heaves, Signor Giuglini, and Mr. Montem Smith (tenors), Mr. Weiss and Mr. Winn (basses). It is expected that the Worcester and Hereford Railway will be completed and opened for traffic before the Festival, which will open up Worcester, Birmingham, and the midland district' to Hereford, and which will undoubtedly have a great in. fluence upon the attendance. The conductor, Mr. T. Smith, organist of Hereford Cathedral, has, as usual, the management here. Tux Lrvisairroza ElPEDlTlON.—lnteresting news of the enterprising Dr. Livingston has been received at the Cape through • Mr. Baldwin, who encountered the doctor at a Kaffir village with his band of seventy Makololoe. The whole party was in excellent health, and Dr. Livingstone would appear to have been most successful in his present expedition, having penetrated as far as lat. 14 deg. 1 min. S., where he found soil and climate suited for all kinds of tropical produce.