The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1886-10-23 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

INQUEST AND VERDICT. Later in the day Mr. Diplock held an inquest at the Rifle Inn, on the bodies of the three children. Mr. Robert Leader, a butcher, of 133, Denmarkroad, Camberwell, identified the bodies as those of his children. He last saw his wife alive on Thursday afternoon, when she left with the three deceased, Robert, and her baby. On the previous Monday, after coming from a relative's at the West-end, witness had some words with his wife about something which passed on the Sunday, when someone said, "I saw Mr. Leader and your brother-in-law out with ladies." The remark was made in a joke, but witness's wife afterwards questioned him, and he said, "To tell you the honest truth, I have never seen the woman." On Tuesday and Wednesday tLe deceased did not seem as usual, and on the latter day, in referring to the shop, she remarked,"l wish I had never seen the place." Mrs. Leader afterwards seemed worn and agitate, and asked him again and again about "the girl." He said, There is not an atom of truth in it." She was so strange, and he had never heard her speak in such a manner before, that he thought she had had something to drink. She said she had not, but witness afterwards found that a pint of gin had been brought into the house. She asked witness to forgive her for what she had said, and he replied "Certainly." That night re. Leader slept with two of the deceased—Frank and the baby. On Thursday, after he came from market, he noticed his wife looking very haggard and worn, and glancing at some bills which she had added up he noticed a mistake—Xl 9s. 2d. being put down instead of .E 1 19s. 4d. Mrs. Leader flew into apassion upon witness remarking "If you go on like that, we shall soon lose what little we have got." She subsequently exclaimed "I'll have no more of this. I cannot stop—l won't stop !" Witness implored her to think of the consequences. He then went out, and upon returning his wife held out her hand, exclaiming "I am going." He remonstrated with her, and told her she should not take the children, whom witness told to go upstairs. They 'went to a room, and he tried to lock them in, but the key 'would not " answer" in the lock. Mrs. Leader then came upstairs and said again he should go. Ho exclaimed, "Well, if you will go, you must." She threw four sovereigns down cn a table. He said,  " You will want those." She answered, "No;lhavi got plenty. I have got as much as I shall want to take mo where I am going." She went out, but returned in a few minutes, saying, "I have come to wish you good-bye." He replied," I shall not wish you good-bye. You come back and bring my children back." She then left. Mrs. Leader had troubled her mind a great deal about the business. Witness had lived at Fulham, at Mr. Dewings. By the jury: Mrs. Leader left the children at the corner of a street when she came back the second time to bid him good-bye. Witness used every effort cot Thursday night to find out where she had gone to, awl while doing s J he received a police telegram from Fulham, stating that his boy Robert was there. Witness went to Fulham, and then was informed of the occurrence. Police-constable Calley, 597 T, deposed to finding the body of Henry Leader in the Thames on Friday, and testimony as to the recovery of the other two bodies were also given. Inspector Butclaer gave evidence as to a man named Charles Wilcox bringing Robert Leader, the only surviving one of the family, to the Walham-green Station on Thursday night. In questioning him, witness said, "Have you any brothers and sisters?" and the little boy replied, "Yes, they are dead." "How long?" witness asked him, and the boy answered, "Not long." The boy then told witness that his brother Harry asked him to go into the water, but he was afraid, and got out as quick as he could, for his brother pulled him in. The boy also remarked to witness, Harry said to me, 'Mamma has gone in; you go in, and I will follow.'" Frank Wade, Mr. Leader's shopman gave evidence to the effect that Mr. Leader behaved kindly to his wife and children. Inspector Butcher "lied) said the boy Robert told him that Mrs. Le rent to a publichouse and had some gin just befe „ 9" got to the water. The Coroner, in ad - the jury referred to the remarkable nature o for if the statement of the boy Robert were 4 ved, one at least of the deceased chil, itted suicide. He  ? give credence to `',l only seven years 5. verdict :—" That ':at there was not ,:"), got into the Alfred Jezzard, ba 'White Horse, Parson's-green, whom' 7 did not think it necessary to call, !, J llowing statement: "The deceased • .' - .baby in her arms, and three children V, between six and seven o'clock on nu At first she called for a pint of 'four he said, 'Let me have a glass.' I tol .14 not have a ' glass ' of 'four ale,' and ved her crazy condition, and told her and take her children with her. Anoth. ildren, making four, then came in. I ret 3r money, and told her to go. She said, 'I ',bother I have the money or not.' The chil started crying. I could not say if they had r they were in a 6 funny ' condition. Neither th or the children had anything to drink here, fc.. heir condition, and would not serve the motl anything. The woman was then awfully one' 3tled her baby close in her arms, and said 'G. s l' to the four children. She placed twopence e counter, but lat once returned it, and told her best thing she could do would be to go home and the boys with her. She then started, saying to tl _ youngsters, 'Go home! Go home ! '''  the Coroner) -13—a—irl' ihe boy Robert's verl of age. The jury then retn' the deceased were fou sufficient evidence to wn.t.Ar."