Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1881-02-19 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

MAGISTRATES.  At the City Police -Courten We: fnesday. Elisabeth Bergman, 44, widow of George Harriman, muster joiner. and residing at 30. Slater-sireet, Oldham Bead, Manchester was charged with the wilful murder of her son Walter, aged etght years. The deceased was found dead in lied about six o'clock on Sunday evening. The mother had disappeared. It was ascertained, on inquiries being made, that the previous buy eke had procured from a neighbouring chemist's a quarGity of laudanum, and that she had dosed the deceased sod another son named Fred. The latter a lad this leen years of age, had sufferred from the effects of the poison, but not seriously. An inquest was held upon the body of Walter Ilarpman on Monday. The jury were unable to agree as to the state of the mother's mind at the time she administered the poison, and returned a verdict against her o? wilful murder. Search was made for the mother, but without avail, and was supposed that she had committed suicide. On Tuesday evening, however, intelligene was received that she had fallen int hands of the police at Glossop, and she was h over to the , authorities in this oily. Mr. Superintendent Gody said ; about half poet eight o'clock on Tuesday evening he reoeived a telegram from the Head Constable of lossop stating that the prisoner had be prehended there. He met a train at the Londe k:ottl Station, ! and received her iuto oust idy. Oa tho way to Goulden-street Police Station she bad a fit, :.acl one or two more after her arrival. When she bad recovered he said to the prisoner, " I innet tell you teat you are charged with the wilful murder of your non Walter, aged eight years, on Saturday night or Sunday morning," at the same time producing a paper containing some writing four.d on a bed in the house in Slater-street. She replied. "No; I never thought of poisoning him. Oh, I have been very tried of late Some people think I have been too lenient with my chile en, and they have been very much against him, bless him' Alluding to the paper she eaid, "Let me look at it. I won't say I have a true recollection oL Sa.urdey night's proceedings.,' Soule abort time alter shefell upon her knees and cu.& • very touching prayer Ito her °Whiten ;teen she stared ebout her wildly, and turning toe female attendant said, "Is this gentleman (referring to witness) from the Wesley• am? I thought it was Mr. Birchen.' She asked him to stay, and not to leave het. That morning the prieoner asked him to be allowed to say something. She said : " Y•fu must understand that I have been very much afflicted with fits for the last Nyman, and when I am troubled they come more frequent upon ms. I was in very great trouble on Saturday afternoon, and I sent the child for some brandy, and Ido not know w It hisppenui. I suppose I shall not be allowed see my child intarred? There ',LI be no fay. Sr shown towards me, will there ?'' . . . .  in. Cooper, who resides at Glossop, stated that the prisoner, whom she had known many years, arrived at her house by the last train on Sunday night. She said she had had some trouble at home, ' and wished to stay all night. On the following day the prisoner told her that she had given seine laudanum to her eons Walter and Fred, and that she was afraid she had seven Walter too much, as When she went upstairs to look at him he appeared to be dead. She added that she went for her eldest eon, and then went away wish the intention of destroying herself. The prisoner seemed so " wild" that witnes, ~id not believe her, but on reading the papers We next morning saw that her statement was true. All that day (Tuesday) the prisoner use in fits, and said nothing when witness told her of the death of her son.  hvidence was further given of the purchase by the prisoner at the same chemist's of two separate quantities of laudanum—the °cooed purchase being made under the pretext that she had spilled the  first,—and tlntt she gave doses to her sons Walter and Pied, woo had previously taken laudanum for the " tie." One of them was suffering from that complaint on Saturday. tier manner that day and the following day was very "strange." On a pestcontest examination being made of the body of the decease I the symptoms were found to be such as would be produced by narcotic poisoning. On the bed where the body of the deceased lay was found a piece of paper containing a statement written in pencil by ale prisoner. It was as follows: Hmry (her ehle,t son), ..o not fret. I am tire I of this world. I hear so much against poor Tolt (another son); every cue is against, and tidoking of poor Fred coming home at one o'clock breaks my heart. I hope they are both now at rest. Bless them. Bury us all with daddy, the three of us I have given stuff to sleep them quietly away, and I hope they are both blest." On the back of the paper were written some accounts owing by and to the prisoner, with a request that they should be settled. Tile prisoner IVAS remanded for a week in order that an analysis may be made of the contents of the deceased's stomach.  HYECROFT CHAPEL RAZ %Alt AT THE TOWN HALL ASkiTON.  On Wednesday morning a grand bazaar was opened in the Ashton Town Hall with the view of raising funds to char off the debt on the Hyecruft branch schools, Hooky Hill, and to pey for the repairinv, and renovating of the chapel, The bazaar ori4inated with the members and congregation of the chapel and teachers and scholr e of the Sunday schools, and the appearauce of the stalls on Weduesday,sh owed :tow generous had b u the response by all whom the .ppeal had reaeted. In all there are seven stalls—including one for refreshments and one for flower—and the variety aud it only of the articles displayed is as retuarkeole as the roan'ty. The amount r,quired for the various purouses contemplated to £1,500, and eh hough the good people of this neighbourhood are frequently asked to contribute to tm success of similar undertakings. there is good reason for the hope that that sum will be raised.