Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1888-11-17 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE SHOCKING TRAGEDY  NEAR PICKERLNG  THE INQUEST.  On Friday week, at the Black Bull gatehouse, about two miles from Pickering, Mr Arthur Wood, Coroner of Kirbymoorside, held an inquest on the body of Hannah Pennock, aged 43, wife of James Pennock, platelayer in the employ of the North - Eastern Railway Compauy, who was ruthlessly murdered during the night of Tuesday week. The body was laid at the gatehouse, which was kept by the husband of the murdered woman, and who is himself strongly suspected of being the murderer, seeing that he absconded on the night of the murder, bud not the slightest trace of him has sines been found. The police suspect that he has committed 'suicide, and they are still continuing to search for the body. William Pennock, a lad of 17, son of the deceased, who deposed that on Tuesday night last he was at home. Four of his little brothers and 'Asters went to bed about eight, and his mother went about half an hour afterwards. He and a little sister went later, leaving his father up in the house. After he had gone to bed his father went into the bed-room for a lamp to pat on the railway. That was about nine o'clock. -He heard no noise, nor any talking in the house during the night. If there hsd been he could have heard it, as his bed-room was netir to hie father's on the ground floor. He got up about 7.15 on Wednesday morning. His sister Hannah, a child of seven years, had then gone into the mother's room, and she came screaming back to witness, who went into the bed-room and found the bed all covered with blood. He examined her head, and when he saw the wounds he searched for anything " be " had done it with. (Witness said by "he " he meant his father, as he at once thought his father had done it.) Had not heard his father and mother quarrelling that night, but had heard them previously. He also found his father's watch. He found an axe belonging the house in a tub where they usually kept it. His father and mother did not speak to each other on Tuesday evening whilst be was there. They often quarrelled. Never saw his father strike deceased, but he once saw him push her out of doors. That was about fourteen weeks ago. Had seen marks on his mother's person caused by his father. When the father put her out of the house she had thrown several plates in his face. Witness had not seen nor heard of his father since Tuesday night at nine o'clock. His mother was alive when he first went into the room, because she was breathing and " rattling " in the throat. She could not speak.—By the jury: When his father entered the children's bed-room he rapped up the children and asked if they were all right. Did not think his mother was afraid his father would do something of this sort, but had heard her say she should atop till she was killed. Had seen his mother strike his father. That was last week. She was forced to do it because he told a great he, and witness and his mother proved it to be such. William Hardwick, platelayer, employed near the scene of the murder, spoke to hearing the children call to him on -Wednesday morning when at work. They said," William, come ;my father has killed my mother." - He went in, and found deceased on the bed with her heed all covered with blood. She was lying on her left side, with her face to the wall. The bedclothes were quite straight, and she had her hands under them. She was not deed, and witness went off to Pickering for a doctor. Last saw Pennock at five o'clock on Tuesday night. Superintendent James Spence, of Pickering, said that he received information of the murder ,about eight o'clock on Wednesday morning, and be went to the scene along with Dr. Walker, of Pickering. They found Mrs Pennock dead. The upper part of the bed was literally saturated with blood. Noticed that deceased's head was broken in. Witness examined the house, and found the axe produced in a tub at the back entrance. There was some chaff and corn in the tub. The axe was covered with blood on one side of the bead, and the medical men expressed the opinion, on its being shown to them, that it was the weapon used in committing the crime. There were &leo some hairs adhering to the axe, which Dr. Walker took off, along with some of the blood, for examination. Dr. John Harrison Walker, of Pickering, described the terrible in,nries on the head of deceased. Witness had no doubt but that the deceased died from fracture of the skull and extenaive injuries to the brain. The axe pro. ducal was s very likely instrument to cause the injuries, and great force must have been used in causing them. The jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder." On Sunday the remains of Hannah Pennock, the unfortunate victim of the barbarous murder committed at the Black Bull Gatehouse, on the Melton and Whitby Railway, last Tnesdey night, were interred at Pickering, and the ceremony drew together a large number of spectators, despite the wet weather.