Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1886-03-20 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SHOCKING TRAGEDY NEAR  MALTON.  A MOTHER DROWNING HERSELF AND CHILD. A most distressing case of what appears to be a determined murder and suicide occurred at the villageof Huttons Ambo, near Melton, on Thursday morning, and has caused the greatest excitement in this usually quiet neighbourhood. It seems that for about two years past there had lived in the village a Mrs Harriet Stillborn, widow of the late Mr Charles Stillborn, whose family were highly respectable farmers in the district. Mrs Stillborn, who was 40 years of age, was left 1 with two children, a girl and a boy, on the death of her husband about two years ago, and she has since maintained her family by keeping a little grocer's shop in Low Hutton. Of late, it is stated, she has not acted very rationally ; but, be that as it may, on Thursday morning, just after half-past eight o'clock, she was seen by Miss Alice Ferndale, a young lady resident in the village, to take her two children by the hands and go across the fields in the direction of the River Derwent, which flows very near her house. Miss Ferndale states that the children were screaming at the time, and seamed very reluctant to accompany the mother. Fearing, therefore, that somethuig was wrong, Miss Ferndale ran to tell her father, who immediately followed Mrs Stillborn, and was greatly alarmed to see the children and Mrs Stillborn floating down the river. Spnnging on to the overhanging branch of a tree, Mr larudale suceeeded in [ getting hold of the youngest child, Arthur Ernest Stillborn, a child of 4* years, whom he at once dragged out. Meanwhile two men Denied Thomas Baker and Thomas Dickenson, ,had seen the actions of the tinfortnnate woman from the other side of the river, and they ran down and tried to get the bodies of the mother and daughter out of the water. The river being somewhat rough and "wavy," as well as running rapidly on account of the "fresh," carried both bodies nearly a quarter of a mile down to a place called Laysike, and both were got out before they sank. Of course, the greatest excitement prevailed for some time, but while Mr Ferndale ran up to his house with the body of the little boy, those on the bank did the best they could to restore animation in the mother and daughter, who were•laid by the river side. Dr. W. T. Colby, of Melton, was immediately telegraphed for, and the bodies of Mrs Stillborn and the child were carried to an empty, cottKe near her own • residence. The little lad meanwhile was seized with convulsions, and had several fits, but his rescuers continued their efforts to restore him and in this they fortunately succeeded, as about two hoard after he was taken out of the • water he had quite recovered consciousness, and was • bright and lively. Dr. Colby, with fier'geentWataon, of Mahon, arrived on the scene slit:ldly-before eleven o'clock, and the doctor at once set about trying to resuscitate Mrs Stillborn and the other child, but the efforts of both himself and assistants were entirely useless. Dr. Colby was of opinion that Mrs Stillborn had died pertly from the shock and partly from drowning. The child Annie Stillborn, who was ,thuit ruthlessly deprived of life, was &Ansi, bright, healthy girl of nine years of age, whilst the mother does not appear of strong physique.  Paorozomus Iwcomr.s.—Mr Hannders'a motion on the taxation of ground rents, discussed on Tuesday night, will no doubt bring into prominence (Pays a London correspondent) the enormous figures of the ground rentals of the great dukes and others in London. It is assumed that the present ground rents of the Duke of Westminster in London are £150,000 -per annum as a mininurn, with a reversion to an income of £1,500000 a year; that. the Duke of Bedford's in possession are at least £lOO,OOO a year, with a reversion to £750,000; while the Duke of Portland's are estimated at £BO,OOO a year to-day, with a reversion to £700,003. It is believed that Lord Portman has over £70,000 a year in possession, rising as the leases expire to 4350,000.