The Dewsbury Chronicle, and West Riding Advertiser. — 1875-07-03 (Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE NEAR DEW SBURY.  On Saturday afternoon, an inquest was held at Gomersal, near Dewsbury, touching the circumstances attending the death Of Hannah Maria Waddle, aged 28 years, Hannah Maria Waddle, aged three years; and Harry Waddle, aged five weeks; the wife and children of Robert Henry Waddle, who is employed as an engineer, at Upper Spen Mill, Gomersal. The deceased, who were the wife and children of the latter, were found drowned in the above-named mill dam. From the evidence adduce, it appears that the wife had been for some time past in a state of despondency, and had frequently threatened to make away with herself. On Friday morning, the husband went to his work as usual, and on his return to dinner he found that his wife and children were absent, and that no dinner had been prepared for him. This circumstance he, however, took no particular notice of, but before he returned to his work he caused a search to Le made. While this was going on Mary Mortimer found two shawls and a child's hood hung on a steam pipe at Upper Span Mill, and knowing to whom they belonged, she took them to Waddle's house. The sad truth flashed across the poor fellow's mind, and he at once took instant measures to have the mill dam searched. This was done, and the body of the mother with the two children clasped in her arms was dragged from the water. They were quite dead.—The husband, Henry Waddle, engine tenter, at the mill in question, said he had noticed of late that his wife had been in a desponding state of mind, and at one time threatened to drown both herself and the girl, the latter not being a healthy child, having caused her mother some trouble. When reminded of her threat to drown the child, she replied, "0, you needn't mind that ; I only said it to frighten the child." On Friday morning his wife and children passed him while he was at work, and the elder one exclaimed, "Good-bye, father," but be thought nothing about the circumstance, as the deceased often went out for a walk. They were not then five yards from home. On returning home he found no dinner prepared, and from that he inferred that his wife had gone to visit her mother at Cleckheaton, though on such occasions she generally told him of her intention. He afterwards heard that two handkerchiefs and a hood had been found on the dam bank, and on going to the back of the mill, where the reservoir ivas situated, he saw a dress in the water. The bodies were recovered by two men named Hansfield and Mortimer, the water being about 5 feet deep. —Mary Mortimer and Harriett Lumb were called as witnesses, and they stated that on Tuesday last the deceased woman asked where the mill dam was. The deceased frequently remarked to her (Mrs. Lumb) that the child was "going ageinst her, and she did not know how she was going to get through."—The jury returned a verdict—" That Hannah Maria Waddle murdered her children by drowning them, and afterwards, while in a state of unsound mind, committed suicide in the same way. It may be mentioned that deceased had a brother killed in a colliery about a pear ago, and so recently as Thursday last her father, Joseph Barker, of Cleckheaton, was committed for six weeks to prison for drunkenness and an assault on his wife. Between 20 and 30 mill windows overlook the dam, which it is entered by a steep embankment, but the glass is not transparent. The bodies were interred at St. Mary's Churh, Gomersal, on Wednesday afternoon, where there was upwards of 1,000 spectators. The crush at the church porch was so great that several children were injured, and the police were obliged to close the doors. After the service in the church, the vicar gave an address, remarking that it was an unusual proceeding, but special circumstances required special treatment. He referred to the mournful occurence, the great solemnity of the occasion, and the importance of preparation for death. He feelingly argued that the mother had not committed the deed from the absence of natural affection, but in consequence of mental disorder succeeding a great and unusual tension of mind.