The Sun. — 1845-03-21 (London, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE.  MANCHESTER, THURSDAY.—A most distressing case of murder and suicide by the murderess, took place on Tuesday, in the neighbourhood of Oldham-road, in this town. It appears that about half-past four o'clock .in the afternoon a neighbour called at the honse of the deceased, whose husband is a respectable working-man, named John Fairhurst. and finding the door locked, she peeped through the keyhole and saw Mrs. Fairhurst standing in the middle of the floor with the child in her arms, and a long piece of rope. She opened the door, and then threw the rope into the cupboard. After some conversation the neighbour left her, and in about half an hour afterwards a person. who had occasion to call at the house, opened the door and saw Mrs. Fairhurst hanging by a piece of rope attached to a nail which had been driven over the staircase. An alarm was instantly made ; she was cut down and carried up stairs, and upon the parties getting into the bed-room the infant daughter of the deceased was seen hanging from the tester rail of the bed. Tho infant was quite dead, although warm.  No cause can be assigned for this shocking act, but it is thought that the circumstance of the husband having threatened to put the child out to nurse had preyed upon the mind of the mother, who, it appears, determined upon putting it to death, and then terminatinc, her own existence. An inquest was held upon the bodies yesterday. Hannah Lawrenson, sister of the deceased, said—The deceased. Sarah Fairhurst, was the wife of John Fairhurst, maker up, cf Hampson-street. She was forty years of age. The child's name was Elizabeth, and she was fourteen months old on Monday. My sister appeared during the last month to have changed in her mind, and had been making complaints about her family. About three weeks before she had been seen walking round a coal-pit, as was supposed with the intention of throwing herself in. Her husband was in employment, and she was not in want of anything. Her husband was a kind husband to her, and the infant was her only child. She was a passionate woman, and latterly has been very desponding and low spirited. She had fre'iuently said that she had been an undutiful mother to Lao child, but I do not believe that. John Fairhurst stated that he was a maker up. On Monday morning he left home at eight o'clock, leaving his wife and child at home. He had never heard her threaten to destroy herself, but had heard that she had done such a thing. He had occasion to speak about taking the child from her if she did not get better. She overheard the conversation, and she begged that the child might not be taken from her. Witness promised that the child should not be taken away, and she appeared to get better. She was of a covetous disposition. The CORONER said he thought there could be RO doubt that the deceased Sarah Fairhurst had committed the act while in a state of temporary insanity. The jury returned a verdict accordingly.  Mr. A. J. Baker Cressy.ell, M.P. for Northumberland, has just added to his extensive estates in that county by the purchase of the large and beautiful estate of Ellington, near blorpeth.