The Warwickshire Herald. — 1894-01-18 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

WANDSWORTH TRAGEDY. INQUEST.  On Monday, at the Wandsworth Town Hall, Mr. A. Braxton Hicks held an inquest touching the death of Elisabeth Hudson. aged 76 years, a widow, lately residing in Fullerton-road, Wandsworth, who, it is alleged, was murdered by her aughter, Sarah Hudson.—Ann Lucas, residing at Finmore, Oxfordshire, identified deceased as her sister. She was the widow of John Hudson, a maltster. Witness last saw deceased about two years ago. For many years she had been in delicate health. She only had one child alive, whose name was Sarah Hudson. She would be over 30 years of age, witness thoueht. She was a spinster, but had not enj,rd g. 0.1 health. She showed signs of mental neaknes- , and the last time witness heard from her she said, " if soy( h ing should happen to me, take care of mother." She appeared particularly fond of her mother. she suffered from religious mania. Witness had rot tear.' of her niece attempting to commit suicide —Th.- coroner here read a letter written by Sarah Hudson to her aunt, Mrs. Lucas, in Decemter. In it she wrote, "When poor George (her swen.'..e. ,t) went away it unsettled me. My brain confused, and I lost my reason, and attinetirl to take my life twice." Mrs. Lucas ad(l,-d that George, her niece's sweetheart, died just before he was going to marry her.—Sene a.t Downton deposed that he took the deceased in custody upon an occasion when she attempted to commit suicide by poisoning herself. She was taken before the magistrate, who discharged her upon her friends promising to take care of her.—Detective-inspector Pugsley stated that on the llth inst. he was at the police-station, and took deceased into custody upon her own confession—lnspector Giffin' said he was at Wandsworth Police-station when deceased's daughter came and said she wished to give herself up for killing her mother by smothering her with pillows. She was detained at the police-station Whilst witness went to the house. There he found the deceased in bed. The body was perfectly straight, and the hands by the aide. The head was laid upon pillows. Nothing was disturbed in the bedroom. He at once sent for Dr. Archer.— Detective-inspector Noisy, recalled, stated that when he saw the deceased he detected signs of life In the body. Although artificial respiration was used deceased never recovered. Witness produced the confession made by the daughter to the effect that after giving deceased her breakfast she smothered her with the pillows. The daughter gave him up a miscellaneous number of things, including £4 17s. in money. She was then charged with murder before the magistrate at the South Western Police-court and remandecL—Dr. Thomas Archer deposed to being called to the deceased. She was lying on the bed, the clothes of which were neatly smoothed down. The body had the appearance of being laid out. There was no appearance of any struggle or lividity of the face, except the lips. He endeavoured to restore animation by artificial means, and got the /least be best. 1t6,41., failed at the end of two hours. There was no sign on the face or features of their having been pressed down by a pillow.—Dr. Charles Creighton, formerly demonstrator of anatomy at the University of Cambridge, who conducted the post mortem examination in the presnce of Drs. Archer and Howell, produced his report. They were of opinion that the deceased suffered from organic disease of the heart and kidneys. There was bronchitis and congestion of the lungs. Deeth by failure of respiration might have resulted, as by natural causes, from the state of the lungs and heart. They were of opinion that death was due to asphyxia from failure of respiration.—Dr. Archer, re-called, was inclined to think that death was due to natural causes and not from violence—Dr. J. B. Howell also agreed with this conclusion—The Jury, after a deliberatlen, returned the following verdict: That the deceased died from natural causes and not otherwise. They added a rider that Sarah Hudson should be placed under supervision.  The Dads Chromele says: It is stated on good authority that one of the most sensational bigamy oases of modern times will shortly engage the attention of one of the metropolitan magistrates. The person accused of the offence is the son of a well-known Irish squire. It is alleged that although comparatively young in years he has no less than six wives. It is expected that some sensational evidence will be saves at the trial. In all probability dve of the wives will be present when the accused is brought before • magistrate. At present the young squire, who is said to be so very much married, is in custody in Paris, but at an early date he will be removed to London and charged.  "No, I don't know much about the poetry of motion," said the editor. "but," tossing the versos Ito the waste-paper basket, "I can give you an illustration of the motion of poetry."  Dints: "A physician needn't necessarily be a prince of good fellows to a:hieve somas, but th,re's one thing certain." Dadra: "What's that?" Dinks : "He's got to know bow to treat people."  Gentleman, staying at a errantry inn: "Waiter !" Waiter "Yes, sorr." Gentleman: "When was this pie made " Waiter: "Berm, sore, that's more than I knows! I've only been bonitos's' months."