The Sun. — 1856-12-31 (London, England)

MURDER OF TWO CHILDREN.  After Mr. Elliott had disposed of the public business, and was about to leave the bench at Lambeth Policecourt yesterday, Mrs. Martha Bacon, a married woman, 26 years of age, of mild expression of countenance, but with something in the appearance of her eyes chat clearly indicated a disordered mind, was brought to the court in custody, and charged with the murder of her two children, the one' about 15 mouths, and the other 3+ years of age, by cutting their throats from ear to ear, and also with inflicting some wounds on her own throat, with the intention, no doubt, of committing suicide. Police-constable Henry Cook, 75 L, said that at about half-past one o'clock on that afternoon he was on duty at the station-house in Kennington-lane, when the prisoner and another woman, then present, called, and the latter requested that he would accompany them to a house in Four Acre4treet, Acre-lane. He went with them, and on reaching the house No. 4 in that street the prisoner unlocked the door and he entered the house. On going ioto the back parlour he found a child, a boy of about three years of age Prisoner—Ttiree years and a half. Witness—Well, it may be that—sitting in a chair, with his head leaning on a table placed before him, quite dead and cold, and hie throat cut from ear to ear. He (witne,s) then went up stairs, and, on entering the back room on the first fl nor, he found another child lying on the floor, with its face downwards, quite dead, and its throat also cut from from ear to ear.  Mr, Elliott—Wcat was the age of that child Witness—Wtll, Sir, I should think it might be 15 or 1G months.  Mr. Elliott— On your way from the station-house to her residence in Acre-street did the prisoner say anything to you ?  Witness—l don't recollect that she did, your worship, except that she did not do it.  Mr. Elliott—Well, go on with your evidence. Witness—Well, Sir, on the bed in the room where I  Join, which was deeply stained with blood, particularly the lower part of it, and on the pillow there was one drop of blood and two others on the sheets ; and on the floor close to the table there were some marks of blood wuich were covered over with an apron, as if to conceal them. There was also a mark of blood on one of the room doors, which appeared to me to have been caused by some bloody garment touci3;dig it. •  Mr, Elliott—What is your opinion as to .the time when the wounds on the prisoner and her 017,:ildren must have been inflicted ? Mr. Bushell--They were evidently done within 24 hours, and I should think about the time the prisoner spoke of-8 o clock last eve Wing. Mr. Elliott—What P`, ate were the children in as to drees ? Mr. Bush'l.),—Tlae youngest had nothing but a gown on, but the elder, I think, had more clothing on, but neither shoes nor stockings. Mr. Elliott--Has any instrument been found by which these wounds might be inflicted ? Mr. Bushed--there was in one of the rooms a table, on which there was some food, and I think also three knives, and one which was apart from the others appeared to me to be deeply stained and as if it had been wiped a good deal, but still deeply stained. Mrs. Amelia Oako, the searcher at the court, said she searched the prisoner carefully, and could not find any marks of blood on any part of her dress, except the upper part of her under dress, and this she thought proceeded from her own wound. While searching her the prisoner said a man came in at the back window and killed her two children, and asked if she (witness) thought she should be locked up. This being all the evidence, Mr, Elliott gave the prisoner the usual caution, and told he; after this he should hear anything she had to say. Pri-oner—The only thing I have to say is that I did not do it. The prisoner, who during the examination kept look. ink; at the different witnesses while giving their evidence with a vacant stare, was then remanded to a future day, and Mr. Elliott humanely directed that her husband, who is at work ,at Reigate, should be made acquainted with his melancholy bereavement without delay.