The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1854-06-13 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MURDER OF SIX CHILDREN BY THEIR  MOTHER.  ON Saturday an awful murder was perpetrated in a cottage at Westend, situate about a mile west of Esher, and on the borders of the royal domains of Claremont. Some workmen passing by the cottage about six o'clock, a 331" saw a pillow stained with blood oustide one of the windows. Their suspicions were excited, and they knocked at the door, but received no answer. As soon as possible they obtained a ladder, and effected an entrance through the window. They found in the room they entered a woman with her throat cut, but not altogether dead, and lying by her child, two young children dead from wounds in the throat. On searching the other bed: rooms they discovered four more children murdered. Their throats were severed, and the weapon, a razor, Was found. Mr. Izod, a surgeon, of Esher, was sent for. All the children were dead, but the woman was not so, and be dressed her wounds. Her name is Mary A.= Brough,_, aged forty seven or forty-eight,the wife of George Brone, somewhat older than herself. She was first nurse to big, Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, but was dismissed before the prince was named ; some said at the time, because she was detected drinking ardent spirits ; others, because she had, contrary to medical restrictions, received visits surreptitiously from her husband. Her place was supplied by a woman named Batchelor, who is now enjoy' ing her reward. The miserable woman Brough was some twenty years ago, kitchenmaid at the palace of Clare; mount, and her husband was then and afterwards employed there as lamplighter, watchman, and porter. He is nog, employed as the guardian of the ornamental waters and fishponds of Claremount. His father was coachman maul years ago to Prince Leopold, now the King of the Bel; gians. They had several children who died of natural causes young, and finally the victims murdered by their mother, Georgina, the eldest, aged eleven, Caroline aged eight, William, seven years old, Henry and Harriet, twins, born in ' March, 1851.. and George, the youngest, aged twenty-one months. The murdered children were well known in Esher, and the two eldest girls were remarkable for their pretty exterior and more than ordinary:intelligence. Their persons were familiar to the royal exiles of Claremont, and the Prince de Joinville used often to 'sea with them in his fishing excursions to the ponds over which their father watched, and frequently conversed with them. The causes assigned for this wholesale infan• ticide, and, for the present, successless suicide are many. Jealousy, as usual, is alleged to have been the promoter of this shocking tragedy. The husband believed her faithless, and three or four days ago quarrelled with her, left his cottage and took up his residence at Esher. The inhabitants could only talk, wonder, and commisserate. The father of the children appears to be respected by the villagers of Esher, of which,.though long resident, he is not a native. The homicide has recovered from the effects of her self-inflicted wound, and there is a probabilty that she may survive. To a female neighbour who visited her she said, " I cut the throats of the five oldest easily as they slept. Baby was awake, and he gave rile most trouble."