The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1881-08-13 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE SUICIDE AND INFANTICIDE IT  BRIE RLEY HILL.  On Monday morning, the District Coroner (Mr. W. H. Phillips) held an inquest at the Old Bush Inn, Moor Lane, Brierley llill, on the bodies of Martha Eeans (32) and Henry Evans, aged 17 days, respectvely the wife and infant son of Henry Evans, blast fnanace-man, Moor-Lane,,whoee dead bodies were found in the Stourbridge Canal on Saturday morning. ' Sarah Hxlgetts, a Widow, and who lived near to the deceased woman, said the latter was confined of a male child on the 28th of July. Previous to her confinement she had seemee to be in a low and weak state, as if her mind was affected. Witness had never beard her speak of death. She had been up since her confinement, and on the three subsequent occasions upon which witness saw her, deceased complained of being low and ill, and having no appetite. Witness assisted to lay the bodies out after they were recovered from the canal, and the mother was then attired in a skirt, dress, stays, and shawl. The child was fastened to her side. It was her first child. There were no marks or injuries on either of the bodies. William Hill, blacksmith, and father of the deceased, said she and her husband lived with him. During the time his daughter was pregnant witness noticed noting wrong in her manner, but on the night before her death she appeared very strange and incoherent in her talk, and witness did not consider she was then in her right mind. She had her supper with witness and her husband, and then went to bed with the latter, taking her baby with her. Witness heard nothing of his daughter during the night, but as day was breaking his son-in law rattle I his bedroom door and said, "Oh dear, do come. I have missed Martha out of bed, and cannot find her." Witness then went downstairs and found the house door open. As deceased cou!d not bs. found anywhere about, witness's suspitions were aroused that his daughter bad "made away" with herself. About five o'clock that (Saturday) inorMng the dead bodies of his daughter and her infant were found in the canal, about a hundred yards from the house. He had never heard her threaten to destroy herself. Witness had no reason to blame anyone for want of care or inattention to h.s daughter, who, so far as her husband's means permuted, received proper care and attention. He was perfectly satisfied that she met her death at her own hands, and that no violence had been used towards her. William Longinoor, brother-in-law to the deceased woman, stated that when he saw the latter on the previous Thursday he then considered her in a Iv_ ak state of mind. She seemed kind and affectionate towards her child. Witness assisted in the search for the deceased on Saturday morning, and alter some time he pulled their dead bodies out of the water with a rake. .I.lhe infant was tied to the mother's breast with a handkerchief. Witness had no reason to blame anyone with regard to her death. By a juryman: The deceased and her husband lived together comfortably. Mary Maria Longiaore, si,ter to the deceased woman, spoke to having noticed a strangenesa in her sister's manner on the Thursday and Friday prior to her death. On the latter day she insisted upon sitting with the doors of the house open, and exposing herself and baby to the draughts. By Police-sergeant Salt: It was not me to whom she said that her heart was nearly broken. By the Coroner: She had things on her mind wh ch sne was not able to bear, and was not able to meet them. The Goroner : If there is any fact which you can explain away, it is only right you should do so. \N itness . I am not bound to expose her in every way. On being further pressed witness declined to diseose a matter which she said she did not think was of sufficient moment to prompt her sister to take away her life. Deceased and her husband lived very comfortably together. Mr. H. D'Arcy Ellis, surgeon, gave evidence as to his visits to the deceased. He said on Thursday he found her sitting up when he called, and remon strated with her, as on the Tuesday he had ordered her to keep her bed. Deceased sail she felt much better, and appeared perfectly rational. He thought in this case, that the woman being some d..bilitated in consequence of the circumstances attending her confinement, and then having some slig,lt feverish symptoms a day or so before her death, would lead him to suppose that it was most ditely a case of puerperal insanity. The Coroner, in directing the jury, said had the woman been gut out of tae water alive and the child deall, their verdict would have had to have been one of weful murder against the mother, and ,uother tribbnal would have had to decide what was her state of mind. After being further directed, the room was cleared, and the jury, having shortly deliberated, returned a vet dict to the effect "That Henry Evans was wilfully murdered by his mother, and that the latter drowned herself whilst suffering front temporary insanity." The Coroner remarked that the fact of the woman having tied her infant to her was strong presumptive evidence that she threw herself into the canal purposely.