The Sun. — 1859-10-08 (London, England)

THE DOUBLE MURDER AND SUICIDE.  WORCESTER, FRIDAY EVENING. From what has transpired to-day there can be little doubt that the surmise, that the unfortunate woman (Mrs. llarris) drowned both herself and her two children, as described in court, is correct. Only one body—that of the eldest child—has been recovered; but Ms expected that the mother and infant were carried some distance down the river by th• flood water .  !An examination of the husband (Harris) has taken place tci-day before the magistrates ; and from the evidence given, it appears that the poor woman had been shamefully treated by her husband and his relations, and that driven almost to madness by their cruelty, she had declared her determination to drown herself and her children. The husband was charged occasionally with assaulting the wife, and the following is a summary of the evidence taken William Roberts, neighbour of the Harris's, spoke to the husband of the supposed deceased Mrs. Harris quarrelling about one o'clock on Tuesday. Witness saw the prisoner seice his wife by the threat. She screamed out that hc 'was throttling her, and on witness calling to him'he desisted. He was beating her with his clenched fist, while he held her by the throat. Soon after Harris's mother came and abused the deceased, and between, two and three o'clock she again abused her, the woman being then' occupied in Washing her children's clothes. Mrs. Bradley, another neighbour, corroborated Roberts's testimony, and added her belief that Mra. Harris would have been alive at that moment but for her husband's mother and sister. Mrs. Hopkinson, a relative of Harris lodged with' Mr. and Mrs. Harris, and also spoke to the ill-treatment which Mrs. Harris had experienced at the hands of her husband's mother and sister. Harris stayed from work on Monday and Tuesday. The witness corroborated the testimony' of Roberts as to the prisOner taking his wife by the throat. Mrs. Harris had struck her husband with the poker before this. At tea time on Tuesday evening, Harris's sister, who was present, said she would wash her hands in her (Mrs. Harris's) blood, to which Mrs. Harris replied, "Then it would be cold." *About half-past nine o'clock that night (Tuesday), the prisoner's sister came again, atid on Mrs. Harris epening the door she struck at her, but witness stopped the blow, and took hold of the sister and held her down. While so occupied Mrs. Harris made her escape, from the house with her two children, and no doubt ran across a field at the back, and plunged into the river. She had just before declared her determination " to go and do it," and had kissed her children fervently. She had that same evening told her husband of her determination, and his answer was "do it, and be -." The story of Mrs. Harris's disappearance got abroad, and Harris's mother came about midnight, but she said they had hidden her, and expressed a hope that " she should see her swimming." Mrs. Hopkinson said she went into the house, where she found Mrs. Harris in a very excited state, and she held her back, as she declared she would go and drown herself. She had a child in each arm. They had to pacify her, and had partly succeeded, when Harris's sister entered, and was about to attack Mrs. Harris, but witness prevented her. While engaged with her Mrs. Harris stepped out of the house. Witness at once followed her across the field towards the river, but could see nothing of her. They searched about all night but could not find her. The body of the boy was picked up on Thursday by a fisherman. The magistrate decided to remand the prisoner for the present, and the coroner hai also issued his warrant for an inquest.