ENGLISH & FOREIGN

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 663, 11 March 1869, Page 3

ENGLISH & FOREIGN

INTELLIGENCE.

HORRIBLE MURDER AT WIG AN. On Tuesday night, Dec. 14, a revolting murder was committed near Ackhurst-hall, thi-ee miles from Wigan. Mr William Houghton (the farm Bailiff) and hia wife, who lived about 200 yards from the hall, had left their own house, in which there was five children, for about on hour. Ou their return home, at a distance of thirty or forty yards from the door, they saw a white object, which was at first mistaken for a duck, but which on closer inspection was found to be the dead body of their eldest child, a girl of twelve. She was covered with blood and dreadfully injured. The parents rushed forward to the house calling for the second daughter, Catherine, aged nine, but for a short time she could not be found. She was at last heard calling timidly from behind a hedge " Is that you mother?" The child was at once taken to tKe house. She said that a short time after her father and mother had zone out a man, rather taller than her father, and apparently a collier, appeared at the door and asked'if W illiam Houghton lived there. Her eldest sister said that he did, but he was then down at the hall; and no sooner had she replied than, raising a heavy hammer, ho struck her a violent blow on the forehead. She ran round the kitchen, and he pursued her, striking her with the hammer, which cut her dreadfully. She ran out by the open door, and tried to escape to the hall, but the man went after her and her screams ceased, she, no doubt, being killed by another blow from the hammer. The man then returned to the honse where the younger sister had remained in great terror. He struck her on the back of the head with the hammer, and then dealt her several blows on the shoulder?, but he did not stun her. He then took her by the throat, and after squeezing it thightly threw her over into the pasture-field, where she lay bruised and terrified, not daring to move until she heard her mother's voice. An infant lav unharmed in a cradle in the kitchen, and upstairs two children (boys) were in bed, but had heard nothing of what had occurred. An examination of the house showed that the murderer, after thus disposing of the children, had put his hammer on the dresser, on which its form was marked with blood, and had then passed into the pailor, where he had ransacked the drawers. The only article of value he obtained was a silver watch which had been left in a small casket, and from which he had detached the riband that served as a guard. The money kept in the house was upstairs, and evidently he had not been there, for the drawers had not been disturbed. Information was at once sent to the Eemberton police-station, and Superintendent Ellison was promptly on the spot. Mr Huet, Surgeon, of Upholland, was also in attendance and dressed the wounds which the younger girl had received. She gave a description of the man, which was at once circulated through the district. An active search was commenced for the hammer, and one was found in a wheat field about 100 yards from the house. A number of long hairs were sticking to the iron, and when the weapon was shown to the surviving girl she at once said it was that with which she and her sister were ftruck. Mr Parkinson, the unaerlooker of a colliery close by, recognised the hammer as one he had left at the smithy at half-past 5 on Tuesday night. The coroner's inquest on Annie Houghron, on Dec. 30, resulted in a verdict of "Wilful murder" against some person unknown. The younger sister of the murdered child and also her parents were examined. The little girl gave a clear description of the murder, and said that the man who committed it did not appear to be drunk, but looked very wild. Both the father and mother said they were not conscious of having given offence to anybody. The reward for the murderer's apprehension has been increased from £SO to £IOO. A MEMORIAL OF CHAUCER. A memorial to Chaucer has been set up in Poets' Corner, immediately over hie tomb. The design is intended to embody his intellectual labors, and his position amongst his contemporaries. At the base are the Canterbury pilgrims, showing the setting out from London and the arrival at Canterbury. The medallions above represent Chaucer receiving a commission, with others, in 1372, from King Edward 111 to the Doge of Genoa, and his reception by the latter. At the top the subjects are taken from the poem entitled " TheEloure and the Leafe." On the dexter side dressed in white, are the Lady of the Leafe, and attendants; on the sinister side is the Lady of the Ploure, dressed in green. In tho tracery above, the portrait of Chaucer occupies the centre, between that of Edward 111, and Phillippa his wife ; below them, Grower John of Gaunt; and above are Wickckliffe and Strode, his contemporaries. In the borders are disposed arms. At the base of the window is the name Geoffrey Chaucer, died A.D. 1400, and four lines selected from the poem entitled "Balade of Gode Counsaile":— " Flee fro the press, and dwell with soth-fastnesse, Suffice unto thy good though it be small;" " That thee is sent receyve in buxomnesse; The wrastling for this world asketh a fall." This window was designed by Mr Waller, and executed by Messrs Thomas Baillie and George Mayer. It is a brilliant piece of color, and an interesting addition to the attractions of the abbey. This and thej Brunei window deserve the attention of

students of modern stained glass. Chaucer's tomb should now be cleared of some of the disfigurements around it. MADAME RACHEL. At Judges' Chambers on December 22, Madame Eaohel was brought up in custody of one of the warders of Millbank prison to enter into her recognisance to abide by the decision of the Court of Queen's Bench on the hearing of the writ of error to quash the conviction and sentence of five years' penal servitude pronounced upon her for a misdemeanor. The defendant, who was accompanied by her daughter, appeared in a bad state of health, and scarcely able to walk. Mr Thornton, the Commissioner, took her recognisance in a sum of £I,OOO, and the release issued from the Crown-office. The defendant attended in pursuance of habeas corpus, and the sureties signed their recognisanoe. Madame is now at liberty. SIR CULLING EARDLEY. Sir Culling Eardley has been granted a free pardon, provided that he absents himself from the country until the period of his sentence shall have expired. Sir Culling has, therefore, left for Madeira. It will be remembered that Sir Culling j Eardley was sentenced to imprisonjment in January last for bigamy. The reason for his release is stated to b» that further confinement would result in: his death, his health having already greatly suffered. WRECK OF THE GOSSAMER. The Gossamer, of Liverpool, from Lonfor Adelaide, was wrecked on Prawle Point, South Devon, on Thursday afternoon, Deo. 10, when the master, his wife and, 11 other persons were drowned. She was unde*orders to call at Plymouth for passengers. The only passenger on board was Mr George Dale, who, with Mr William Date, surgeon, joined the ship at Gravesend. Mr Dale was saved. On the ship's arrival at Plymouth a telegram was to have been sent to the Rev. James Jetferiea, at Bristol, who, with his wife, four children, and two servants, intended going out in her. The Gossamer had an iron frame, planked, and was built at Glasgow in 1864. She was a first-clasi ship being A 1 for fifteen years, and of 735 tons register. The men saved say the pilot was drunk. All hands would have been saved if they had stayed in the stern of the vessel. A good deal of cargo was saved in good condition. A painful in* cident in the loss of the ship was the drowning of the captain and his wife. They were newly married. Shouts brought Captain Thompson on deck when the vessel had missed stays and was nearing Prawle Point. "For heaven's sake where are we ?" he exclaimed. To the last moment he remained with his wife on deck. One of the crew, an admirable swimmer, begged to be allowed to take the lady ashore, but the captain declined, and held her in his arms. The man who had offered the help swam safely ashore, and a wave sweeping over the ship washed the captain and his wife overboard, and they perished within sight of each other. Eight bodies of the thirteen persons drowned have been recovered, and have been buried in the churchyard at Chivelston, a village near the scene of the wreck—those of the captain and his wife in one grave. A lady who had intended to leave London by tha Gossamer was prevented by an accident from doing so. She went down to Ply* mouth to embark there, and while making some enquiries at the post-ofiice had her pocket picked of her paßsage-money, £45, chiefly in notes, The thief was probably the means of saving her life. The Board of Trade have decided not to hold any official enquiry into the loss of the 6hip, du the ground that it is unnecessary, the pilot who was in charge at the time having been committed for trial for manslaughter.