Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), Wednesday 13 September 1854, page 3


MURDER OF SIX CHILDREN BY THEIR

MOTHER.

A crime of unsual magnitude and horror was perpe-trated at Esher on the 10th June ; a mother murdered her six children, and then attempted suicide. From the facts in connection with the case, as reported in the morning papers, and subsequently at the coro-ner's inquest, it appears that George Brough, formerly in the service of Prince Leopold, and now keeper of the ponds and park at Claremont, lived at West End with his wife and six children. They had been mar-ried many years ; but latterly Mr. Brough suspected that his wife mnde assignations in London, and at last, by means of detection which he adopted, traced her to a public-house with a male companion. Under the feelings which this discovery induced, he resolved to separate from his faithless wife, and left his home. On the 10th, Henry Woolgar, a labourer in Clare mont-gardens, was passing Mr. Brough's cottage, and saw a pillow stained with blood hanging out of the window. Thomas Beasley came up, and they rang the bell violently ; no one answered it, but they thought some one moved, and presently a woman waved a towel. Seeing this, Woolgar got a ladder and mounted to the window, and saw Mrs. Brough

coming up the staircase with "her hair hanging down and her body all over blood. As she reached the top," continued the witnesss at the inquest, " she turned towards the window, and I saw a wound in her throat, and she made a whistling noise." Wool-gar slipped down the ladder and went for a surgeon, while a neighbour entered the house by the window. He saw Mrs. Brough in one room with her throat cut, and a little baby lying in bed with its throat cut. Going from room to room he found the other five children murdered in the same way. Mr. Bedser, the parish constable, and Mr. Biddlecombe, the super intendentof police, gave similar evidence. They entered by the front door, which Mrs. Brough had crawled down stairs to open. The wretched woman, after her wound had been dressed, voluntarily gave to Mr. Biddlecombe a frightful account of the deeds she had done. "On Tuesday last, I was bad all day; I wanted to see Mr. Izod. and waited all day. I wanted him to give me some medicine. In the evening I walked about, and afterwards put the children to bed, and wanted to go to sleep on a chair. About 9 o'clock Georgy kept calling to me to come to bed. I came up to bed ; and they kept calling to me to bring them some barley-water, and kept calling till near 12 o'clock. I had one candle lit on the chair. I went and got another, but could not see ; there was some-thing like a cloud, and I thought I would go down and get a knife and cut my own throat, but could not see. I groped about in master's room for a razor. I could not find one. At last I found his keys, and then found his razor. I went to Georgy and cut her first ; I did not look at her. I then came to Carry, and cut her. Then to Henry; he said, 'Don't mother;' I said 'I must,' and did cut him. Then I went to Bill; hu was fast asleep. I turned him over; he never woke ; I served him the same. I nearly tumbled into this room. The two children here, Harriet and George, were awake; they made no resistance at all. Harriet struggled very much and gurgled. I then laid down and did myself. I can't tell what occurred for some time after that, as I found myself weak and lying on the floor. That nasty great and black cloud was gone then. I was thirsty, and got the water-bottle, and drank ; I fell in a sitting position ; got up, and saw the children, and it all caine to me again. I wanted to call, but could not speak. I went to the window and put something out to call attention. I went to bed, and remained there till the bell rang. They made such a noise. I crawled on my hands and knees, but could not make them hear. It was Henry Woolgar. I went down to un-bolt the door. There was one bolt fastened, and that

I undid. That is all I know They can tell the rest. It was not quite daylight when I put the signal out. It is possible I might have said something more to the other officer. If I have, he can tell you." The jury returned a verdict of "wilful murder" against the mother.

The eldest daughter of the family, Mary, aged 19, was at service as a lady's maid; she joined her father to take a last look of the murdered children before their burial. It was a terrible scene. Brough refuses to see his wife ; but Mary has visited her mother in gaol. The man who was the cause of the tragedy - a married man - has been forced to sell his business and leave the village, such is the pitch of indignation against him. His wife is confined to her bed danger-

ously ill.

Mrs. Brough was the first nurse to the Prince of Wales ; but she was discharged for disobeying orders, first in receiving visits from her husband, and next for being caught in the act of drinking ardent spirits. The trinkets she received in the royal family she has willed to her daughter. - Horne News, 10th July.