The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-10-21 00:00:00

THE STOCKWELL TRAGEDY.

The remains of Mrs. Watson, the uhfortunate lady
who was found barbarously murdered at her residence,
28, St. Martin's-road, Stockwell, London, were interred
on Satunlay afternoon at the cemetery, Tooting. The
Rev. John Selby Watson, her husband, who stands
ACCUSCII of having criminally taken her life, desired,
it will be remembered, that "her body might
he buried with the attention due to a lady
of good birth," and Mr. Fraser, his solicitor, who
undertook the arrangement of the funeral, carried
out his request to the letter. Some hundreds of
persons, mostly women, assembled to witness the
removal of the body, There was no display, but
everything WAS quietly awl respectably conducted. A
hearse and mourning coach, each drawn by a pair of
horses, were supplied by the undertaker, and thu re-
mains were enclosed in a coffin covered with liktek
cloth and furniture err suite. The mourners were Mr.
Fraser and Dr. Rugg, the surgeon who was called in
to attend the accused after he hail taken poison, and
who subsequently discovered the body of Mrs. Watson
frightfully mutilated in the I,OIIIW IHning the lilirary.
The funeral service was very impressively read by the
Rev. John Hunt, the chaplain.

On Sunday morning allusion to the sad event was
made in several of the churches in the district. At St.
Nlichsors, the Rev. H. Thompson preached from the
teat, "Lead ag not ban nmplation," and, after re-
marking how little we realize the need of offering up
the petition, went on to say :
• " '

" The tragic event which has just occurred at our very
doors, and which, during the mist few days, has sent a thrill
and a shudder through our whole neighbourhood, is one
which it is impossible to pass by without notice from this
place; for, although one would avoid a single word which
might tend to Increase the terrible sensations awakened, yet,
regarding such occurrences as having in them a voice from fiml
to all around, sue feel we should be neglecting a positive
duty if we did not take occasion to lay before you some of
the aolemn lessons which suck a Ilark and mournful event
must suggest to every thoughtful mind : and, as the basis of
finch lessons, the words of or Lon! Jesus in the New Testa-
ment have occurred to meal most suitable." Mr. Thompson
then spoke of temptation as being in some respects full of
mystery, for it referred to unseen agencies, and the nature
of its workings was of that subtle character that we costa
not altogether grasp them. Isis bling his subject into head.,
he then spoke of temptation as as appointed part of the
Christian's conflict, remarking that everything with which a
man has to do may become a temptation to him—even his
slawful occupation and the gifts of flod's mercy, the events of
daily life, and the relations and bonds of affection, no less
than our intercourse with one another. Next he showed
that, though Goal oh,es not lead any one into evil. lie
may and does suffer men to be thrown into circumstances
that try them, so that they may be assured ,d their frailty,
and discover that they are kept by a power superior to any
of their own." Then l. enlarged on the fact that each one had
some peculiarly weak point which temptations were especially
apt to assail, and against which a thorough guard should
constantly be kept. "Referring to the awful event which is
now before our minds, we cannot doubt but that dri it of
hlo"fl was only the climax of ROMI: brooding thoughta which
had got possession of the unhappy man's mind, and were
sniff:red to abide three till they grew to be Ili:governable.

But whether it were so or not, we are clearly reminded that
crimes, even of that dreadful character, are not beyond the
range of possibility with any. We are apt sometimes to as-
Sedate 5114. h deeds with the poor, the te on want tie intempoute,
the utter ly reprobate .d nutilho.4l , but a hat have we here
Education. intellect ...IRO ated to a high decree, a position
of high respectability in society, and, withal the minis-
terial odhee, together with a life generally improachable.
And yet what is it oil? Proken as a thread by the force
of temptation. Satan eares for none .1 these things.
Where is the wise, the learned, the mighty 1 The basmt
instruments In a moonlit prove too mighty for them
tile Mr: •st 1,15t4.1. isesaion ean heat them down in an
instant. Such lessons as that now before as may well
humble its • tray well incline Its to hear the voice which
says •It him that thiuketh he standeth take heed lest
he fall.' Painful and sad indeed has been the matter
a Mull has suggested these thonghts: for terrible surely is
It to think of two of our fellow-creatures OH last Sabbath
passing an on our Way to thilrell—and One of them
In the grave, a mutilated corpse; the other in a felon's
gaol ! hut it seenied tonsil for such notice as I have tried
to give It to-day. Let MI remember in ~or prayers the ror
unhappy wan who is standing in So Mthil a posit,' NI bile
we shudder at his fall let no be reminded of the chasms and
great gulfs amid which we ourselves are an caAly threading
path. remembering who alone it is that can keep nra
from falling, and lieseeehing Him, as He has taught us, to
lead as not into telliptation."

On Sunday morning the accused attended divine
service in the chapel of the prison, and listened very
attentively to the ministrationsof the Rev. Mr. dessop,
the chaplain. At present he has not been visited by
any of his relatives, and it in doubtful whether the
letter which ham been written to his only brother, in
Grand-street, Williamsburgh, U.S., will reach him,
inasmuch as upwards of nix years have elapsed since
any communication passed between them.
In the memorandum written by Mr. Watson in refe-
rence to the disposal of his books and papers, he made
mention of the 3ISS. which were lying about. These
were allowed to remain as they had been, till after the
coroner and jury had visited the house and viewed the
ody. Among the papeors has been found one on which
the following worth; are written : "Felix in onanibes
fere Wogs peeler qUalll qllOll ad snynn, allied fomili(llnt.
Sups stint antanti neeult semper (moire." which may be
thus freely translated : " Happy in all things, save as
it concerns a woman, hard as a stone. It has often
pained one who loved formerly, to try to love always."
It is impossible, of course, to say when these sentences
were written—whether before or after the commission
of the munler ; but, taken in connection with the
statement in the letter referred to, that he had been
fortunate in life with onegreat exception, they may lie
interpreted in away which would have a strong bearing
011 the ease.

It has not yet been explained how it was that the
mixture found in the bottle was diluted, hiking stated
by the chemist who supplied the prussic acid that it
W 144 I,f full strength, and that had the acemed taken it
in the conilitiim in which it was furnished it must have
destroyed him. The pavers have been requested booty
that the medicine administered by Dr. Itugg to Mr.
Watson when he was called in was not a sedative, but
a stimulant. In various papers the word "sedative"
woo used, and has no particular bearing on the ease;
but it has led to some medical gentlemen in the 4., nintry
writing to Dr. Rugg to inquire how he came to ad-
minister a sedativeunder such circumstances.

On Monday morning, the coroner for East Surrey
resumed the inquest rejecting the death of Mrs.
Watson, who was found deal under circumstances
which have caused her hush:LTA the Rev. Mr. Selby
Watson, NIA., to be charged with her murder.

The tint a ithess es:maned was Sergeant Kilwanl MAIL
on Wednesday, the litli. he was called to the 11011 SO 9,1, St.
Martin's road. Ile had Sergeant Duey with hini. The first
person he met there was Dr. Rugg. Ile co.titmed—l flitti
saw the deceased woniati. She lay in a small bedroom adjoin-
ing the library. She was in a corner of the room near the
window. which was in the back part of the room. I noticed
Injuries and blood abollt her head. I did 110 t notice any blood
about her clothing. A few minutes after I received three letters
Itt envelopes, hut not sealed, from Dr. Rater. I read to,
I gave them to inspector Davis. I marked them first with
my Initials. I then saw Mr. Watson and told I to consider
himself in custody for the tier of his site. lie said, " I
15111111080 siu. 11011.1. be Violeta." I said there would be 11,,
s nitrites used, i.tieti he turned his howl and said, 'liii
1II." I searched the house la 4 night. I produce a 111111. t.
lOWA it alaint six o'cl..ek 011Smiday evening in the drawers
behind his bedroom. The wri4thands are cot off. It was
amongst his dean shirts. (The shirt' was produced. The
wristbands had been cut If. hut there were still spots of
blood ullthe sleeve). I found nothing else.

Inspector 11:1V1S was the next witness. Ile add I pro.
duke three ktters. a key, a bottle containing, 811 I under-
stand, 111.11 Side avid. The letters were marked by the sirg, alit,
and I afterwards marked them myself. They were numbered
1, 2. 3, No. lis addressed to the surgeon No. 2 was "State-
ment for such as tray care to read it :" Nll. 3, .•Fior the
servant Ellen Lyric, exclusive of her wager" This contaim
a k:5 not, I know his handwriting, because I saw him
write the following memorandum :—"lllankets and ~hr,',.,, a
brl.h,rteaft some xlio, ftf roil! beet" (The ”.....1111-
1111111 Ii, the surgeon *asthma real by the eraser. as well as the
other t Inch already leave been published Isa the 14m4ers.)
I then seal: tacit the hats,'. I traced. hat appeared lobe I 414 4,441
the small bedroona adjoining the library. I saw a smear of
141040 1i w anis the door. It looked as if it had 111,1111:1de by
her clothes as she w. being dragged along. The smear etas
dry. The clothes were 1111101 saturated with blood. I also
MAW a patch of blood on the lanklikkg, outside the 11.. e
leading towards the library. 1 raised' the carpet of the
library, and found a notch larger patch w Melt had
evidently penetrated through the carpet. It appeared
to have been wiped from the floor, hut the carpet was
a dark pattern. I went to the front window, and noticed
that on the frame-work of the sash there appeared
some smears as if they had been wiped. On extuni ii ii g the
at ire blind if the window I saw several small spots wlalch
appikareil to be blood. I then examined a large arm-
chair. The covering of the back of this chair, which was leather,
was revered with spots and splashes if blood. It looked
as if it had dried. Afterwards, in exankining the dressing-
room at the hack of the bedroom where the sergeant hail
found the shirt, these trousers were handed to an,, by Dr.
Pope, on which there appeared to met,, Ike a great kinantity
of 1k1444 441. a waistcoat the front 4.1 is-h!,!. show s stains of t
same kuld. I oft,, wards found the coat wWI a light, r one
11:111,1i11.4 over it, kind lai4 II also, shows steins of blood. There
I. :also a pair of dratvet 8111.1 NI laid, a stain it 1,1a441.
in Thursday morning ita a small iiraw, r in the same e144,4d
with the shirts I found Ile, pistols, the, I.arg'e and two Small.
The iOne produced, au 1.1,1 cavalry fiat pistol, is all split in
the wood.. oh, 0111? Split ace..., and one lengthways, Which
appears to have been recently done. There is a stain, which
appears to be 1110.1, at the guard of the tk ieger, and also
low at the hutt end. I found, also, a new hammer, which
had not been used, and a sponge, with some light-coloured
hair on it.

Mr. Frazer (,OP:nor for Mr. Watson): Do you produce any•
thing with which they were wiped

Witness only the sponge. It woe dampish, with a
reddlih tint over it I found a small hammer, which vas
perfectly clan, in his dreasing.room. I charged him with
the crime at the station. The charge was read to him, but
he made no reply.

_
lan Rugg was the next witness examined. Having identi-
fied the letter No. 1, also Nos. and 3. he said :I delivered
them to Sergeant Hazel!. The Inspector was not there. I
believe the handwriting is Mr. Watson's. I have received a
letter from Mr. Watson, and front my remembrance I believe
the handwriting to be his. I hate never seen him write. I
made a pwt-mortem examination of the body on Friday last,
as.isted by Mr. Pope, the divisional surgeon of the police ;
and Or. Day Goss was present also, and took down the notes.
We stripped the body. [The report of the post-onortem exami-
nation bee then read.)

In answer to Mr. Fraser, witness said that the appearance
of the liver would have been produced by the frequent
taking of entail quantities of alcoholic stimulants. The ex•
ternal injuries of the head hail been produced by a Mont
instrument, and very great force most have been used. The
pistol produced bad some small marks 1,11 bbsal on it. It
was calculated to inflict the injuries disclosed. lie had no
doubt but that the Injuries inflicted had Ilelll done with this
pistol, as many of them fitted the butt and the trigger guard.
Heater Alary lyne esammed I ant a single woman. I
hail lived with Mr. soil Mrs. Watson three years next
February, at 28, St. Alartin's.road. When I first went they
had another servant, a woman. I was the only servant since
last Chridnias. They hail two boarders at first, but no one
since the school broke up. My master and mistress were at
home on Sunday week. Both went out in the morning together
at halt past 10. They returned between one and two. My
mistress appeared to he in her usual state of health. They took
dinner bet ween one and two. I waited on them. They appeared
to be comfortable together. I noticed nothing unusual. I re-
moved the dinner things. and they retired b the library, where
they used generally to sit. Master was, as always, dressed
In black. 1 did not notice if he wore a frock coat. It was
one similar to what he genes ally wore. 1 Was allowed to 1.444
out once a fortnight, and I went out as usual. I was not
sent out. I supposed my master and mistress to lie In the
library. I returned between eight and nine o'clock. Mr.
Watson let nie in. Mr. Watson Tour mistress has
gone out of 11/Wll, MIA won't be home until tomiorrow."
" Ile had taken no tea, lint would take some bread and
cheese." I went to bed at 10 o'clock. I slept at the top of
the house ill the back rOOlll. My master was then in the
library. There was nothing unusual in his conduct' or
manner. I did not notice any alter:allot in his dregs. When
I got as for as the library Mr. Watson opened his door and
spoke to use, Ile looked at the stain on the floor with a
candle in his hand. Ile said, •• This stain on the floor is
some port Wine yiiur mistress has spilled I tell you in case you
might wonder what it was." I saw master again at breakfast.
time next morning. Ile went out after dinner, and returned
about five. I wanted something oat of the cupboard down-
stairs, and I asked if mistress was not at home before dark
could I get it. fie soul she woubljnot be. Ile took slipper
and retired as usual. I heard no noise that night. liii
Tuesday after breakfast he said, " Your mistress won't
be home for two or three days." I asked no questions.
Ile went ;out. In the afternoon he said, " Could I get
any one to remain with me that night, as he would not re.
turn till the morning.' I tried and ondel not get any iine.
I told 111111 I might get sonie one, but Wall not certain.
At half-past nine I told him I had no one. I think he
went ont once or twice. I stayed up until eleven, thinking
Mr. Watson would be going out, when I could fasten the
door after Idin. Mr. Watson .11.1 over the stairs at
eleven o'clock. " If you should hlnul anything wrong with me
111 tile morning go tor Mr Rugg." I said, "Are you ill ?"
Ile said, "1 may require medicine its the morning.'' I did
u 44 see or speak to him again that night. The next morning
he went out hefore breakfast, at a little after eight o'clmdi.
Ile was out but a short time. Ile took smile breakfast in the
dining-room and went out again. Ile retained iuefuure twelve
o'clock. Ile said, "If you should find me ill before dinner
time, or anything wrong with me, step out for the doctor."
Ile went upstairs. I think 1 saw hitt. in the lilirary. /
shortly after heard a groan. I was rather frightened,
anti slid ii4A know which room I should go to. I
found Mr. Watson's bedro ~,,, iloor a little open. I went
In. Ile was in the bed. lie Was undressed. I spoke
tut hills, but his did not know site, I welit for Mr.
I:ligg. I left a message for him. When he came I gave hilts
one paper with my 11111110 011 it. I Sall. 1in1.13
on the chair, which hr. Rugg took possession of. Tilt, letter
pro 4 limed is Mr. Watsona writing. I 41141 not know that lily
master possessed tire-arms. The elothes prislnced look like
the clothes he wore on Sunday. I heard 1111 writs between
master and mistress trefore lily going out in Sunday. I
never heard them quarrel. I never heard threats from
either. I never saw him Nish or strike her, lie was
always kind to me. 1 always thought Mr. and Mrs. Watson
veiy kind one 1,44 the other.

In answer to Mr. Fraser : I dhl the stove and dusted the
library on Sunday morning. 1.11.1 not see the pistol. Never
knew master to have lire-arms. Ma.ster and mistress
usually went out together. We till not have family prayer
since the young gentlemen left. When I dusted the easy
chair n Monday it looked an If port wine had been spilt
over it.

The Coroner read over the evidence given since the
commencement of the inquiry, andbrietly called the at-
tention of the jury to the facta, and to the distinctions
that were to be taken between murder, manslaughter.
and minadventurc. He held that the jury had no
option but to send the case to a jury.

. . -
After a short retirement the jury unanimously re-
turned a verdict of "Wilful murder against John
Selby Watson."

The Dui lin papers contain the following informa.
tion with regard to the identity of the late Mrs.
Watson, the victim of the Stockwell tmagedy. She
was. Miss Annie Armstrong, second daughter of Mr.
Thomas Armstrong, formerly of hi, Upper Sackville-
street, Dublin, and luchicorehouse. Owing to the
failure of a bank, he lost almost all his means, and
ultimately his daughters were compelled to adopt
the profession of governesses. During the Rev. Mr.
Watson's time at Trinity College, Dublin, he met with
Miss Armstrong, awl, after eleven years courtship,
they were married at St. Mark% Church, Dublin.
The elder sister, Miss Olivia Emily Armstrong, now
seventy years of age, still resides in Dublin.