The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-06-09 00:00:00

AWFUL lIIVRHERA BRIDPORT,-A
SON KILLED NY HIS FATHER.

ficateely hes the county of Dorset redetreved from the
sceoe of bloodebed which was witnemed at Dorchester
on the fifth of March, wires Took, and Peseoly were
emoted for the murders it Wskiitob and Portland,
are ills again thrown into alarm by ilrereperial another
moder, asd unfoetanately only too MS. • mood.
Made, es as two previous occasions, the locality is in
close proximity to Bridport, this time the murder being
at West allington. The tragedy tad, very distressing
nature. the murderer being a man named Henry
Domirse4, about 50 years of age, sod who has been for
nesiflit is ystre • hemp-drafter in the employ of Mews.
Goodry. • Sinai' wee hie own son, • little boyabolt
Nia years gee, Minted Charles Dommett. The
unfortunate man had heel it *ark as usual on Pride.
monifitg; and had come bane to breakfast. He theii
appeatied to be is good spirals., aid sothrrtg was noticed
in his master that me say testae bethinking that he
contemplated the fearful der
time whieh be is
eorsouitted to take 1.1. 1,111. I whilst at breakfast
be comversed cheerfully with family. lire meal
being over the wife left the hoes. for a domiletie pur-
pose' and the deceased was loft alme with hie father.
In bet sham, horrihle to relate, the father, from al
Fewest some unaccountable came, seised his son and out
big throat ahead from ear to car, and then sat coolly
dein god *Roamed the work of death. Tim Metro.
meat with *hitt the fatal deed ws. acoomplished was
• very sharp knife; *sat eeeea or eight inane long.
which he used io his trade; god this be brought bons*
with him. This makes it appear es if he had cootem.
pieced the murderous intention Whilst he we. at work.
and was only waiting for an opportunity Weeny it oat.
We hope in all Christian charity that such win sot the
me, but that be took home the weapon for the pm-
Iroms of his trade, and that a sodden fit of insanity
aimed him to commit the rash ad which has deprived
• mother of her son, and the loss of her husband. The
murder was discorered by the unfortunate macs eldest
me, who *vs iii in bed in an upetairs room,whohaarlon •
noise, wbiah proved to he the death agonise of his I
brother, me down und fouled hint on the pantry dm
with frilltrat out. The resort of lb. murder, am may
be et ,_hies aimed greet ointment in Brwiport
and fa neighbour's/Sod, and more esprididly al the
perpetrator of It has alwarg been an hoped, sots', sad
well-conducted man. The poi* follow lugs plenty of
sympathisers, and was much rmbedbid ha the (unary
by his fellow workman. Certaink althotigh, the set
would appear to be that of a mailmen, tioadlig has
transpired which shows that he is insane or ever hat
bees.

THE C.ollOnlin'a InntilWr
Wee field cm Friday evening, at the Plymouth Inn,
before a & Clorntotcorener, and steel respecteble
faben the lot evidence touching the mono-
elto affair Asa adduced—
Elide:
Dommettsthe wife Of prisoner, was find e tanil ned
The
_Prior *ands. lietithd deeply to feel the position
in which her husband stood, and who appeared very
ill, said : The body the jury bine/tree viewed is Simi of
my ma Charles. He warn about em 'nor of ae. This
swain four of them, myself, my husband sad two
ions were seated very comfortably at breakfast. After
breakfast I got up and went towards the river to get
mute water in • barrel. I asked my husband to aslant
tee, but he did not. My two children followed me,
but alter going some distance my husband called them
back, and told them to put on their caps, which they did.
My other son, lelm was ill in bed. Whilst I warn
going foam* the river I heard him call me, and I
returned to my hause, when I met my other boy, Harry,
craning towards me. 0* metering the house I saw my
husband and child iq the peony, and some blood on the
door. My huend look very pale and nod When I
saw the blood I was very much frightened, and ran and
called • neighbour homed Mrs. Marshaless, who imme-
diately came. I then Conk up my child and found
hh throat cut. I rows ia him ekes to wee
ed
that I should not see ttre wound. He
was rreithihrg • little, but I saw h.. was dyieg, I then
gave hunt. Mrc Illarshalem, sad wont for a donor. A
surgeon soon arrived, when be said tbe child was deed.
I could not withers the same, and was obliged to go
Into a neighbour's boom. A knife was here prod
which witness said she have
that morning ; it did not belong to my ho. When
I entered the poetry the child was on the door about •
yard from when my husband was sitting. There was no
on. It tSe house incept my 'manna, the deceased, and
my son John, the latter of whom I left in bed DI with •
bad foot when I went td the river.
By • Joror : I did not say silytlring unpleasant to my
bashaed or be to ate In the morning. My hothead did
not speak when I saw the child upon the door.
John Dommett, er's eldest son, said lam •
hemp-sector. The d.oeaaed warn my brother. Wltewhe
got up this., morning Ima him, and he appeared to he
In his nsilal beafth. I have not been well for the pad
weak, and have best obliged to keep my bed. I was in
bed at about a quarter to nine this morning, when I
beard a noise down stein. I rind what was the
matter, but not receiving any sneerer I wait down in
my shirt. f then sasr my brother lying we tbe puny
door with his throne mt. I sow Libod on the floor and •
knife is it. Hooked at it, and found that the knife
was not meet ears. It was a similar one to that used by
goy le** to hie work. He did meellltlia, beim home
Obit Inds with him, but I have knelt* Wm to don,
sometiosetc Is the pantry I sew my father sitting is a
chair. He looked very pale. I did not notice if there
was any blood aliciat him. There was no one in the
house then but my father. my brother, sad myself. I
called my mother from the door of the house, and
she Simi from the garden. I went upstairs as
soon its she mime into the house. My brother was not
then dead, an I beard him breattilag. The none which
I beard was a sort of gargling in the throat. The knife
noir roamed is similar to the one I saw on the door.
I did not bear any words. I could hear all that passed
down attars. If any perms bad mane into the house I
should have heard them' but I did not bear my mother
go out. When I came clown stairs I said to my father
• Oh, father what have you done r He said acrtnething
very inaudibly, which I mold not understand. I thee
r went apnaira, and do not know anything more about
what took piths.
Mary Marettabea said : I am Lbe wife of Job Mankal-
ses, and bee at Altington. I knew the deceased, and
live seal door to primmer. The deceased was a Ilse
healthy boy. Between eight and pith o'clock this
morning Mrs. nommen oaths for me to go
Into her house. I went at mos, and mew
the deceased lying on the pantry floor. Mrs. Domnett
then took the child up in her arms, but r thought it
was dead. There was a pool of blood on the door. I
went Set • doctor and Kr. Cory came back with
me. I then took the child from Mrs. Dommett, and
saw a very lame wound in ita throat. Mr. Cory began
to sew up the wound,when the child gave • pap or two
and died. Prisoner was sitting in the pantry, and the
knife was on the floor. I took up the knife and
denied it. The one produced is the same. I then rout
My hand on prinoner's shoulder and said "Oh, my dear
Mr. Dommett, how oould you do such a thing?' He
did not speak, and appeared to faint The child was
lying dose to a partition in the pantry, and about •
from the feet of the father. There was • pool of
blood between them. Ido not think there was any
quarrelling in the house; if there had been I should
have hmrd it. Ido not think there was any one in the
house but the family. When I went in I only saw
Henry Donunett, his wife, Miss Domain; Henry
Donwoett, four years of age, John Dommett, the eldest
son, *a was 211 in bed, and the deceased, Charles
Dommett Prisoner has three daughters, but they
left home early in the morning to go to their work.
Neither of them was at hams when this occurrence
took place.
Briber KOMI] said: This morning I beard that soon-
Olio' was wrong at Docamett's boom, and I want down.
I saw Mrs. Doormen, and I asked if I Gould be of say
minim to her. She replied no,—" bat my husband I"
The deceased was in his mother's lap, and was then
breathing. I went into the pantry and saw prisoner,
who appeared to be quite uncionsaioas of what was
going on. I then conversed with him, when be became
more composed. He then espremad great horror for
the crime he had counnittisd, and the consequences that
would ensue to himself and faintly. He seemed to know
that he should be apprehended and tried for his life.
He inquired for the knife, end oa being told that Mr.
Cory bad it, essiaissed, " Oh, why did I brimstones the
knife

Wilboso Henry Math said: I am a bemp-dremer,
and reside in Barrack-street, *Wood. I know pm-
sonar, and work with him in Messrs. laundry's ware-
house. He was at week in herpes! spirit. this morals'.
He said to me, "Oh, William, this will be a great ex-
pense torn., John's leg being so bad." I said_" yes it
would." A messenger from Mr. laundry then called
him, and prisoner went down to him. When he
returned he told me the business which Mr.
laundry had wanted him for. The knife now
produced I believe belongs to Meters. laundry, and
I. similar to the one which prisoner has Ind for some
time past. He broke his own some time ago and has
since mad this one, He has been in the habit of doing
work at boom sad of taking the knife with him. It
was not usual for hint to take tha knife home except be
bad some bonds of hemp to ones, 14 the. be "Illa
!moire the knife to oat the bond.. I do not think he
bsd any bonds to open that morning.
Sergeant lovsoder, of the MON* polies fetes, maid
In soosequen.• of information' whisk I resolved shoat
sine o'clock this morning I weld to prisoner's house on
West Allingtos. I found Dosissatt Is the pantry sittUg
in an arm chair. There was • pool of blood in front ot
him, about 18 lashes from the chair in which be was
sitting. Soma afterwards I resolved • knife from Mr.
Cory, which I sow prods... It was recopied by nary
Maralialesa as the oat site found on the floor of the
pantry coctred with blond, and whit* she had cleaned
I told primmer that be was charged with the wilful
murder of his son, Charlet Dousnistt. He mid : "Oh,
dear, senniant, that's • dreadful charge." I then
cautioned him, to whisk be made no reply. I then
took him to am polies station.
Mr. John Hounsell. autism, mid : About nate o'siock
this morning I was sailed to go to the boast of Henry
Doomed., and I Immediately west. I tow the boy
lying in the lap of Mary Marshallese. The child was
then dead. I examined the body and foetid • large eat
awe Lb. throat, (Mood* poorly from ear to ear. It
was a deep cut, and had severed the windpipe sad the
Isere larder veins. The carotid arteries were sot
divided, neither wee the gullet. It was a &eau
cut, and the boy could not kayo dose It himself. It
must have been done by a sharp Laidrateest, sad by •
strong hand, The knife produced would have mused
such • wound if used by • stroag head. The desired
hal • cut on one of his thumbs, which had lima pro-
bably indicted whilst ha was eadearoariag to save his
throat. Ths cut appeared to hays been made be ors
viper's sweep of • sharp isstrumest The w, sad wes
sunstent to cease death ia a few minutes, sad was the
cause of doceseld's death. There was ao raw woad
or braise Ant*, body.
This eolbsisisil the avidsass brought forwsrd, sad 66.
Ostssier it.. seat prissess it b. had anything Soak the
wirmers. He swig " N., de The whams, meshes
• rigNma balk Wm Nara. owl aki tooth

addreele4 Sb. jar?, and conmeroted on the evidence
adduced. He thought it tended te bring home the
...rime most dually kt the prisoner. Alluding to ',rigour
tsking the knifo Lome with him, the INNIPMIIf said that
it seemed to show that thcevime vas peineeditated, and
that it was not done in a fit of union. Mr. Beinisell's
evidenee distinctly proved that the wetted in the Wit
throat caused death, and that the bey coati not
have inflicted such a wound Mundt He lthur
COftmer) was of the same *nice. He thmeght.
it bed leen seitsfutorily proud that the doily persons
in the hubs as the thus toe fetal deed was eeemeise.,j,
were—John, who wu upettirs, and the primmer endi
deeeased downstairs, if they were of °Onion Suds
Priareer Was the person who isommitted tlo. set, thew
they hod to wobble *heave it mu dens intentionelly
or accidentally. If by soundest or in a fit of passim
they must roarer • verdict of nraulaughter ; but tile
evidence proved that there had been on quarrelling la
the beau that monde, ; mid if the deed was deliberately
and wilfetly, then they musk Mara a verdict of wilful
murder against him.
The room was then cleared, and after • comoultetion
of about ten minutes, the jury returned • verdict of
igL mßpre.
lu uorisoner was then brought into the men and
fully committed for trial at the AnalbL
The demeanour of the prisoner daring the trial was
most distressing. He seemed to be fully suare of the
position in which he wasplaced, and appeared to be in
very low spirits and much dejected. He kept his
Seed on the ground, and did wet look up ezcept
asked U ii. wished to put say questions to the.
witnesses. He only shook his heed and said,"
sir." He frequently looked at his right hoed,
Wok and front, and seemed to revolt at the idea that ib
IPI/ with that hand that be deprived his own bey et
god which act had made him a murderer.
On Saturday the unfortunate prisoner wee heughlt
• before the borough magistrates. Barnieott (chairman),
ft W. Whetbant, and J. P. Stephens, Furs, ow their
martini, when similar evidence to tbe above was given,
the only addition being that of tale coroner, as he.
could not give evidence, at the bumper.
At this investigation the prisoner was also committed'
for trial on the eharp of °WJgI Murder." In the
evening he was conveyed from Hridport to Beneniaster
in the charge of Superintendent ll'Hale, and on Sudsy
he was lodged by that officer in Dominator Cutts,
there to await his trial.
! We have been requested to state NU this is the third
mu of murder which bas come under the notice of
Superintendent WHale and Serpent Launder width'
the led sin years. In each case has &Taal 14`18•4•1'
apprehended the prieoners, and Seperintembist
hue bound over le prosecute.