The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-07-23 00:00:00

FRIGHTFUL TRAGIDY IN
SOUTH WALES.

HUSBAND, WIFIIRDICHZD.
Z, AND THREE CHILDREN
M
A dreadful tragedy was perpetrated early Wednesday
moraine between Newport, Mon. and Usk. A house at
Llarudbb.e, occupied by • farm abourer named Watkins
end farad, was et on fire, and the. children burned in
their beds. The husband and wife were diaorrered
murdered near the garden gate, the man's throat cut,
boots off, and flowers strewn over his face. The woman
bore 'tabs in the breast, sad when found was quite dead.
The murderers are supposed to be tramps. 1U pokes
are earchina for • clue. Another correspondent states:
It appears that • lad, who hari been working with the
deceased man singling out swedes, went to the field early
end finding that Watkins was not there, about levee
o'clock proceeded to the cottage. Here a frightful some
oresentei itself. Watkins lay on the garden Path, his
head resting on a flower border. His wife lay seam
the gate The boy ran back and told his mother, who,
on &relying at the spot, fainted. When she recovered, she
Informed Mr. Evans, of Cefralwch Farm, and he tom.
municated with the police Previous to this, however, a
man named Morgan armed at the cottage. He [mud
the bodies described. Watkins had some eprip of Sweet
William lying over his face Morgan observed that the
clothes of both the deceased were Me./ scorched and
staged. The throats; al both Watkins his wife were
cut, and Watkins forehead bore signs of having been
struck with a henry instrument. Moron next saw that
the house WU filled with smoke Be secured • candle
and tried to enter the cottage, but the flames overpowered
him arid pot out the candle. A neighbouring fanner then
cause by, and by means of a bidder which was at hand the
tiles and plaster were partly removed from the root. This
had the disked effect and the smoke cleared away. The
two men then entered the cousins, and found that the
place had been mach disturbed opstaire The beds were
still smouldering One child, a girl, was lying with her
head between a box end a bedideed, and was quite dead.
Another child found under the bed, and the the third was
in the inner room, with her throat cut, The first-named
child had received two stabs on the shoulders, end there
was a protuberance of the bowels from the Heist side The
child in the inner room, which was resting calmly on her
beck, had also been stabbed. All the deceased, more
especially the second child, were severely humid, and it
appeared that the eldest, who bed sounds in her back,
must here gone to the window for the purpose of raising
an alarm, when the miscreants, whoever they may be,
stabbed her and prevented her. The wounds on the
children were apparently much more severe than those
inflicted on the adults, and the opinion of many people
seems to be that the man was finst attacked and stoned
with • blunt instrument, and afterwards had his throat
cut. The woman was treated in a similar manner. The
murderers, after rummaging the house, went upstairs,
found the children, despatched them, set fins to the house,
and then made off. This, at least is the generally accepted
theory. The ember on the bodies tend to show that the
murders were committed with • sheath or shoemaker's
knife. It le thought extremely improbable that Watkins
could have done the deed himself. The deceased man was
employed as a Is hourer at the Llandowlele Farm, and had
been engaged during the previous day mingling oat
swedes.

Ttly before two o'clock on Thursday Pollabconstabla
Tome, of the Newport borough police court succeeded in
annothending Jomph Garcia, a Spanish sailor, who there
Is reason to believe, murdered William Watkins, his wife,
and three of their children, in their house at Llangibby on
the preceding night No sooner bad the crime Moms
known than the police authorities wet to work in ardor to
discover the perpetrator. Constables were watching every
district in the county anticipating that the aamesin would
make his way to Newport, and a close earvellasos was
kept up on all into of entrance to the town as well m
upon the shipping, The theory of murder and micide was
speedily dispelled, and the idea gained ground that the
butchery was the work of a tramp who, for some mum,
had adopted a horrible mode of revenge. A foreigner 01
till=was released front the Usk County Gaol on the
of Tuesday, and later on had been mean Ins public
gloms near Liangibby. Strong suspicion fell upon him,
and every inquiry was 112A411 1114 to his whereabouts. The
driver of the mail cart from Abergavanny to Newport
recollected having overtaken such a person, and when ha
learnt that a diabolical murder had been committed at
Llangibby he at once cusimanicated with the borough
police, who, acting on the hint given, took massnres at
once that the stranger should not escape their observer
Goa Police-constable Tome, one of the force, saw
Garcia come into Newport shortly before two o'clock,
his appsaranos somewhat differing from the distention
given of him. In a foreign accent the man asked
the way to the railway, and, apparently parched with
thirst, took some water at a drinking fountain clots by the
entrance to the station. The otacer commenced question-
int him, and after Garcia had told him Ant that be was
a Spaniard. and then that he was a Portuguese, took him
Into custody. One of the county constabulary we. beat
at hand at the time, and they conveyed the Peteeeter to the
police cella . . .

Thn riamining the man blood was found on his hand;
which were also scratched, and the stain of half wean&
out blood WU to be seen on the wrists of his shirt.
He was brought before the magistrates at tbe 0,460 m
petty sensions, and was amused of having wilfully and
with malice aforethought killed William Watkins, his
wife, and three children, at Llangibby. The charge was
read over to the prisoner, and thereupon the clerk to the
TlC`'asked him whether he understood the nature
" proceeding. The prisoner merely shook his head,
and did this • second time on the charge being repeated.
It was thought advisable to secure an intei Aar,. and.
this being done, Garcia wee remanded until
Garcia was removed to the county goal at I7sk in the
afternoon, and the oth conveying him to the railway
statics was followed by hundreds of persons uttering
execrations as he passed a
He wee found wearing the of the murdered man,
which have been identified by the maker. He also
carried Watkins' clothe, in a bundle. Two other mrs4
one of whom had on another pair of boots belonging in
the decoded, have also been apprehended
LNQUINT AND NENDICT.
The inquest on the bodies of the murdered victims st
Liangibb7 wise held Friday, at the White Hon* ion, not
far from the spot where the fearful crime was enacted
Instead of the public excitement becoming allayed, it has
increrned day by day, and crowds of persons are con.
tinoally arriving from the neighbouring towns and districts
to view the cottage and its surroundings. The (kroner
brionart.rxrued up, and without delay the jury give •
verdict of " Wilful murder' salad Joseph
Garda.
• large grave we. dug in Llangibby churchyard, in
which the father and mother were laid side by side and
the children on the top, The four remaining children
were chief mournera Hundreds of persons were Present
notwithstanding the shorthorn of the notice. Hoch
eympathy we. shown for the survivors. whole 'WO"'
was extreme.

BIRTEIM
July 7. at Fordingtoe, the wife of Mr. William Charles
Loom of • son.
July 9 at West Field Farm, East Coker, the wife at
Mr. William Darby, at a son.
JOl7 11, at Cerne Abb.., the wife of Mr. A. H.
Northover, at • daughter.
July 11, et Acremanstreet, Sherborne, the wife of Mr.
Ci. Andrews, at • son.
July 18, at Martingtosni, the wife o/ Mr. W. IL
isZly 13, kuind, the wife of Mr. R. Bounaell, al
eon.
July 14, at the Palace, Exeter, the wife of the Rigid
Rev. the Lord Bishop of Master, of • danghter—etillbrire.
July it, at Cold Barbour, Sherborne, the wife of Mr.
Edward Mullet, of • daughter.
July IA
aat Bt. James' Church-yard. Poole, the wife of
Rkhrd Pearce, of • eon.
July 16, at the Chown Hotel, Shaftesbury, the wife of
Mr. fitiregnell, of • daughter.
July at Bradford Abbes, the wife of Mr. C. B.
Raw of • daught,
J at Brwey, the wife of Mr. Henry J. Rom,
of a Mr.
July 19, at Longgest, Peak, the wife Mr. J. Wool.
fitter, ola daughter.
KARR/AGM
July 7, at St. Nays Church, Weymouth, Meta,
youngest son of George and Hannah Rounsell.
çueeraat
merchant, of Portland, to llkeem. lam°
=or' of John and Julie Boatswain, late inneeld at
the Albert 11044 CeMietown, Portland.
July 11, at Bt. Mary's Church, Turnworth, by the Rev.
Canon Glyn, °mein of the bride, assisted by the Rev.
Alfred Littlewood, rector, Thomas, Henry
Winwood, eldest ban of the late Thomas Mei Sertirood.
of Tygtyn Aeron,
ih
o=ganehireto Mabel Lonna Peri OWm, seventh ter of late William Fmr7
'01111116a; at Turnworth, ouse Doreetehire.
Idly lg. at Miniboom Minister, by the Rm. Alexander
Electoe al King's Waldron, Harts, assisted bz rhuseirni. Meanie Trolanan, rector al Wimborne, Mad the Rm. Rdwerd Pickard Cambridge, rector of Wino' well, Augustan B,
f Faster_ eldest son of Mr Augustus
Foster of Vir -innourelL.uarest =en lt
shire to ikhedsidest Va a •targii* Kr. Richard Fort, Kr.. at Bea
Lancashire.
y 16, at the Minister, Whirborne, by the Rev. T Trotinan, Richard Dorman 'Hodes, of Bet rein Grim Halm, daughter of Mrj'jjm
Wimborne.
H July 10, M Sher MUTH& borne. Yeomen. widow of the big
enry Tecenea, aged 71
July 11 et Ide redder* Weillagtat Ledi Weymouth Baussel Bale esoltit. freaserly el Breed en, Welho aid 7L
July 16, at &Mansions, Um, the beloved wife at Mr.
John A arum, aged 74 men; and au July 17th, at the 001
Amok the above mused Mr. John Menem, born Jub
17tb, 17IM.
July D 3, et the Market place, Bland/ ad, Herbert Pereli
gungenthp of the late Mr. C. T. Corti., apd 3 yam so
July 19, at Bamiford, Mary Ann, widow at the late X'
Witham 0024 &led 75 yam

AU cheques end Post-office ceders are= Mrs. MAZY Miura, 8, MA West- street,
Printed and Published by Ulm IL Winnow. al
0 drift West, Donesster, M lie
perish al Trinity, for ail Propien&
, July 2S,