The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-11-26 00:00:00

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DOUBLE MURDER AT NOTTING/lA.IC

A shocking tragedy has been enacted at Notting-
ham, the circumstances of which are as follow :—Mr.
Henry Westby, one of the murdered persons, kept 9
tobacconist's shop in Peas Hill-road, and lived with
his wife, his son, Henry Smith Westby, about nineteen
sears of age, and two younger daughters. The eldee
Westby, besides keeping the shop, was engaged Ea the
lace trade, and the young man was a solicitor's clerk.
At about three o'clock on Saturday morning two
Police officers, while on duty in St. Ann's Well-rid,
heard two or three shots fired, followed by teams of
"Murder" and "Police." They went in the direc-
tion whence the sounds proceeded, and found they
eame from a tobacconist's shop on Peas Hill-road,
Which joins St. Ann's Well-road. As they approached
the premises they saw a young man leave them, run
Up the street, and disappear fOund a tomer. They
entered the house, hhd it transpired thet
Mr. Westby had beeh shot. He Ives lying
on the floor el a bedroom, and, on the officers
attempting t'.; raise him he expired. As soon as an
intellig,ibi:d story could be got from Mrs Westl‘_y the
Police tearnt that her husband had left hin bed for the
v:apose of taking down stairs his dog, which had got
into the bedroom. On his rr,aching the stairs, Mrs.
Westby heard the report of firearms, and thet her
husband, crying, "I am shot!" re-enterod the room
and fell upon the floor. On the premises being
searched it was found that yoking Westby, whose bed
had evidently been occupied during the night, had
left the house. Two bullets were discovered—one on
the Stairs, and one in the bedroom. In the meahtime
a surgeon had arrived, and he found that Mr.
Westby‘ had two bullet wounds in tho chest, the
bullet in one in.stAnce having passed oat of the
back.
,'Young Westby was employed as cltrk by Mr
nmraaer. solicitor in the town, tknd as soon as his
e was opened two of the borough detectives went
ere for the. purpose of making inquiries. Before
s'9lstY arrived the charwoman employed on the premises
'21:1,01 discovered that the door of a room adjoining the
‘34ace, and which was used for the storage of lumber,
04 looked. The woman said she had never known
morn to be locked before, and this fact almost
lea the officers to conjecture that the object of their
eearch would be found there. The door was accord-
ingly burst open, and before the detectives got over the
threshold they were staggered at the sight before them.
Lying huddled up on the floor was the body of a youth
covered with blood, the head being nearly severed from
the body. Near him were found a small iron rod
and a large butcher's chopping knife. The body was
quite cold. The appearance of the room showed that a
severe struggle had taken place. There were spots of
blood all over the roam, and it is thought that the
murderer, having enticed the lad ixto the room, struck
him with a large fish knife, which was afterwards
found, and then followed him around the room 'until
he became insensible. An examination of the body
showed it to be that of William Onions, a boy thirteen
years of age, engaged in Mr. Fraser's office. The jaw
W 8 broken, and the neck anrl throat nearly severed.
No sound of a quarrel or struggle was heard in the
office on the previous night, but it is evident that the
ppor lad was killed prior to the office being closed on
-ujiday night. The remains were taken in a cab to
tile police-station, St. John's-street. Shortly after
the discovery Onions' father arrived at the office, and
was completely overcome by the dreadful calamity.

During Saturday afternoon Westby was arrested by
Detective-Inspector Eddy. He was found in a fowl-
b, °use on some unoccupied premises adjoining the
/louse of Mr. Fraser, his employers A revolver, the
81z chambers of which were lob.oked, was found in his
hiding-place, and he had• a number of cartridges in his
ssessien. He subnatted quietly to be handcuffed.
e was conveyed n a cab to the Central Police Sta.
"On, where he was lodged in a cell, two police-officers
"Lug v-..71th him. The prisoner's demeanour was
Perfectly cool,

. nkhe widow has made the following statement :—The
'15414, including the deceased) myself, and son, retired
Le bed on Friday night about half-past eleven o'clock.
The evening had been spent at home, everything
Passing off quietly, and the family generally
seemed comfortable and happy. My son had been
ft home during the whole of the night—in fact since
th left -his employment in a solicitor's office in
tt,wn. We heard nothing to disturb us after
,"",11Pg to bed until about half-past two o'clock
the morning. About that time a little dog
svfhich belonged to my husband, and was a great favou-
lite, Came upstairs and jumped upon our bed. My hus-
and tried to make the dog go away, but he could not
80as the little thing seemed so "fussy." At last he
'nought the best thing to do would be to take the dog
downstairs, and by shutting the door at the bottom
prevent it from returning. My husband got out of
ell, and took the dog in his arms for the purpose of
parrying it away. In about half a minute, and when
be Was on tte ttairs, I heard a loud report as if a
Pistol or a tevolver was being fired. This was repeated
knd the deceased then shouted out at the top of
daiS voice, "I am shot! I am shot! Mind yourself, but
de open the window and shout." At this I jumped out
of bed and ran to the top of the stairs, but only to see
11.1 y husband enter the room and drop lifeless to the floor.
oPened the window as quickly as I could and called
'Murder murder!" " Police ! police! " In a short
: Pace of time a police-sergehnt and another officer came
tintking into the house, but the person who had donethe
tourder was not there. The first thing the officers did
ras to send for a doctor, and in answer to theirsummons
r. Dunn and his assistant came, but they were of no
as my poor husband was then dead. A search was
nlade in the house by the policemen, but neither a re-
!elver nor a pistol was found, I believe some bullets
'were found, but I do not know of my own knowledge.
,ith regard to the person who has done this horrible
Yeed, none of us know anything. Some people—in
:&t, almost everybody—point to the lad, my son, as
:144,3 murderer; but why should he do it? I don't
think he would do such a thing. He neverhad a pistol
or a revolver in his possession, so far as I know. He
never talked about such a thing; he was the last
Vllov, in the world who, in my opinion, would be
I'L,_ely to have such deadly implements. He was a
tpung, fine-looking man, about eighteen years of age.
-rle Was of light complexion, and his hair curled. My
son, I am sorry to say, had gone when we got down-
stairs, and we have never seen him since last night,
. When we went to bed. I really do not think it was he
Who did it. At any rate, if it was, I think he must have
thought it was a burglar or something a that sort.
Ent I cannot tell wherever, if he did kill his poor
father, he got the pistol or revolver from that he did
it with. When we first missed my lad I fancied that
tile must have gone after the person who had fired the
Pullets. I know he went to bed at half-past eleven
,_°'elock, because I was last up, as I generally am, and
Pe had then gone upstairs, the same as the rest of
the family. My son hardly ever went out at night
after he left work. He was very fond of reading,
and would sit for hours at his favourite amusement,
studying periodicals and sensational literature. As to
roY husband, he was a lace maker, and worked at
Gregory's. He was very much respected generally
by people who knew him, and I believe he was pretty
Much liked by the men who worked with him and
under him. We have lived here fourteen years, and
.„_,Nve are well known by all the people around this part.
We have kept a tobacconist 't3 shop for a rung time
now, so through people coming we have got to know
aSreat deal. But I cannot think who could do this
thing. We never saw anybody after my husband
Shouted who would be likely to have shot him. So the
matter to me and the members of my family is a com-
plete mystery.

, Westby was always considered a sharp lad, but of
late Mr. Fraser had noticed that he had become
eccentric in his manner and habits. He has been in
14_1% Fraser's employ five or six years, and was gene-
rally a well-conducted youth. Onions had not been
enga,ged in the office for so long a period.

It is stated that young Westby would not allow any
one to visit his bedroom which was entered by an
°Perlin in the floor. To this opening he had attached
a trap-door With bolts, and at night he always fas-
tened himself in. He had also pulled down the bed-
Stead, and had been in the habit of sleeping in a
arnmock slung up from the roof, while around the
walls of the room were a number of pictures of the
life of Dick Turpin, &c. A singular collection of
cuttings from newspapers was also found in his desk
at 3Sir. Fraser's office, including receipts for the manu-
facture of gun-cotton and other explosives, together
With accounts of marvellous adventures. The prisoner
is about sft. 7in. in height, thin, of pale complexion
beYish looking, with dark hair inclined to curl.

Mr. Minhael Browne, the Nottingham borough
coroner, held an inquest on Monday at the police
station on the body of William Owen Onions, 13 years
of age, who was murdered in the office of his employer
on Friday night.

The prisoner, Henry Westby, who is suspected of
committing the crime, was present during the in-
quiry. He is a pale, slight youth. of boyish appear-
ance,

Mr. Edward Henry Fraser, solicitor, deposed that
b9th the prisoner and the murdered lad had been in
his employment, the former as clerk, and the latter as
f:nee boy and junior clerk. His offices were in
Wheeler-gate. A few minutes to six o'clock on Friday
evening he sent Onions to post a letter, and then, te ling
Westby to clear away the papers and lock up the office,
hS went away. For five or six years past Westby had
usually locked up the premises in the evening and
tn the keys home with him, there being another
Set alte
of keys in the possession of the charwoman who
cleaned the offices. Adjoining Mr. Fraser's room
there was a small store-room, the door of which was
llot usually locked. Witness had known that there
•t'acl occasionally been a slight disagreement between
,Westby and Onions, but he was not aware that theT
had had any serious quarrel.
An accountant's clerk named Warsop stated that he
;elit to Mr. Fraser's office at about quarter past six on
ridaY evening. Westby and Onions were there,
aPParently on friendly terms, and he left them there,
_as. he' did not remain in the office more than a
uuntite.

Thomas Bywater, a boy employed by an architect
whose office is in the same yard as Mr. Fraser's, de-
- Posed to meeting Westby going up the passage leading
to the offices at twenty minutes to seven on Friday
evening. He had some keys in his hand.
To this witness the prisoner put the only question
I,IP asked during the inquiry. He asked whether
LnßYwater had heard any cries during the evening, and
S witness replied that he had not.
to J.„,.efine Alarchant, the charwoman, said that she went
Fraser's offices before seven o'clock on Satur-
thaayt
fts,,rning, and found everything as usual, except
ketouze door of the store-room was locked and the
gone.
etective Inspector Golding stated that at half-past
Tom on Saturday morning he and Detective Sergeant
Atherton. went to Mr. Fraser's office. They were in
slarch of Westby, he being suspected of the murder of
his father, who had been shot in his house early that
inerning. At the office they found the charwoman, and
9n Mr. Fraser's arrival they obtained his permission
10 buret open the etoreo-"- - door, Witness entered

'room

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the roorn, struck a light, and saw the dead body of
Onions lying on his right side behind the door, with a
frightful wound on the left jaw. Near the body was
a large fishmonger's knife, with a blade 14 inches long,
upon whith was blood. The body was remoVed to the
police station. Subsequently the vitness received a
box containing 30 cartrklges which had been found in
Westby's

P-otective Sergeant Atherton gave conOoorative
evidence, -13,nd added that he fotmd in the store-room
an iron rod, which appeared to be part of a window
stanchion, t-ith blood and hair upon it.
Hannah Taylor, the wife of a hardware dealer,
deposed to selling the knife to Westby on the Ilth
of October. He said he wanted it to cut paper in an
office.
Chief actectiVe Inspector Eddy stated that at half-
past one o'clock On Saturday aftel.noon he went with
a young man named .T_lobson, with whom the prisoner
was acquaintea', to Mr. Fraser's house. lie searched
the garden at the back and then got over a fence into
the adjoining garden attached to the house which is at
present unoccupied; In this garden was a small building
which had hat-it used as a fowl-house. Witness opened
the door, and.saw Westby sitting on a box with the butt
end of a revolver visible at the. breast pocket of his over-
coat. He at first refustlfo leave his hiding-place, but at
length Mac, and witness arrested him. As they were
leaving the garden, and before anything had been said
about the murders, Westby asked, "How is he at the
office?" The detective replied that he as dead, and
Westby said, "I am glad of that I thought he was; I
didn't think yet". w'ottld find him alive." He was taken to
the polion-rstation, and when formally charged with
the murders and duly cautioned, ho replied, "- I have
nothing to say." The five chambers of the revolver
were found to be loaded, and there were ten cart-
ridges upon hira. Ile told Eddy he had reloaded the
revolv-or with the intention of using it. There were
blood stains on his coat and trousers.

Mr. Charles V. Taylor, surgeon, said he went to
Mr. Fraser's office at ten o'clock on Saturday morning
and saw the body of Onions, who had evidently been
dead many hours. There were seven incised wounds
on the left side of the head, five of which had corre-
sponding fractures of the skull. There was one lace-
rated wound on the back of the head, fracturing the
skull. There were also extensive injuries on the neck
and throat, and two deep incised wounds on the right
forearm.

This totcluded the evidence, and the jury, after a
fow minutes' deliberation, returned a verdict of
"Wilful murder" against the prisoner Westby. He
had sat unmoved during the inquiry, and heard the
verdict without emotion.

On Tuesday Mr. Michael Browne, the Nottingham
Borough C•roner, held an inquest at the Police.
station on the body of Henry Smith Westby.
Westby's son was present during the inquiry, and
preserved a cool and unconcerned demeanour.
The first witness called was Elizabeth Westby, wife of
the murdered man. She said her husband was a lace.
maker, 44 years of age, and lived on Peas-hill-road. They
had a Bon and two daughters. On Friday night she and her
husband went to bed at eleiren o'clock. Her daughters had
gone previcusly, and her son went to bed at about ten
o'clock. Her son was 12 years of age. There had been no un-
pleauntness between him and his father during the evening.
At half-past two on Saturday morning she was awakened by
their dog corning into the room. Her husband got up to
take it downstairs. As soon as he had left the room she
heard two or three loud reports. Her husband staggered
back into the room, said "I am shot; mind yourself ; '' and
then dropped down and died. She opened the window and
called out, and the police entered the house. When the
alarm was given her daughters came to her, but she saw
nothing of her son. Her husband had fastened the doors
before going to bed.

At the conclusion of Mrs. Westby's evidence there
was a painful scene. Crying bitterly, she turned to
where her son sat, and, placing her hand on his
shoulder, said "Speak to me." The prisoner drew
himself sullenly back and said, "Don't act soft."
Mrs. Westby was then led from the room overcome
by emotion.

tlizabeth Ann Westby, ten years of age, daughter of the
last witness, said that she went to bed on Friday night at
ten o'clock. Her sister, who was five years old, had gone
earlier, and her brother went upstairs to bed just before
ten. She further deposed to being awakened by screams
and to going into her mother's room and seeing her father
lying on the floor. She did not see her brother. There had
been no quarrel between her father and brother.
William Snowden joiner, who lived next door to the
Westbys, stated that he was awakened at half-past two on
Saturday morning by what he described as a" lumbering
noise," as of a sculle, followed by the report of firearms,
two shots being fired. He threw open his window and
called for the police, and he then saw some person come
out of the passage leading to the back doors of Westby's
and other houses and run up the road. Witness could not re-
cognize this person, but he was of slight build, and about the
size of the prisoner.

Police-constable Cockerill said that at twenty-five minutes
to three on Saturday morning he, with Police-sergeant Carr,
was on duty on Pease-hill-road, when they heard a noise as
of some one calling out and saw a person running up the
road. Before he got to them he turned, into another street
and disappeared. They went in the direction of the noise
and found Mrs. Westby at an upper window crying they
were all going to be killed in the house. Witness tried the
front door, but it was fast. He then went round to the back
door, which was closed but not fastened. Having let Ser-
geant Carr in at the front door, they went upstairs and
saw Mr. Westby lying on the floor. Witness raised him and
saw that he was then breathing, but he died almost imme-
diately.
Police-sergeant Carr 3orroborated, and further deposed to
the finding of two bullets—one, upon which was a little
blood, just inside the bedroom door, and the other on the
landing outside. I e searched the house for young Westby,
but could not find him. He examined the back door and
found no trace of its having been broken open.
Mr. Dunn, surgeon, who had made a post-mortem exami-
nation of the body of the deceased, stated that he found a
bullet wound between the eighth and ninth ribs on the right
side, extending into the left lobe of the liver. There was
another bullet wound in the centre of the breast-bone,
penetrating the aorta, a large blood-vessel in connexion
with the heart, passing through the upper lobe of the left
lung and coming out at the back at the angle of the left
shoulder blade-bone. Such a wound would cause almost
immediate death.

Chief Detective Inspector William George Eddy deposed
to arresting the prisoner in a fowl-house in a garden at
Lenton, an outlying parish of the borough, on Saturday
afternoon. The prisoner had the revolver (produced) with
him, all its five chambers being loaded. He had also
upon him ten cartridges and the case of a discharged
cartridge On the way to the police-station witness told
him his father was dead, and he replied, "It's time he was."

Mr. Samuel Jackson, gunsmith, stated that he sold the re-
volver and a case of 50 cartridges to the prisoner on Friday
evening between half-past six and a quarter to seven He
paid £2 2s. 6d. for them.
A boy named Hoskyns proved finding a case of cartridges
in the desk of the prisoner at the office of the prisoner's em-
ployer, Mr. Fraser, solicitor.
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This concluded the evidence, and the jury returned
a verdict of "Wilful murder" against the prisoner
Westby, who was committed for trial by the
coroner both for the murder of his father and the
boy Onions.

The prisoner Westin, has spoken freely of the two
murders to the officers who guard him in his cell, and
fully admits his guilt. He says he had contemplated
the murder of his father for some time, owing, it is
supposed, to the latter kaving frequently had
occasion to remonstrate with him upon his
eccentric conduct. He states that he bore the
boy Onions no illwill, but practised upon him to
strengthen his nerve. He first stunned him with the
iron bar, and then, as he made a great noise, he struck
him with the knife. He then went out to purchase
the revolver, and, returning to the office he entered
the room where the murdered boy lay, and struck a
light to see whether his victim was quite dead.
On leaving the room, he locked the door, and seeing
that there was blood upon the handle, he carefully
wiped it with a duster. He then locked up and left the
premises. He states that he shot his father as soon as
the latter left his bedroom, and fired at him a second
time as he turned to re-enter the room. He then left
the house and proceeded to the fowl-house at Lenton.
On the way he stopped to put on his boots, which he
had carried off in his hands, and ho reloaded the
revolver. On getting to the fowl-house he fell asleep,
and did not awake until it was broad daylight. The
key of the store-room In which the body of Onions
was found has been discovered in Westby's desk at
Mr. Fraser's office.—Wednesday's Times.

The funeral of Onions took place on Tuesday in the
presence of an immense crowd.

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