The Express.
London, England, 1860-08-02 00:00:00

THE MURDERS AT WALWORTH.

CORONER'S INQUEST ON THE BODIES
(THIS DAY.)

This morning (Thursday), at half-past ten o'clock,
William Carter, Fail., and a highly respectable jury, assem-
bled in the board-room of the workhouse of St. Mary, New-
ington, for the purpose of inquiring into the circumstances
attending the respective deaths of Elizabeth Youngman,
aged 46 ; Maria Wells Streeter, egad 27 ; Thomas Young.
man, aged 10 ; and Charles Rayson Youngman, aged 10/1:2
years, who were violently murdered at No. 16, Manor-place,
Walworth-road, on the morning of Tuesday kat.
The inquiry excited a roost painful amount of interest,
not only in the inquest room, but throughout the whole
neighbourhood.
The jury having been addressed by the coroner as to the
nature of their duties, proceeded with the coroner to view
the bodies. Upon their return to the court, the following
witnesses were examined :

Mr. James Bevan, a carman, said that he was the occu-
pier of the home, 16, Manor-place. and had been so for six
months. He had lived in the house for some time pre-
viously. The house contained six rooms and a back kitchen.
It was a two story house, having two rooms on each floor,
besides the ground floor. He lived with his wife and three
children. Witness occupied two rooms on the ground floor.
The first room on the ground floor was a sitting-room, but
he made a bed up of a night for his three children. The
back room was occupied as a sleeping room for
himself and an afflicted son, who stuttered, and
was otherwise afflicted, so that he could not walk without
crutches. The first floor was occupied by Mr. and Mrs.
Beard, and a son shout ft or 9 years of age. The upper
rooms were occupied by Mr. Youngman, his wife, and two
children—boys. He could not state exactly how long they
hail lived there, but it might have been three or four
months we over. On Tuesday morning about ten
minutes or a quarter to six he was in bed in the
back room, when ho heard a rumbling noise on the top
door. He got out of bed, but before he could
get to the door Mr. Beard tapped at it, and said, " For
Cod's sake come upstairs, for there is murder." Witness
went upstairs without waiting to dress, and proceeded to
the top staircase, where he saw one of Mr. Youngman's
boys on the landing with his head towards the stairs. Ho
did not proceed any further, but returned downstairs. He
did not see any second person at that time, nor hear any-
thing, for all was quiet. He put on his clothes and went
for the police. Mr. Beard accompanied him upstairs. He
procured the assistance of Inspector Dann and a police officer.
They accompanied him to the house, but he did nut go up-
stairs again. Before he heard the rumbling noise he did not
hear as much as a sound. He went for Mr. Youngman after
he heard the rumbling noise. He heard him go out to hie
work about half-past five o'clock. About a quarter of an
hour or twenty minutes before, he beard the rumbling
noise. Vp to that time he had not seen any inmate of the
house. He believed it was Mr. Youngman who went out,
as he was in the habit of going out at that hour. He went
to sleep after he went out, and was awoke by the rumbling
noise. There had not been any screaming, if there had been
he must have heard it. He saw a young man when he was
about to proceed for a policeman, after he was dressed.
He saw the poems man on about three parts up the stairs,
when he put up his hands, and said, " My mother has
done all this. " Witness told hint not come
down any further. He also said, "My mother
has murdered my two brothers and my sweet-
heart, and I in self-defence seized the knife
from her and in self defence I have murdered her." The
next time he saw the young man was at the police court the
same Tuesday. He bad seen him come in and go out
during the last week or ten days, but bad no know•
ledge that he was in the house on Monday night.
Witness did not go with the jury to view the bodies.
The fourth person he (lid not know, never having seen her
in his life. He knew Mrs. Youngman as &lodger, but never
spoke to her more than passing the compliments of the day.
He had not seen her since last week. In her appearance
she appeared respectable and of strong mind. She used to
correct her children frequently.
By the Coroner—He had nothing further to state to the
court.

William Beard, • carpenter and joiner, said that he was a
married man and lived with his wife nod son, who was about
11 years of age. He occupied two rooms on the first floor.
One room was occupied as a bedroom, and his son slept in
the nano room. On the morning of Tuesday his wife awoke
him and called his attention to • noise like children
running about. He got up and opened his door, end beard
a scream, and a noise on the second finer landing. The scream
appeared to have arisen from ahoy. It was about five minutes
before six. Beyond the scream he bail spoken of he did not
hear any other scream. He thought that was caused by the
father beating the children, and out of curiosity he went up,
and the first thing that attracted his notice was • spot of
1 blood on the stairs and a boy's hand hanging through the
banisters covered with blood and his throat cut. To be
perfectly satisfied, he went a step higher, and then saw a
young woman lying un the landing, with her had inside the
back roans door and her legs pointing to the front room. He
also nutioed that her throat was cut. He did not at thattime
hoar any noble in either room, and he aid not see athird person.
Upon seeing this be went downstairs awl celled the landlords
who went upstairs, and witness followed him. Neither
witness nor the landlord were dressed. Ile went to his bed-
room, and whilst dressing he wee called to • person up-
stairs. He passed out of his bedroom again, and went to
the foot of stain, when he saw a male person whom he
knew was named Youngman, son of the persons who Wed
upstairs. When be first saw him he was standing on the
stairs, about four step from the top. He said, "Mrs
Beard, my mother has done all this ; she murdered my two
brothers and my sweetheart, and I have killed her in self.
defence." He was then in his night shirt, and the wrist-
band was torn away, but hung to the sleeve. Witness told
hen to keep upstairs. The latter asked him to go for a sur-
geon, which he did, and returned to the house, when three
policemen came, and he went upstairs and saw • third person
whom he knew to be Mrs. Youngman, who was lying on the
legs of Miss Streeter, with the face dowowanls. The parties
were all intheir night clothes When Mr. Youngman arrived
the son said, " Father, mother has done this." The son
was taken away and he saw no more of hi tea. Ile should know
hint again. He had not seen him on the Monday, but he
knew that he had been staying with his patents
for • week or nine days. He had • little
conversation with him on Sunday last, when
he appeared pet:ectly collected. The conversation be had
with him had no bearing on this C 233. Ile did not know
the young woman, he had never seen her before. He
retired to bed between 10 and 11 on Monday night, and he
did not then hear any noise. When Ito saw Youngm.eu on
the stairs he did not see any thing in his band. If any
one hal called him by name ho must have heard
it. He was positive that the only noise he
heard when he opened the door was one scream.
The Youngman,' had lodged in the hou.se longer than he had.
He had never formed s'iy opinion as ta her state of mind,
only that she appeared perfectly sane. She was very kind
to her children, but sometimes corrected them, and so did
the father. He never apprehended that she would do any-
thing wrong to her tautly. Front what he had seen
he believed the deaths scow from the hands of
the son. He beard Mr. Youngman, sett, go out
at twenty minutes past five that morning. Witness
went for Mr. Soddy, the surgeon, awl the Adieu were there
before he got back. About half.anbour eloped after Mr.
Youngman, the father, went out, until his wife awoke
hint. When ho went upstairs the first time he noticed
that the door of the back room was open, but he did not
see whether the front door was open or not.
Susannah Beard said that the last witness was her husband.
They lived together at It, Manored.tee. Her bedniona
was under the Younputus. On the morning of Tuesday
last she heard a rumbling on the boards, as over her heads
which was followed by a noise like • fall. Nothing else
tracted her attention et that time, and she thought it was
caused by the boys quarrelling. She awoke her husband,
believing it was bite. She sisal to her husband, " Why, it
is eight o'clock," and he got up and went into the front
room, and from thence upstairs. He shortly re-
turned, screaming " Murder," and she got out
but did not on that occasion go upstairs. She f
did
not hear or see any male person besides her husband until
her landlord came out and went upstairs. Her husband
dressed himself as soon as he could, and went for the police.
When her husband came Lack slot saw young Mr. Young-
man, who was on the stain, and who had been in the house
eight or nine days. He said, " Mrs. Wool, Mrs. Hears!, my
mother has done it all, and in self-defence I think I have
murdered her." He repeated, and added, "She has killed my
two little brothers anti my sweetheart." lie then held up
his arm, and, pointing to his wristband, said, "See what
she has done I" He then cried out, " Mr, Heard, go for a
surgeon, for i believe none of them aro living now." She
had not beard anyone moving about in the night. bhe law