The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-24 00:00:00

THE DOUBLE MURDER AND SUICIDE IN

LiMBETB.

THE INQUEST.
Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Win. Carter, coroner, opened
an investigation at the Sir Sydney Smith tavern, Chester-
street, touching the deaths of Mrs. Anne Roberts and her
two children, brederick and Anne Maria.
Mr. Inspector Heath, of the L division, attended to
watch the proceedings on behalf of the- police, and the
*court and its approaches were densely crowded.
Charles Roberts was the first 'Maw, and cried bitterly
While giving kis evidence. He 'aid—My father's name is
Charles, and he is a builder and decorator of houses. I
lived with him and my mother. My mother's name woo
Anne Maria Roberta. and her age was 40. My sister Anne
was aged nine years, and my brother Frederick seven.
years. On Thursday afternoon, between 4 and b e'olook,
my mother said she would do for us. I was then in the
beck garden with Reuben Ashley a lad between 10 and
11. My brother Frederick was playing with me, and my
mother celled out "Frederick, I want you." Freddy did not
go at first, and my mother called a second time and said,
Freddy why don't you hear ?" He went upstairs and I
followed 'him, end washed my hands. I heard a scraping
noise on the floor of the lumber room over head, and went
up to the door. It was locked. I heard a sound like the
pouring of water in the beck room, and I
heard my mother's voice. I said what is thet
matter, and my mother said, " She is very ill." My mother
then rushed out of the room and went into the other
room, where my sister Anne was. She cut at her two or
three times. There was no resistance on the part of my
deter. I then ran away, and my mother followed me.
She had a table knife iu her right hand, and the boy who
was *al me said, " Oh, you silly Mrs. Raherts.' She
then dodged me into the kitchen, and threw the knife at
me, but I dropped my head against the wall. I ran into
the front garden, and called out, " Murder"and '• Pollee."
I did so beatuse she said in the afternoon she would kill
herself. I did not then say anything to her. The boy
who was with me in the garden told her not to be a foolish
woman, and I believed she would do something to herself.
Reuben Ashley, the lad referred to by last witness, gave
corroborative evidence.
Mrs. Elizabeth Hills said—My husband is a mathemati-
cal instrument maker, and lives at 53, Cheiderstreet. On
the afternoon in question I was in my bark garden be-
tween half-past 4 and 5 o'clock. I heard cries of " Mea-
der," and " Police." The voice appeared to come from
Mai. Roberta', at the beak of her house. I sailed out, hut
receiving no reply I ran round to the front, and Charles
Roberts mine ant and rid, " She has killed the two chil-
dren end stabbed herself." I ran into the house by the
front door, and found Mrs Roberta lying in the kitchen
just before the fireplace with a knife in one hand. She was
about falling, and did fall. I called out, "Oh, Mrs. Ro-
berts, what have you done r She tried to speak but could
not. I did not see anything the matter with her when she
fell, but afterwards saw that she had a large cut about the
left elbow joint, and blood was flowing from it. I then
went updates. The child Anne was lying on the floor
beside the bed. In the other room on the floor I saw the
boy Frederick. They were both bleeding from wounds in
the throat. Mrs. Roberts did notemwk to me afterwards.
Mrs. Sarah Coleman, who was called in by the last wit-
ness, gave corroborative evidence.
Some police evidence was then taken as to the bodies
and premises.
Mr. Wheeler, surgeon, of Keunington-park-road, said
be was called to the place, sad in the kitchen found the
deceased woman with a wound three inches long in the
left arm, dividing the principal arteries. In the upstairs
room over the kitchen he found the body of the boy with
a large gash in the throat severing the jugular vein and
other chief arteries. Great physical force must have been
used to have inflicted the wound. Ile then went into the
front room and there saw the body of the little girl, who
had a wound in her throat and was quite dead.
The Coroner said the question now arose whether the
deaths of the children were the result of an act of violence
on the part of another party ; and if so, was that party
the mother of the children. . . . . .

Tne jury said they were unanimously of opinion that
the mother had caused the death of the children, and
they at once returned a. verdict of " Wilful murder"
against Anne Made Roberts, the mother, in both cases.
The Coroner said he would now take the evidence as to
the death of Mrs. Roberts herself.
Elizabeth Coleman was then called, and stated that she
bad known Mrs. Roberts (the deceased) for eon* years.
Latterly she had been addicted to habits of intemperanoe.
On Monday last she was with her for several hours.
She was very violent, and was with difficulty restrained
from going down stairs to inflict violence upon her husband.
By the Coroner—l bad known dammed strike her hus-
band, mid that is why I tried to prevent her going down
stairs. She uttered something on the Monday night about
striking her husband and said "Awe wanted to get at
him." She was exceedingly violent all the time. She lip
peered quite rational, but very excited front the effects of
drink. On the following day she was very excited. and in
the afternoon I bathed her head with vinegar She was
iu bed all that day, and bad not been drinking. Upon
mime occasions when she had been drinking I have stopped
with bee when she was violent, but she was not uncon-
trollable in her actions. I never heard her thrsaten her
own life or that of any other person. On the Monday
night she was in a state of fury, awi add she would be
quiet if I would remain and sleep with her. On the pre-
vious Sunday morning I was disturbed by A noise, end when
I went in I found that she had broken in the lanel of the
front parlour door with a flat iron. She was then in an ex-
cited state, but bad not been drinking. I caw her on the
Wednesday, when she appeared rational.
Reuben Ashby, recalled, said that during the afternoon
of Thursday Mrs. Roberts sent him for half a quartern of
pale brandy.
Charles Roberts, the son, was recalled, and stated that
on Thursday at dinner time the deceaved had an en mixed
with brandy before Abby fetched the half a quartern.
Bhe looked strange all the day, and he thought she would
do something to herself, especially after she hail said she
would do for herself, and threw the knife at him. On
Sunday she appeared very low spirited, as though some-
thing was preying on her mind. She went to Clapton on
Sunday without her husband's knowledge to see witness's
anat. She had been fretting all the day, but he slid not
know why. She did not return home until Monday even-
ing, when she had some words with her husband. Never
saw his father ill-treat his mother. His mother was very
affectionate, and fond of her children.
The room having been cleared, the jury deliberated for
about twenty minutes, end retained a verdict. " That the
deceased Anne Maria Roberts, having wilfully murdered
her two children, destroyed her own life whilst in a state
of unsound mind."
The proceedings then terminated, and the crowd soon
after dispersed.

AN UNSAFE PRECACTION.—One of the most
daring robberies that have ever come under the notice of
the local detectives took place at Aston, near Birmingham,
on Tuesday night. At about a quarter to nine o'clock Mr.
&dwell, who resides in Albert-road, went upstairs and
put his little boy to bed, leaving the window curtains
drawn and everything apparently safe. He retired to a
sitting room in the back pot of the house where his family
were, the bedroom being in the front. In a abort time •
heavy fall was heard outside the bowie. On looking out
Mr. Bedwell found that the bedroom window was open,
and running upstairs he was aitonisheil to find the door
locked. The fact was that as soon as he had left the room
thieves must have entered at the window, and they car-
ried off a gold watch and chain, and a safe weighing l
cwt., and containing a number of debentures and shares,
the numbers of which are known, and which will ►e use-
less to the thieves. There was no money in the safe. A
neighbour's lad saw four men carry oil the safe. but be was
deterred by their threats from saying • word about it.