The National Register.
London, England, 1811-12-22 00:00:00

lONAL

Si

THE

Ittrurder seems to take ground in our island. In our last we

recorded a most afflicting instance of human barbarity and guilt,
and have now to relate a deed equally atrocious. Another fa-
mily has been sacrificed, and the blood of three victims immo-
lated at once cries out for additional vengeance on the assassin's
bead. For, from the circumstancee of this fresh murder, we
should think it must have been committed by the same hand-
It appears that only one man was concerned in this destructive
act; be was seen plundering victims, by a person who also
providentially escaped, but his face was turned away and his
features have not been descried. It is probable that he alone
was engaged in the murder of Mr. vjarr and his family, and
this accounts for none of the accomplices cowing forward to
claim the high rewards offered, and bring his partners in guilt to
justice. We trust, however, that the description given of Ins
person will lead to a speedy detection, and that offended huma-
nity will no longer dread and mourn the existence of such a
111011Ster.

The following are the particulars of the horrid deed :
On 'Thursday night, shortly after eleven o'clock, the neigh-
bourhood of New Gravel-lane was alarmed by the most dread-
ful cries of Murder ! crowds of individuals resident on the spot
anon collected around the house whence proceeded the appalling
sdlinds! Numbers soon collected, and immediately it was as-
certained, that the dies which had excited suce general alarm
came tram a man who was seen descending, almost in a state of
nudity, by a line formed by the junction of two sheets, from the
two pair of stairs window ef the house in question !! On reach-
ing the extremity of the sheets, which was nearly eight feet from
the ground, he was assisted by the watchman, who caught him
in his arms, when he cried out, in the Freattst agitation, " Meg
etre murdering the people in the houso !' 'll heme words were no
sooner uttered than a short consultation VMS held by the people
assembled, and it was at once resolved that an entry should he
forced into the house, through the cellar flap; which was shortly
accomplished, and a man named Ludgate, a butcher, living in
Ashwell's-buildings, Graveblane, and Mr. Hawse, a constable,
entered ; and almost at the same moment a gentleman, named
lox, obtained an entrance through some wooden bars at the side
of the house, with a cutlass in his hand. On looking mund the
cellar, the first object that attracted their attention was the body
of Mr. Williamson, which lay at the foot of the stairs, with a
violent contusion on the head, his throat dreadfully cut, and an
iron crow by his side ; they then proceeded up stairs intp the
parlour where they found Mrs Williamson also dead, with her
skull andi her throat cut, blood still issuing from the wound, and
Dear her lay the body of the servant woman, whose head was
also horribly bruised, and her throat cut in the most shocking
manner.
The wounds on the heads of the unfortunate sufferers wt re
evidently inflicted by an iron bar, and from their position, as
well as from the cuts OR the throat, the murderer appears to
Lave been left-handed The under part of the house is a skittle-
ground, next to the entrance of which is the cellar door, by
both of which entries it seems that the villain or villains at-
tempted to escape, as marks of blood were discovered upon
them. During the time the horrid deed was perpetrating, a
public-house, almost adjoining, was filled with people drinking,
and a few doors on the other side is a rendezvous fur seamen,
all of which look into the waste gr..und alhtu to.
It. appeared, from general report, that Mr. Williamson has
been rubbed of a watch, but whether any money had been
taken from him was not known. The maker's name of the
watt is said to be James Carchpole.
On the first alarm being given, a picquet of the Tower Ham-
lets Militia, and several Volunteer,, assisted by the inhabitants
and the constable,s, made, a most minute search in all quarters
for the offenders, but without finding any perscn to whom they
could affix suspicion. .
Crowds of people a-oembled round the premises of the de-
ceased family during the whole of the day—every individual
Seemed horror-struck at the awful le ectacle of another family
bail' dispatched in less than a fortnight, since the atrocious
murders in Ratclifl-higilway.
A person was examined at three o'clock, at Shadwell-office,
on suspicion of being concerned in these horrid murders. lie
bad in his possession, at the time of his apprehension, a gallon
of brandy, which, he said, he bought at a public-house in
Compton-street, for 13s. 6d.; a quart of whiskey, and a sample
of British brandy. The Magistrates examined the prisoner,
particularly As to wh. re he was ar the time the murder; and,
In order to gain some positive information, the man was coin-
znitted for a further hearing.

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