The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-12 00:00:00

HORRIBLE MURDER in LAMBETH

—ea.--
SON.cri be ,
A AWO sensation,lA N '
throughout the
was caused on Saturday afternoon, t
consequence of the following frightful murder com-
SwilhiEchAiDt would be bOeFcl}iffißcYultlitoEdßes
neighbourhood of Kenuington-road and Lambeth, in
com-
mitted by a young man upon his mother, a respect-
ably-connected female, of the name of Elizabeth
Wheeler, a widow, about 44 years of age. The fol-
lowing particulars connected with this dreadful tra-
gedy were obtained on the spot a few minutes after
the melancholy occurrence :
The house in which the tragedy took place was No.
1, Durham-place. Kennington-road, and immediately
facing Betblem Hospital for Lunatics. The building
was occupied by Mr. Wickens, a dyer and scourer, a
family named Turns, and the unfortunate woman who
has been thus prematurely hurried into eternity, and
her son, a young man about 28 years of age.
On Saturday afternoon, at a few minutes before
one o'clock, Mrs. Tones, who was in the house at the
time, had her attention directed to a loud scream,
proceeding from the upper part of the building,
which was succeeded by a heavy fill of something on
the floor. She immediately went to ascertain the
cause, when the son of the unfortunate woman made
a hasty retreat out of the building, carrying in his
band a stick and a knife. Mrs. Toms having entered
the apartment occupied by the poor creature, she
was horror-struck at finding the trunk of the woman
lying on the floor in a pool of blood, and the head,
which was completely severed from the neck, was
lying on a table in the same room,
the flesh still
moving to and fro. Mrs. Toms instantly hastened
down stairs, end informed her husband that the
young man had murdered his mother. By that pe-
riod he had proceeded some distance up the Kenning-
ton-road, in the direction of the Common. Mr. Toms,
constable Lockyer, No.
track until he got within a few yards of Chester-
him) but followed his
er,Ante vtheratl opsotinsitgphotl
lice-constable
h street.osev
135, came along, and having had his attention directed
to the alleged murder, he forthwith secured him. He
at once admitted that he had murdered his poor mother,
and informed the officer that he first struck her on the
head with an iron, and afterwards cut her head
off by means of an axe and a knife. The constable
at once took the man to the stet' h son. ouse in Ken-
nington-lane, and on his way thither be told the
officer he was now sorry that he had committed the
murder, but the fact was he could not help it, for his
mother and other persons were continually torturing
him and following him about. He also informed the
same officer that he had been confined in a. lunatic
asylum, and had not been liberated long. The mur-
derer, when arrested, did not offer the least resist-
ance, and to all outward appearance did not feel the
awful position he had placed himself in
From the state of the room there ' •is no doubt enter-
tained but the unfortunate female was in the act of
leaving the apartment with a saucepan of greens in
her hand in order to strain off the water, when her
son gave her a violent blow on the head,
which felled
her to the floor, after which he must have knelt upon
her body and performed the act of decape
steam itation. The
door and th
saucepan was lying near the d 'was
still ascending from the ' In the
greens therein.
midst of the pool of blood was
lying a pillow, which,
it is believed, the murderer had placed there to pre-
vent the gore from flying over his clothes. When
apprehended by Leckyer not a spot of blood was per-
ceptible upon his clothes, and his hands were per-
fectly clean, leading to the supposition that after
perpetrating the dreadful deed he had washed his
hands.
In the afternoon the prisoner was examined before
the Hon. Mr. Norton, at Lambeth Police-office. The
prisoner, on being at the bar, placed looked wildly
around him, and appeared to be either unconscious or
indifferent to the position in whioh he was placed.
He was dressed in a black frock coat, black waistcoat,
and light woollen trousers. He had a black scarf, or
neckerchief, twisted rather than tied round his neck.
He is a well-made man, with large black eyes, regular
features, and an intelligent countenance.
Mr. Norton inquired-
-now old are you? Pri-
soner (carelessly)—Twenty-eight.
Mr. Norton—.`ghat l
hat •s y ourname r e
Prisoner—
Thomas Cupper Wheeler
The following witnesses were then called :
Eliza Phillips said, in s answer to questions from the
magistrate-1 reside at No. 1, Durham-place, Lam-
beth-road.
- 1.
have known the prisoner from the
a
time he was a little bby. I knew his mother,
whose name, I belie
esawas Elizabeth Wheeler.
I have resided in they ' me house with her since
August last. She was there before we went there.
We found the prisoner and the deceased there. They
lived on the
second floor and we lived on the first
floor. The prisoner r
was living with her when I went
there. His mother informed me on more than one
occasion that there was something the matter with
him. I have frequent] seen him in the house with a
flat-iron in his hand, yand also a hatchet. He used to
'go up and down stairs with a flat-iron or hatchet in
his hand.
The prison ei et.— y mother did not fear though,
gentlemen.
' The Magistrate—It is impossible to conceive any-
. thing more horrible than the crime with which you
are
ever chargedword, and it is my duty to inform you that
et,
•,e you say will be taken down, and may be
y
used in evidence against you.
The prisoner_ I don't fear anything.
The witness_l have seen him with the iron and the
frequent
' hatchet in his hand, muttering
to himself at
intervals.
to myself,
' The prisoner—I have a habit of spanking
as I have no one wse to spela to, and my mother was
' always blaeliguarding me.
The witness—About three weeks ago I saw him
with the fiat-iron in his hand, muttering to himself,

He was then standing in the room. Ha was per-
fectly still. His mother was in the room at the time,
but she said nothing about it then.
The Magistrate—Did he hold the iron in a threat-
ening manner ? The witness—No, Sir ; his hand
was stretched down by his sine. He has been doing
so for nearly a twelvemonth, as well as I can remem-
ber. About Mlf-past eleven or a quarter to twelve
this morning 1 heard a scuffl'ng noise, and then as if
something had fallen heavily. I immediately ran up
stairs, calling " Mrs. Wheeler." I tapped hurriedly
at the door, but got no answer, I tapped more loudly
at the door, and said "Mrs. Wheeler ;" and then the
prisoner partly opened the door, perhaps about a
foot, but not sufficient to admit of any one going in.
The prisoner had somethinc, in his hand. It was in
his right hand, but I could not see what it was. I
think from the position of his hand he wished to hide
it from me. Ile stood with his right hand down. He
stood sideways at the door. He then hastily closed
the door in my face.
The prisoner—That is true.
The witness—Yes, he did ; and I ran down stairs
to my landlord and his wife, for I was fearful there
was something the matter, and I told them of it at

once. They then listened on the stairs, and while they
were listening they heard him coming down stairs.
The prisoner—l left the house directly.
The witness—When we heard him coming down
stairs, the landlady called us into the parlour for fear
of meeting him. When he went out and shut the door
the landlady instantly went up stairs and saw Mrs.
Wheeler lying on the floor, and when she told us we
immediately sent a young man for the doctor. When
the doctor came my landlady went upstairs with him,
and when she came down she said Mr,. Wheeler was
lying on the floor. I know not what weapon it was
done with. I saw the prisoner about eleven o'clock
this mPrnina, as if he was going for an errand, which
he frequently did. I saw him from the window
then. He had a basket with him. I heard him
again cn his return going up stairs, when he was
talking to himself as he went up. He often talked
to himself, but I did not hear what he said. It was
his usual custom, but on this occasion he talked
_ _

louder than usual. Mrs. Wheeler had before then
come into my room. I think that was about half-
past or a quarter past ten. She said she was so much
frightened of him that she would send him away on
Monday, as she could not bear it any longer, an she
had an idea last night to send to the workhouse that
he might be taken there. She asked me if my little
boy would carry a letter to the Post-office for her,
and I said he would. She said the letter was for her
daughter, who:was at Tunbridge- wells. She told me
the prisoner had been standing with a flat iron in his
hand in the morning, and was muttering something
that was most awful.

Mr. Norton (to the prisoner)—Do you wish to ask
the witness any question? The prisoner—The fact
is that she has threatened to send me to the workhouse
for a great length of time ; and she said she would
have me dragged away, and I suppose they cannot
drag people away in the most gentle manner.
Mr. Norton—Do you wish to ask the witness any
question ? The prisoner—All she has said is true.
The witness—He has been at the asylum at Wands-
worth for some time.
The prisoner—lt is exactly twelve months since
I left. _ _ .

-, •
Elizabeth Toms, wife of Charles Toms, landlord o
No. 1, Durham-place—My husband is a carpet-bag
manufacturer. 1 have been in No. 1, Durham-place,
nine or ten months, and found the prisoner and his
mother there when we came. They occupied the top,
or second floor. He did nothing for his living, for he
was not able to do so. His mother supported him,
with assistance she received from her friends. Ever
since I have been in the house I have observed some-
thing irregular in his manner. At times he was
worse than at other times. Lately I observed he was
getting worse. When he had his fits on him he looked
very pale and ill.
The prisoner—All without liberty—she was bagged
—I was worried.
Witness—When I last saw him before the murder
he was at the door with a basket in his hand with
some greens in it. That was at eleven o'clock, or
half-past eleven. I think it was about an hour before
the murder. Shortly after he went up stairs I heard
a noise, but I thought it was Mrs. Phillips beating
her child. Mrs. Phillips then came down stairs, and
in consequence of what she said I went up stairs and
the prisoner passed down. The door was closed, but
I pushed it open, and saw something lying on the
floor. I afterwards found it was Mrs. Wheeler. She
was lying close to the door, within about half a yard
of it. I put my hand on her feet and saw blood, and
then ran down stairs. The blood was on some clothes
near her. I then sent for Mr. Hutchinson, the sur-
geon, and when he came I followed him up stairs,
and the first thing I saw was Mrs. 'Wheeler's bead
lying on the table. The table was close to her
shoulder. I went directly to my husband, who went
instantly in pursuit of the prisoner. The prisoner
was not brought back to the house. Mrs. Wheeler
had three rooms, in oue of which she slept herself, ill
another the prisoner slept, and in a third the lodger
(Edwards).
Mr. Thomas Hutchinson, No. 1, Moore-street,
Kennington-road, assistant to Mr. Derrell, surgeon,
examined—About one o'clock to•day I was called to
No. 1, Durham-place. On entering the front room I
found the body lying on the floor, with the head of the
deceased on the table, separated from the body. The
heed seemed as if it had been placed there, and there
was a knife lying partly underneath the head, and a
hatchet near it. The handle of the hatchet was
covered with blood. The edge of it appeared to have
been wiped, but there was blood on other parts of it.
(The hatchet, a small one, was here produced.)
The prisoner—She deserved it, and I put her head
on the table. However, it is of no consequence.
The witness—The knife is covered with blood.
The body was a foot or a foot and a half from the edge
of the table. The body was lying in a different di-
rection from the head. The feet were nearest to the
door. I put my hand on the body and felt it
warm. The woman who went up with me screamed
and left me alone, and I then went to the window
and called out to the people in the street to fetch a
policeman. I have not made any minute examina-
tion of the body. I do not think she could have
been dead more than ten minutes when I got
there. When the policemen came I examined the
body more particularly. I think she was first struck
with the hatchet, then cut with the knife, and the
vertebra afterwards sevared with the hatchet. On
the right side of the head there was a wound from an
inch to an inch and a half long, but I do not think
that was the cause of death. The scalp and the bone
was cut through, as it appears to me, with the hatchet.
I think a further investigation is necessary when the
body is wtshed, and then I shall be able to speak
more positively as to the cause of death. There was
a table in the room, apparently laid for dinner, and
there were bacon and greens in a saucepan. I think
a scuffle must have taken place, as a bundle of clothes
which was in the room was in a confused state. I
saw a flatiron lying close to the clothes. Near the
woman's body there was a pillow, on the surface of
which was blood, and impressions as of a man's
knees. Underneath the pillow there was a side
comb, and one similar to it entangled in the woman's
hair and broken. There was also a large comb at
the side of the pillow. There was diluted blood in
the basin in the prisoner's bed-room, and blood on
the washhand stand, and also on the towel.
The Magistrate—Have you anything to ask this
gentleman ? The prisoner—l have nothing to ask.
I should like the window to be left open while the
corpse is in the room. I didn't think of that before.
It is the last request, perhaps, I shall make.
Lockyer, police-constable 135 L—About one
o'clock I was in the Vauxhall-road, when Mr. Toms
came up to me and desired me to take the prisoner
(whom he pointed out) into custody for murdering
his mother. I said to him he must consider himself
in my custody, and go with me to the station. He
said, " They have not let me go far. I have been
tormented for four or five years by them." I said,
do you mean to say that you have killed your mo•
ther ? and he said, " I have ; lam sorry for it." I
said, how came you to do it ? " Well," he said, " I
have been tormented for four or five years." I asked
him how he did it ? and he said, " She was coming
in at the door and I knocked her down with the flat-
iron, and I found that was not sufficient, and I then
took the carving knife. She was very tough, and
I then struck her head off with the hatchet." At the
station-house I found a knife in his coat pocket, and I
asked him what he was going to do with it, and he said
" That was for myself." 1 understood that he was
going to cut his own throat. I afterwards went to
the house, No. 1, in Durham-place. I saw the de-
ceased lying on the floor dead, and her head on the
table. He said at the station, " You will find a letter
on the table, and take particular care of it." That
was before he said anything about the knife. On
going to the house I found several letters on the table,
but I have not bad time to read them yet. I searched
for the flat-iron, and found it in a bundle of clothes
lying by the side of the body. There is bloodonthe
iron.

The prisoner—l spoke more respectful than the
man has said. I did not make a bravado of it. j
spoke sorrowfully, did I not ? The policeum—yes
1
you did.
The Magistrate—l have already more than once
cautioned you as to what you say.
The prisoner—I am quite prepared to go to the
scaffold. I struck her with the flat-iron, and blood
must have blood; but I did not bravado it.
Inspector Cowling—I received information of the
murder about a quarter past one. I found the sur-
geon there., and the body as described by the surgeon,
and the bead on the table, with the knife underneath.,
the h-a-3, n,l 010 hl.chtt: h, h,:,.
,ifi,, 1,,P214,7P.r.--< k
told me that the prisoner ha'd said that
k seri' to
desired
her with the flAt-iron arid I heLhad
search for the iron, and'after doing 5° he tookuc up the
fl*t-iron, The bok room! )3y the
towel was in the.