The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-22 00:00:00

PR1CE.........1( I.
STAMPED ....6( 1.

Attempted Murder and Horrible Suicide; at
Bethnal-green.

Yesterday morning the vicinity of Bethnal-green
was again thrown into a painful excitement th-r:ough
a most determined attempt at murder and a tei-rible
case of self-destruction, which took place at 8,
Goodland-terrace, Upper Green-street, Beti-Lnal-
green (only a short distance from the scene of the
late tragedy), where a shocking spectacle preseflted
itself.

It appears that the deceased, a man named George
Williamson, had been in the service of the London
Dock Company, and was a member of their rifle
corps. He bad latterly given way to habits of in-
temperance, and lived rather unhappily with his
wife, who was an industrious woman. The deceased
did not return home on Thursday night ; but at 7
o'clock yesterday morning he entered the house in
a state of half-obliviousness, when he found his wife
at breakfast. Ho demanded the money she had in
her possession and threatened her. She gave him
a portion of the cash she had, and he wished for the
whole. He then seized her and threw her upon the
bed, when he drew a tableknife across her throat,
but she, being a powerful woman, forced him back,
but, in the act, her hands were severely cut. She
escaped from the house, and left the deceased in
the room about seven o'clock. There were no other
persons in the house, and she proceeded to the resi-
dence of a relative in the neighbourhood. About half-
past 10 o'clock she sent a little boy (her brother) te
the house to see if the deceased was there, and when
the boy went upstairs into the first-floor front room
he discovered the deceased (George Williamson) in a
sitting position, with his head literally blown to
atoms. The boy rushed from the house, in a state of
terror, and hastened back, and when he saw the wife
he said, " Oh, he has cut his throat !" The wife lost
no time in repairing to the house, and the neigh-
bours, who had been alarmed by a loud report of
fire-arms, had collected in front of the building.
Police-constable Tarrant,l22 K, was attracted to the
spot, and a messenger ran for Dr. Meldola, of Green-
street, who promptly hastened to the house, where
an extraordinary scene was presented to him. He
found that the room was covered with blood, and
the deceased was leaning against the wall with the
back portion and top of his head blown away, the
face being still uninjured. The medical gentleman
and Mr. J. W. Burrows, the coroner's officer of the
district, discovered a rifled gun placed at the height
of about five feet across the upright posts of the bed-
stead. The butt end of the gun was-fixed against
I the wall and the barrel in two parts was tightly

bound round with core. There was a long piece of

cord tied to the trigger, and it would seem that the
decensed had deliberately placed the right side of his

head against the muzzle of the gun, which had been
discharged through the head. Thebrain wasscattered
in every direction upon the ceiling, walls, and front
window. The teeth and lower jaws were also shat-

tered, and it is a singular fact that a portion of the
charge from the gun had passed through the upper
portion of a portrait of her Majesty the Queen
which wns hanging on the wall. There is no doubt
but what the deceased must have died simultane-
ously.

Mr. Burrows subsequently searched the room

and found several percussion caps and a box of
blank cartridges belonging to the authorities of the
corps he was attached to.
The police took charge of the knife which was
given up at the station in Bethnal-green-road by
the wife, who had the wounds upon ber hands
dressed at the London Hospital by Mr. King, the
house-surgeon.
Last evening Mr. John Humphreys, the coroner
for the county of Middlesex, received information
respecting the sad occurrence, and an inquest will
be held on the body this (Saturday) afternoon.