The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-03 00:00:00

Tm 47, SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1540.

HORRID MURDER AND SUICIDE

IN CLERKENWELL.

Yesterday forenoon, between twelve and one, the neigh-
bourhood of Compton-street, Clerkenwell, was involved in
the utmost excitement and consternation, in consequence
of a most appalling murder and suicide, which were com-
mitted by a man named George Gingell, upon himself
and his wife. It appears that the deceased persons were
observed by some of the inhabitants of the neighbourhood
walking along Compton-street, in close conversation, when
Gingell seemed to address his wife entreatingly, but she
appeared to resist him, until they arrived at the house of
Mr. Fox, wheelwright and engineer, situate No. 57,
Compton-street, Clerkenwell. Mrs. Gingell rung the
bell to alarm her brother, who, with his wife, lodges on the
second-floor of Mr. Fox's house, and immediately after
she did so Gingell, who was evidently irritated, put his
hand into his pocket, pulled out a white-handled razor,
and seizing hold of his wife by the head drew the instru-
ment across her throat, and nearly severed her head from
her body, and she fell upon the pavement. He then in-
stantly with Ihe same weapon inflicted a wound upon his
own throat, and fell upon her body. Mrs. Pohl, the sister-
in-law of Mrs. Gingell, who had heard the bell ring,
looked out of the window to ascertain who was at the
door, when she saw Mrs. Gingell lying down with
the blood gushing from her throat, and she distinctly per-
ceived Gingell cut his own throat with the razor and fall
upon her. Crowds of persons assembled on the spot, where
the bodies were lying on the pavement still alive ; a me-
dical gentleman who was accidentally passing by went to
their assistance, but the wounds were so deep that he could
render them no service, and information was immediately
communicated to the officers of the police station-house,
which is adjacent to the spot, when Henry Redman, 224,
G division, repaired to the spot with two stretchers, and
he, with the assistance of King and other constables, con-
veyed them to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where they
were found to be qnite dead. Sergeant Barton, No 1, E,
who was on duty at the station-house in Rosamond-street,
as acting inspector, proceeded to the hospital with the par-
ties, when he searched the bodies of the deceased. In
the female's pocket be found the following letter, which we
—o"Myh Dear Wife—I now write to pro-
ini
at I have placed my children out,
gives t o verbatim
inform
:yu that
but I must say that with parting with my little girl,
and losing you, is almost too much for me. If there
is anything else that you wish me to do that will contribute
to your happiness and comfort I will gladly do it. I hope
now my dear wife that you will make up your mind to re-
turn home, cr send me a line to come and fetch you, as
now there will be only you and me ; for I will do every
thing in my power to make you happy and comfortable.
I don't leave till this day week, when the month is up. I
am now coming to work at Uston (Euston) station, Us-
ton-square, so that I shall be able to come home to
all my meals, for then we shall be more happy and com-
fortable. I shall not look out for any more lodgings until
I see you ; you and me shall be now happy and com-
fortable with ourselves. I have now no more to say at
present, but remain your ever affectionate, but, at pre-
sent, unhappy husband,

"GEORGE GINGELL,
28, Wilstead-street, Somer's-town,
" May 19, 1840.
" P. S.—Do my dear wife come home now at once--for
you and I sIL.III now soon be ably to get things all right
and comfortable, and I can go more happy to my work,
and you will be able to have more leisure time than you
had be:ore. There will be nothing now to confine you at
home. " Adieu at present."
Directed to Mrs. Gingell, at Mrs. Pohl's, Islington-
terrace, Islington.
Scrucant Barton also found the following written scrap
of paper from Mrs. Gingell, to her deceased husband :
" Gingell,—This is the fourth time of my leaving you,
and not with little cause, for I am not agai❑ to be tould
that I am a brute to the children, merely leaving them
a few cures. So now it is finally tould you it would be
when you little expected it. So now I hope you will not
trouble me. I have done all that laid in my power to
please you but all in vane. So I have nothing on my
mind weather you have or not—that you know best about,
and i hope that you will get your children better minded,
this is the last bit of paper you will ever have from me.
" MARY ANN GINGELL."

In consequence of these documents, Sergeant Barton,
under the directions of. his Superintendent, proceeded to
the house of Mr. Pohl, of Islington-terrace, for the
purpose of making inquiries, when he ascertained that
he was Mrs. Gingeli's father, and that since her ab-
senco from her husband, she had been living in
his house, and was employed at shoe-binding by
a tradesman residing in Goswell-street-road. His
daughter bad been married to Gingell about twelve
months, and during that period he had been in the habit
of abusing and ill-treating her. She was 21 years of age,
and her husband 40, who having two children, one a boy
10 years old, and a girl 2 ye rs old, by a former marriage,
he suspected that they were not properly attended to,
which led to frequent disputes and quarrels. He, Gin-
gall, met his wife (the deceased) accidentally in the
street, paid his addresses to her, they married without the
consent of him (Mr. Pohl) or her mother. Since she
had left him he was in the habit of watching her and
dogging her, and pressing her to return and live with him,
and on Monday night last he met her and her sister, when
they repulsed him, and there is little doubt but yesterday
morning he watched her to the house in Goswelltstreet-
road, for which she was in the habit of working, to
entreat her to return and live with him. The
police have made inquiries after the children, but
have not traced them ; and fears are entertained that the
father may have despatched them, as he had at one time
shown strong symptoms of madness.
About twelve months ago, be and his wife carried on
the business of green-grocers near Goswell-street-road,
when he was in the habit of getting drunk and ill-treating
his wife; and on one occasion, about nine months ago, he
attempted suicide by opening a vein in his arm; and Sar-
geant Barton was called in, when he acted in a most out-
rageous manner, indicative of madness.
Mrs. Gingell was a fine-looking young woman, and re-
spectably attired. On her was found numerous duplicates
for rings and wearing apparel ; and her coral necklace,
which was taken off her neck by Sergeant Barton, was
clotted with blood. The razor, with which the horrid
deeds were perpetrated, was so covered with blood, that
when it became dry, the blade could scarcely be drawn
from the handle. _

Information of the horrid affair was immediately for-
warded to Mr. Payne, the City Coroner ; the officers arc
busily employed for the purpose of procuring the neces-
sary evidence, and to trace tlic children of Gingen.

The following is the first notice of this dismal tragedy,
which we received yesterday as our Paper was going to
press. We publish it with the letters of the deceased, in
order to justify ourselves for throwing some doubt on the
communication, and to show the lamentable state of edu-
cation in this country, abounding with more Church, more
wealth, and more richly-endowed educational charities,
than any civilized community ever could boast of :

June 2 1840

Compton steet Clarkingwell aßnut parst 12 this four-
none a man and his wife ad so wourds a she Run over the way
to her freinds and he overtoker a cut her throte in street
and after cut his on and Borthis Daid the pollese cam
with the stretchers and tok Bodeys to the Church