The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-28 00:00:00

ATVFUL TRAGEDY NEAR SMIIIIPJELD.

A FATHER, MOTHER, AND SIX CHILDREN
POISONED.

A sensation, which it would almost be impos-
sible accurately to describe, was created this
(Monday) morning) in the immediate vicinity of
West Smithfield, within a few yards of the steno
of the late terrible tragedy where a man murdered
his wife by cutting her throat, and destroying his
own life afterwards.

Probably a more fearful crime has not been
enacted in the great metropolis than the one
we are about to narrate. At No. 15, Hosier-
lane, one of the principal carriage en-
trances to Smithfield, stands a large double
fronted house, occupied by a Mr. Adams, a silver-
smith and electro-plater, and in this same house re-
sided his clerk, named Duggan, about 28 years of
age, together with his wife and family of six chil-
dren. Of late the man Duggan had been very un-
well, and had suffered much from an inward dis-
ease, which had caused him at times to become
greatly excited, but nobody for a moment imagined
that he ever contemplated the awful crime which
unfortunately he has committed.
The circumstances which have led to the fearful
crimes were such as have rarely been heard of. At
the first postal delivery at Smithfield Polica-station
►this morning the inspector received a letter from
Duggan, in which he stated that the police would
have to attend early at No. 15, Hosier-lane. The
inspector thinking the letter was a rather siegular
one sent a constable round to the house, wile!) a
scene of a most sickening nature presented itself.
lie could at once see that murder most foul
had been committed, for the lifeless bodies of
not fewer than eight human beings were lying in
bed in different parts of the rooms iu the occupa-
tion of the man Duggan. Without touching any
of the bodies the officer at once scut for Inspector
Everett, who promptly attended, accomp inied by
acting detective, Inspector Smith. The officer at
once sent off for Dr. Wilson, of Farringdon-street,
and upon the arrival of that gentleman, about 9
o'clock, upon entering the second floor back, he
found Duggan lying in bed a corpse, and a strong
smell of bitter almonds pervaded the room. Ile went
from the room into the front apartment, and found
Mrs. Duggan lying:in bed, also dead. There was a
young child at each side of her apparently asleep,
but, upon closer inspection, were found to be also
dead. There were two other children at the foot
of the bed, and they were also dead. There were
also two children in a bed opposite the one the
mother was lying on, and another in a crib, all three
of whom were likewise dead.
Dr. Wilson at once felt convinced by the odour
in the different rooms that the whole of the per-
sons, both adults and juveniles, had died from the
effects of prussic acid, but be could discover no
trace of any vessel in the rooms that had contained
that deadly poison. Upon making inquiries of the
police, he ascertained that two bottles containing
the essential oil of bitter almonds of full strength
had been removed to the station-house before his
removal. Upon examining these bottles, they
showed unmistakably that the whole of the persons
had died from swallowing that poison. T'ue letter
before referred to was signed by Mr. J. Duggan,
and that a letter which wassent to his brother would
state full particulars. The purport of that letter
is not yet known, and probably, if the brother
resides out of town, will not be known until late
this evening or to-morrow morning. Mr. Wilson
is of opinion that the ages of the children vary from
infancy to 10 or 12 years. Their names were Emma,
Walter, Alice, George, Herbert, and the infant
Ada.

One very remarkable event in connection with
the tragedy is that the wholesale murderer always
appeared exceedingly fond of his wife and offspring,
and last night he took the whole of his children for
a walk over Blackfriars-bridge, alleging
that a
change of air would do them good. After being out
with them some time he brought the children
home, and remarked that he had
given them a
good airing, but the prevailing opinion is that
he took them out, not for the benefit of their
health, but that, if opportunity occurred, he would
drown them, for on his return home he seemed in
a very desponding state of mind. Being Sunday,
of course the banks of the river Thames were
thronged with people, and the man would thereby
be unable to carry out such a desperate crime with-
out being immediately detected. Amongst the
many rumours in circulation is one that the mother
took part in the committal of the dreadful affair,
but, of course, nothing reliable on that point can
at present be ascertained. Mr. Brett, the ward
beadle, has taken charge of the bodies, and has
forwarded information to Mr. Payne, the
.Coroner,
but up to noon to-day no time had been announced
for the holding of the inquest.