The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-04 00:00:00

THE ILKESTON MURDE.R.

In our yesterday's impression we gave a brief
account of the murder of a man named. Joseph
Smith, of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, by his son, George
Smith, who blew his father's brains out with a pis-
tol. We now give some further particulars. It
appears that the murderer purchased a pistol, with
which the murder was perpetrated, at Mr. Daniel
Webster's, general dealer and pawnbroker, Clumber-
street, Nottingham. On Wednesday afternoon, about
one o'clock, Smith went to Mr. Webster's shop and
asked for a pistol, stating that he wished to purchase
one. Smith being a stranger Mr. Webster asked him
what he wanted it for, to which Smith replied that
he wanted it "to fly pigeons with when they were
racing." Mr. Webster was satisfied with Smith's
answer, and accordingly supplied him with a pistol,
for which he paid 4s. Smith then asked him if he
could furnish him with powder and caps, to which
Mr. Webster replied in the negative, adding that
his neighbour, Mr. Carr, on the other side of the
street, could supply him with all he required. Ac-
cordingly, Smith went there and asked for a half-
penny worth of caps, which were supplied to him by
Mrs. Carr. He put one of the caps on the pistol, and
was in the act of letting it off, when she told him she
was afraid of firearms, and if he wanted to let it off he
must go into the street. He then went outside the
shop and fired the cap off, after which he returned
to Mrs. Carr, and asked for a halfpenny worth of
powder, She told him that she did not make that
quantity, but he could have a pennyworth if he
thought proper. He replied, " Well, give me
enough for one charging ; I want to try the pistol."
She accordingly put a small quantity in a piece of
paper, and he threw down a penny for it and went
away. He then went home, and, it is said, called
his father up and deliberately shot him. Mr. Smith
immediately fell dead, and his son was soon after-
wards taken into custody. While he was being
apprehended he asked for a carving-knife, stating
that he would have revenge on the body of his
father, adding that, when he was hanged, if his
limbs trembled, his name was not George Smith.
We stated yesterday that the murderer wrote a
note in lead pencil to his sweetheart, at Belton, on
Wednesday, in which he said he was afraid his
father would make away with himself. This turns
out to be correct, for on Thursday evening Detec-
tive Davis went to Belton, had an interview with
the girl, Ellen Cox, who at first denied having re-
ceived a letter, but afterwards produced the follow-
ing, written in lead pencil, which she said she had
received from the murderer that (Thursday)
morning :
" My dear * *,—l told my father this morning,
and he is like a madman, and I am sure he will make
away with himself ; but, Ellen, never mind ; you
will soon become my wife, and then all this bother
will be over. Please send me word when you are
at your grandmother's, and you must come and
meet me at the station on Sunday morning, be
there at 8 o'clock. So good-bye, sweetheart. I
have given the banns in at Ilkeston."
(The letter is not dated from any place, nor bears
any signature.)
Mr. Whiston opened the inquest on Thursday
afternoon, at the Queen's Head, Ilkeston, and the
1 proceedings were adjourned until this day.