The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-22 00:00:00

DESPERATE TRAGEDY .1N DUBLIN,

MURDER OF TWO CHILDREN BY THEIR

_ _ _
FATHER.
One of the most fearful tragedies that ever oc-
curred in this country took place on Wednesday, in
the house No. 25, South Cumberland-street, Dublin.
_ _

•
Two helpless infants—one two years old and the
other three years—were brutally and barbarously
murdered by their own father. The perpetrator of
this foul crime is John Molloy, a waiter out of
place, and the victims were his two sons, William
and Arthur. It appears that Molloy had been in
several excellent situations in the capacity of butler,
and from the papers found in his possession he bore
an excellent character. The last place he filled
was the situation of waiter in the Shelbourne
Hotel. He left this place on the 14th of Septem-
ber, and since then he has not been employed.
About twelve months since he prevailed on his wife,
who is a very good-looking young woman, to give
up an excellent situation which she held in a gen-
tleman's family residing in Leeson-street. At that
time Molloy told her that his earnings would bo
quite sufficient to support her and her children.
But since September last he and his family were
day after day getting deeper into distress. He had
to pawn nearly all his clothes and furniture, and
was reduced to the greatest distress at the time he
committed the terrible crime of which he stands ac-
cused. The house 25 South Cumberland-street, is one
of those old-fashioned substantial structures of which
there are many in the locality. It is four stories
high, and in the top front room Molloy and his
family resided. It was generally remarked that he
was a sober man, and very industrious up to a recent
period. He became ill in the commencement of the
present month, and took to his bed on the Bth inst.,
and never since left his wretched home until he was
brought out of it in custody, charged with the
brutal murder of his two infant children, and with
having attempted to murder his wife and sister-in-
law. An infant daughter of his is at present in
charge of some relations at Bray.
Shortly after 10 o'clock on Wednesday morning
Isabella Pye, sister-in-law to Molloy, called at the
lodgings of the prisoner for the purpose of seeing
his wife. He was sitting at the fire with nothing
on him but his shirt and an old horse rug. He asked
her some questions.relative to his shirt collars which
he had given to his mother-in-law to pawn. Isabella
Pye replied that she knew nothing about them.
Without receiving any provocation he seized a
poker and rushed at the woman, and struck her a
blow on the temple with it. Fearing that he was
going to murder her she made for the door, and suc-
ceeded in making her escape down stairs. He next
attacked his wife in a furious manner, and struck
her two terrible blows on the head. Nearly stunned
and covered with blood, she made for the door,
when her husband sought to intercept her, but
fortunately he was not in time before she gained
the lobby. It appears that when his wife and
sister-in-law had gone Molloy locked himself into
the room, where his two children were sitting in
a corner. This was the time, it is supposed, that he
availed himself of to commit the murder of his two
unoffending and helpless infant children. Police-
constable Walsh, 117 B, went to Molloy's, without
delay, for the purpose of taking him into custody.
On arriving at the top of the stairs he saw Molloy
standing at his room door, and cryine. bitterly.
His hands were covered with blood. The constable
looked into the room, and a horrible sight presented
itself to his view. On the floor, at the right hand
side of the door, lay the youngest child, William,
in a poolof blood, with his head nearly severed from
his body, and about four feet distant from his bro-
ther lay Arthur Molloy, gasping and bleeding pro-
fusely from a terrible gash in his throat. The per-
petrator of this fearful crime continued to weep, and,
standing over the infant that still lived the miser-
able man addressed the constable, and asked him
imploringly, "Can you do anything for him
and wringing his hands, he said, " Oh, I am sorry
for what I have done." Constable Walsh lifted the
window and shouted for help. Police-constable
Murphy, 54 B, was promptly on the spot, and one
constable took charge of Molloy and of the body of
the murdered child, while the other went to Dr.
Sweeney's with the infant Arthur, who was still
alive. Dr. Hughes, Westland-row, and Dr. Bennett,
Holles-street, lost no time in doing all in their
power to save the life of the little sufferer. It was
found, however, that the windpipe and several of
the vessels of the neck had been divided, and it was
deemed necessary to send the child off at once to
Jervis-street Hospital, where everything that could
be done was tried to save him, but to no purpose,
and the poor little fellow expired shortly after two
o'clock. Nothing could exceed the scene of wretched-
ness and squalor which the room where this terrible
tragedy was enacted presented. In one comer was
a heap of dirty straw, covered with rags ; a small
deal table, on which was some bread and butter and
coffee, stood before the fire-place. This table and a
stool were the only articles of furniture in the apart-
ment. A line, on which hung several small linen
articles, ran from one of the side walls to another.
The unwashed boards were smeared over with blood,
as were also portions of the surbases. The murdered
child (William) as he lay on the floor, looked as if
he were asleep. In consequence of the prisoner not
having any clothes to put on him a covered car was
procured to take him to the station-house. On his
arrival at Lad-lane station he was proceeding to
make some statement, when Mr. Inspector O'Connor
cautioned him that anything that he would say
would be used against him. The prisoner replied
that he was aware of that, and for the remainder of
the night he maintained strict silence. He was then
formally charged with the attempt on his wife and
sister-in-law, and with the murder of his two chil-
dren. As he had no clothes an old coat had to be
provided for him before he could be taken for—
EXAMINATION AT THE HEAD. OFFICE.
On being placed in the dock he presented the most
wretched and abject appearance. He is about 27
years of age, and is below the middle height. He
is very sallow, and his face is long and thin. His
eyes are blue, and his hair and whiskers are a kind
of red brown, approaching foxy. He is not by any,
means an ill-looking man, but there is an expres-
sion on his face of a rather sinister character.
The presiding magistrate (Mr. Allen) on hearing
a brief statement of the foregoing facts, directed
Constable Walsh to make an information, embody-
ing what he knew of the occurrence. When the
information was perfected the magistrate decided
on sending the prisoner back to the station, to
await the result of the coroner's inquest, yesterday.
During the proceedings at the head office the
wretched man held down his head, and did not
make any remark. Re was conveyed back to Lad-
lane statim-house, where dinner was provided for