The Express. — 1860-04-13 (London, England)

SUPPOSED DOUBLE MURDER NEAR  MANCHESTER.  Early yesterday morning information reached the police-station at Pendlebury, near Manchester, that an old man, named Scholes, and his son, who lived at Irlamso'-th'.lleight, had been found dead in their cottage, under circumstances leading to the belief that a fearful and mysterious crime had been committed. Sergeant Lee, of Pendlebury, arrived at the house at seven o'clock, and Mr. Berke, Mr. Booth, and Mr. Ashburner, surgeons of the neighbourhood, were in attendance about the same hour. It appeared that the elder deceased, William Scholes, aged about 75, was a man living on email independent income, in one of three cottages situate at the function of the Swinton and Pendlebery roads. The other victim, William Edward Scholes, was about 41 years of age. Another eon, Joseph Scholar., workaat the printing-ofiice of Messrs. Bradshaw and Blacklock, at Manchester. The two Bons slept together in one bedroom, the father occupied another, and a daughter, Sarah Eliza Scholes, had a third. The only account of the discovery that baa yet been obtained was given by Joseph Scholes to Sergeant Lee. His statement is to the effect that on the previous day he left home for his work after dining own, fortably with his family, about 1 o'clock in the afternoon. On hie way back in the evening he wail seized with a fit while pausing through Salford, and taken up by the police, who supposed he was drunk. At the Salford police station it became apparent he was suffering from an infirmity, and he was liberated. On reaching home about 9 o'clock he found no one down stairs, but heard his sister moving in her room overhead, and making a noise, which was habitual with her. The surgeons are informed that she is subject to fits, and is considered deranged. Her bedroom door was locked. Joseph Scholes went to bed, and during the night he says he got up about half a dozen times. His sister was still making a noise. About six o'clock yesterday morning be went out for some water, and met a young woman named Phoebe Hall. At his request she went with him to his sister's room. They broke open the dour, and saw his sister sitting on a chair, and hie father and brother lying dead on the floor. .  Judging from the position in which the bodies were found, the father had fallen on the top of his son. The father lay at right angles to the bed, near its head ; his feet and part of the body were under the bed, and his head out. side. The son was lying parallel with the bed ; hie head was towards it. foot, and his feet were doubled up under the body of his father. The father's face showed signs of strangulation, but there was no appearance of wounds. Blood was laming from the ears. The son's death was more unaccountable ; there were not the same marks of strangulation, but there were some slight cute in the neck, which might have been made by a three-bladed pocketknife that was found on the mantelpiece. Another pocketknife was found in the father's hand, but it sem closed. Both the men were completely dressed. The police discovered that the pillow of the bed on which Joseph &holes bad slept was marked with blood. This, be says, was caused through hurting himself, by falling down in a fit in Salford ; and there are tram of a wound in hie head. He remains in the house in custody of the police. His sister was removed in custody to the Salford Workhouse. A coroner's inquest was opened yesterday afternoon, and Joseph &holes gave his account of the matter clearly and satiafactorily enough. The inquest was then adjourned. The impression is that the infirm sister committed the murder.