The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1878-07-19 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

MURDER OF FIVE PERSONS IN MONMOUTHSHIRE.  A terrible discovery was made at Llangibby, near Newport, Monmouthshire, on Wednesday morning. On the previous day a lad had been at work at the Llandowlais Farm with a man named Watkins, a labourer, who bore an excellent character for honesty and integrity. The boy went again te meet Watkins at the same place at an early hour Wednesday morning, and finding that he did not come to resume his labour he proceeded to his cottage. On arriving there a frightful spectacle presented itself. The body of the unfortunate man Watkins lay on the garden path, his head being on a flower-bed, while the corpse of his wife was also lying near the garden gate. The terrified boy at qnce ran to tell his mother what he had seen and'sfie accompanied bin. `e. the spot. Subsequently she informed Mr. Evans, of Cefullwch Farm, of what had taken place, and the police were communicated with. In the meantime, however, a man named Morgap, who was passing, saw the. bodies lying in the positions already indicated, and ascertained that both had had their throats cut. He then became aware that the cottage was on fire. By means of a ladder Morgan, assisted by a neighbouring farmer, removed the tiles and plaster from the roof, and, the smoke having cleared away to some extent, the two men entered the building. They found that the dwelling had been greatly disturbed, and on procoeding upstairs were horrified at finding the bodies of three children all quite dead. One was lying with her head between a box and the bedstead, another under the bed lying on its face, and the third in the inner room. Their names were Charlotte, aged eight ; Frederick, aged five; and Alice, aged four. All three had been stabbed and hacked about with a knife and all, especially the second child, were much burnt. It seemed as if the eldest, who had worm-de in thc book, rencer6 5T go..  window for the purp' ose of raising an alarm, when she was prevented from so doing by the murderers. The wounds on the children were apparently more severe than those inflicted on their parents, and the opinion of the people who speedily assembled at the scene of the tragedy, including Major Herbert, the Chief Constable of the ccunty, Superintendent Mclntosh, Sergeant Povall, Dr. Bolton, &c., was that Watkins had been first attacked and stunned with a blunt instrument, his throat being afterwards cut while he was insensible, and his wife had been killed in a similar manner. After rummaging the lower part of the house, the miscreants evidently went upstairs for the puposes of plunder, and, finding the children, despatched them, setting the house on fire before making good their escape. The cottage is one of the kind usually occupied by farm labourers. It is situated within its own garden by the side of the road, and is a long way removed from any other dwelling. The rooms had been comfortably furnished for persons in the state of life occupied by the unfortunate deceased persons. The floor of one of the bed rooms was burnt through to what had been the living room below, while the feathers of the beds and the clothes had been greatly scorched and singed. It has not yet been ascertained what property had been taken from the house, nor has any clue yet been found to the discovery of the perpetrators of these diabolical murders, no facts having as yet come to light to aid the police in their investigations. A man wearing a blue Guernsey had been seen on the road near the place, but nothing further has been heard of him, and it is considered doubtful whether one man could have committed the deed which has caused such widespread horror throughout the district. It is is likewise regarded as extremely improbable that Watkins could have committed the murders and subsequently killed himself. A foreign sailor, named Garcia, has been arrested on suspicion of having committed the murder, and stands remanded until Monday. Hewes discharged from Usk gaol on the 16th, and was seen late on Wednesday night near the house where this barbarous deed was committed.