The Sun. — 1839-06-05 (London, England)

ALLEGED MURDER AND  INCENDIARISM.  Yesterday morning, a few minutes before one o'clock, the inhabitants of Prince's-street, St. Ann's, Soho, were thrown into the utmost alarm, by the discovery of the premises of Mr. Westwood, watch and clock maker, No. 35, Prince's-street, being on fire. Immediately the fire, which was in the back parlour, was discovered, several persons entered the room, which is for the present used as a temporary bedroom for Mr. W., who sleeps up stairs, when a horrid spectacle presented itself. The unfortunate gentleman was lying on the floor, dressed, with his throat cut from car to ear, and quite dead, the bed and bedding burnt, and the fire communicating to the flooring and wainscoting. The fire engines promptly arrived, and sueceeded in extinguishing the fire before any considerable damage was sustained. The room was most minutely examined, but not any instrument could be found with which the fatal deed was perpetrated. Mr. Westwood was watch-maker to the Duke of Sussex. The last time the unfortunate individual was seen alive was about twelve o'clock on Monday night, standing at his door ; shortly after which he retired to rest. His wife lives in the house, but does not sleep in the same room as her husband ; and about half-past twelve she was aroused by a smell of fire. She hastened down stairs to awake her husband, when she discovered his bed clothes on fire. Alarm was instantly given, and the police discovered the unhappy man with his throat cut, his face much bruised, and his eyes completely blackened. There is not at present the slightest clue to the murderer, or even a conjecture of the motive to the diabolical act. It appears that Mrs. Westwood retired to bed about I l o'clock cn Monday night, leaving her husband sitting up, as was his usual practice, reading the newspaper, in a room adjoining, and between the shop and the back parlour, where the body was found. The street-door was perfectly secured by the servant girl, who went to bed soon after her mistress. She sleeps on one of the top rooms of the house. No alarm was heard or given, until Mrs. Westwood imagined that she heard a scuffling below, end shortly after the street-door slammed to. She afterwards was alarmed by bearing several groans, and she then called to the servant girl, who descended with her mistress down stairs, and discovered that the house was on fire, and that the street door was on the latch. Gilbert, the constable, then came up, end the females were placed in safety, and kept unconscious of the fate of Mr. Westwood.  The body of the deceased was not found in the room where he was in the habit of reading, but by the side of a press-bedstead in the back parlour facing the door which leads into the ante-room that separates the parlour from the shop. The furniture in the room was not displaced, nor was there any trace of a scuffle having taken place. The deceased's spectacles were found on a table in the ante-room covered with blood—they were shut up, and a number of the Morning Herald newspaper was lying on the floor. The officers next proceeded to search for the instrument with which the act must have been perpetrated, and a common table knife with a white handle was discovered in a drawer in the ante-room. The blade was much stained with blood, and a portion of human hair was adhering to the point—these drawers are from ten to twelve feet from where the body was found. Another very important point connected with this melancholy case is the discovery of a heavy iron sash weight, which the Inspector picked up in the passage behind the street door. The deceased was in good circumstances, and of a cheerful disposition. Throughout the day, a body of police guarded the house, which was surrounded by a vast concourse of persons, and the knife, spectacles, sash weight, and the body of the deceased will not be further disturbed until the Coroner's jury shall have had the opportunity of witnessing the position in which they were respectively found.  An inquest was held last evening on the body, and after some witnesses bad been examined, it :was adjourned till this day.