The Tamworth Examiner and Working Men's Journal. — 1875-03-27 (Tamworth, Staffordshire, England)

THE FORDHAM TRAGEDY, MURDER OF A FXTHER AND MOTHER. On Saturday morning, about seven o'clock, a sou murdered his father and mother at Fordham, a village about seven miles from Colchester. The names of the victims are Solomon Jo-•nson, aged 80, labourer, and Susannah, his wife, aged over 70. The murderer, Thomas Johnson, aged 35, is a farmer's horseman. The scene of the crime is a t. able-tenement cottage on an offhand farm held toy Mr. Knight, and situated in a lonely spot some 400 yards from the high road, and a considerable distance from any neighbours. The centre tenement was occupied by the Johnsons; the wings by a woman named Mills and by four orphan children, whose mother lay dead in the house. This description will help to explain the particulars of the murder, as they have been stated by the police. Thos. Johnson for many years behaved exceedingly well as a son, but recently suffered from a reiigious mania and a suspected love affair, so that he was in the local union some weeks under treatment. Having got better, he was a month ago allowed to go out and to go back to his parents' house, whence last week he came to Colchester for a change. On the 18th his conduct was observed to be very strange, and on the following day he suddenly left the house of his sister and went roaming about the town, among other acts going to consult a lawyer about his lady-love, whom he described as having been seen by him in "a glorified state." The demented man left Colchester the same evening and slept at his parents' house at Fordham. Next morning, at seven o'clock, Mrs. attentb n was called to some cries of "Murder," and she saw the accused, poker in hand, chasing his father and mother in the garden. The old man' after receiving some blows, tell into an ashpit, and was then despatched by his maddened son. The poor man had his bed shattered in a fearful manner. Johnson next attacked his aged mother, and beat her so that he left her for dead. Meanwhile, Mrs. Mills, who was much frightened, locked up the four orphan children, of w 01.11 she had kindly taken charge, and ran for assistance. The man muet have seen her, for he threatened to kill her, and pursued her a short distance. It was a fortunate circumstance that the children had been locked in, for the man broke the window in an attempt to get at them, and he exclaimed to them, "I'll kill you." Mrs. Slills wi-nt to the parish constable (there being no policeman in the village), who sent forward Mr. parkes and Mr. Partridge. These found the murderer making his way to the village, and after some mameuvring they closed upon him, one of them, however, receiving a severe blow with the poker which the madman still carried in his hand. However he was overpowered, and ultimately lodged under lock and key in the union workhouse at Stanway. The neighbours attended Mrs Johnson, who was alive and sensible, but she died before medical aid could reach her. The prisoner, while under the charge of the porter at the union house, coolly admitted having murdered his parents, and said that something struck his mind all of a sudden, and he believed he was the Almighty, and had to do it. The policeman stationed at Stanway (Richard-on) received the man into his custody, and said to him, "I understand that you have committed murder this morning r" The accused replied, "Yea, I have kiled two—my father and mother." Johnson, who is a short, thick set man of unprepossessing appearance, was conveyed to Colchester, and taken before the county magistrates then in session, with Mr P. 0. Papillon, chairman. In reply to questions he stated the names of his parents, and after some formal evidence bad been given, he declined to answer any questions, but said, "No, lam fully decided about it." Prisoner was remanded.