The Sun. — 1860-05-21 (London, England)

HORRIBLE MURDER OF A WIFE AND SIX CHILDREX AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT.  PORTSMOUTH, SATURDAY.  One of the most frightful murders which we have had to record for years past was committed in the Isle of Wight yesterday morning, and has caused the greatest excitement to prevail for miles round. It appears that a man named George Whitworth had been for some years in the army, and had seen much service during that time, and on various occasions had been wounded, once rather severely in the head. On account of his general good conduct and the useful services he had rendered he was appointed head-gunner at Sandoss n Fort, as ❑ear as can be ascertained, about the middle of last year. He had a residence in the fort, and lived with his wife and family, which consisted of six children. They appeared always to live on the very best terms ; but at times the unfortunate man showed by his conduct some slight aberration of intellect, and from these, and his incoherences on several occasions of late, it was feared that the wounds he had received in his head had impaired his mind. There was nothing, however, to lead to any apprehension that he would harm himself or any other person. Yesterday, at noon, the unfortunate man was noticed near the fort by some of the Coastguardsmen, and his peculiar conduct attracted their attention. He held his hand to his throat, and moaned, and behaved in such a manner as to cause them to imagine that something was wrong. Several men spoke to him, but he answered them incoherently, and said to one man in the Coastguard service that some man had got down the chimney and murdered his wife and all his children. He seemed very much affected; and one of the men asked him what was the matter with his throat, when he replied that it was only a scratch. He walked away, and was followed by the Coast-guardsmen to a piece of ground used as the playground for the men at the fort. There he repeated his extraordinary statements about a man getting down the chimney, and murdering his wife and six children. The men, then, for the first time, observed blood trickling from his throat very rapidly. This confirmed their suspicions that something was wrong, and they insisted on examining the place, and then they found that there was a frighful gash in his throat, though it did not reach the more vital arteries. The men then had very little doubt that the poor fellow had committed some awful deed, and they went to the house in which he resided, and saw there a scene of the most horrifying description. In various rooms were found the bodies of his poor wife and five of his children, all with their throats cut in the most frightful manner. A knife found near the body of the eldest girl, and covered with blood, clearly showed what had been the weapon used to carry out this diabolical and wholesale slaughter. Nor was this all, for the dead body of an infant only a few months old was found lying on a bed. Strange to say, there were no marks of violence whatever on the body, and the opinion of the medical gentlemen who were called is that the baby was suffocated. Medical aid was called in without a moment's delay, but all the poor creatures were past human aid. The police authorities were called in, and Whitworth was given into their custody, with orders for his wounds to be seen to. The premises were locked up and taken charge of by the police until the coroner's investigation shall have been held. There seems to be no assignable cause for the commission of this frightful tragedy ; but the general impression is that the poor fellow was not in a sane state of mind. He does not appear to have had any ill-feeling towards his victims, for the whole family lived most happily togethe, and he had gained the respect of all with whome he came in contact since his appointment at the fort.