The Daily Times. — 1860-07-19 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

WIFE AND  SIX CHILDREN.  At the Winchester assizes, on Tuesday, before Mr. Justice Keating, William Henry Whitworth, a soldier, aged 39, was indicted for the wilful murder of Martha, his wife, and Frederick, William, Robert, Mary Ann, Elizabeth,. and Ellen Whitworth, his six children, at Sandown, in the parish of Eluding, Isle of Wight. Mr. W. M. Cooke appeared for the prosecution ; Mr. Cole for the defence. .  It will be remembered that Whitworth, who was a sergeant in the Royal Artillery, was the master gunner at Sandown Fort, ,in which his quarters were situated, there residing with him his wife and six of his children, thc seventh being absent. On the 18th May Whitworth ran across the parade ground, threw himself upon his knees before Captain Robinson, and exclaimed, " For God's sake, sir, save me !" He handed to Captain Robinson his watch, some money and papers, and added, " He's used me dreadfully ! He's held a pistol at my head, and swore he would shoot me if I did not cut my throat !" He then opened the collar of his coat, exhibiting his coat cut and covered with blood, and added, "There is awful work down there. Pray go down." He was sent to the hospital. On entering the house bloody footprints--some the unfortunate children's, others those of Whitworth's stockings—were observed to cover the floor, showing that the children had. escaped from their bedroom and been pursued down stairs and driven up again by the murderer. The floor of the upper room was covered with blood, papers, clothing, and among other articles found were the razor and cutlass with which the murders had been perpetrated. There were two beds in the room. On the outer side of that nearest the door was the body of Mrs. Whitworth, dressed, with the exception of her boots, and her neck so horribly gashed that the vertebrae o 6 the neck were plainly visible. The wounds of the six children were all of the same dreadful character. Across the mother lay an infant which had evidently been at the breast, and they had clearly been murdered before they awoke ; near them there were a boy and girl, whose bodies had been thrown upon the bed after their murder. On the bed nearest the window were two girls, and at the head of it a little boy--:all were quite dead. The piL'ows showed that they had been used to stifle the cries of the unfortunate victims.  The prisoner, when placed at the bar, stared vacantly, about at the court, muttered some incoherent sentences, and was apparently eating something. A jury was empannelled to try the question whether the prisoner could understand the pleadings to, an indictment, and Dr: Lyford, the surgeon to the county gaol at Winchester, stated that the prisoner's mental powers were almost extinct, arising from softening of the brain, a disease which had apparently been going on for some time.  The prisoner, who had placed his arm around the neck of the turnkey who had him in charge, smiled at and pointed to his lordship, and appeared to be much amused at the appearance of the court.  After an explanatory address from his lordship, The jury found that the prisoner was unable to plead. Iris lordship said, then he should direct the usual order to be made.  The gaoler motioned to the prisoner leave the bar, but he appeared quite unable to comprehend the meaning, and when at length he was led away by the arm he exclaimed, in a loud tone of voice, " Gracimts God, look down upon you all, miserable sinners!"