The Dewsbury Chronicle, and West Riding Advertiser. — 1875-12-18 (Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England)

SHOCKING TRAGEDY IN NORWICH.  A horrible tragedy occurred on Monday morning, at Norwich. On Saturday last Edward Roberta. a labourer. aged 42, was admitted an in-patient of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, suffering from dyspepsia. On Sunday he exhibited symptoms of nervous disorder, and was restless duting Sunday nizht. _  At abou-t, five o'clock on Monday morning the nurse in charge of the ward missed him, and communicated with two other nurses, and likewise reported the circumstances to Mr. Baumgartner, house surgeon. While seirching for Edwards they heard a noise below, arid found one nurse talking with a boy, who said some one was killing boys in his ward. Mr. Baumgartnerlwent into one, portion of the ward, and saw Edwards heating a boy, who was in bed, with a pair of tongs, taken from the fireplace. E lwards, seeing the surgeon, turned upon him with a poker. Baumgartner parried the blow, which disabled his arm, and with the assistance of a porter, Edwards was secured. _ _ _ _  It was then found that Edwards had murderously assailed a number of boys, four of vrhoni were in one section of the ward.  Out of seven boys, William Martin, aged 11. was killed; John Lacy, aged 10, of Pockthorpe, was ; and Joseph Colman, aged 11, was also killed. The brains of Lacy and Colman were dashed out; Martin lived only an hour after he received his injuries; and Alfred Clark, aged nine, is not likely to recover. These four boys were the inmates of one wsrd, and while E lwards was attacking Clarke, the nut se, who slept in an adjoining room, was aroused. Looking out to see what was the matter, Edwards levelled a murderous blow at her with the tongs, which she avoided by closing and barring the door. He then went aoress a passage to the other portion of the ward, where he was assailing E lward Lubbock. aged nine, of Buxton, when Mr. Baumgartner came upon the scene. Robert Edwards was brought before the Norwich magistrates again on Thursday, charged with the triple murder at the Norwich Hospital. He was on m and attentive, but looked ill Sir. Clabburn defended. Mr. Baumgartner said the prisoner, when admitted, complained of sensations which came over his head, so that he could not control himself. Witness thought he meant fainting. In addition to the nurses examined before the coroner, Susan Brown was called. She m.id she was day nurse in the boy's ward, and was aroused by a "knockiiig noise." On looking into the ward she saw the prisoner ha his shirt, knocking the boys on the head. Prisoner aimed a blow at her, but she retreated.  Harry Frost, the boy who was awakened by the knocking, peeped into the other portion of the ward, and saw the prisoner beating the boys' heads He gave the alarm to the night nurse, °Denmark, whom he met in the passage. The nurse had charge of several wards including the boys', but had a special case to attend to in another ward.  This was all the evidence for the prosecution. Mr. Clabburn asked for a remand, that he might call witnesses to prove the insanity of the prioner. in order that their evidence might appear on the depositions, to preeent the case fully at the assizes. Prisoner was remanded till to-day. There is no doubt the man was insane. Lubbock and Clarke are still alive.