The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1867-03-01 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

EXTRAORDINARY PROPOSAL VP DOUBLE MURDER AND SUICIDE AT CAMBERWELL. Mr. W. Carter, the Surrey coroner, held an invent on Thursday, at the Duke of Wellington Tavern, Wyndham-road, Camberwell, on view of the body of Frederick Danton, a man 30 years of age, who out his throat after an ineffectual attempt to compel hie wife to poison herself and her child. Elisabeth Denton, the widow of the deceased, said that he was • hairdresser, carrying on business at No. 18, Wyndham-road. He had formerly been in very prosperous circumstances. His business in the Wynd• ham-road wee a oomplete faller°, and six months ago witness had to go out to service at Dulwich. A fort. night ago she had to return from service because it was necessary that she should, owing to poverty, go into Lambeth workhouse to be confined. His circumstances gave him great distress of mind, and he became much excited. On Wednesday week he proposed to hey that she should poison the little boy the only ohild living out of fowl, who was aged just three years. He produoed a bottle of prussic said, and asked her to administer it to the child. Ile said that when she had done so, she should take it herself, and that he would drink it also. He urged her to destroy herself and the boy, saying, "Wears in such poverty we cannot live together, and therefore the best thing we can do is to take prnesia sold." She replied, "If you choose to take it, I shall not do so, neither shall the child." He became very angry, and when he found that he could not argue her into it, he struck her. He also proposed to kill her father, bemuse he would not let them have money. She was in great fear for her life. She remembered that shortly after her marriage he had made a pro. poeal that they simald drink poison together, and she was afraid that Eluding her stubborn, be would kill her himself. He used to keep getting in and out of bed, and walking about in estate of great nervous excitement. On Saturday last she became so alarmed that she pretended to him that she was going that day into Lambeth Workhouse to be confined, and she went next door to Mrs. Chapman, and slept there that night and Seeday night. The Coroner asked the witness whether she was not aware of the foot that the proposal of her husband was one to commit two murders as well as • suicide.  --...-- - ---.--. The witness, who was in tears, said that she knew the real nature of his project, and that, moreover, she believed he intended to murder her himself, as she would not consent, _ . .  The Coroner: Then why did you take no precaution to save the life of your little son The Witness Because I thought that his object was to destroy the lives of the whole of the family, and that he was too fond of the child to kill him unless he oould also kill me; I never believed he would commit suicide unless we all died together. I thought he was determined to destroy as if he ootald. He made the propotial formerly in Holloway. He was formerly given to excessive smoking and drinking, and I wasi sihirtecoehnoildliyrwwmahiniant ithvhege, proposedat 110 et oves re believe that was the first reason of his not being able fwoetilintdt him sato asleep on the bed in a back room. to contrihnoetlrhistihsraineont,odt.:: But on the floor of the shop my husband lay in a pool of blood, quite dead. I was greatly terrified, and ran out for help. Mr. John Chapman, a grocer, living at 18}, Wyndhamroad. said that he gave dm. Denton • domicile because ho had overheard Mr. Dcuiton say to her, "I will out your throat and do for you." That was said no doubt when she refused to poison the child and herself. Tho deceased's business as a hairdresser did not hammed, and he did not know what to do to make rap the rent. He was never seen to smile. Pellet-constable Coble, 150 P, said that be was called into the shop of the deceased on Monday last. and be saw the body lying on the door. The head was nearly severed from the trunk by a dreadful gash across the throat. Ile was stiff and cold, •nd must have been dead some hours. On a wash. hand stand close by were two razors; one was Open and covered with blood. The handle and the lower part of the blade were bound round with twine In such a manner as to enable a strong hold to be take<of it. There was a bottle of vitriolic: acid, kbelled "Poison," on a shelf. The Coroner having remarked upon the OWN, The jury returned a verdict that deceased committed suicide by cutting his throat while in a state of unsound mind.