The Sun. — 1829-11-26 (London, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE.  (From the Second Edition of the Bath Journal of Alonday.) [This article was omitted in our Paper of yesterday by  mistake.]  IWe stop the press to notice a twofold murder and suicide of a more horrible nature than it has ever been our unpleasant task to record. This (Monday) morning, about twenty minutes before six o'clock, a man of the name of Beer, lodging with his wife and child, at No. 1, Williams-place, at the back of St. James's-street, St. James's-square, murdered both the latter by cutting their throats with a razor. Just before six o'clock, Mrs. Chapple, another lodger in the house, sleeping in the next room to Beer, fancied' she heard something like a gurgling in the throat ; she immediately went to the door and called-to Mrs. Beer, and asked if she was ill, but having repeated her call two or three times without an answer, she opened the door and went into the room, and again asked Mrs. Beer if she was ill, to which no answer could be obtained. She began then to suspect that all was not right, and told her husband to strike a light ; on entering the room with which, she discovered a sight of horror past the power of words to describe. The mother was lying on her back, with one hand across her breast, and her throat cut from one angle of the jaw to the other, dividing some of the principal arteries and windpipe ; and the little innocent, about four months old, which appeared to have been lately drawn from the breast for the murderous purpose, was lying on its side, with its head severed, excepting by a bit of skin at the back part of the neck. The bodies were weltering in blood, a pool of which, under the bed, extended across the room. It was evidently the result of a cool and deliberate intent, for it appeared that the deed was committed while the sufferers were asleep, there having been no noise heard by any of the lodgers or neighbours, excepting that described by Mrs. Chapple, which was after the deed had been perpetrated, and the murderer had escaped. Mr. White, surgeon, of St. James'ssquare, was called in at six o'clock, too late, of course, to be of any service; and the result of his examination tended to show that there was no struggling, and the bed clothes were not disturbed. There were other points that seem to prove the deliberateness of the act. The bloody razor was lying open on a box by the side of the bed, and the case was lying on the dresser down stairs in the kitchen, and with it a lath-hatchet, as :hough in,tended for use if the murderer had failed to accomplish his purpose with the razor. What was the cause of this dreadful act the most distant idea cannot be formed. Beer is described by the lodgers as being a very steady -man, fond of his wife and his home, and doatingly fond of his child, which he was always caressing when at home ; nor have they latterly seen any alteration in his conduct. All the previous day, Sunday, both Beer and his wife were at home, and appeared, as usual, very comfortable  :and happy, and retired to bed as usual at ten o'clock. :Beer was a Journeyman baker, and had been employed as foreman by Mr. Darks, of St. James'sstreet, for nearly the last twelvemonths, during which time his employer had found him attentive to his business, a trustworthy servant in his master's absence, particularly obliging, and apparently happy. Mr. and Mrs. Davies saw no alteration in his conduct up to the latest period, except that when he came on Sunday evening to prepare for the next morning's baking, he was about two hours later than his usual time, but :he did his business very properly, and seemed in his: manner as usual. Immediately after the discovery of the above horrible murder, the officers of justice were apprised of it, and were quickly on the alert to apprehend the perpetrator. Shortly after daylight a baker's jacket with blood on it, was seen lying on the bank of the river near ,Bedford-street, Walcot; in consequence of which William George, of Bathwick, took a boat to search the river, and found the body of Beer in 4tthe water, with life quite extinct, at the bottom of Bedford-street. The body was thence taken to Walcot workhouse, to await the Coroner's Inquest.  (Further particulars from the Bath Gazette.) Beer was formerly foreman to Mr. Sheppard, near the toll-gate on the Wells-road, where he also for a short time, carried on business on his own account; but for about 12 months . past he has been employed as foreman by Mr. Davies, of St. James's street, St. James's-square. Beer was well-known as a man of steady habits, loving to his wife, enjoying his fireside, and almost idolizing his child; he was industrious in his busineSs, faithful to his employers, obliging to every body, in easy circumstances,* surrounded with comforts adapted to his situation in life, and, to all appearance, good-tempered and happy ! How can an event so extraordinary and appalling be accounted for. There had been no appearance of alteration in him in any respect ? He was later than usual on Sunday evening in his preparations for Monday's baiting, but he did every thing as usual, and in his usual, way. That the act was deliberate, there is not a shadow of a doubt ; the razor-sheath and hatchet below stairs, and the victims murdered in their sleep, show that it was not a momentary impulse which hurried him to the deed; but how long it had been contemplated, it is impossible now to discover. On the prerious day Beer appeared happy as usual with his wife and child until the evening, when they went to church, and the child was christened, after which a few friends returned with them to their lodgings, and had some beer before they departed. After they were gone, Beer and his wife were heard quarrelling by the people under them. What was the subject of their quarrels ? Who can or who will tell ? The human heart has many openings by which atrocities of all sorts may find an entrance, if unopposed; or, as our law-formulary expresses it, " not haring the fear of God." We have inquired where were Beer and his wife all Sunday ? The answer was, " They were at home, as usual, all day," till the evening, when the child was christened. Whatever may have been the proximate cause of his awful conduct, we fear he habitually cultivated no principle which might have opposed it. We may resume this topic next week. The Coroner's inquest also may throw some light upon the affair: the bodies are still waiting his arrival, now momentar,44sxpected. • _  v We have seen informed there were twelve sovereign., two guineas, and other money, found in his pocket when the hody,was taken out of the water.