The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1875-03-26 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE TERRIBLE MURDER OF A WIFE AND CHILD AT PENGE. A most shocking occurrence was brought tolight I early on Sunday morning, in Dulwich road, Penge. The scene of the terrible affair was the house numbered 3, Melbourne terrace, next door to the Queen 1 Adelaide Tavern, in which resided a Mr. Frederick I Hunt, with his family. At about a quarter to six in the morning the maid servant was going down stairs when her attention was attracted to a letter attached to the handle of the door of the room where • her master and mistress slept. She was also somewhat surprised at a written notice " not to go into the bedroom," and on the envelope of the letter, which wan addres.ed to Mrs. Guest, Laurel grove, there was a request to have it delivered at once. Mrs. Guest, it seems, was an Intimate friend of the family, and the servant at once communicated the circumstance to the resident governess, who went without delay to Laurel grove with the letter. Mrs. Guest, accompanied by her husband, came to the house, and on entering the bedroom they found the husband was absent; his daughter, named Annie, aged seven, was lying La bed looking quite calm, and dead; and the wife was onts•cle the bed in a kneeling position, with her face buried in her bands, and her arms resting on the side of the bedstead. Her throat bad been cut in a frightful manner, and there was a great deal of blood about the place. In another room two other children—Percy, aged five, and i Arthur, aged nine—were found n bed. sneering from the effects of poison. Dr. Longrigg, who resided only three houses .istant, was soon in attendance. lie pronounced the girl Annie, who was quite cold, to be dead, and that the wife, who was still warm, had ceased to breathe. The poison admitist.ted to the two little boys referred to did not take fatal effect. Whether the perpetrator of the dreadfid acts was disturbed in his deadly purpose is not known, but two other children—a boy aged twelve an a girl aged 10—escaped. Intimation of the occurrence having been communicated to the police authorities, Sergeant Bateman visite i the house, where he found a razor, covered with blood, with which the crime is supposed to have been committed. The first step taken by the police was to ascertain the whereabouts of the husband, and his discovery was I made under s molar circumstances. At about five minutes to eight on Monday morning the -ignalman engaged in the box at the Penge Junction saw a strange man walking about the line, but was unable to leave his post on account ot the boat express train in connection with the London. k'hsthatn, and Dover Railway. beinz just due. Ile, however, watched the trespasser, who, either by accident or intentionally, fell between the six.foot way, and the express passed him. The s'enalman then descended fiom his box, and asked the stranger what business he had there, 1 as there was a level crossing lower down. His reply was that be "missed the steps," and he apparently I paid attention to the advice that he bad "better go." No sooner, however, had the signalman retimed to his box than the stranger was seen to make his way from the bank and lie down on the "down" line, with his head resting on his arms. At this juncture another signalman was returning from his duty at the 13e!kenham Junction, and was aOied to look after the man, whose conduct was so extraordinary, and he with some difficulty took him to the Penge Station to charge him with trespassing and attempting suicide. While on the plattorm at that station the man paid ke would go quietly. whereupon the signalman released him, but no sooner had he done so than the unfoitunate man threw himself on tho line just before a down toxin was due, and he was at once taken into custody. His conduct and manner at the police-station were very strange, and his answers to the questions put to him so incoherent that the officials were unable to enter the charge. It was ultimately found that he was uncle, the influence lof laudanum, and Dr. Longrigg, who had been so re, ently called to the n.an's ill-fated borne, was sent for and applied the stomachpump wtth but little effect. His identity was not digcovered until, on searching his pocket., a card was found bearing his name—" Frederick Hunt, draper's accountant, 3, Melbourne Terrace, Dulwich road." The unfortunate man had, it is said, held a good position in a leading city wa. ehouse, which he left a few weeks since, and started business on his own account, but did not succeed in it 1 so well as he had expseted. The letter he addressed to Mrs. Guest was a long one, and in it he stated that by the time that reached her he should be no more, and pointed to the difficulties which led him to perpetrate the ennie. It further transpires that the horrible act had been contemplated for several days.