The Sun. — 1847-04-20 (London, England)

THE MURDER AT NORWOOD. The name of the wretched man who committed murder and suicide at Norwood, as reported in our paper yesterday, was James, not John, Young, and his age was twenty-seven years. He married the unfortunate victim of his violence upwards of two years ago; she had ti4ree children by him, two of whom died shortly after their birth. For some time past he had behaved in an eccentric manner, but nothing dangerous was apprehended in his conduct until last Christmas, when he showed evident signs of mental aberration. Mr. Chapman, a medical man iu the neighbourhood, was consulted, and prescribed for him, and advised that he should be looked after, as he considered he might inflict injury on those around him. His wife, who was greatly attached to him, objected to his being placed under restraint, and expressed her conviction that he would neither hurt her or himself. It appears that a young man lodged in the house with him, and slept there on every night but Saturday night; had he been at home, he might probably have rescued the victims from the unhappy maniac. When Young returned home on Saturday night, he was so unwell that a medical gentleman was called in to see him, who gave it as his opinion that he ought to be closely watched. About three o'clock on Sunday morning, Young and his wife were heard quarrelling by their servant-girl: he asked for something which she said she had not got. He then flew into a passion, saying he knew she had got what he asked for, and he was determined to have it. He at the same time struck her, and she exclaimed, " Ah! James, you know you ought not to have done this." The quarrel then ceased. James Pope, a journeyman shoemaker, in the employment of Mr. Quy, of No. 7, High-street, Norwood, next door to the house in which the murder was committed, was awakened about ten minutes past 6 o'clock on Sunday morning by the screams of a woman. He immediately got up and, with Mr. Manshe, who lives at No. 5, knocked at the door of Young, which was opened by the servant-girl, who, in answer to their question, " What is the matter?" replied, she did not know, but thought her master was killing Mrs. Young. They saw blood dripping down the stairs, and Mrs. Young lying with her feet on the stairs, and her head on the landing-place, bleeding from a wound in the throat; there was a cut on the throat and another at the back of the neck. His (James Pope's) impression is, that Young first cut his wife's throat in the bedroom; that she crawled to the top of the stairs, and screamed for help until she became exhausted; he recollects the scream growing fainter until it died away. Upwards of two minutes elapsed after he heard the first scream before he got into the house. Whilst Pope and Manshe were on the landing place, Young came out of the bedroom; they then ran down stairs and went for a policeman and a doctor. No person saw Young cut his throat as he did it before any one returned to the house. It further appears that shortly before six o'clock on Sunday morning Mrs. Young called the servant-girl up and told her to get breakfast ready; whilst the girl was lighting the fire she heard Mr. Young ask for something, to which his wife rcplii-d, " My dear, I have not got any." He said, " You have;" a scuffle ensued, and her mistress endeavoured to call her by name, but could not; fearing that he was ill-using her, she ran out and called at Mr. quy's house. The scuffle was the fatal repetition of the quarrel which the girl heard at three o'clock the same morning. The inquest will be held this evening.