The Express. — 1858-04-06 (London, England)

THE LATE TRAGEDY AT LERWICK.  The John o'Groat Journal gives a very full account of the terrible murders and suicide at Lerwick, which we briefly announced on Friday last. The following are some of the further details :  On the morning of Thursday the 25th ult., the inhabitants of Lerwick were abetted by the anaounoenient that during the previous night the house of one of the most respectsble of their townsmen had been the scene of a tragedy more horri • We in ia details than any that had ever, within the memory of man, occurred in the northern counties. As the news spread from house to house, numbers of persona proceeded in the direction of the hones in which the foul deed was alleged to have been contained, and to the eyes of those who were first bold enough to enter a horrifying scene wee indeed premeted. Five of the inmates had met a violent death, while the sixth had only narrowly escaped from the melancholy fate et the others; and, from an examination of the position of the different bodies, it was too apparent that the tragedy had been the deed of no stranger to the house but of the misguided father of the lnoooent and murdered family. The house in which this (aerial crime hes been committed stands in the principal street of Lerwick, and in one of the most frequented parts of the thoroughfare. It is the house of Mr. Peter Williamson, the principal actor in the tragedy, who hes been resident in Lerwick for a number of yearn past, diving which he had carried on business as • general merchant with all the moms which a life of activity and pendeuce deserved, hie attention having latterly been divided between his own trade, the management of a farm in the rural parte of the island, end the agency for the Peterhead whaling vessels which annually visit Zetland for the purpose of completing the number of their mews. The household consisted of Mr. Williamson himself, who was a man of about forty years of age ; Mr/. Williamson who was about two years his junior; William Williamion, the eldest on, aged sixteen; John Williamson, aged fourteen; Agnes Williamson, the only daughter, aged twelve; Peter Williamson, a child about four and a-half years of age ; end the maid servant ; another of the younger members of the family, named Gilbert, who wee second in age to his sister Agnes, having, fortunately for himself, been for some time peat on a visit to relatives in Northnitivine. of which place his father wee a native. Throughout Wednesday tho deceased, whom shop stood on the opposite side of the street, and within view of his dwelling-house, attended to his business es usual without any apparent change in his conduct or demeanour • and in the evening his premises were closed at the regalia: hour, when he la known to have Immediately joined the family cirele, the medical attendant of the family Irsving subsequently con', versed eith him In the hones, while visiting the little girl, and prescribing for her sickness. About 11 o'clock he instructed the servant, as he occasionally did, to make fast the door, for the night and to refire to bed, and this the girl obeyed; but it is supposed that it was some time afterwards before he himself retired. It is supposed that he bad risen about 'ix, when his victims would sleep most soundly, and when that would be sufficient daylight to enable him to execute effectually his fearful work. The Instruments of death, there is too much reason to premme, he had already at hand; but, for the purpose of preventing any chance of discovery, he seems, after vacating his bed, to have proceeded down stirs to morn/tin if the servant girl was asleep, for when she awoke embeequently, either the doors of her room and bed, or a small pane by which light wee communicated to the latter, were found open. Assured that all was safe in that direction, be had then armed himself with a heavy iron hammer or cleaver, used for kitchen poses, with a knife, and with a razor, sad deliberately proose to the work of murder. His first Adam was his wile—en exemplary and superior penes, who was reepeated by all acquainted with her, and whom th >repp fieesseed is known to haws affectionately sad desertdly lived. To effect bee death be had recsonet to the most thermate muss. Making use of the cleaver bet, be bad miumatly streak bar fearful Wow to the had. The Webs, while it would etas the poor woman, meet also, it to saisposol, hews swami." her from her sleep, sad aroused bar to a mot of her pasidem, fix when found she wee completely owl of bed, lying on the floor wel ering in her blood. Opealog bar qua to am. la the dim light of the reandas, the Mlles" with oboes iha had lain down In eases eeiy a bw hew Indira studio' by her bedside armed hi the mommer he wee. said with his Wait sprout trots his halts. hr /acs Impalee wadi ha to Wedge from the MON or lb awe with he is a eleigle_he bar Wu By a maid awl a Old Wow ups Ile sandMetered with tamarind bona, her limn wee ballemid Im. sad, wbfla she ssleleslshd sad WON% betel. sive, he tallied a Ideldal eat her dome du* whhh ler libt-blied dewed. bee Ilea earinaßy disponi he watt the ems lientbleg reser la the ore et the es she Ism mime emi Isamu& et otas ma as body im P 1111•3•• Tim past Mile oral= wee soya M tbe lank el isillemio ugh she