The Sun. — 1860-02-08 (London, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE AT COVENTRY.  Not two months have elapsed since the extreme penalty of the law was executed at Warwick on the wretched man' John Kington, who, it will be remembered, was sentenced to death at the last assizes for the brutal murder of his wife. Another crime has been committed within the precincts of the same city, of a nature, if possible, even more revolting than the preceding one. The crime is that of wife murder. The murderer, who also put an end to his own existence in a most determined and fearful manner, was a butcher named Henry Fawson. Some 14 or 15 years ago he married the woman whom he has now in so horrible a way deprived of life. Shortly after their marriage, it appears, they separated, certain circumstances having come to the husband's knowledge which caused him to suspect his wife's chastity previous to their union. The husband went to America ; the wife, we believe, remained at home. Certainly she did not accompany him. Thirteen years, or about that period, elapsed, and the husband returned to his native country—not a wealthy man, for on his return he seems to have set up a small butcher's shop in a district of the city inhabited principally by the working classes, called Hillfields,in the vicinity of which is the scene of the recent murder by Kington. About five months ago his wife came to live with him again,:and since then and up to the time of her death she has been.sheltered under his roof. Fawson is said to have possessed a very violent and hasty temper, and it is believed by the neighbours that ever since their reunion they have not lived on the best terms. On Monday, from circumstances which came under the cognisance of the neighbours, it was known that he was not so good-tempered even as usual towards his wife, though he did not alarm the neighbours by any violent outburst of passion. The unfortunate couple appear to have retired to bed about their usual hour on Monday night. Nothing more was heard of them till betweed 2 and 3 o'clock this morning, when the people in the adjoining house heard some slight groans proceed from Fawson's dwelling, and a noise such as wnogulddobwenp. rodsuocoend byat after someheavyyester dsubstance morning fallaigrocer named Wakeman, also a next-door neighbourder" proceed from the house to Fawson, heard groans aonfdtchreieslaottfer". Munroe namedeN the S n violenta pe , f theinformedmae t ashopkeeper eo, pwolst t character of Fawson, advised Wakeman to take no steps in the matter, but to wait and see whet further transpired. Nine o clock passed, and Wakeman expressed his firm conviction that Fawson and his wife were murdered. His suspicions were confirmed by the fact that neither of them had made their appearance, and the shutters of the shop were not removed according to custom at such an- hour. Ten o'clock passed, and, the house still remaining closed, it was resolved to force an entrance. This was effected by means of a back window, Snape and a policeman being the first to enter the house. The bedroom prescuteda terrible spectacle. The b bedstead and beddino. The wretched man I` the cieling and the floor, a were all besmeared ; d b a \NI. son lay e s tt e red "doubled with übpLooadt. the foot of the bed, his throat cut, stabbed in his breast, and his brains scattered about him. It is evident that in the heat of his passion he cut and stabbed himself in ineffectual efforts to destroy life, and then, being unable to despatch himself so quickly as lie wished with a knife, he went dosVn stairs and procured a gun, with which he retu'rned and shot himself through the head. Both weapons lay near at hand. On the bed lay the unfortunate woman, his wife, weltering in her blood. Her throat had been cut in a most determined and effectual manner. Both were quite dead and cold.  THE DEBT or