The Warrington Examiner. — 1869-07-03 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

SHOCKING MURDERS AND SUICIDE  IN LONDON.  A sad tragedy has been brought to light in London. On Monday morning, the police received a note, written by a man, named Duggin, stating that their services would be required at his house at a certain hour, and that if they found the doors locked they were to force an entrance. Constables were at once sent to the house, when the whole family—Duggin, his wife, four boys, and two girls—were found dead. On Monday, Dr. Wilson made a post mortent examination of three of the bodies of the Duggin family— the mother, the eldest girl, Emma Duggin, aged 13 years, and the youngest boy, George Henry Duggin, aged about 31 years. In the intestines large quantities of prussic acid were discovered, especially in the stomach of the mother. This poison was easily traceable in the bodies of the children, who had taken food evidently late on Sunday night. During the whole of the day the police were busily engaged in attempting to unravel the mystery, and in the course of their inquiries they have arrived at a knowledge of the following facts: It would appear from them that Walter James Duggin is the member of a well-to-do family, living at Bristol. When he was 14 years of ago he was apprenticed to a silversmith, and when he was 24 years old he met a young German woman, who was two years older than himself, and after a short courtship he married her. They lived happily together for four years in Bristol, but business then failing they came up to London and took lodgings in Smithfield. Duggin had been employed by Messrs. Chawner for between three and four years. He was at first engaged as a silversmith in the manufacturing part of the business, but latterly filled the office of clerk in the counting-house. Ho is spoken of as being a very steady, sober, and intelligent man. For the last few weeks, and prior to his leaving the firm, it was noticed that he was very low spirited, and on Saturday week, when leaving, one of the workmen expressed a hope that he would not be long without a situation. Duggin replied in a desponding voice, "Oh, I shall never want." The wife is said by the neighbours to have been a respectable woman, and the children were noticed as being always clean and apparently well fed. They were well known in the neighbourhood, and much noticed. Duggin was said to be suffering from an affection of the lungs, which made him low and desponding. A short time ago it was suspected that some property had been stolen at his mtster's, and it is stated that one of his fellow-servants was dismissed. The fact preyed upon his mind very much, and since then some of his neighbours noticed his anxious looks, but as he appeared to have the confidence of his er9ployers, it was never thought that he was engaged in anything dishonest. On Saturday evening he returned from his work, and he then looked rather sad, and his wife told a neighbour that her husband had been dismissed from his employment, and that they had also received notice to leave their lodgings at 15, Hosierlane, on Monday. At that time the six children were playing about in Hosier-lane. On Sunday evening Duggin took his wife and six children out for a walk, and he returned to his home with them at a little before eleven o'clock. Almost immediately afterwards he left and called at the Wheatsheaf tavern, Hosierlane, and asked the landlord for a quart of ale. He then left, and was not seen until half-past four o'clock on Monday morning, when a man saw him dropping a letter into the St. Bartholomew Hospital pillar letterbox, which is almost opposite Hosier-lane. After he had done so he Was observed to walk towards his house. It is thought that the children were first poisoned, Dr. Wilson giving it as his opinion that some of them were poisoned whilst asleep. This conclusion is arrived at in consequence of the peaceful expression of their features. When discovered the mother and children were all found undressed and in bed, with the clothes over them. Duggin was also undressed and in bed in the back room. In the sitting-room was found on the table an open Bible, which it is supposed he had been reading before going to bed. The two bottles which contained the prussic acid were both marked ".poison," although no name of a chemist appeared on either of them. The Coroner's inquiry into the Duggan poisoning case was held on Wednesday. The Jury found that the six children were poisoned by their parents, who afterwards, and while in a state of temporary insanity, destroyed their own lives.  The cashier of the Derby Commercial Bank absconded on Saturday evening. His deficiencies amount to about 460, and he is supposed to have escaped to Holland, as he has been traced to Hull.  •