The Commonwealth. — 1867-03-02 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY PROPOSAL UP DOUBLE MURDER AND SUICIDE AT CAMBERWELL.  Mr. W. Carter, the Surrey &ironer, held an inquest on Thursday, at the Duke of Wellington Tavern, Wyndham-road, Camberwell, on view of the body of Frederick Minton; a man 30 years of age, who out his throat after an ineffectual attempt to compel his wife to poison herself and her child. Elizabeth Dunton, the widow of the deceased, said that he was a hairdresser, carrying on business at No. 18, Wyndham•road. He had formerly been in very prosperous circumstances. His business in the Wyndham-road was a complete failure, and six months ago witness had to go out to service at Dulwich. A fortnight ago she had to return from service because it was necessary that she should, owing to poverty, go into Lambeth workhouse to be oonfined. His circumstances gave him great distress of mind, and he became much excited. On Wednesday week he proposed to her that she should poison the little boy (the only child living out of four), who was aged just three years. He produced a bottle of prussic acid, and asked her to administer it to the child. He said that when she had done so, she should take it herself, and that he would drink it also. He urged her to destroy: herself and the boy, saying, "We are in such poverty we cannot live together, and therefore the best thing we can do is to take prussic acid." She replied, "If you choose to take it, I shall not do so, neither shall the child." He became very angry, and when he found that he could not argue her into it, he struck her. He also proposed to kill her father, because he would not let them have money. She was in great fear for her life. She remembered that shortly after her marriage he had made a proposal that they should drink poison together, and she was afraid that finding her stubborn, he would kill her himself. He used to keep getting in and out of bed, and walking about in a state of great nervous extehl taersheneL On n Saturdayde p ret into Lambeth Workhouse to be confined, and she went next door to Mrs. Chapman, and slept there that night and Sunday night. pretended tohm last that si she b wase cam going i:g o that ala r day r i; The Coroner asked the witness whether she was not aware of the fact that the proposal of her husband was one to commit two murders as well as a suicide.  The witnEes, who was in tears,said that she know the real nature of his project, and that, moreover, she believed he intended to murder her himself, as she would not consent.  The Coroner: Then why did you take no precaution to save the life of your little eon P The Witness: Because I thought that his object was to destroy the lives of the whole of the family, and that he was too fond of the child to kill him unless he could also kill me; I never believed he would commit suicide unless we all died together. I thought he was cohnidldaywmasoranliivneg, and last determined to destroy us if he could. Be made the proposal formerly in Holloway. He waa formerly given to excessive smoking and drinking, and I believe that was the first reason of his not being able to control his mind. He was suite sober when he prof ows went ttihnet into otihe eonh,ous house to however.se3 i f Ott M he I found him safe asleep on the bed in a back room. But on the floor of the shop my husband lay in a pool of blood, quite dead. I wail greatly terrified, and ran out for help. Mr. John Chapman, a grocer, living did at 181, Wyndhammed, said that he gave Mrs. Dunton a domicile because he had overheard Mr. Dunton say to her, "I will out your throat and do for you." That was an and h e Cdoi did e, not nkonopw, whatsaid tot that to bemwakaen said no doubt when she refused to poison the child and called into the shop of the deceased on Monday last, and he saw the body lying on the floor. The head es vbusiness t oarmae. hairdresser unh poert :hs succeed, Police-Constablefc.rceeneTtdh: e Hd eee ewa a es e dn' was nearly severed from the trunk by a dreadful gash across the throat. Ile was stiff and cold, and must have been dead some hours. On a wash. hand stand close by were two razors; one was open and covered with blcod. The handle and the lower part of the blade were bound round with twine in such a manner as to enable a strong hold to be taken:of it. There was a bottle of vitriolic acid labelled "Poison," on a shelf. EThe Coroner having remarked upon the ease The jury returned a verdict that deceased committed suicide by cutting his throat while in a state of unsound mind,