Middlesbrough & Stockton Gazette and General Advertiser. — 1874-05-21 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

HORRIBLE TRAGEDY IN LONDON.  A FAMILY MURDERED -SUICIDE OF THE MURDERER.  A most fearful murder, exceediog in its peculiar intrinsic awfulness anything amid the Many horrors daily transpiring, was brought to light on Monday , morning, in the slaughter of a woman and four children by her husband and their father, at 49, Josephstreet, Burdett-road, Mile End, London. John Blair, the deceased, the perpetrator of the dreadful deed, had hitherto resided with his family at the above address, and the furniture and domestie appliances ot the same were indicative of a somewhat higher position than that which he held, namely, an ordinary bricklayer, he having been employed as such till recently at the Bow Common Gas Works. For some alleged dereliction of duty, he had about a fortnight ago been suspended, and the final decision as to his re-employment was to have been considered yesterday. In hia temporary expulsion from his employment he gave way to intempiNte habits, and displayed a most morbid condition of mind. On Sunday night he was casually observed to fetch some beer for home cousumetion, and neither himself or the famiiy were ever again seen alive. The dreadful catastrophe which ensued was only discovered yesterday morning, from the fact of a boy presenting himself at their residence shortly after nine o'clock with a message. On his obtaining no' answer, he procured the assistauce of a neighbouriag resident. After repeated knocking and, no response ensuing, coupled with the fact of the non-appearance of any of the family, an alarm was raised, and a policeman fetched. P.C. Tyrton forced the fasteuings of the door. Upon entering the front parlour, a ghastly spectacle met his view. On an iron bedstead lay the bodies of a wotnan and child, both fearfuly mutilated, their heads were battered in and their throats cut in a frightful manner. They were both in night dresses, the infant being encircled in its mother's ar.ns, the injuries apparently having been inflicted during tbeir sleep. The bodies were afterwards identified as being those of Mrs Elizabeth Ann Blair, aged 49 years, and Samuel, her 8011, aged four months. Al the foot of the dressing table, lay the body of her husband in his night shirt, with his head. nearly severed from his body, and near him lay a large carving knife besmeared with blood. In addition to the carving knife, a hammer and razer were discovered on the floor of the room, also covered with blood. Evidently the implements were used in the destruction of life. The room presented the appearance—it may be said without exaggeration— more the appearance of a hatcher's shambles than that of a domestic apartment, it being litterally flooded with blood. Further examination showed still more h arsors, for, on entering the a joining room, the bodies of Elizabeth Ann, aged 12 ; Amelia Ault, aged 7; and that of Wm. Blair, aged 5 years, children of the deceased, were discovered lifeless. The female children lay in their little bed, and the boy in the one usually appropriated to his use. Death was the result of the most violent injuries, their heads being battered in and their throats cut in the most savage manner. As with the other victims, the injulies hid apparently been indicted during sleep, the bed clothes, which were dolulg.:al in blood, being undisturbed. .  THE HEALTH or MR