The Express. — 1849-09-05 (London, England)

THREE CHILDREN AND SUICIDE BY TKEIR FETHER.—Monday morning, about half-put 11, • mast fearful tragedy took place at Esst street, Ip h, when • man named Grayson murdered three of his male children, of the respective ages of four years, three years, and eight months' old, by cutting their threats with a MOT, and afterwards cattle, his own throat with the same instrument. An inquest upon the bodies wee held in the afternoon at the Dove Inn, when it appeared, by the testimony adduced, that the father was • painter by trade, about 33 years old, and had been married nearl ten years—the fruit of his marriage being seven children. He was always kind to his wife, fond of his children, and of particularly temperate habits. Daring the last five or six weeks, however, his appetite failed Wm, and he frequently exhibited • strong teadeney to despondeacy, arising from the cares of his large family, whom he seemed to apprehend he should not be able properly to bring up. Latterly, he suffered front acute pains in his head, producing lowness of spirits, and he sometimes was heard to say, ' I shall live to get through my troubles." On Sunday evening he retired to bed, and appeared to sleep es usual; but after breakfast on Monday complained to his wife that he felt very languid and faint. Shortly after 11 o'clock Mn. Grays= went shop. ping into the town, leaving her husband and children is the house ; but she had not been absent more than half an Itoar,• when she heard the awful tidings of what had occurred. As soon as she returned the shocking spectacle presented itself of the four bodies lying on the ground in the front room, with their throats cut, all dead—a nue lying between her husband's legs. It appears that no sooner bad his wife left the house than the unfortunate man said to the three deeeand children, who were at the time is the back room, " Come to me here and play in the front room, and I will give you • halfpenny etch." This observation was heard by his daughter Emma, aged 8, who was washing up plates in the adjoining kitchen, and she in amesequence left the kitchen and stood at the back door, where she saw her father take the babe in his was and carry him into the frost room, the other two children following. She then returned to the washhouse, but in a Sew minutia went into the front room, when she beheld her father and three brothers lying dead on the carpet. An alarm was given, and surgical assistance instantly procured, but, of coarse, it was ineffectual. After • lenathesed xsasinaties of see. rat witnesses, the jury returned a eardiet, that Grayson had cut the threats of Arthur, Walter, Frederick, and kis own, while la • state of temporary derame•ac ALLEGED POISONING IN THE ClTY.—Before Mr. Payne, at the Ward School-rooms, Philip-Isar, ea the body of Martha Gilliam, aged 69, whose death Melt gime em Sen. day I Ist. TEO deceased resided in Cussit-emert, and she had for the last 18 years lived with • man named Holmes. Oa Sunday afternoon some children at play in the court happened to look in at the window of the deceased's room, when they saw her lying urn the table quite dead, and the body disposed in the maid moaner An alarm was given, and much excitement having arisen, the door of the room was forced. It was generally known that the deceased belonged to • burial club, that the man Holmes was expected to receive the money as her representative, and it was rumoured that her death was caused by potion Further inquiry showed that the demand had been very ill with dianhces and limiting on Friday. She refused to see any medical man, and died on Sunday morning. }Wrote immediately west and informed her sister, who came and laid her oat, and they then went away, locking the room after them, and without stating anything el the death. Holmes was afterwards seen with the card relating to the burial club, and he stated that he was entitled to 141. The Coroner desired that Holmes should be sent for, but it spnand that he was quits intoxicated, and incapable of giving coherent replies to questions addressed to him. One of the committee of the burial club, however, stated that the money would not be paid to Holmes, but to the sister of the woman, who was her only legal representative. The sum claimed was 111. 101. Mr. Spark's, of Finsbury-place. a surgeon, sfa•ed that he examined the body at the request of Mr. Maclellan, a churchwarden, and Mr. Hooper, the registrar. There was no reason to suspect any violenos death in his opinion arose from cholera. TIN jury, after a lengthened consultation, (mead that this deceased had died of Asiatic Cholera.