The Sun. — 1857-12-16 (London, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE AT CROYDON.  The case of murder and suicide at Croydon came un• der the investigation of Mr. Carter, the Surrey coroner, yesterday afternoon, at Croydon. It appeared from the evidence that Mr. Wm. Smithers, a clerk in the Bank of England, resided with his mother and a younger brother at Thornton-heath, near Croydon. The younger brother, Mr. Chas. Smithers, was a clerk in the factory of Mr. Bennett, an engineer, at Deptford,—an appointment he was about leaving for the purpose, of entering upon a situation he had been promised in the Bank of England. On the morning of Thursday last Mrs. Smithers knocked at the door of Elizabeth Morgan, a servant residing in the house, and desired her to get up, as she heard Mr. William moving, and supposed he might be wanting to go out. It was then a little after 5 o'clock. At that time he was in Charles's bedroom, which was adjacent to that of Mrs. Smithers. As soon as she had dressed herself William calle I on her, and requested her to bring him a wineglass, as he had got souse medicine for his brother. On receiving the glass he went back again into Charles's room. When she prepared breakiastshe went upstairs to see whether the gentlemen Isere coming down. She knocked at the door, and receiving no answer, listened, when she heard one of theta snoring. She west downstairs again, thinking she would let them sleep on. About 9 o'clock a lad brought a letter, which he said was to be given to Mr. Wm. Smithers at Once, and Elizabeth Morgan took it up. Not being able to obtain any reply to repeated knocks, she opened the door, when both the. young men appeared as though they were lying dead in bed. Charles was foaming at the mouth. She asked a young woman residing in the next house to accompany her upstairs, and upon entering the room they found that both the young men were dead. Morgan then cx claimed, " Good God, Anne ! here is a poison bottle and the wineglass I gave Mr. William this morning." They were lying on the bed between the two brothers. Morgan then went into her mistress's bedroom, and found her in a half post. called in, at once decided that the two brothers had died sitting s he was posture, quite Mr. Bottonaley, who was from the effects of prussic acid, and there could be no doubt that William administered a dose to his brother, probably in his sleep, and that he then took the poison himself. It appears that he administered P Morgan mother between the hour when she called ler7an to his and the time Morgan found her dead in bed. Some explanations were given as to the probable cause for the coni• mission of this dreadful series of crimes. William Smithets had been speculating in the city, and had been unsuccessful. to had borrowed 70/, of a friend, which he was unable to pay ; he had appropriated to his own u,e 201. which his mother had entrusted to him to pay some accounts, and from letters which have been found it seems that he was about assigning some life policies as security nr his engagements. The mental depression produced by his unsuccessful speculations drove him to the use of brandy, of which within the last few weeks be commonly drank a pint a-day. The jury deliberated for an hour, when the following verdict was returned :—That Mary Smithers and Charles  Smithers were wilfully murdered by the administration of poison by William Holton Smithers, and that William Holton Smithers afterwards committed self•destruction while suffering under temporary mental derangement.