The Sun. — 1825-10-21 (London, England)

DREADFUL MURDER.  A YOUNG MAN KILLED 1W HIS GRANDFATHEIt• Yesterday morning Mr. William llorwood, reriding in Union-street, Shadwell, and who is in his 70th year, was !nought before Captain RICIIIIELL, at the Thames Police Office, charged with the murder of his grandson George Ear. ton, who was 25 years of age. The principal evidence was the prisoner's housekeeper, Ann Hill, who stated that the deceased had received a licence from the prisoner to take his meals at his house when and at such times as he pleased ; ha came to the prisoner's house on Wednesday evening, and asked for some meat; I cut some for him, which he objected to ; while I was remonstrating with him on his objection, the prisoner entered ; decayed again renewed his objections to the meat, and the pri-' Boner said, you must have it fairly cut off; I said I had cut it NO, and the prisoner then told the deceased " that if he did not like it he must walk out and not come there again." The deceased then made use of the most infamous language and said, " money he wanted, and money he would hale," and lancing himself in a fighting attitude, called his grandfather a most horrid name, said he would have his life, and then struck him a blow. The prisoner in return struck him with a dagger. The Magistrate asked why Mr. Horwood had armed himself with a dagger ?—Witnes4—He used to keep it about him for these some months past, in order to protect himself, as the deceased, who was a very bad character, threatened that he wont.' murder him, or get some of his companions to do so. After the deceased was stabbed, he staggered from the back parlour, where the blow was given, to the front door, on which he supported himself. I went up and asked what was the Matter with him ? He made no reply, but groaned heavily, and instantly tell to the ground. He never spoke from the time he received the fatal wound. I called to the prisoner to procure some assistance, and he went into the street, and in a few minutes returned with a watchman, who, with an officer, took him into custody. The dagger was here produced ; it appeared of foreign manufacture; the blade, which was about eighteen inches long, and of a peculiar form, was so covered with blood, that the material of which it was composed was scarcely perceptible. The witness at once identified it. The wretched prisoner on its production closed his eyes and shuddered.  Several other witnesses were examined : some of them proved having met the prisoner in the street, after the occurrence. He was inquiring for an officer, and intended to give himself up to justice. Another proved that he saw the deceased lying in the passage, and the prisoner leaning over him. Ile said, " I have done the deed ; I have murdered him with a dagger." He also said that the deceased had been quarrelling with him, and had abused him from RatclifFe Crosq to his house. The Surgeon who examired the body, proves Oat such an instrument as the dagger produced tied inflicted the wound which was in the deceased's left side, between fir : fourth and fifth ribs.—The prisoner was then remanded until this day, and, in the mean time, the Coroner's Inquest will be held.— It appears that the deceased was respectably connected, but, having formed an acquaintance with bad characters, he was deserted hy all his relations, except his grandfather, and who unfortunately has occasioned his death.  We wish that the laws relating to suicide were altered. There is, in fact, little wisdom in legislating on such a subject at all ; for a man who is determined to put himself out of the world, will not care much for its ordinances. No laws can of course reach such a is se, and we think it is a mere mockery to have a Jury empannelled, so swear, that a man who has ',dined himself was mad. Would it not be better to save all this nonsense, and let the only question to be inquired into be, how the person on whom the inquest is held died, and not to ask any questions as to the motives of his death. At present the complaint made in Hamlet by the Gravedigger, thdt favour is shown to the rich in the important privilege of killing themselves is so true, that any respectable person may cut his throat, without any fear of, elo de se being pronounced against him ; and we cannot conceive any class of people whom the existence of such a power can either gratify or frighten.— ( New Times.)