Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1849-05-09 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

DREADFUL MURDERS AT LI,ANWENOG, CARDIGANSHIRE. AND SUICIDE OF THE MURDERER. It rarely falls to the lot oh a public journalist, especially in Wales, to record such a diabolical murder or series of murders, as that whi, hit is now our painful' -duty to lay before our readers, comniitted, not tof altfc.i,./.1632411 hand of a stranger assassin, het by one whom the ties of re/ationship and natural affectioe, it might have been justly thought, would have restrained from the committal of such a foul and unnatural deed ; but such is the wickedness of oar nature, and every day's experience makes it more pitifully manifest, that there are nat n to be found, who, unrestrained by laws human or divine, will commit every species of crime which the imagination can suggest, eveti on the persons of those who should be the objects of their tenderest solicitude. An occurrence which fully bears out this remark occurred on Tuesday last, in the parish of Llanwenog, in the adjoining county of Cardigan, where a series of frightful and appalliag !fielders were committed by a man of the name of Thomas Davies, residing at a piece celled Cetnrhuddlar in the shave parish ; his wife and daughter, a child of about 12 months old, being the victims of I.is unbridled passions ; and he, having fulfilled his purpose, committed suicide. It appears that for some time past the man, who was a small termer, the owner of four or five cows, and who is about 45 years ot age, had been living on very uncomfortable terms with 'his wife, arisiug, as it seems, from some suspicion of her fidelity, which, as it is stated by the unanimous voice of the neighbourhood, was without the shadow of a foundation. This feeling of jealousy, however, seems to have been reciprocal, and on the part of the wife with more show of reason and justice, as a maid-servant, formerly in his employ, was some time ago enceinte, it is raid, by him, and was delivered of a child either still-horn, or which died shortly after its birth; and, no affiliation having taken place, this circumstance also was enveloped in some degree of doubt. As might naturally be expected, these unkindly feelings produced very unpleasaut results, arid the disagreements between the parties were frequent, and observed by the neighbours ; added to this, the man was thought to be not altogether in possession of his senses, and was looked upon as rather a doubtful character. He has been frequently heard to say diet :he child which he so barbarously murdered was not his ; and it is rumoured that having mentioned the name of a respectable farmer in the vicinity of I his residence as the father of the child, he was taken to task, arid rigned a formal recantation, to prevent pro: eeedings being taken against Idrn for slander. On the day in questien it is probable that he meditated committing some dreadful deed, as he sent his son to a smith's forge a short distance off, to get something dine, and after he had been gone sonic time, lie despatched another of his children to request him to return home, so *hat by this means he endeavouied to get rid of all witsissies to the dreadful deed he was about putting into elesetion. The second messenger having been dispatshei, he armed himself with a bill-hook and razor, and proceedee to the garden, where his wife was engaged at the time ; e does not seem, however, that he used the farmer instru.sent. Having requested her to get some eabbage plants, eed when in the act of stooping down to procure them, quite -4nccnscious of any evil intent on his part, he suddenly attaeked her, inflicting a fearful gash on her throat with the mum : a dreadful struggle then ensued, and lie again and ieeain cut her with the razor on her head, neck, and other pans of her body, and at last drew the razor across the lower part of her person, ineicting a wry dreadful wound, neough which her intestines protruded ; having, as it is euppoeed, fancied he had succeeded in his purpose, he returned to the house, where his infant daughter, the child which lie disnwned, was asleep in bed. This monster in human form, then drew the razor across the infant's throat from ear to ear, almost severing the head from the body. He then again left the house and proceeded to the banks of the river f ivy, which runs not many fields breadth from the firm house, and fearful of the consequences of the acts he had committed, he threw himself into the river, but either from a wish to save his life, or the water being too shallow. to effect his intention, he got on shore, and then with the razor which he so effectually used before, he cut his own throat, and inflicted eurnerous wounds on other parts of his person, one of which was of the same nature as that inflicted upon his wife, viz., the wound in the abdomen, through which his intestines also protruded. By this time the cries of the poor woman had attracted attention, and the neighbours came speedily to her assistance, %hen she was found in a most pitiable condition and bathed in blood. She was removed to the house in great agony; on arriving there, the sad spectacle of the child with its throat cut, and life perfectly extinct, presented itself. Search was made for the husband, and he was foued on the batiks of the river, with some symptoms of life in him. He was promptly removed and carried in a large bed sheet, and , placed in thin born, where he died in a short time afterwards ; not before, however, he expressed a wish to survive the injuries he had inflicted on himself. The poor woman received the benefit of medical attendance, but all to no purpose, as she lingered in great agony until Wednesday morning, when death put a period to her sufferings. The deceased had been married 18 years, arid three children now survive their dreadful death.  As may be well imagined, the shocking affair has cr.sted great excitement in the neighbourho,d. It is worthy of reins k that the scene ot this horrible catastrophe is but a very short distance from the place where, about two years ago, a woman who is now in a Lunatic Asyluin murdered her three children by hanging them. A variety of reports are in circulation, but we bilieva the above are the main facts.—Carniarthen Journal.