The Sun. — 1859-06-16 (London, England)

MURDER AND SUICIDE.  Yesterday morning, about a quarter to eleven, the neighbourhood of the Clerkenwell Police-court was thrown into a state of great excitement by the announcement that a most dreadful murder had been committed at 52, Swinton street, St. Pancras, nearly opposite to the above police-court. From inquiries that were made on the spot by our reporter it appears that a working jeweller, of the name of John Croft, has resided with his wife and family for some time past in the front and back parlour of the above house. About two months since his wife, Elizabeth Croft, was confined of her second child, and since then she had been in a very desponding and low state of mind in consequence, as was stated, of her imagining that she would not be able to take proper care of her children. Mr. Selwood, the surgeon, of Percy-street, had been attending her, but since Saturday, owing to domestic afflictions, he had ceased visiting her, and  it was understood that she was about visiting some friends in the country. About nine o'clock yesterday morning the husband went to his employment in the City, and afterwards the wife was seen about the house as usual. Shortly before eleven o'clock Mrs. Croft sent her servant, a girl about 14 years of age, out for an errand, and after an absence of about twenty minutes she returned and found that she could not obtain admission. Feeling somewhat alarmed she communicated with a Mrs. Clarke, and she also knocked at the door, but could not obtain a reply. After the lapse of some time, and not hearing the children cry or any one moving about, Mrs. Clarke called in Mr. Liddiard, a painter, residing at 11, Swinton-street. A ladder being placed next 'the back parlour window, Mrs. Clarke ascended, and seeing that the children were covered with blood and the woman lying in a very peculiar position, the parties communicated to the police their suspicions that all was not correct. Inspector Allen, of the G division, at once proceeded to the house, and police-constable Thomas Bailey, 451 A, effected an entrance by the back parlour window. A most frightful sight presented itself. On a French bedstead lay the lifeless bodies of Mrs. Croft and her two children, the blood at the time being quite warm, and oozing from the wounds.  The children are both females, one being of the age of three years, and named after the mother, and the other, named Ann, as before stated, about tno months old. Both their throats were cut from ear to ear, and the incisions were very deep. The elder child appears to have two wounds on the throat, and from its appearance would seem to have been awake, and to have put its hands up to its throat. The mother, it would appear, cut the throat of the eldest child first, and then the youngest. After this she must have sat on the side of the bed, and cut her own throat with her right hand, and when she fell on the bed, with her left hand covered her face with the end of the sheet. The children were in their night clothes' the mother fully dressed, and. her clothes saturated with blood. The razor with which she committed the dreadful act was found between her feet, and is now in pos_ ftstvhoeop'cololiccke.the husband of the unfortunate had. olic the house asked the reason of the mob returned home to dinner as usual, and on being outside, and the police inside. ews ne ostAnse ill b. oai onnn ug ot ecuwr raesda,sked up stairs, and when told what fell down in a violent fit of hysterics. The unfortunate woman, it is latsetlaytesdaidw was respectably connected, and was about 25 years of age. It was stated that she had she veryw as tired of her life, and had b state. een in a very desponding  Inspector Allen at once took possession of the room, and information was immediately forwarded to Mr. Wakley, the 'coroner. During the day large numbers of persons surrounded the house, and had it not been for the excellent arrangethents of the police, the street would have been impassable.