The Shropshire Examiner and all round the Wrekin advertiser. — 1875-03-27 (Wenlock, Shropshire, England)

NGE.  A most shocking occurrence was brought to light early on Sunday morning, in Dulwich road, l'enge. The scene of the terrible affair was the house numbered 3, Melbourne terrace, next door to the Queen Adelaide 'Tavern, in which resieed a Ile Frederick Hunt, with his family. At about a quarter to six in the morning he maid servant was going down stairs when her attention was attracted to a letter attached to the handle of the door of the room where her master and mistress slept. She was also somewhat surprised at a written notice " not to go into the bedroom," and on the envelope of the letter, which Wa4 addressed to Mrs. Guest, Laurel grove, there was a request to have it delivered at once. Mrs. Guest, it seems, was an intimate friend of the family, and the servant at once communicated the circumstance to the resident governess, who went without delay to Laurel grove with the letter. Mrs. Guest. accompanied by her husband, came to the house, and en entering the bedroom they found the husband was abseut ; his daughter, named A nnie, aged seven, was lying in bed looking quite calm, and cad; and the wife was ontsude the bed in a kneeling position, with her face buried in her hands, and her arms resting on the side of the bedstead. Her throat had been cut in a frightful manner, and there was a great deal of blood about the place. In another room two other childree—Percy, aged five, and Arthur, aged nine—were found in bed suffering from the effects of poison. Dr. Longrigg, who re sided only three houses istant, was soon in attend' ance. He pronounced the girl Annie, who was quite cold, to be dead, and that the wife, who was still warm, had ceased to breathe. The poison administered to the two little boys referred to did not take fatal effect. Whether the perpetrator of the dreadful acts was disturbed in his deadly purpose is not known, but two other children—a boy aged twelve and a girl aged 10—se-aped. Intimation of the occurrence having been communicated to the police authorities, Sergeant Bate. scan visited the house, where he found a ra,or, covered with blood, with which the crime is supposed to have been committed. The first step taken by the police wan to ascertain the where bouts of the husband, and his discovery was made under angular circumstances. At about Live minutes to eight on Monday morning the signalman engaged in the box at the Penge Junction saw a strasge man walking about the hue, but was unable to leave his post on acspent of the boat express train in connection with the London Chatham, and Dover Railway, beins just due. He, however, watched the treepa ,ter, who, either by amides', or intentionally, fell between the six-toot way, and the express passed him. The signalman then descended f•om his box, and asked the stranger what business he had there, as there was a level crossing lower down. His reply was that he "missed the steps," and hs apparently paid attention to the advice that he had "better co." No sooner, however, had the signalman re. turned to his box than the stranger was seen io make his way from the bank and lie down on the •' down" line, with his head resting cn his arms. At this juncture another signalman was returning From his duty at the Be ikenham Junction, and was asked to look after the man, whose conduct was 30 extraordinary, and he with some difficulty took him to the Pence Station to charge him with trespas,ing and attempting suicide. While on the P • lattorm at that station the man said he would go quietly. whereupon the signalman released him, hut no sooner had he done so then the anfortunate man threw himself on the line just before a down teiin was due, and he was at once taken into custody. his coreimit and manner at the police-station were very strange, and hi, snewe!e to the questions put to him so incoherent that the ottiiiials were enable to enter the charge. It was ultimately found that he was under the influene..• of laudanum, and Dr. Longrigg, who had been 30 recently called to the • an's ill•fated home, was sent 'or and applied the stemach. pump with reit little His identity was not discovers d until, on ,esrchl:l7 his pocket , a cal 4 wes found bearing his ninse—" Feeds eeds i-k Hunt, draiier's accountant, 5, Me bourne Terrace, [Jul. wieh road." The unfortunate man had, it in said, held a ;;ood position in a 1/ ading city wa ehouse, which he left, it. few week, tint, and started filial nsss on his own account, bet did it smyeed in it BO well as be li:td est* tad. Th- left, he addressed to Mr, was is I,ng ore, and in it he stated that by the tir, •I.lflt reached her Le should be no mere, and t•cdr,ed to the dilt:,,:;!tieF, whi,h led him to perpetrate the critqe. It further tianspires that th•• horrible act had been contemplated for several an 3  run 11,,nr.Rvn EvF('nn Tire MantwEATEs. Frederick Hunt-, dralyea ar.countnnt, wa,,barged at the Lami.eth Poliee-enwt CT) Mn diy with the uiiirdee cf h s wife Elinib.-th Hnt, Lnd his dwighter Annie, aged seven years, at Penge en Sunday. The ea,e was adjourn, d.  In a divorce cite the o'her day, the Judge Or. ditarv, in summing up. re al trea that it t.ad al moat hi.epine a ,tereot) pPd phrase in tho:e cast, that thp parties mere happy uta,l on or the other became addicted to habits of intemwerance.