The Express. — 1847-04-19 (London, England)

MURDER OP A WIPE AND CHILD, AND SUICIDE OF TEI MURDERER.—Yesterday morning, about half-past six o'clock, John Young, aged 21 years, an artificial flower-maker, residing in High-street, Lower Norwood,succeeded in taking the lives of his wife it'd child, and afterwards committed self-destruction. Young lived with his wife, Jane Young, aged 20, and his child, aged only two months, at a small shop in the High-street, where they exhibited artificial flowers, &c., for sale. He had been of weak intellect for some time past, and had often attracted the notice of the tradespeople in the village, who were often speaking of his peculiar antics. Shortly after six o'clock, Police-constable Joseph Armstrong was at home, when he was alarmed at the cry of " murder," and loud screams. He instantly ran out only partially dressed, and saw another constable, named Robert Archer. hastening towards =ls house. By the time they had reached the pl ice, of the immediate neighbours were running from the Ikon: of the premises, and, as the officer, Archer, proceeded to the doorway, to ascertain the cause of the alarm, the man Young came on to the threshhold, with his handsnovered with blood, and a table knife in the left hand, also smeared with gore. He fur • moment stood on the threshold, and the constables, seeing him armed with such a weapon, and fearing what had taken place, from their preVials knowledge of him, drew their truncheons, and followed him into the house. He dashed up stairs to the first floor, and when the officers reached the first landing-place, • most awful spectacle presented itself. The lifeless body of Mrs. Young lay with her head almost severed from her body. She was lying in • pool of blood which had streamed from the wound completely , down the stairs. The constables pursued Young into the front room, and before they had time to secure him he sharpened the knife by rubbing it up and down the stonework round the fire-place, and standing before the looking-glass, he drew the knife across his throat. When the officers entered the apartment be was standing in a stooping position behind the door, and bleeding from the wound he had inflicted in his neck. Whilst he was lying on the floor the officers rushed into the adjoining room and there discovered the lifeless body of the poor infant on the bed with its throat out, the head hanging only by a small piece of akin at the back. The scene at this penod was such that the officers felt much alarmed and horror stricken. Several persons by this time came to the aid of the two constabies, who, seeing the man Young still alive and the ether unfortunate victims quite warm, instantly dispatched a men senger with all poseible speed for the aid of Mr. Chapman, surgeon, of Norwood, who attended with promptitude, but when he reached the house the mother and child were quite dead. The man was still alive, but when the surgeon saw the injuries on his person, he was of opinion that he could not survive many minutes. He was placed on the bed, but notwithstanding . everything that medical skill could de' in about sous.—  ;Jae and ouggest, h 7 died in abZut aquarter au hour litterwards. A knife was found on the bed in the front room, and the stone-work round the stove was smeared and covered with blood, where he had sharpened the deadly weapon.