The Sun. — 1851-10-09 (London, England)

CORONER—I would not allow tiza deceased to return to my employment in consequence. He left my employment on the IGth of July, on his owu account, being then intoxicated. , I 'had no apprehension as to the state of his mind. Of lea years, I am sorry to say, he had been of intemperate habits. In my business I was constantly in contjexion with him. My opinion was, except when he was in liquor, he was of sound mind. Under the influence of liquor he was much excited. I paid him his wages of 1/. per week up to the.time of his death, and gave him 50/. to go into business with. Up to the time of taking this shop he certainly was not in a state of destitution. He had no claim upon me further than for length of service. Joseph John Fawcett, brother of the deceased Anthony, was then examined. He said—l am a porter, and live at Dover. I heard of my brother's death last Wednesday. I last saw him alive a fortnight ago. I called at his house in Wyndham-place, Bryanstonsquare. He then told me that he had taken this business (alluding to that in the Wyndham-road). I told him that I was sorry, as I did not like the neighbourhood, and we afterwards went to the Exhibition together. He said that he hoped he was in honest hands. In the course of conversation, as we were going along, I found he got into a very excited state, as he rambled from one subject to another, and I was obliged to check him to understand his meaning. His conversation was principally respecting the business he had taken. I then expressed an opinion to my wife that I feared my poor brother would make another attempt on his life if the business did not answer. By another attempt I mean that as he had attempted some months since to drown himself in the Thames, he would make a second one. There are six brothers in our family. My father committed suicide, but no other branch of the family has been affected. When I saw my brother I was perfectly satisfied that he was not right in his head. The CORONER said that was the whole of the evidence that had been obtained; but before dismissing the witnesses, he wished to know whether the jury had any questions to put to them ?—The jury said they were perfectly satisfied with the evidence that had been taken.  The CORONER then proceeded to sum up the evidence, and said he should offer but few observations on the melancholy case that had been brought before them. lle thought that the evidence incontestibly showed that the children had not caused their own death, and such being the case, taking all the evidence together, and the nature of the wounds inflicted, it would be for them to say by whom they had been caused. If they were satisfied of that, they could have no doubt that such a crime would amount to homicide, and for which, in point of law, the party committing would be responsible, no matter what the state of mind might be at the time. What might eventually be the result rested with a higher tribunal, fur this Court had no power of discharging a person from the onus of such an act, although he might not be of sane mind. If, therefore, they were satisfied that the children died by the hand of their father, then in point of law that would amount to wilful murder. Then as to the second portion of the case, as to the death of the father. They had heard it stated that he had gone to a table, taken up a knife, and run into a kitchen, where probably he had committed the act of self-destruction. If they were of opinion that he was of sound mind, and wilfully destroyed his children, and then feloniously destroyed his own life, following up one bad act by another, and did that which was termed felo de se, they would of course say so by their verdict. That was a matter, however, for their consideration, but he might inform them that in that case all the goods, chattels, and other property of such persons became forfeited to the Crown. The room was then cleared, and the jury remained in consultation for an hour-and-a-half. Oa our readmission The Foreman delivered' a formal verdict to the effect that Emily and Frederick Anthony Fawcett were wilfully murdered by their father Anthony Fawcett; and that the said Anthony Fawcett came to his death by his own hand whilst in a fit of temporery insanity. Before dismissing this subject, it is but justice to mention the truly Christian feeling displayed under the melancholy circumstances by Mr. Lee, a neighbour, and a compositor in the employ of Messrs. Hansard. That gentleman, finding the poor widow and her child were in a state of destitution, and having no friends near to afford her a temporary asylum apart from the horrid scene, at once made her an offer of his house, which on her part was readily accepted, and both himself and other branches of his family have ever since, both day and night, been unremitting in their attention to them.