Year: 1869

columns Of the HERALD the particulars of an
appalling tragedy which took place in tho city
of London on the 9th of last month. The
occurrence, briefly summed up, shows that in
the midst of the great metropolis, on Sunday
evening, man named Walter James Duggan,
finding probably an accOmplice in his wife,
cooy and systematically put to death his six
children by means of poison, and then by
the same subtle agent, both father and
mother committed the work of self destruc-
ton. Previous to having perpetrated the
last act ~ this dreadful tragedy Duggan
wrote detailed account Of this terrible work
and forwarded it to his brother; and to the
police authorities he also wrote note re-
questing them to call at Is Hosier lane next
morning. In compliance with that request
the officers visited the place, and finding it
closed, forced an entrance into the dwelling,
and there found stretched upon the floor and
cold in death tho bodies--elght in all---of
Dnggan his wife and six children. Prussic
acid was the means by which the work Of
death was accom- plished.


The letter written by the unfortunate MUIR





the coroner's inquest, and, indeed, when one
reads it over carefully and considerably, it is
almost impossible to think that the author of
such an epistie, who could, in such cool and
deliberate language, tell the story Of his
wrongs and sufferings and the fears which he
entertained lest his family should come to
want, could become guilty Of so terrible an
offence as that for which he has already been
compelled to answer at higher tribunal than
that of man. The prosecutions and tyrannical
| treatment of a severe employer and the fear
| to enter out into the world and buffet the
waves of adversely are the alleged causes
which led to the perpetration Of this dreadful
| act.


Two days after this terrible tragedy had
been made familiar to the people of London
coroner's jury brought in verdict which is in
keeping with the established reputation of
such bodies from days of old. Duggan, in his
letter, informed the world of the condition of
himself and family, the treatment he had been
subjected to by his employer, and the resou-
ton that he wonld rather see his children die
than that they should perish by starvation.
He even limited that had his master shown but
scant mercy this might not have occurred.
Here are given the motives for deed awfully
conceived aud terribly carried into execution;
and yet a number Of men, assembled together
to consider these facts, who no doubt would
feel offended ii their intelligence was ques-


toned, can offer no better verdict to an


anxious and inquiring public than ''that Wal


ter James Duggan and Emma Duggan mur-
dered their children and afterwards destroyed
themselves while in an unsound state of mind. "
Unfortunately verdicts of like character are
too common, and jurymen seem, as a rule, to


hitch the committal Of any dreadful deed on


the plea of some phase of insanity or tempo


rary alteration Of mind.


In connection with this awful crime il may


not be out of place here to allude to the alarm
ing increase Of pauperism in the very city in
which this act was consummated. Duggan


feared to meet starvation he looked at his


to himself az desOlated and the others


he feared might perish of starvation in the


streets. No evidence is shown to prove him
to be any other than quiet, sober, industri-
GUS man; yet the fear Of poverty urged him
to do an act which in thought Is fearful to con
, template What effect may this act have on
the minds of the thousands Of poor wretches
, who throng the streets of the great city
thousands whose numbers are daily being
t added to-? At meeting of the guardians
of the Metropolitan unions held in London
: recently, which was attended by many
D whose names stand high in aristOcratic
r circles, the alarming statement was made
3 that in ten years the paupers of the coun
try had doubled in NUMBER and the cost
of their support in that time had increased
from f5, 558, 600 to Ct, 49S, 900. 1t was more
, over asserted that an enormous proportion o
f this was concentrated within the metropolitan
area, where the increase had been from SO, 82,
in 1859 to IA, ,469 in 1868. Here is {
} state of affairs for British statesmen to turr
their attention to, ere it is too late; for, will
l the absorption of the land by the rich, the
stagnation of trade, the general demoralizinl
influence in society, the people may at lengtl


cry out for relief-for that relief which mus


afford them more substantial benefits thar
:, wordy addresses on the rostrum or nicely pre-


pared speeches in Parliament.


d NJ. LEssEPs Officially announces that th
u Suez Canal will be opened on the 18th Q
: November. We hope so. 1t is not anything
: more certain, however, on account of M
Lesseps' announcement.


NEUTRALITY ON THE CUBAN QUESTION


The administration is enforcing the neutralit.


laws in reference TO Cuba with a


energetic fidelity which is in striking


contrast with English and French an
= Spanish precedents We can only infe