On Saturday the 12th of August, 1865, The Westmorland Gazette published the following story about the very disturbing murder of three children in the Holborn district of London.
People across the country had only just come to terms with the horrific murder, the year before, of Fanny Adams in Alton, Hampshire.
So, when the following story broke, it must have taken many aback:-
WHOLESALE MURDER IN LONDON
A shocking affair came to light on Wednesday in the neighbourhood of Holborn.
On Monday, a billiard marker, named Southey, took apartments in the Star Coffee-house, in Red Lion-street, for three little boys, of the respective ages of six, eight, and ten years.
They slept there the same evening, and the next day Southey came and fetched them away, as he said, for a walk in the park.
After being out with them for three or four hours he brought them back, and saw them to bed; one of them sleeping in the room numbered 8, and the other two in No. 6.
ALL THREE FOUND DEAD
He locked the doors, gave the key to a servant, and said he should be back in the morning.
As he did not keep his word, the proprietor of the coffee-house at length began to feel uneasy; he therefore called in the police; the rooms were opened, and all three children were found to be dead.
It is impossible exaggerate the painful sensation which was caused by this discovery.
Medical assistance was called in, but it was of course useless.
It may be stated, however, that so far as an opinion could be formed, without a regular post-mortem examination, the poor children appeared to have been poisoned with prussic acid.
A REWARD FOR HIS CAPTURE
At twelve o’clock on Wednesday night a reward of £100 for the apprehension of Southey was offered by the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
The supposed murderer is thus described:-
“Age, between thirty-five and forty years; profession a billiard-marker; height, five feet seven inches; hair dark; eyes, dark grey; no whiskers, but a beard of several days’ growth.
Dressed in dark clothes, and a vest buttoned up to the chin; a black shabby-looking scarf.”
THE CHILDREN OF MRS. WHITE
Pending the inquest, not much trustworthy information can be obtained.
It is stated, however, that the deceased were the children of Mrs. White, who, it may be remembered, some time ago took proceedings against the Earl of Dudley for an alleged assault.
She has since, it is said, been separated from her husband, and has been living with Southey.
AN UPDATE ON THE CASE
We find from The Globe of Thursday that the above murders are not the whole of the appalling tragedy, for the murderer of the boys after disposing of the unfortunate children in the manner described shot his paramour, Mrs. White, and another child at Ramsgate.
It seems that Southey and Mrs. White, with a fourth child, went down to Ramsgate on Tuesday night, or very early on Wednesday morning.
We learn by a telegram despatch from Ramsgate, that they took lodgings at No. 8, King-street, and, this (Thursday) morning, at three o’clock, the woman and child were shot dead by Southey, who was immediately afterwards taken into custody.
Inspector Tanner, who has charge of the case, went down to Ramsgate yesterday afternoon with Mr. White and the servant of the coffee house, in order that the one might identify Mrs. White and the child, and that the other might identify Southey as the person who took the three children to the coffee-house, in Holborn.
HOW HIS NAME WAS DISCOVERED
The manner of the discovery of the murderer’s name was singularly simple.
Mr. White, who lives near Holborn went to the coffee house to look at the children, and was horrified to find that they were his wife’s.
Immediately that he had mentioned the name of his wife, and said that she had been living with Southey, whose description agreed with the person who had brought the children, to the house, the whole was plain to the police, who had known Southey for a long time.
THE EARL OF DUDLEY
It seems that he is the same man who, a short time ago, brought an action, in conjunction with Mrs. White, against the Earl of Dudley for assault.
The assault was said to have been committed in the noble Earl’s house, where Mrs. White had come with a begging petition for money for Southey, who, she said at the time, was “more than her husband,” and had been her saviour from starvation after she had been deserted by the Earl of Dudley’s brother at Brighton.
Beside the particulars of the trial, which were published at the time, a long statement by Southey appeared in the newspapers of the day, respecting his wrongs and the sufferings of Mrs. White, whom he had felt it his duty to rescue from an erring husband and a life of shame.