The Committal of W. Thompson
To the County Gaol at Oxford for the
MURDER OF HIS WIFE
AND THREE CHILDREN,
On the 12th instant.
This morning, the 12th inst., the neighbourhood of Queen-st., Banbury, was thrown into a state of excitement at hearing the cries of murder between the hours of 12 and 1, at the house of Wm. Thompson. Several of the neighbours arose from their beds and knocked at, and tried the door, but all was silent, when Sarah Cope said, some efforts must be made to enter, and two Policemen were quickly on the spot, and about 2 o’clock they forced the door open, when a most awful sight presented itself. The wife lay weltering in her blood and with her head literally knocked to pieces, and the prisoner, who was drunk, was quickly apprehended. Up stairs the two youngest were found lying in a pool of blood on the chamber floor, and the eldest boy, Thomas, four years old, was found a lifeless corpse on the bed, and the clothes covered with blood.
Two surgeons pronounced life to be extinct. An inquest was held at the Blue Boar, and after a post-mortem examination of the bodies, and the whole of the Evidence heard by the Jury, a Verdict of Wilful Murder was returned against William Thompson.
The Prisoner was calm during the whole of the proceedings, and did not attempt to deny his guilt. Since his committal he has made the following Confession.
The Confession
On the 12th ultimo, I left my wife and family and went to the house of Sarah Potts, and during the day when we were drinking, she asked me to leave my family and live with her; I gave her no decisive answer at that time. At midnight I returned home and found my wife and children were gone to bed, but she got up and let me in without speaking an angry word; but I got hold of an iron bar and struck her a fatal blow on the head, and repeated the blows until she was dead. I then proceeded to the bed-room, where the children were. My eldest son, Thomas, four years of age, begged for mercy, but I was deaf to his cries and tears; I then raised the bar of iron and struck him three times on the head; the two youngest are twins, I beat their heads against the chamber floor, and I hope the Lord will forgive me.
A Copy of Verses
All you that have got feeling hearts, I pray you now attend,
To these few lines so sad and true, a solemn silence lend,
It is of a cruel murder, to you I will unfold—
The bare recital of the tale, must make your blood run cold.
’Twas in the town of Banbury, all in fair Oxfordshire,
One William Thomson did reside, by trade a Carpenter,
He had a kind and loving wife, likewise three children dear,
Who victims fell unto his rage, as shortly you may hear,
The one it was a little boy, just turned two years old,
The other two were lovely boys, the truth I now unfold,
Long time he kept his family, in credit and renown,
Until he was led astray, by a woman on the town—
One Sarah Potts it was her name, who first did him betray,
And from his wife and children, caused him to go astray,
At rest from her he ne’er could be, by day nor yet by night,
Until her false deluding tongue, had proved his ruin quite.
It was on the 12th day of the month, unto her house he went
A drinking, for to spend the day, it was his chief intent;
She says, come leave your house and home, your family also,
And to some other country, along with you I’ll go.
About the hour of twelve at noon, he homeward did repair,
And found his poor deluded wife, waiting his love to share—
One angry word she never spoke, though he unkind had been
But with the meekness of a lamb, she rose to let him in.
Soon as the house he entered, he straightway locked the door,
Soon seized upon an iron bar, and threw her on the floor;
With which he beat her on the head, as she lay on the ground,
Her brains most awful for to view, lay scattered all around.
Oh then he seized those lovly twins, whilst sleeping on the bed,
Now with your mother you shall die, the wretched father said—
He seized them by their little legs, and dashed them on the floor,
And soon their tender lives were gone, alas! to be no more.
The eldest child seeing what was done, upon his knees did rise,
And loud for mercy he did call, whilst tears were in his eyes—
Oh, Dadda dear, oh, Dadda dear, and asked me for a kiss,
Why are you going to murder me, what have I done amiss?
Again for mercy he did plead whilst pearly tears did fall,
The cruel father’s hardened heart, was deaf unto his call—
Again took up the iron bar, and beat him on the head,
And soon the blood of the dear boy, was spilt upon the bed.
It was early the next morning, before the break of day,
He by Policemen taken was, and to prison sent straightway,
Where till the Assizes he must lie, his trial for to stand,
When blood for blood will be required, by the laws of God and man.
[Smith, Printer, High Street, London.