Jealousy was a major motive for murder in 19th century London.

In fact, the court cases that were reported in the newspapers featured numerous cases where a murder had been triggered by a jealous outburst on the part of the perpetrator.

The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian, in its edition of Saturday the 2nd of October 1869 published a report on one such case:-

A HORRIBLE MURDER

A horrible murder has been committed at No. 7, Little Suffolk-street, Borough, London.

It appears that a man named Charles Martine, a shoemaker by trade, residing in that street, had made the acquaintance of a young woman named Johnson, aged 21 years. She was the daughter of respectable parents, but her mother dying some three years ago and her father marrying again, she left home.

She was entitled to a considerable sum of money, it is said, but not being of age she could not claim it, and, having little or no resources, she went to live in obscure lodgings in the Borough.

SHE HAD A BABY

She made the acquaintance of a young man who gave her money from time to time, and in March, 1868, she gave birth to a boy, of which he was the father.

A coolness then sprang up between them, and some few months back she met Martine at a shoemakers’ beanfeast, and he persuaded her to break altogether with her first lover and live with him.

SHE MOVED IN WITH MARTINE

Martine was fifty years of age he had but recently buried his wife, and was the father of five children, the eldest of whom was 16 years of age.

When he took her home his landlady refused to allow her to stay, and he then hired a room for her close by, and eventually at 7, Little Suffolk-street.

SHE STILL TALKED WITH THE CHILD’S FATHER

He soon after found that she was in the habit of talking with the father of her child at the corner of the street, and he became inflamed with jealousy.

On Saturday he learnt that she had been talking with her former lover on Friday, and was observed to be very excited.

He continued drinking in a public house until near midnight, and then went to her room in Little Suffolk-street.

CRIES OF MURDER

At half-past 3 in the morning cries of “Murder” and screams were heard there.

A young woman called out in alarm to the landlord, a man named Wall, who contented himself with standing at the bottom of the stairs, and saying, “We can’t have this sort of thing in our house, for we are working people, and have got to get up in the morning.”

He then went back to bed, but the cries of “Murder” continuing, the young woman alluded to got up to call him again.

While she was doing so Martine left the house.

A HORRIBLE SIGHT

Wall then got up again, and he and a man and his wife, named Murphy, entered the room, where a horrible spectacle was disclosed to their view.

Upon the floor lay the body of the deceased woman, covered with blood.

Her eyes were wide open and staring at the ceiling. Her right arm and right leg were bent backwards under her back, and her face bore an expression of indescribable agony.

TERRIBLE INJURIES

There were several gashes across the throat, and the head, which was nearly severed from the body, was lying backwards, exhibiting to view the bones at the back of the neck.

Between the breasts there was a gash, as if made by a stab.

The right thumb was nearly severed from the hand, and it was evident that that wound had been inflicted in the poor woman’s endeavours to prevent her throat being cut.

At the side of the body lay two knives, both covered with blood.

On a bed in the corner of the room sat the little child crying, but un-injured.

INQUEST AND COURT APPEARANCE

The murdered young woman’s family live in Battersea.

The inquest was held on the body of the young woman on Tuesday, and as the accused man had sufficiently recovered to appear before the magistrate, the charge was also investigated at the police-court.

The evidence adduced was much the same in both cases.

The coroner’s jury returned a verdict of “Wilful Murder,” and the magistrate committed him for trial on the same charge.