SUFFOCATION OF A FAMILY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1540, 24 January 1879, Page 3

SUFFOCATION OF A FAMILY.

The suffocation of a mother and her six children in Toxteth-park, Liverpool, has (says the “ Times ”) caused much excitement in the district. The deceased were —Anne Cameron, 41, widow of a ship’s carpenter j Angus Cameron, 18, who was employed at an ironfoundry ; John Cameron, 15, who worked in a coalyard; Flora Anno Cameron, 14; Duncan Cameron, 13 ; Mary Cameron, 10; And Elizibeth Cameron, 8. Mrs Cameron and her family had lived in the house six weeks, and occupied a cellar and the wretched room where they were found dead. When last seen Mrs Cameron was fetching water from a standpipe after Ij o’clock on Thprs-

day night. She and her family are supposed fo have retired to rest at that time, and nothing occurred to excite apprehension t ill about noon on Friday a Mrs Lawson noticed that the cellar shutters had not been taken down, though the inmates habitually got up early. She got the key through a broken pane and entered the cellar, which she found in an orderly state, but nobody was there. On going upstairs she was shocked “ by seeing the whole family lying dead on the floor, the bodies occupying nearly every available inch of space. Site called a police-constable, who brought Dr. Brady, of the South Dispensary. The appearance of the bodies showed death had taken place several hours before, and and from the strong smell of burning coke which pervaded the room it was conjectured that they had been suffocated. An iron bucket containing burnt coke was near the wall about the middle of the apartment. There was not the slightest vestige of furniture, and no means of ventilation, the window being closed. There was not a sbred of bod or bedding. The bodies were nearly all attired in garments of the meanest description, and the mother and several of the children were half-naked. The cellar was not destitute of furniture, and presented some aspects of comfort. The woman is reported to have been of intemperate habits, and to have caused considerable trouble to the School Board officials, who had frequently to proceed against her for not sending her children to school. It seems that Mrs Cameron’s husband died of typhus fever in the Toxteth workhouse four years ago, and two years back the whole family were taken to the workhouse in a shocking condition. When they left “ the house ” they returned to their old neighbourhood, and lived under wretched conditions, though they received altogether something like 35s a week. When first the bodies were discovered suicide was suspected, and then murder, but the evidences of suffocation through attempts to warm an unvontilated room with coke are too clear to be mistaken. The apartment is 12ft. by 5 ft. and about 7ft. or Bft. in height.