A horrid and dreadful account of John Marlew, who with his three starving children went for assistance from his rich brother, when his brother’s wife turned them out of doors and the miserable man, in a fit of despair, went home and drowned himself and three children in a well in his garden
[London]: J. Catnach, [18–]
“Not being able to give his children bread, he resolved to give them death”: John Marlew suffered successively the death of his wife, loss of his employment and extreme poverty. Finally he was overcome by despair and drowned his three children and then himself. Although his brother had offered him help, his brother’s wife refused assistance, and this seems to have been the trigger for the murder of his children.
Broadsides.B.83.10
