The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-10-06 00:00:00

AMERICAN TRAGEDIES.

A correspondent cf the Montreal Herald gives the follow-
ing particulars f a frightful crime which recently was
committed In liamburg, Canada, by some persons as yet
Anorn :
About ten o'clock on a stormy night a family were
aroused by the son of a neighbour, John Thede, who
knocked at the window and called "Help, help, fire,
fire!" On opening the door, young Tbode was found
lying unconscious near the window, and near him
several small boxes containing securities, silver ware,
and some money. Having carried him into the
house and awakened the servants, in order to get
more help from other neighbours, they hastened
to the fire. They found a barn in the rear of the
dwelling borne in flames, but were surprised not
to find a single member of the family which con-
sisted of parents. five eons, a daughter, and a maid
servant In knocking repeatedly at the door they got
no reply, and becoming alarmed, they broke the win-
dows and thus entered the house. They saw flames
issuing from the bedroom of the three eldest sons, and
oh going tosthe room in which the parents, the
slaughter and the youngest son slept, all the occupants
of the room were found covered with frightful wounds,
and dead, and the beds covered with smoking straw.
'The dead bocijes were removed from the house in order
to rescue them from the fire. On the next morning
the' diirpses of the three eldest sons were found; the
'one on the place where his bed stood, the two others in
. an adjoining stable, through which, it is thought, they
tried to escape. Most of the wounds, it appeared, had
been inflicted by sharp instruments, but some by clubs.
son who alone escaped from murder was likewise
and was during the first day unable tospeak.
ji„ „o.oequently recovered his speech, but could not
furnish an; information that gave any clue to the
identification of the murderers. The murderers are
still at large.
A correspondent of the Richmond Dirpalch writing from
liocko.uhain Court-Maim. Virginia, ti,ptember Mb; gives
the following particulars of the terrible tragedy Which
recently occurred there :
About throe weeks age, oe more, Mr. A. Walton,

a wealthy millosnaer of this town, erode early in the
morning with the alleged intention of visiting his mill
and plantation, but suddenly changing his route, re-
turned to the house. There he found Mr. Jame.
Leagh ps young lawyer who makes Mr. Walton's
house hie home during the sessions of coart) in the
room with his wife. The husband at onto ordered
Mr. Leach out of the house, and forced the execution
of his mandate at the point of a revolver; after
which, he called for the carriage, and puttipg madam
in, sent her Ilk her mother. Nothing further of
interest transpired in the case, except that a bill of
divorce was tiled by Mr. Walton, until last Saturday,
when Leach again rode into town. Aft+ strolling
about the village for some time, be met Anderson
Walton, a son of Antony by a first wife. Anderson
reproached Leach at once with the scandal, which
Leach denied with great emphasis; *hereupon
Anderson shook his flit in his face, at the mc time
putting his hand wider his coat. "So you ;will shoot
me, will you?' yelled: I.each, and draw* his six-
shooter, he fired, and young Walton fell pierced
through the lungs, the blood gushing from his mouth
and nostrils, dust then, Mr. Walton the elder rushed
up and fired blares shots from his pistol directly at
I.each, but missing him entirely, slightly: wounded
Captain A. T. Mosely and anegro. Once miire Leach
fired, and the elder Walton lay a corpse. TIM ball
entered just above his heart. severing the main
arteries and canning instant death. The Rev. James
IL C. Leach, 1). D., a highlprespectable Presbyterian
minister, died soon after hearing of the drama in which
his son had acted ao prominent a part; peesibly in
consequence, though as to this no one can do aught
but conjecture. Mrs. Walton was one of the wives of
Hubert, the aeronaut, whose ears were cut off in
Louisville, Ky., for bigamy. Soon after their mar-
riage he ran off with her money, leaving her destitute,
though legally free, for he had two wives living when
he married her. Mr. Walton became so enamoured
with the beautiful widow that he bought her wedding
clothes, and lavished on her every luxury that wealth
could procure until the recent affair, which led to the
double homicide. Leach has been justified on the
plea of self-defence."