The Express.
London, England, 1855-08-20 00:00:00

DREADFUL MURDER NEAR BRISTOL.

BRISTOL, SUNDAY ATTU/100N.

A dreadful murder has just been brought to light
sear this city. Ihe victim of the atrocious crime is Melinda
Payne, • Sue little girl, aged about 10 years, and daughter
of Jamas Payne, a carpenter, in the employ of Mr. Eaglestiff,
of the Hotwells. Deceased's parade occupied • small cottage
on the banks of the Avon, near Mr. Esglestirs quarries.
Oa Saturday evening, about half-past sic o'clock, Mu.
Pips* gave the deceased @japer°, and an earthen*, and
directed her to go to the Cook's Folly Tavern, which is
situated at about three-quarters of a ails from their sottsge,
oath, borders of Dsrdbam Dews, and fetch • quart of beer.
The approach to this tavern from the river below is effected
by • winding and somewhat rugged path through the
woods. It has been ascertained that the poor girl reached
the tavern, purchased and paid for the beer, and that
having had • couple of small cakes given to her by
the landlady, one fur hind( and another fur a little brother
whom she hail sick at home, she left for the purpose of
deseenciiog again to the cottage. It is said that the was
afterwards seen by a boy w►o drives donkeys near a part of
the Doom rolled " the sea wall," and which is about cue
hundred yards from the tavern in the direction of the rood
leading to her ewn home ; but from this point all trace of
her is lost up to the period of her murdered body betas
discovered.

When the child left her home for the beer eke was
divested to nturn as soca as presible, and when it was
head that a eresaiderible peeled had elapsed without any
sign of her approach, her parents became alarmed, end her
brother, • boy of about thirteen years old, was sent to
me if be could find her. He eserched in every
elincties without 'untie, and alum being then incited,
the father and mother sad some of the neighbours went
forth in quest of her, and the search war continued with
the aid of • candle and lantern up to near midnight, but all
without avail. At daylight this morning the lather, bro-
ther, end some neighbours, one of whom was named Samuel
Heady, resumed their search. They first eaamined the
cliff., and then proceeded to make their way through the
different gullies in the wood. They had bean sea:shins for
some time without success, when the brother called out, "0
tether, I think I can se* our Linda." The
fiber immediately kastesed to the boy, who was
on the footwsy leading from lb. cottage to the tavern,
mid which had daring the search bee■ already travelled
over several times. On the father approaching Lim, he
poured to • kited of nook, in which was • beep of stome,
and slid "I can see sister's hair among the stones." The
father looked, and seeiag blood on lamed the stones, was
too much terrified and shocked to continue the search.
Heady, however, and some others, removed the stones,
which, as well u the twigs of the bashes, were very much
stained with blood, and underneath them they found the
mutilated body of the poor girl. Against the back of the
nook was the hedge of a cottage garden. The feet had
bent thrust ne.rly into the garden, and the head lay
outwards towards the toad. The right arm was
Vaned towards the head, as if is the effort to
mist some violence. The head had been dreadfully
beaten the b►ain protruding, the lower jaw appeared broken
and one of the ankles dislocated. The nose had been nearly
severed, evidently with • ►nib or some sharp instrument.
There was • deep cut on the lip, and the throat was severed
from ear to ear. Some person think that the poor girl was
killed where the body was found, se no marks of any
etreggle, footmarks, or stains of blood cut be elsewhere
freed ; but the police consider that she mat have been
Murdered el./where, and brought there. This they infer
frem the fact of the place being within 20 yards of • out.
tap, and not more than 40 from her (ether's house,
at either of which her cries might have been heard,
from the comparatively small quantity of blood found
amongst the stones, sad from the fact of the head sad face
being literally covered with blood, as if they had beet
wrapped in • cloth or seek. Near to the spot were the
corpse was disc...reefed the bonnet was found, and also some
figments of cake, but up to the present time no trace can
be found of the jer, w►ich it is thought might have bees
earned off by the murderer.

A number of persons have entered upon a diligent ma/eh
(lithe wood, and it is to be hoped that before the night is
our something may be discovered which will put the oti-
ose, of justice on the track of the perpetrator of u heartless
sad sold Wooded a murder as ever was committed.

DILATE OF THE Duna or MANCHE/TER.—We
regret to announce the death of the Duke of ltlanthester,
who expired on S.turday forenoon, after a painful and pea
Minted illness, borne throughout with the greatest fortitude
sa►d resiuoation. His grace had jest completed his fifty-
*lath year. la polities the late Hake was • support*? of
Lard Derby, from whom he seeepted, la 1862, an aPPdat-
toast la the royal household. He is succeeded by ►s sour
Thurnsat Mandeville, wha is ea the coolant.