The Express.
London, England, 1868-01-22 00:00:00

HORRIBLE MURDER IN BIRMINGHAM.

Last evening, about half-past six, a dastardly
murder was usuaiteed in Hessegeedmv;ts Birmingham.
The victim was a Miss Milbourne, en independent maiden
lady, between 50 and 60 years of age, and the eircuni.
stances surrounding the crime would seem to leave no
doubt that tits object was robbery. For five-and.
twenty years she and her brother lived together,
but about twelve months since her brother died,
and sines that time she has resided alone. Possessed
of considerable property,f a
report became current that she
was in the habit o keeping a large sum of money in the
house and this, no doubt, was the incentive to the crime
which' was committed lest night. At the time of the death
of deceased's brother Miss Milbourne had a sum of between
70W. and 8001. in the house, but last January she deposited
0901. in Lloyds' bank, and it is supposed that she lived on t
remainder of the money. In July last she drew half a.
year's interest on this sum from the beak, and another
half year's interest is now due, but had not been drawn by
deceased. There is every reason to suppose, therefor,,
that there was no great amount of money in the house at
the time of the murder. The house is situated
next door but one to the Ashted Brewery.
Between that house and the one next to tie
brewery Is a wide passage, opening with double gates to
the street. The yard is common to both houses, and also
to a malthouse, which is situated at the furthermost end ,f
the yard. There is no sort of a division in the yard, which
is separated from the next yard by a party-wall eight or
nine feet high.
Shortly before 6 o'clock yesterday evening, Mrs. Bul-
lock, who lives in the adjoining yard, was in an outhouse
when she heard some persons in the yard. She looted
through a crevice in the door, and saw three men, two ~f
whom were shout the same height, and one a trifle shorter,
Iclimbing over the wall. The men became aware of her
presence, for one of them said " There's a woman,
and she will blow on us." Without waiting to look into
the outhouse the men ran up the entry into the street and
disappeared. Mrs. Bullock told her husband of the occur-
rence, and said she hoped they had not been to the old lady,
next door. After that she and a Mrs. Dickman, another
neighbour, went to deceased's house door and called to her.
Not receiving run reply, they feared outrage had been
matted, and and their statements brought the police to the spot.
The front door was locked, and the back door open. Uu
the kitchen table a bonnet was found, and a shawl lay upon
the floor. At first the officers saw no trace of the old lady,
but between the kitchen and the trout room stone steps
led down to the cellar. At the top of these steps they
discovered Miss Milbourne lying on her back, her head
reeting on the second step. Sha was quite wane, but
lifelees. There was ono mark of a blow upon her nose,
and finger-marks upon her throat. plainly showing
that she hail been strangled. The body was brought eta
the front room and laid upon a bed. Upon an examina-
tion of the house being made, it was discovered that it had
been completely ransacked. There were three rooms La.
stairs, and the contents of the boxes and beds in all of
them were turned over and thrown on the door. Drivers
were bunt open, and boxes rummaged, and apart of a pil-
low was torn open. On the table in the back kitchen
was found a black bag which was found to contiin a
receipt on Lloyds' Banking Company for the cum of
615/., deposited in January last. Whether placed
there by the thieves or the deceased, is not known,
The fact of the deceased being found on the cellar steps
is accounted for by the supposition that she had gone to
the top of the stepe—where were shelves forming a
pantry—to get some article, when she was surprised by
her murderers. She bad just put the tea into the t ~pot,
the caddy and spoon being found on the table. and from
the position of the bonnet and shawl it is supposed that
she had been out for a walk shortly before.
It is satisfactory to know, says the BirMittidoona Pwf.
that there is every probability of the sods of justice bein4
satisfied, and of the perpetrators of this foul deed receiving
their just deserts, as although at present the affair is
shrouded in considerable mystery, the police are in ivw
session of a clue which, it is hoped, will eventually lent to
the detection and apprehension of the murderers.

WEATHER REPORT.-(THIS DAY.)

WEDNESDAY, JAN, ARY 21. II LL

..... ~..
1 B T. W. 1^...--- W. IL lto
is A ;
, -. .... ...- --.- 1--
Nairn - '2o 41 C 23 N.W. 1 B.W. he - 1
Aberdeen t0.375.41 N.W. 1 B.W. la - 2
Leith t9.32P37 N. 3 W. iic I -
Ardroman -19.341' X. 1 E. bm I- 1
Greenmail*. 10.341'3135 E. 3 N.W. bine - -
Valentla 23.161'40 E.S.E. S KE. ro '0 gI.o 3
Cape Mar V. 8.10 139 B.M. 4 S.E. r '1.31i 3
itoutigios It 19.00'40 E.N.E. 4 E.S E. re ll 351 4
Liverpool 131.17t MI B.N.R. 3 W. c 0 0.11 1
11°1).103,0- 20.118 m) 11 N .1t 0 W.N.W. c..- 1..
P•11.118C0 WAS f' 48 W. 10 W. olr • 0 7:., i
Brest 13.45t;44 W. 9 I W.S.W. tr '0 No i
[orient. - -13.40 f 48 W.S.W. 7 1.1. W. c !to 4; 7
Rochefort, - MOM W.B.W. 0 W. r 10.55 7
Plymouth YPOSI 46 S.W. 110 1 8 r
0.43 7
10 P 4
Weymouth V. 07 AS W. 0 I S.W. , 0
Portsmouth 29.08t.47 W. 8 . W.N.W. to 0.71 j 7
Lood.in - 5.1.031 39 E. 1 ; 8.4. W. gohr '070! -
Yaraltaitb ?AO ,o3i E. G I I S.W. go - 0
2carborongb 54.201'33 E. 4 I I S.W. rt.. 4
Shlulits 23.258411 N.E. 3' d N.W. ,cm- ?.
,
Fielder - 5
Brussels.. - 210 15 144 R.O.W. - - lor I -
Paris t5S73 47 S.W. 4 - i ' - -
-
Strasbourg ! - 140 KW. 3
Lyons -
licart'seuu. ti. 023 23 N.E. 3I 3 N.B. In ' t 3
- _

Barometer connotesi and reduced to x deg. at sea level. The
letters r Rising), f (steady), indicate direction if
nautionof themereury within last 11 bears. Thermomeer exposed
ha shade. Extreme force, with Redirection during loott hours.
Z.-calm. Weather: b.- sky; c. - clouds detached ; 1.-
foe: L-lightning ; (hazy,: ce-os creast
del): r.-rain; s.-snow: t.-thunder. ibuirfall, suow ur
hat smelted), during last 24 hour*. Bea disturbance.
REMARKS.
The rapid decrease of pressure which comm-nced ye dupla)
attune um at Valentia, and which was the cause of waruitt,,
being issued, has continued. The difference of readings in th.•
south of England amounts to nearly Tleths of an inch. Pressen:
is diminishing everywhere ; it is lowest in Limbo), where the
reading is 9-luthe below that at Lyons. Great difference
Clll,end 11Ce.s
in temperature ; that at Nairn it v 5 dens. less than at P 1
At southeni stations It has risen considerably. A gni,: blew lot
evening on our south and west coasts. At the entrance .4 the
Channel it le now continuing with direction from we to tail'sn
west. Winds are east in the centre of England. Tile rain
has been very heavy along the sonthcoast, with lightning at
Penance. The sea from Pennine to Portsmouth is very high.

Yesterday evening a general meeting of laymen
who are helpers with the Bishop of London in the work
of his diocese, and who have been formed into an msocia.
ti
for that purpose, was bald at the rooms of the Archi-
tectural Society, in Conduit-street. The Rev. Prebendary
Kempe, the rector of the parish of St. James's, West-
minster, predded, and was supported by the Bishop of
Tennessee, Professor Plumptre, the Rev. Erskine Knolleys
(the Bishop of London's chaplain), and other gentlemen.
EAST LONDON DISTRESS.—A meeting, called by
Mr. Sclater-Booth, the secretary of the Poor-Law Beard,
was held yesterday afternoon, at the Cannon-strect Hotel,
for the purpose of uniting the action of the committees taw
collecting subscriptions for the relief of distress. There
were present Mr. Sclater-Booth, in the chair ; Mr. Greet
and Mr. Scrutton, from the East-end Central Committee ;
Mr. Robert Baxter and Mr. Somerset Saunderson, front
the East London Mission and Relief Committee ; the Rev.
Septirous Hansard, from the Bethnal-green Committee
Mr. Russell, of the Metropolitan District Visiting Society ;
Mr. Ravenhill, of Poplar, and many others. A long dis-
cusaion took place an the means ot uniting the different
organisations, and ultimately it was moved by Mr. Dudley
Baxter, seconded by the Rev. Mr. Caparn, and carried:—
" That it is expedient that a central executive committee
be formed, to consist of members from each of the princi-
pal existing committees, to unite the efforts for the relief
of distress in East London."
JUMPING TROY A TRAIN.—EaTIy yesterday
morning a fatal accident happened •at the Shrub.hill rail-
way station at Worcester, through a passenger alighting
from a train when in motion. It appear
Bons that on the pre•
vious afternoon a special train left Gloucester for llir-
minglam, calling at Worcester and other intervening sta-
tions, taking passengers to Birmingham for the panto-
, mime, and returning next morning. e train was • heavy
one of between 20 and 30 carriages, and on reaching Wor-
cester was stopping at Shrub-bill station, when a carpenter,
tamed Steed, residing at Marries's, in that city, im-
prudently opened the door of the carriage in which ha
was riding, and jumped out before the train had
come to a standstill. The result was that he was twisted
round and fell beck upon the line, the wheels of the car-
riages passing over his legs and inflicting fearful injuries on
other parts of his person. On the train coining to a stop be
was extricated in a fearfully mangled state, and •
stretcher having been procured, was carried at once to
the Worcester Infirmary insensible and apparently in •
dying state. In fact be only lived three or four Ileum,
wLen death put an end to his sufferings. The acculent
nonelected the greatest consternation among the passen-

gsrs.
Daftly Nip mums Brimino.—An expert swimmer,
named jamas Williams', about 20 years of age, was
drowned while bathinsf under the Hos, at Plymouth, un
Sunday morning. It sa believed that he waa seized with
cramp.
CAPITAL OF RAILWAYS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM,
1866.—1 t appear from a return issued by the Board of
Trade that the total smount of capital authorised to be
seised up to the end of the year 1863 on railways in the
United Kingdom emanated to 466,151,6= om shame and
to 154,412,7731. by loans ; total, 620,564,4061.: showings se
=d with, 1865, au immense of capital authorised in the
of 1866 of 44,272,7437. The total amount paid np
at military shares was M 245,6291., being an increase of
8,647,4331. in the year 1866. The amount paid np_on pre.
forestial shares and "took animated to 134,455,09 a, being
sn hearers of 30,191,41 n. The 1110011111 mimed on debenture
, see* was 14,106,594/., being an inueses of 310,2191., and ea
, debentures 105,065,8631., being an increase of 7.244,766/.
askll
mg the total amount of aspital paid up to the 31st of
December, 1866, 481,872,1611., being an increase of
pp
26,394,0411. u stared with ties amount paid up on the
L Slat December,
&gum—Very large notches of sprats are being
taken dai
ly near Eie, Ina, Cornwall, and great qua'-
takes
, titles hav already been sold to fanners for manure at
ban 2". to 7a. per gumy.