The Express.
London, England, 1857-07-24 00:00:00

MURDER IN ABERDEENSHIRE.

Aberdeenshire—a quarter rather notorious same
two or three years ago for murders-1u just been the moss
of another deed of this lamentable nature ; the immediate
vicinity being the quiet rural village of Old hl. )drum,
twenty-twe miles to the north-west of Aberdeen. The par-
ticulars may be briefly stated thus:—John Booth, the pri-
soner, has for some years resided in Old Ideldrum with his
wife and two children • his father and mother-ire law keep-
Mac:mall shop for the retail of little thing. in the oaths
• All appear to be of the class-tinker, sod while John
was in the habit of being from home frequently, plying his
vocation in the neighbouring villages and fair. ,he wu fro-
wetly learning from his amociates that his wife was in the
habit of cohabiting with other men (who are named) in the
district. On Wednesday week the huge market of Bt. gars
was held about eight miles from Old Meldruni, and Booth, ea
his return to his home, had, as be alleges, proof that what he
could not believe from hearsay regarding his wife was but
too true. Some angry words weed, the wife maintaining
that the husband was jealous without cause, and led to
think what was false from being in drink. tllooth allows
that he was in drink, but that there was " no mistake " as
to his wife's guilt.) On Tuesday, along with several other
pedlars who hail foregathered at Old Meldrum for the pur-
poee proceeding to a large market—Aikey Fair—next
day, Booth had been drinking pretty freely, and one of the
party coming to hot words with Booth, said he would c
to his (Booth's wife. where, in very plain language,
added he loam he would be warmly received—ay, and get a
bed too. This appears to have roused Booth very much,
and ' to his house about half-pest nine in the
be, as the says, asked his wife, quietly like,"
to the lies of his shoes. In • emend
after be made • stoke et her with what she felt
to ha • haft. She ea/aware& to goo it, but her hand
slipped the( the hide, and observing the door of the
bows bad been ha apea, she fled to her father's, 300 or
=Ai adiat. Bala followed immediately der, and
the deer aired dasendat or rather foreedadmittince,
stating that he whited to see "Mary," his wife. The
mother-In-law—egainat whom Booth evidently bore •
grudge, believing Mr to be the cause of his wife's going
astray—endeavoured to prevent his marching the below,
upon which he struck at her, but foiled, through the inter-
position of the father-in-law, from gettingat her. At length
in his desperation, he reached her, and the blade of the knife
(a long-hafted one with • spring, known se • deer knife)
must have gone straight to the heart, as the
poor woman fell and breathed her last in the
course of live or six minute., uttering, however,
before she did so in the premnee of Hime passers-by
who bad been attracted by the eruftle, "Ile's murdered toe!"
Booth's wife in the meantime had escaped from the house,
and intimation having been without loss of time conveyed to
the village constable of what was doing, the infuriated man
was apprehended on the spot, reeking not the !eau resist.
ante or attempting to escape ; indeed, up to the hour when
this is written he rather glories in hie deed, and .olds, we
underetead, but one regret—namely, that hie wife did not
receive what he thinks was her lust due—death at hie
bands.
Booth was born in Aberdeen in 1820 ; the murdered
woman wee a native of the neighbouring parish of Davie.,
and may have emu a few more than sixty autumn, Booth'.
wife is • steatialt person, about thin -five or so. They have
two eldleirea—a boy and rid, respectively nine and
, three yeare.-014swiew Deity Yell.