The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-13 00:00:00

8 5 6.

REVOLTING MURDER.

A case of murder of the most sordid and revolting de-
scription has just occurred in the little hamlet of Obsdale,
near Alness, parish of Roskeen, Ross.shire. The ♦ictim
writ' a humble industrious old woman, named Margaret
Munro, unmarried, and 60 years of age. She subsisted
by working in the fields and other chance labour, and
from her frugal habits 'was commonly believed to be
possessed c•f some money—perhaps 101. or 121. She
lived in a miserable small bothy; but within about 30
yards on each side were two cottages, one of them being
occupied by a married sister. On Saturday last the
deceased waa out working at Dalmore, and on her re-
turn in the evening she went to the Village of Alness, to
make some small purchase of tea and other provisions.
Next day it was observed that no smoke had issued from
her chimney. ller sister entered the bothy and found
the deceased in hod, apparently dead, and the bedclothes
saturated with blood. Alarm was given, and the police-
constable and Dr. Ross repaired to the spot. The
first impression was that the old woman had com-
mitted suicide, but further investigation showed the
improbability of this conjecture, and a regular exami-
nation into all the circumstances WAR made next day.
It would appear that the old won au had gone to bed
and apparently fallen asleep, lying on her loft with
her face to the wall. The murderer had found no diffi-
culty in oVainin,g entrance, for the only fastening to time
door was a block cf wood rolled up against it. This had
been pushed aside. In the cottage was a short coarse
knife, the only one possessed by the deceased, and with
this a wound had been inflicted on the front of the throat
completely dividing the windpipe, but without severing
the jugular vein, or carotid artery. There had appa-
rently been no struggle, the blood having flowed out
immediately in front of the wound. There were marks
on both arms of the indentation of nails, and the medi-
cal gentlemen were of opinion that it was impossible the
deceased could herself have inflicted the injury. The
knife lay about two yards distant, and was covered with
blood. At the bottom of the bed was found part of the
blade of a knife also stained with blood, but it was ob-
vious that this could not have been the instrument, and
that it had only been placed there to keep up an
idea of suicide. On searching the dark cottage a few
shillings and pence were found on a shelf, with the pro-
vision■ which the poor woman had purchased the pre-
vious night. In a trunk, with some articles of wearing
apparel, was a gown, and within the cuff of one of the
sleeves was found 31. 158. What other money the de-
ceased possessed, or whether she had any more, is not
known, but this deposit in the trunk had escaped the
murderer. It is said that some years ago the old woman
had been robbed of about 31., on which she went to
consult "the spaewife'," and, intelligence of this getting
abroad, the superstitious thief contrived to restore the
money to its former hiding-place ! The case being
clearly established as one of murder, the local authori-
ties have been indefatigable in their efforts to trace out
the perpetrators of the foul crime, but up to last night
no clue had been discovered.—lnz..crness Courier.

The Admiralty decidedly opposes the project of esta-
blishing a ferry and floating bridge between Stokes Bay
and the Isle of Wight.

The University of Dublin has conferred the degree of
Doctor of Medicine, honoria causes, upon Dr. Andrew
Smith.
LAIINCH.—Mr. John Laird on Tuesday launched
another wooden gun-boat, the Redbreast, from his
Birkenhead yard, and two iron mortar-boats from his
building-yard at Liverpool.
GREENOCK, March 10.—On Saturday Messrs. Scott
and Sons launched very successfully another of the
mortar-boats which that firm is building for the Go-
vernment. She is 900 tons burden, and her magazines
will contain 1,000 shells, with the requisite store of
powder, &c.
DEATH OF THE HON. F. CAVENDISII.—The Mayo
papers report the death of the Hon. F. Cavendish on
Monday evening. He was son of the Right Hon. Sir
Henry Cavendish nod Sarah Baroness of Waterpark.
He was in the 79th year of his age.
FAGGING.—Two young gentlemen, named Skipworth
and Hernell, were indicted at the Maidstone assizes for
censpiring and assault. It appeared that the defendants
had subjected the eon of a gentleman named Skipworib,
to a system of fagging at Dr. \Vheldon's school, at Ton-
bridge. A. verdict of guilty of a common assault was
arrenaed.
ANNIVERSARIES AT ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL—His
Grace the Arebbishop of Canterbury has appointed
Wednesday, May 21st, for celebrating the 202 d anni-
versary festival of the Sons of the Clergy. The anni-
versary meeting of the charity schools will be held en
Thuredav, June srh, when the sermon will be preashed
by the Bishop of Lincoln.
M. EIfILE DE GIRARDIN.—WO real in the Paris cor-
respondence of the Indepenclance Belle have
hitherte avoided mentioning in an explicit manner the
enrrent report of the marriage of M. Emile de Girardir.
To-day I believe lam able to state, without fear of cor.-
traotct'on, that the rcdacteur-en chef of La Prose
espouses a young and beautiful English lady, :Mlle.
Sl* )peril.„
Tan Cern OF GOOD ilorr.—Papers from the Cape of
Good Hope down to the 18th Janesry have come to
hand, but they do not contain the slightest political in-
telligence of importance. In commercial affeirs there was
no change. In etchanee, Landon Treasury bills were
at 2 per cent. prem. Holland (ship bills), 30 days' sight,
191 per guild. Madras and Calcutta, le. 111 per Corn
pany's rupee.
A. STEADIER ON SHORE.—CADIZ, MAIICH. I.—The
Emperor (a.), Capt +in Jones, of and from Liverpool, for
Constantinople, with a cargo of spirits, paint, &c., in
endeavouring to make for this harbour on the nieht
of the 23th of Februare, in a disabled state—her ma-
chinery haring given way—got upon the rocks in the
Caleta, to the north of the lighthouse. Her stern has
since sunk in deep water, and the fore part of the vessel
lies on a sharp reef of rocks ; part of her cargo and
some stores have been saved, and endeavours are being
made to save the remainder. She is full of water, and
will speedily go to pieces should the wind freshen.
The following anecdote is related of Count Orloff and
his muscular strength. At a grand dinner which he gave.
hearing a lady admire a magnificent bouquet placed in
one of the ornaments on the centre of the table, he took
it out to present it to her ; but finding the ends of the
flowers wet from the water placed below, he imagined
on the instant a porte-bouquet of a new description.
He took up one of the silver-gi't plates, and rolling It
up like a sheet of paper, he placed the bouquet within
it, and in that, position sent the flowers to the lady.
NEW VACCINATION BILL.--A. bill to consoli late and
amend the acts relating to Vaccination hats jest been laid
on the table of the Howe of Cat-rim-me. It emanates
from Mr. Cowper, M.P., and Mr. Bouverie, M.P. It
repeals, after this year, the exieting vaccination acts of
the 3d and 4th and 4th and sth years of the reign of her
Majesty, and will come into operation itself on the Ist
of January, 1857, being applicable t ,England alone.
RAILWAY BILLS IN PARLIAMENT.—BahLridgo Junc-
tion Railway --The select committee on this bill has
passed the preamble. Eset of Fife Railway—The
preamble of this company's bill has been declared proved.
Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway--The estimate
for the construction of this line, from Castle Douglas, by
Delbeettie, to the Glasgow and South-Western at Duni:
fries, is 120,0001. Inverness and Aberdeen Junction
Railway—Toe Parliamentary estimate for making this
new line from Nairn, to communicate with the Great
North of Scotland at Keith, is 325,0001.
DIS)IISSAL OF AN ARMY SURGEON.—Acting Assist.-
Surgeon Henry Bedwell, one of the surgeons against
whom a verdict of manslaugheer was recently returned
by a jury for alleged negligence in causinz the death of
Private William Stinson, 33th Regiment, to whom a
quantity of opium was given in mistake for a cathartic
mixture at the Garrison hospital, has received an inti-
mation from Dr. Andrew Smith. the medical director-
general of the army, that. her Majesty no longer requires
his services. This proceeding has been loudly con-
demned, as it is, in fact, a prejudging of the charge
against Mr. Bedwell before he has ,been tried by a jury
for the crime of manslaughter, with which he and Asais-
taut-Surgeon Turner stand charged. The trial will take
place at Maidstone in the course of this week.—South-
Eastern, Gazette.
THE WAS AND THE INC3ME TAX.-- A grmi deal of
misapprehension exists as to the operation of the Income
Tax Acts and the settlement of the war. By the act of
last session (18th Vict., c. 19) the duties granted were
to continue in force (luring the war and until the 6th of
April which shall first happen after the expiration of one
year from the ratification of a definitive treaty of peace,
and no longer, provided that if the period limited by the
last act for the continuance of the said duties shall ex-
pire before the 6th of April, 1860 ; then on, and from,
and after the expiration of the said period, the several
rates and duties gr.snted by the act 16th and 17th Vict.,
c. shall revive and be payable during so much of the
respentire term limited by the last-mentioned act as
shall be then unexpired. Should the ratifications be
completed before the 6th of April next they will affect
the additional duties payable under the Income Tax

Acta.
Rnscu OP IN ABANDONED VRIISIL.—LIVERPOOL,
Wednesday.—A. telegraphic despatch received this day
from Waterford, states that the schooner Effort, from
Charente to Glass, which was run into last week by the
Berbice, from this port for Antigua, off Bardsey, and
afterwards abandoned by captain and crew, was picked
up on the 10th inst., at 6 p.m., off Tuskar, by the
steam-tug Rattler, returning to Liverpool after towing
the Champion of the Seas, Royal read ship for Melbourne,
which took her in tow and placed her in safety epon the
mud at Ballyhack, near Waterford, with cargo all on
hoard. It will be remembered that the crew of the
Effort were picked up and landed here by the screw-
steamer Rita, from Santander, and that the steam-tug
Iron King was immediately afterwards despatched iu
search of the Effort, and returned to port on Sunday
last, after a fruitless search.
SINGULAR FIRE IT HAMM HOUSE.—The extensive
family mansion, termed Harley House, situate in the
New-road, Marylebone, was rented by a foreign gentle-
man, named Francis Lugiane De Murrietta, who having
died, his body has bee* lying in state at the mansion, in
the mortuary chamber. This part of the premises was
richly fitted up, a canopy was erected, and the chamber
lined with black ; a bier was placed in the same, whilst
sundry large looking-glasses were also added to the de-
corations, and large wax caudles were placed in the
room to give due effect to the mournful scene. The de-
ceased having laid in state from Thursday, it was ap-
pointed that the funeral should take place on Tuesday.
After the funeral procession had started. a cry was
raised that the state room was on fire. The fire was
extinguished, but not until considerable damage was
done, which is thus officially reported :—"Harley House,
New road, Marylebone.—The contents of mortuary
chamber, consisting of black cloth drapery round the
canopy and bier, and window-curtains destroyed, and
looking-glasses broken, and front room, ground-floor,
damned by Ore and heat.'!