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

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 victim
was 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 of some money—perhaps 101. or 121. She
lived in a miserable small bothy, but within about 30
yards on each aide were two cottages, one of them being
occupied by a married sister. On Saturday last the
deceased was out working at Dslinore, and on her re-
turn in the evening she went to the village of Alness, to
wake some small purchase of tea and other provisions.
Next day it was observed that no smoke had issued from
her chimney. Her sister entered the bothy and found
the deceased in bed, 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 was made next day.
It would appear that the old woman had gone to bed
and apparently -fallen asleep, lying on her left side, with
her face to the wall. The murderer had found no diffi-
culty in obtaining entrance, for the only fastening to the
door was a block of 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 aiso 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-
visions 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. 15s. What other money the de-
eased possessed, or whether she had any more, is nut
known, tut this deposit in the trunk had escaped the
murderer. It is said that some years ago the old woman
bad been robbed of about 31., on which she went to
consult "the spaewife," and, intolligeeed of thi: 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. —l2iverness Courier.

The Admiralty decidedly opposEs the project of esta-
blishing a ferry and floating bridge bet seen Stokes Bay
and the Isle of Wight.
The University of Dublin has conferred the degree of
Doctor of Medicine, honoris mum, upon Dr. Andrew
Smith.

LAIINCIL—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 Sono launched very successfully another of the
mortar-boats which that firm is building for the Go-
vernment. She is 900 tons burden, and her magazine a
will contain 1,000 4hella, with the requisite store of
powder, &c.
DEATH OF THE Hos. F. CAVENDISIL—The Mayo
papers report the death of the Hon. F. Cavendish on
Monday evening. He was son of the Right' Hon. Sir
Henry Cavendish and Sarah Baroness of Waterpark.
HP was in the 79th year of his age.
FAGGING.—Two young gentlemen, named Skipworth
and Harnell, were indicted at the Maidstone assizes for
conspiring and assault. It appeared that the defendants
had subjected the son of a gentleman named Skipworth,
to a system of fagging at Dr. Wheldon's school, at Ton
bridge. A. verdict of guilty of a common assault was
arranged.
ANNIVERSARIES AT ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.—His
Grace the Archbishop 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 on
Tbuisday, June sth, when the sermon will be preached
by the Bishop.of Lincoln.
M. EMILE DE GIRARDIN.—We read in the Paris cor-
respondence of the Independance Beige :—" I have
hitherto avoided mentioning in an explicit manner the
current report of the marriage of M. Emile de Girardin.
To-day I believe I am able to state, with Out fear of con-
tradiction, that the redacteur-en chef of La Presse
,spouses a young and beautiful English lady, Mdlle.
filho2perd."
"DIE CAPE OF GOOD Holm—Papers from the Cape of
Greeted Hope down to the 18th January have ca.-ne to
hiend, but they do not contain the slightest political in-
telligence of importance. In commercial affairs there was
no. change. In exchange, London Treasury bills were
at 2 per cent. prem. Holland (ship bills), 30 days' sight,
19)1 per guild. Madras and Calcutta, Is. 11d. par Com-
proly'e rupee.
A STEAMER ON SHORE.—CADIZ, MARCH I.—The
E OD perm. (s.), Capt sin Jones, of and from Liverpool, for
Ccenstantinople, with a cargo of spirits, paint, &c., in
en deavonriug to make for this harbour on the night
of the 2Sth of February, in a disabled state—her ma-
chimery having given way—got upon the rocks in the
Cr.lota, to the north of the lighthouse. Her stern has
sin.ce sunk in deep water, and the fire part of the vessel
lies on a sharp reef of rocks; part of her cargo and
ao me stores have been saved, and endeavours are being
ode to save the remainder. She is full of water, and
wi :11 speedily go to pieces should the IA d freshen.
'llse following anecdote is related of Count Orloff and
his muscular strength. At a grand dinner which be gave,
hearing a lady admire a' infignificent 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 ports-bouquet of a new description.
Ho 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.
TEtv VACCINATION BILL.—A. bill to consolidate and
atrifand the acts relating to Vaecination has just been laid
on -the table of the House of Commons. It emanates
fror a Mr. Cowper, M.P., and Mr. Bouverie, M.P. It
repeals, after this year, the existing vaccination acts of
the 3d and 4th ansl 4th and sth years of the reign of her
aje3ty, and will come into operation itself on the let
of January, 1857, being applicable to England alone.
.RAILWAY BILLS IN PARLIAMENT.—Bsnbridge June-
ticen Railway -- The select committee on this bill has
passed the preamble. East of Fife Railway—The
preamble of this company's bill has been declared proved.
Cam tie Douglas and Dumfries Railway--The estimate
for the construction of this line, from Castle Douglas, by
D:Obeattie, to the Glasgow and South-Western at Dum-
fri es, is 120,0001. Inverness and Aberdeen Junction
Re tilway—The Parliamentary eetiinate for making this
ne vi line from Nairn, to communicate with the Great
Noeth of Scotland at Keith, is 325,0001.
DISMISSAL OF AN ARMY SIDIGEON.—Acting Assist.-
Su reeeon Henry Bedwell, one of the surgeons against
wham a verdict of rnanslaugheer was recently returned
by ae jury for alleged negligence in causing the death of
Pr; vats William Stinson, 38:1 Regiment, to whom a
qu: entity of opium was given in mistake for a cathartic
milvture at the Garrison hospital, has received an inti-
maei on from Dr. Andrew Smith, the medical director-
gen s ral of the army, that her Majesty no longer requires
his services. This proceeding has been loudly con-
densened, 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 Assis-
tan t• Surgeon Turner stand charged. The trial will take
pla•ey at Maidstone in the course of this week.—South-
Eastern Gazette. _

VPIE WAIL AND THE INCOME TAX.— A. good deal of
mis:tpprehension 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 during 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 n,o longer, provided that if the period limited by the
last act for the continuance of the said duties shall ex-
pire lbefore the 6th of April, 1860 ; then on, and from,
and a fter the expiration of the said period, the several
rates: and duties granted by the act 16th and 17th Vict.,
c. 3i!,, shall revive and be payable during so much of the
respla :tive term limited by the last-mentioned act as
shall be then unexpired. Should the ratifications be
corn plated before the 6th of April next they will affect
the additional duties payable under the Income Tax
Acts..
R MUIR OF AN Ai3ANDONI/D VESSEL—LIVERPOOL,
We:',resda,y.—A. telegraphic despatch received this day
from Waterford, states that the sehoontr Effort, from
Chami nte to Gls-is, which was run into last week by the
Berl Ace, from this port for Antigua., off Bardsey, and
afterwards abandoned by captain and crew, was picked
up oTt the 10th inet., at 6 p.m., off Tuskar, by the
stew o: -tug Rattler, returning to Liverpool after towing
the (2*.lhampiou of the Seas, Royal mail ship for Melbourne,
whicit took her in tow and placed her in safety upon the
mud at Ballyhack, near Waterford, with cargo all on
boat•cl. It will be remembered that the crew of the
Effort were picked up and landed here by the screw-
stea trier Rita, from Santander, and that the steam-tug
Iron. King was immediately afterwards despatched in
search of the Effort, and returned' to port on Sunday
last„ after a fruitless search.

S LNGIILAR, FIRE AT HARLEY HOLISE.—The extensive
fain el mansion, termed Harley House, situate in the
Ne re-road, Marylebone, was rented by a foreign gentle-
man., named Francis Lugiane De Muriietta, who having
die d., his body has been lying in state at the mansion, in
the mortuary chamber. This part of the premises was
ricl f)y fitted up, a canopy was erected, aid the chamber
lin. n 1 with black ; a bier was placed is the same, whilst
sue tary large looking-glasses were also added to the de-
cor %lions, and large wax candles were placed in the
roc ins to give dna effect to the mournful scene. The de-
cor awl having laid in state from Thursday, it was ap-
inted that the funeral should take place on Tuesday.
Al tier the funeral procession had started, a cry was
ray ined that the state room was on fire. The fire was
ex Linguished, but not until considerable damaze was
dc which is thus officially reported:-"Harley House,
N sw-road, Marylebone.—The contents of mortuary
cb amber, consisting of black cloth drapery round the
cc ,ropy and bier, and window-curtains destroyed, and
lo °king-glasses broken, and front room, ground•fieor,
di imaged by fire and heat."