The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 5, 1858

MURDER of A YOUNG LADY by her LOPER.

Paid. 0104 lag istiao, i Vgit'
OVC,C,II:. -mamma "
LBW 1r?...%f all
taro 11,}
109 74 76
p. C lOO 120 122
Of. stock 100 125 127
... all 101
all
a.;2oaBd all 231 241
103 101 US
t.lstiss 100 101 103
it. 24 is. 100
,4 P. Cl. 1.100
, ct. gag 3.11 161 1711
p. c, 28. 293 29
23 - •- pr,a
r6p. ct , ICO 4O 45
INIA I, AND 7011.171741,
IBadness
Dose.
wrence, ali -
in.ln4l:, 9 1 dill #Pm
all
kpital B 4l lOs Pm
Lron
151 121 111 die
oderiel
100 I 85 90
1872.„
1873_ 100 80 85
, 1874 lOO 77 82
;era 22. pm
dted).., 28. 64 . a... -
2 1 11 pm
ttttt tit" all
5 par 1 r.t
100 1051 106 146
lz ten- 5 1 1 pm 6
05y..59. tit ---
,mune,
.%11 18 191
on 6 p
I'do - -
nada lOO 33 41 39-1 40
nzee , all 74 76
of the
ret Ln. 60 6 4 Ca
umla all 21 211 21
at 4 par t Dm
* *pm
)snarls all 181 181 186
13 21 2 dia 101
76 . 107 'l2
107 112
' opt.. 511 105 108
all 18 19
all 201 201
15 1 Of dii
sp. c 5 par I pin
2 Pm
. (11m.) 10 2Var 1$ die
8 4 8 41a
15 4 4 pm
5 par t vm
par
Ace A lb •-• -I
;clip_ 1 1 dis
:t 51 1
... all pm
,:ctlvr. all 1 It 4
: all
eees,';
21 21
. 15 't d
:.11 251 561
1
ell -
n.rh all 71 8
6 s-
kale fl,ll
all
6 21 3 pr.
Lprer.
allall 221 281
e.l! 90 9f
)ref... 211 211
...I. 363 161
12 --
Toler. s.L. 8i 91
kr 301 304
All 49 11 it
'.7 p.c 9 par 4
2 a-
all - - a
all - - a
kl.l 71 7#
ref all sit 9
611 21/ 201
i 1 41 51 a
Oil 9 91
mace all 231 241 it
6 - 0
11
atl d.

The quiet and secluded village of Darley, near Ripley, on
the line of the Leeds Northern Railway, was yesterday the
scene of unusual excitement in consequence cf the discovery
of the murder, by her lover, of a young person named Mary
Jane Scaife, under circumstances of great barbarity lied
cruelty. The deceased, who was about 22 years of age,
was the daughter of Mr. Thomas Scaife, a respectable far-
mer, residing at Darley, and her murderer, James At-
kinson, is the son of Mr. Thomas Atkinson, flax spinner,
a gentleman of some local position, and possessing
considerable properly. The parents of both reside with-
in a short distance of each other, and the deceased
and the murderer had been companions from child-
hood. the affection of children extending itself to that of
love as they grew to manhood and womanhood, and each
learning to look upon the other as a future partner through
life. Unfortunately, the father of Atkinson and the mother
of the deceased did not approve of the match, and about a
year ago, after more, perhaps, than the usual crosses in
!eve, the connection was broken off, the deceased accept-
ing the addresses of a young man named Gill. The new
love, however, did not prove permanent, and after a few
months Miss Scaife broke off the courtship with Gill, and
permitted the renewal of that with her old lover. The
attentions of the latter were continued as before their
interruption 12 months previously ; but on Tuesday last,
on the occasion of a gala at Bewerley-park, Atkinson
saw Miss Scaife in conversation with Galt, and this cir-
cumstance appears to have excited a strong feeling of
jealousy, and a day or two after he met one of Miss
Setae's brothers, to whom he complained of her conduct.
Whether his passion at that time suggested the fearful crime
he afterwards perpetrated is uncertain, but not Bing occurred
to excite any suspicion, and the two met, each other as
usual. On Sunday night they attended Hermit!' Chapel
in company, and on returning they were seen to go up
Stump-lane, apparently on very good terms. This was
about nine o'clock. Shortly afterwards Atkinson returned
home, and went to bed. The absence of the deceased
created no uneasiness at home, as she had been in the habit
of staying with her uncle, Mr. Downes, farmer. At day-
break next morning Atkinson's brother, who slept in the
same room, noticed blood upon the shirt of the former, and
asked how it had come there, when he was horrified by being
told by his brother that he had murdered Mary Jane Scaite
the previous night. The father was immediately called up,
and the family roused. In the meantime, however, a man
known by the name of Potter Dick,whilst going along Stump
lane, about five o'clock, found the deceased lying the ditch
with her throat cut, and quite dead. He gave an alarm,
and Mr. George Horton, surgeon, and policeman Clifford,
were soon on the spot, but their services were of-no avail.
The deceased, when found, was lying on her back, nod she
presented a most fearful spectacle. Her head was nearly
severed from the body, her dress and face were saturated
with clotted blood, ber eyes protruded from the sockets with
the most ghastly exprsssion, indicating the violence of her
dying convulsions, and the ground was covered with evi-
dences of the fearful struggle that had taken place. The
parasol of the deceased was broken to pieces, and her
prayer-book was found by her side. The body was re-
moved to the New Inn, and Atkinson being the last
person seen in her company, he was taken into custody,
when be admitted the murder, stating that he had cut
her throat with a knife, which be had secreted in Mr.
Myers' wall, and declaring that it was his father and her
mother who had caused it by opposing their marl iage The
knife (an ordinary clasp-knife) was afterwards found as
stated, the prisoner taking the police-officer to the wall, and
pointing out where he had placed it.
At the spot where the murdered body was found is a small
embankment or earn, consisting of the mud taken from the
adjoining ditch, and it is supposed that Atkinson had thrown
his victim upon it, and then cut her throat. As we have
previously stated, the ground shows that a violent struggle
ensued, the deceased, though only a weakly person, being
with difficulty overpowered.
The prisoner was in the first instance removed to Pateley
Bridge, and afterwards to Ripon, where he was taken before
Mr. Charles Oxley, charged r, ith the wilful murder of Mary
Jane Scalfe.

He is a good-looking young man, and appeared to be
overpowered by his feelings. Previous to the charge being
made he gate utterance to several matters connected with
this melancholy affair, amongst which were, " I have been
very happy ever since I left Pateley Bridge. I have committ-
ed a great crime, but lam quite content. I can go freely to
the gallows. I can forgive the vilest of the vile. I am
guilty. I left her about half-past 9 o'clock last night."
The prisoner was remanded until 11 o'clock on Wednes-
day next, at Knaresborough.
On leaving the dock the prisoner, turning round, said—
" Gentlemen, I hope to meet you all in heaven."
The inquest on the body will be opened to-day, before
Mr. Brown, the coroner for the district.

Inspector Wetherall, one of the West Riding detectives
stationed at Wakefield, went over to Darley last night to
get up the case, and it is probable that the inquiry this
morning will only be of a formal character, there not having
been sufficient time as yet to look after the necessary evi-
dence.—Leeds Mercury.

THE NEW TRANSATLANTIC PACKET
STATION.

DEPIJr sTION TO THE EARL OF DERBY.

Ye,te.d.y afterneo:; an irtfiuential deputation of members
of Parliament, me; chants, shipowners, and others interested
in the transatlantic trade, and also in the prosperity of the
town and harbour of Galway, waited upon the First Lord of
the Treasury at his official residence in Downing-street, for
the purpose of bringing under the notice of the Government
the national importance of ferming a secure and convenient
harbour at Galway for large American steam-ships, and with
that view to construct a breakwater and pier at a cost of
£152,000.
The deputation consisted of Lord Dunkellin, M.P., Mr.
W. Gregory, ALP., Mr. Vance, M.P., Mr. White, M.P.
(Plymouth), Mr. Bowyer, M.P., Mr. Calcutt, M.P., Mr.
Milner Gibson, M.P., Col. Bernard, M.P., Afr. Grsgen,
M.P., the llon. Mr. Ellice, M.P., Sir Thomas Redington,
K.C.8., Sir H. Fleetwood, Bart., the Rev. Peter Daly
(Chairman of the Town Commissioners, Gal way), Mr. Thomas
Howard (Manchester), Mr. John Orrell Lever, of Man-
chester and Liverpool (owner of the Indian Empire), Mr.
G. P. Laseardi (London). Mr. Pierce Joyce (High-Sheriff
of the County of Galway), Mr. John Wilson Lynch (High-
Sheriff of the county of the town of Galway), the O'Dono-
ghue, M.P., Mr. R. N. Somerville (Galway), Mr. Henry
Bake, Mr. T. M. Persse (Galway), Mr. E. C. Burke (Gal-
way), Lieut.-Col. French, Mr. R. M. Lynch, Mr. J. S.
Adams, Mr. P. O'Brien, M.P., &c.
The Premier. having received the deputation in the
council-room,
The Rev. P. DALY (who acted as spokesman) presented
his lordship with a memorial from the Harbour and Town
Commissioners to the following effect :
" To the Right Hon. the Earl of Derby, First Lord of her
Majesty's Treasury.
_ _

" May it please your Lordship,—The respectfuLtnemorial
of the Town and Harbour Commissioners of Galway, and
other inhabitants, humbly showeth, that a direct steam
communication between these countries and America has
already commenced through the port of Galway, by the
energy and enterprise of an English mercantile gentleman of
great pecuniary resources, and important connections with
commercial men in Manchester, Liverpool, and London,
who has already despatched a large and powerful steam-
ship to New York, to touch at Halifax, and land her Ma-
jesty's mails there.
" That two other vessels of more power and greater speed
are already advertised to sail on the same route, one on the
27th inst., and the other on the 24th of next month, thus
forming a line of vessels on this route of three ocean
steamers, to ply fortnightly, carrying passengers and goods,
and transmitting intelligence between these kingdoms and
the American Continent by a shorter route, with more cer-
tainty, safety, and despatch than has hitherto been afforded.
" That the port of Galway has been selected from its posi-
tion and its great facilities and ad vaetages for carrying out this
great project, which now teems to have received the approval
of the mercantile community of these kingdoms, and to
have realised a universal wish, long cherished, of bringing
closer the ties of commerce and friendly intercourse between
the 'Western World and the Briti,h Empire.
"That such an enterprise, so last in its object, and cal-
culated to be cf such universal benefit, seems to your memo-
rialists to be worthy the special attention of her Majesty's
Ministers, and deserving of such ed and encouragement as
may insure its being successful.
"That being of imperial ir:terest, it is considered that the
vast natural advantages-,f the port of Galway should be so
adapted to the wants of great steamers as that every conve-
nience and facility should be rifferdM for landing passen-
gers, mails, eend goods as would ensure every comfort and
remove every possible impediment.
"That with a view to these objects in connection with
the subject ofawestern packet station, the port and harbour of
Galway have been frequently surveyed by scientific men of
great experience, who have recommended that a breakwater
and pier connecting Mutton Island with the land, and project-
ing 500 yardsoutwards, would enable the largest vessels afloat
to ride in perfect safety, and be moored to the pier, protected
from every wind, and secured in the firmest anchorage;
and that the eminent contractor, Mr. Dugan, in the year
1852, proposed to execute all these works for the comparative
small sum of £152000.
"That the port of Galway thus improved would afford to
shipping in distress on the western coast_the surest and
safest harbour of refuge.
" That hoping your lordship is already impressed with the
imperial utility of having such a harbour, and the great
value of opening the new and direct route to trade and
commerce, we approach your lordship with confidence to
solicit your powerful mediation with the Government to
make such grant of money as will effect the said improve-
ments in the' harbour, the Lords of the Admiralty having
already given their sanction to the construction of these works,
in permitting the bill called the Galway Harbour Improve-
meet Bill to pass into law in 1853.
"And your memorialists will ever pray."
The Earl of DERBY having examined the chart of the
harbour, said that he believed only one large steamer had
sailed for America, and inquired the cause of the delay in
not despatching the Prince Albert.