The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-06 00:00:00

DIABOLICAL A

EXTRACTS PROM THE MANUSCRIPT LETTER OP THE
Bay. NV. M. Jowls.
The sad notes relating to Messrs. Dixon, Steinbeck,
and tlie
vlr families was by the last pest doubtless sent off
by
ner I
mPatgvhaisieng friends. As in my last
lusteronly a brief notice of the
iri ee
to r al
the k
nio
affair, I, will now atteropt to narrate the particulars of
the outrage, as narrated to me by the sufferers and wit-
neseee, and eleo to note down some of the incidents of
the past three weeks. -
" Previous to the late mournful affair events have
transpired to cause alarm and apprehension of sonic-
thing serious, though by no means so serious as the
taking of lite, anti mach loss the indescribable outrage
upon women—Chrietian women—such as has been
perpetrated, for we have all along been assured
that in these respects there was t o danger. We
have, however, all suffered more or less from
petty thieving, and the families in the frontier
gardens have .suetained eeveral losses from bold
attempts and attacks to wrench their precious substance
from them. Money, clothing, provisions, and particu-
larly animals, have been taken off by day and by night by
the hand of the spoiler. There have been several instances
of insult and violence offered to the persons of our fami-
lies, but hitherto they have been mercifully preserved.
Thieves broke into the house, and then into the tent of
Mrs. Minor, and took off clothing. Again, her house
was twice attacked, and a servant slightly wounded by
a musket shot, but they report of fire-arms and the
ecreamt of the people in the yard frightened the robbers
away. Within a year and a half the yard wa'l on
Mount Hope has been twice broken through seed a
fine flock of sheep taken. Brother Dlxon's yard
wall was dug through, and a portion of the fleck
taken. Stone walls of two and three feet in thickness
seem to be nothing accounted of by the people whose
hand is against every mar. Brother F. W. Steinbeck,
the deceased, was often attacked while watching his
flock. For the most part ho managed to evade tke
horsemen and thavart their designs upon his cattle.
In this he was quite expert, yet in person he suffered
several severe aeatinge, wholly unprovoked on his
part, the object beiug to disable him, in order to take
his fl ick. The consequence of these injuries was se-
veral weeks' sickness, but after recovering be went
again to his employment in his usual quiet way,
always with meekness and diligence. Foiled in every
attempt on Isis flock in the daytime, they directed,
as the sequel shows, a deep, dark, planned plot
against him. How sad the reflection, after so much
diligent ,toil, and so many painful watchiegs and
anxieties and sufferings, he should at last fall by violent
hands, and his dear and earthly one become the victim
and sufferer of almost unheard-of violence ! It was lite-
rally the corning of the thief in the night to steal, to kill,
to destroy (John X., 10). The shepherd was smitten arid
the flock scattered. The night before the attack several
men were seen prowling around the house of Mr. John
Steinbeck, the brother, but were frightened away by the
loud screaming of the Allah family living on the
premises. Oa ihe night of the 11th instant,
three men knocked at the gate of Mr. Dixon's
garden, and demanded entrance, on the plea of
searching for a lost cow, which they said a neighbour-
ing shepherd Lad informed them was with the flock
within. They were told there was no stray animal in
the yard, and were requested to leave, and as they
loitered about, and said they would wait until the morn-
ing outside, Frederick Steinheck told them they were
must be off forthwith. Frederick and Dixon went on
'good purpose—they were thieves, and
nfotiorsre p to watch their movements. The men
thi:toofor a quarter of a mile, and then turned
ttewhhaeeesurtewth'o
eastward to the river. It is supposed they came
to ai,certain the strength of the horse, and to know
if Mr. Henry Lax en, the son, was at home. He
was that night with his sister at Mount Hope, in the
absence of her husband,- Mr. John Steinbeck,
After a little time again a noise was
tagheatemtajerl:droaur
and
ad temporary
a outside,
cie'and presently a knocking at the west
demand for adusittance. Thu dogs became
furious, and a voice cried out, 'Your dogs bark like
fire.' Again there was quiet. Mr. Dixon took a
long ladder, went carefully to the gate, mounted
it, and looked over, and saw five men sitting
againet the wall close by the gate, apparently con-
waiting what to do. Mr. Dixon and Frederick Stein-
heck rsterrel to the house. There is more noise out-
side, and the
dogs become rations. Au accidental
g;auce at the watch reveals that it is half-past twelve
o'clock. Frederick begins to load a revolver, and
inquires-1 Father, what shall Ido ?' This was sail
with apparent concern, and just then the north gate
el the garden gave way
with a crashing noise to
the effort of the invaders. Mr. Dixon and his
companion went out partially under elver of the wall.
On arriving near the gate, and while trying to spy out
the robbers,
a gun was fired from without, but obliquely
through the gate. From the blaze of the fire Mr. Dixon
' thinks that Frederick was not more than six feet from
the muzzle of the gun. The whole charge of 24 shots
entered the abdomen on the right side. Frederick fell
immediately, exclaiming, Father, lam hit ; here, take
the gun.' Mr. Dixon instantly caught the gun and fired,
and is supposed to have wounded the murderer in the
hand. Frederick arose and got into the house as hest he
could, and there fell o- the floor, exclaiming, 'Oh, mo-
ther ! I have received a ball,' Mr. Dixon returned to
the house by a circuitous route, and began to fasten
the door. The men were soon at the door. Frede ;ek was
in great agony. Mr. axon Bahl to him, ' Try and bear
your pain with as little ado as possible, asrur groaning
may give them an idea of our weakness. The young
wife was supporting her husband's head, and bathing it
witt) spirits; the mother was trying to prevent
the flow of blood with clothe. Mr. Dixon
supp irts the door with all his etrengle Little Cartier,
nearlf 11 yeers of are, and the two little ()Fee, erre of
two yoare, and tlie other of Liao months, ere huddled in
the bed. The robbers make a try or tan and burst in
the door. Mr. Dixon retreats on one side, but facing
the enemy ; all five appear to enter at once, the fore-
most mail with a deb about 7 feet long and from 2 t
2f inches thick. He strikes Mr. Dixon with great
force. The latter pames cr rather lessens the weight
of the blew by his hand (which was severely brui=ted)
and the appendage of a woollen hat. Ho fell with a groan. „
insensible aud bleeding. Mrs. Dixon basted to support
her wounded husband, raised him, and seated hitn by
tiesand
bideof
heardth to pray,edying son,
who complains of being
faint Father in heaven, forgive
me all my
sites'
and help me to bear this pain.' The
robbers entered the rootn most furiously, and, having
knocked down Mr. Dixon, they passed immediately to
tiro
mistaking the shining brass
pooduluin for gold, destroyed that article, and then
t iied stove i antilto
the lifted
e() the pipe
pipe in search of gold. They
pitched
e
beat to search the trunks. Two or three were opened.
All this happened within three or four minutes after
breaking it..lta the house but now commences a scene
which beggars description. 'Mr. Steinbeck had just
embraced her eying husband, and he had just given her
a token of affection, his lips feeling very, very cold,
when three of the ruffiaue coned and dragged her out of
.doors. She struggled heroically; seizing the bedstead
with one hand, she held it till it fell, when she caught
hold of her father, who in his turn held her till he was
beaten off moat cruelly. Mrs. Steinbeck is struck in
the breast with a hammer, a pistol is presetited to her,
and then she is cuffed and knocked about, and otherwise
abused till these fiends have accomplished their pur-
poses. In the meantime a man stands sentinel over
Mr. Dixon, while a fifth seizes lira Dixon and drags
her aside for the same purpose. Subsequently Mrs. SteM-
beck is seized by the other two, taken out and treated
in like manner. When first seized the men trod
upon her husband, who moved himself a little under the
table, as is supposed to get out of their way. Upon her
return her husband was dead. This Was, perhaps, 20
minutes after he was shot. Mr. Dixon watched his oppor-
tunity to slip out, with the intention of making an
alarm and obtaining help, but was beaten and forced
bbauctka.
setneaymiosudnetin, aimngdievde,n Paund
the purse.
Again the' containing
demand 13
mode, but they are told that there is no more. The huge
club is thrust against the side of our brother Dix he, and
a gun is presented five or six times at tit breast, but each
time he manage. to throw it aside. Ile begins to pray,
cloud, but loud praying the desperadoes will not endure,
though not understanding a word. Little did they know
how continuously the whole family were that night
in prayer. The trunks, boxes, rooms, and all
the prenitt-;es are thureugitly eearehed three timea and
not finding the object of their search, they each time
became store furious and abusive. The ladies ale
driven and ordered about, and obliged to wait upon
the villains in the most slavish manner. Mrs. Dixon
is beaten. Mrs. Steinbeck is struck repeatedly with
the butt of the in 'ear. the breast. She begged them to
to
saying,
?" we bad
Is not bf thousandse
deare
rwouldthan
Lace
acvme notepy 're ity o
then:ln
r. her,
p Dixon is taken by the hair, his head is
brought on cue side and a sword drawn to sever it from
his body. The blew is parried with Mr. Dixon's hand,
assisted by the falth!ul daughter, Mrs. Strinbeck,
although in the scuffs his hand is severely wounded.
Little Carrie, too, beseeches the .man to spore the life
of her dear grandfather. The fellow in desisting stares
at the child a neument and then joins in the weak of
pillage. The men seemed much annoyed at the crying
of the children, bum happily offered them ue violence.
The insulted and grossly abused family were a good deal
of the time kept sitting
an the floor, arid not allowed
to speak. There were many spots of blood left upon
the clothing hi the trunks, supposed to be from the
hand of the wounded man. The leader of the gang
was a white man,
an Arab, and the others were de-
sctibed as black men. These were masked with the
Arab veil, except the eyes. Teo white man entered uu-
masked, but instantly seized a child's garment, threw it
over his head, and held the corners in his mouth. Tire
black men obeyed the beck of the white man with a
quickness really surprising. They were evidently iu a
hurry to get away. Near daylight the tormentors left,
taking with them as many household goods as they could
carry off. A lamp weer left on the sill of the gate when
they entered, vo that aey one comieg could be seen
from the house, and be shot down. None of the family
ventured nut till daylight. The robbers made good their
retreat before it was hob", In spite of his wounds and
tiding head brother Dixon went out a'.daylight and
called to Mr. °lesson, a rear neighbour, who came and
remained with the women till others should come to
their help. I will let the reader imagine the scene at the
first anwouncement of the sad tidings to his son arid
daughter on Mount Hone. They are conducted to the
houze of this mourning, and thence father and son pro-
ceed to the City, Soon the American Vice-Consul, the
Governor of Jails, the physician, the French Consul,
aud neatly 100 citizens are on the spet, and are per-
fectly dismayed at the scene of blood and dsath, aud the
(Attn. confes,on of the house—everything being thrown
about, broken and spoiled,
as though it haul been the
work of madmen. All seem interested, and the French
consul espechdly wrote much on tiio spot. Foreigners
were, of course, alarmed, and felt that- had been
aimed blow
aimed at them, As stated in my last, the melancholy

From the London Gazette of Last