The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-17 00:00:00

APPALLING MURDER AND
SUICIDE.

CAVAN, SEPT. 10.—This town and neighbourhood
were thrown into the highest state of excitement and
alarm at an early hour yesterday, by the arrival of
several persons from the vicinity off Ballinab, who
rushed into Cavan with the frightful intelligence that
Dr. Creighton, lately come to reside near Ballinab,
had just murdered one of the ladies of his house, and
immediately after put an end to his own existence.
This information was but too true. Dr. Creighton
was a native of this county; he resided near Cavan
up to the period of his entering Trinity College,
where he graduated and took out the degree of Ba-
chelor of Medicine. He commenced his professional
career in Townsend-street, Dublin, where be prac-
tised with considerable success ; he subsequently
changed his residence to either No. 24 or 25, Great
Brunswick-street.
Some short time ago his manner became very ec-
centric ; his mind vas evidently weakened and
warped, and he became full of the idea that a con-
spiracy was on foot to destroy him, aid that the
members of his own house hold were deeply
engaged in this plot. This deranged state of intellect
became so palpable, that his friends were advised to
withdraw him from practice altogether, and remcee
him to the country. Accordingly, he and his family
returned to this locality about two months ago, where
it was hoped, that by turning his attention to agricul-
tural pursuits, his mind might be diverted from those
miserable hallucinations by which it had been preyed
un ; arrangements were made for that purpose, and
he was settled on a farm of some extent, Heath
Lodge, the estate of William Humphreys, E:q., of
Ballyhaise, on which an excellent house and suitable
offices have lately been erected.
Dr. Creighton's monomania was a conviction that
his friends were endeavouring to poison him in his
food, and accordingly he refused food for several days.
He would frequently lie down on the lawn, or in the
fields, and eat grass, in order, as he said, to prevent
the execution of the plans of those around him. On
all other subjects he was perfectly clear and collected,
and conversed in the most rational manner. He was
not placed under restraint, and walked about the
grounds and roads at pleasure. His family consisted
of an aunt, Miss Creighton, advanced in life, and in-
firm, a young lady, named Faris, a near relative of his
own, and a servant man. On the morning of yester-
day (Tuesday), at about nine o'clock, Dr. Creighton
went to his aunt's room, and told her that the servant
was waiting to shave him, and begged of her to give
him his razors for that purpose—they had been pur-
posely kept out of his reach ; but seeing how calm and
collected he was, and hearing from him that the ser-
vant was in attendance, she did not hesitate to
give them to him. Miss Creighton, it appears, was
still in bed, for he said to her in leaving the
room, " Aunt, you need not get up, I'll send
your breakfast up when it is ready." He
then went down stairs, and nothing further
was heard or seen of him until about a quarter of
an hour after, when Miss Creighton, on going down
to the parlour, and finding it empty, proceeded to the
kitchen. Her horror may be imagined, on reaching
this spot, to find Miss Faris lying dead on the floor,
a pool of blood around her, and her head nearly
severed from her body. A broad mark of blood com-
mencing near the dead body, next attracted her at-
tention. She surmised, and that correctly, that it
was the blood of her unfortunate nephew, who, she
thought had wounded himself, and then fled from the
house into the plantations adjacent to it. She tracked
this second stream of blood to the closed door of a
pantry adjoining the kitchen but not opening into it.
On pushing open this door, which was merely closed
to, but not fastened, she found him bathed in blood
and just expiring. He never spoke and died in a few
minutes. She immediately fled to the house of
magistrate residing in the neighbourhood, William
Smith, Esq., and gave the alarm.
An inquest was held on the bodies of these un-
fortunates by William Pollock, Esq., coroner, and a
highly respectable jury, and a verdict returned in ac-
cordance with the too-well-known state of mind of
this unhappy gentleman.
Dr. Creighton was not much over 30 years of age ;
his victim was several years younger. Sbe was an
agreeabl3 well-educated person, and had just arrived
on a visit to her aunt, as she was preparing to emi-
grate to America,where her friends are now residing.
Nothing is known of the proceedings of Dr. Creighton
after his leaving his aunt's room, beyond what the po-
sition of the bodies indicated. There was no witness
to it, the servant man having gone for milk for break-
fast. From the situation and position of Miss Paris's
body, it is supposed that when the murderer entered
the kitchen she was in the act of stooping to take up
the teapot that stood before the fire; that he seized
her by the hair, and dragged her head forcibly back-
ward, and then inflicted the wound that all but sepa-
rated the head from the trunk. The second stream
of blood indicates that he inflicted the fatal wound on
his own throat while standing beside her body, and
then walked out of the kitchen into the pantry, where
his body was found.
They will both be buried in the one grave at an
early hour to-morrow morning.—Correspondent of
the Dublin Mail.

NEW PRACTICE RANGE ♦T WOOLWICH MARSHES.
—The inconvenience experienced and the repeated stoppages
of practice in the present state of the Artillery practice-
ground at Woolwich, owing to the constant paFsage of ves-
sels on the river, has induced the authorities to decide on
having a new practice-ground on the Woolwich and Plum-
stead marshes, which will not be liable to any interruption.
The direction of the new range will be to the eastward, and
will extend to about three miles, with an average breadth of
half a mile enclosed, so as to prevent the chance of accidents
during the practice. It is also intended to construct a mound
at 1,500 yards range, against which objects will be placed
when making experiments. and for the usual target practice
of the Royal Artillery.— Morning Paper.—[ We wonder this
has not been done long ago.—ED. Sun]
WHOLESALE INCENDIARISNI IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE.-.
On Saturday farming stock and produce, to the amount of
1,5001., was destroyed by fire on the farm of Mr. William
Bonnett, of Comberton. No doubt is entertained of the con-
flagration being the work of an incendiary. The Earl of
Hardwicke, at the head of a sturdy brigade of labourers, did
inestimable service in staying the progress of the lames—
the village church and a number of cottages being in immi-
nent danger for some time. On Sunday night more stacks
were fired in the same village, but the damage was alight, as
a discovery of the danger was made early and assistance was
at hand. On Saturday night the farm homestead of the
Rev.
.Thomas Brereton, at Steeple Morden, was fired, and
all destroyed, except the newly-erected brick house. The
loss is estimated at 3,0001., but the premises and crops were
insured. On Sunday evening the homestead of Mr. Bird,
of Wrestlingworth, met a similar fate. The house was saved.
Damage 3,0001.

FATAL ACCIDENT OFF SANDGATE.-012 Friday
last two young gentlemen, of about the ages of 11 and 12
years, who had recently come with their mother as visitors
to Sandgate, engaged two boatmen to take them on the sea.
which was at the time much rougher than it had been for
some time past. Shortly after they had left, the boat on
tacking capsized, and all the four were drowned. The two
boys are said to have been the last of a large family. One
of the boatmen has left a family of five children. One body
was shortly afterwards washed on shore, but it was quite
lifeless.

•
WEYMOUTH, SATURDAY.—A fearful accident has
occurred this morning, at the convict establishment at Port-
land. A large number of the convicts have been for 601110
time past engaged in working the stone quarries for supply-
ing material for the construction of the breakwater at Port-
land Roads. A powerful crane of a peculiar construction is
employed at the works; the machinery of this was not pro-
perly attended to, and the whole frame-work of this ponder-
ous machine fell, by which three of the convicts were killed
on the spot, and fourteen others seriously wounded; of the
latter, three or four are not expected to lire. The number of
convicts at present in the establishment is 825.
MARRIAGES IN HIGH LIFE.—The marriage of Sir
Thomas R. Gage, Bart., and Miss Drummond, daughter of
Mr. Drummond, M.P., and Lady Harriet Drummond, took
place yesterday. The marital solemnity was first performed
according to the ritual of the Roman Catholic Church, at the
Spanish Chapel, and subsequently at St. Peter's Church,
Eaton-square. The marriage of Viscount Eastnor,
eldest soa of the Earl of Somers, and Miss Prinsep, which
was to have been solemnised to-day, has been postponed for
a few days. The nuptials of Miss 'Vernon, daughter of the
Right Hon. R. Vernon Smith, M.P., and Mr. Woodhouse
Currie, eldest son of Mr. Raikes Currie, M.P., is to take place
in the course of the present month, at the Right Hon. R.
Vernon Smith's seat in Northamptonshire.

SUPPOSED MURDEE.—On Saturday morning, about
four o'clock, a respectably dressed middle-aged man was
found by a policeman on duty in the neighbourhood in a
state of insensibility at the toot of Pimlico-bridge. He was
immediately carried to St. George's Hospital, when it was
discovered that he had sustained several injuries about the
head, apparently the result of violence, and he died in a few
hours. Icro property was found upon him, nor anything to
denote his name or residence. It is conjectured that he was
waylaid and assaulted by some desperate characters. The
name of the deceased has not yet been discovered.

WESTMINSTER FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.—TeI•
terday the members of this society took possession of their
newly-acquired estate at Kent Town, East Moulsey, in the
western division of the county of Surrey. A special train
conveyed the members to the Hampton-court station of the
South-Western Railway, whence they walked in procession
to Kent Town, about a mile distant, preceded by a band.
The estate consists of 30 acres, which is to be divided into
230 allotments, each of which, it is expected, will realise
between 21. and 31. per annum in the shape of ground rent.
Each allotment will cost the purchaser between 251. and SOL
After inspecting the newly-acquired property, the members
sat down to a dinner in a marquee, Mr. G. Thompson, M.P.,
presiding. The chairman, after disposing of the loyal toasts,
said he was anxious to propose the health of Mr. James
Taylor, the founder of freehold land societies, and inldoing
so took occasion to enter somewhat at length into the merits
of the scheme. Mr. Taylor, in acknowledging the compli-
ment, dwelt upon the social benefits of freehold land socie-
ties, and of their great national importance. Mr. Norton,
late chief justice of Newfoundland, Mr. G. Huggett, Me.
Geesin, and other gentlemen, having addressed the meeting,
.Mr. Thompson and Mr. Taylor proceeded to Uxbridge for
the purpose of assisting at the ceremony of taking possession
of another estate which the society has recently purchased
near that town. The remainder of the company returned to
town by special train.,

The body of the young lady found in the Serpen-
tine on Sunday morning has been identified. She was the
daughter of a respectable merchant in Bristol, named Pigeon,
and was en a visit to a cousin in Brompton-road. An affaire
tie occur is said to have been the cause of the rash act.
The vicarage of Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire, has
been conferred upon the Rev. W. C. Ltab) XL, incarabtut
of East Graftou, iu tUs same county,