Star.
London, England, 1826-05-31 00:00:00

THE LATE MURDER NEAR MANCHESTER.

PROM THE MANCHESTER MERCURY Or TUESDAY.

We regret to state, that neither of the men concerned in the late
dreadful murder near Patrieroft have yet been taken; but a clue
bas at length been obtained, which we hope will yet lead to their
apprehension. On Saturday last Mr. Lavender having learnt that
Mrs. Stewart, who was examined as a witness on the Coroner's
Inquest, had received a letter in a very mysterious way, proceeded
to her house to mak, some inquiries respecting it. Before calling
upon her, he learnt that on Wednesday morning a woman came to
a lad who sells edger beer in Smithy-door, and gave him a letter,
which she desired him to take to Mrs. Stewart's shop, which he
did, and gave it to her. When Mr. Lavender questioned Mrs.
Stewart respecting this letter, she at first denied any knowledge of it ;
but being Fressed on the subject, she at length confessed that she had
received one, and afterwards burnt it. She stated that it was
without signature, but from the description of the hand writing i t
appears to have been written by Michael M'Keand, and referred
to himself and his brother. It stated, that though people might
condemn them for what had occurred near Eccles, yet they were
not so much to blame as might be supposed ; for what they had
done, they did in their own defence ; that they were attacked by the
landlord, and one of them was wounded before they committed
violence on any one; that Mrs. Stewart might dismiss any appre-
hensions on their account, for they had succeeded in making their
escape; and the writer requested that she would go to the house in
Byrom-place, sell the furniture, and give the proceed% to his mother
and sister, and at the same time tell them nut to be uneasy, for tbey
(the brothers) had escaped.
This statement of the contents of the letter was confirmed by a
woman whom Mrs. Stewart had called in to read it for her, she not
being able to read it herself; and the woman also corroborated her
statement that the letter was burned as soon as it was read. From
this disclosure, it appeared tolerably evident that the writer of the
letter must have been in or near Manchester on Wednesday ; and
the next consideration was, who the woman could be who delivered
the letter to the boy. From his description of her person, it was
at length ascertained to be Betty Connell, a Scotchwornan, who lived
with Michael in King-street, Salford, in the capacity of house-
keeper, and who was always suspected of knowing more than any
other person respecting the fire which took place in his house. It
was ascertained that he kept her somewhere; but notwithstanding
a most diligent search, her place of abode could not be discovered
until yesterday noon, when she was found in a house in Collier.
street, Salford, and was immediately taken into custody.
We understand that she admitted having delivered the letter to
the boy in Smithy.door, and that she had received it from Michael
M'Keaud, who she said arrived at her house at five o'clock on the
Tuesday morning (the morning after the murder), and remained
there until ten o'clock on the Wednesday earning, when he went
away, but she did not knew where he was gone. Ske stated that
he went away in the clothes in which he came, and they were not
at all bloody ; but there is some reason to doubt this part of her
statement. It appears that she was confined of a child (of which
Michael is the father) about five weeks ago; a circumstance which
in some degree accounts for the difficulty of finding her residence,
as she would of course be very little out of doors for tonne time.
A strong suspicion is entertained that the brotheri are still con-
cealed in the town ; and the efforts of the police to discover their
retreat is unremitting; and we her will be successful. It may,
perbaps,be desirable to have it known, that the description which
has been given of their persons, is, in one respect, inaccurate : they
are described as having dark eyes ; but the fact we believe is, that
•their eyes are grey.

Colonel PISA, and fifteen other Italian officers of
merit and experience, are about to take their departure
for Greece. Colonel PISA was formerly Aid-de Calls
to General PEPE, and is held in the highest esteem by
all who have the honour of knowing him. He is to fill
a confidential situation in Greece.—Merning Paper.
An attack was made hst week by six armed men,
on the house of Lombardston, the residence of tee
Misses Lombard, near Mallow ; but the police having
gained previous information, &rjeant Crossley and a
par lattacked the robbers, who returned their fit e,when
one of the villains was c off mortally wounded,
I and another that was left, is since dead; the others
escaped. Serjeant Crossley is wounded.
This niontabg as a little girl, ab nit seven years of
ige, the daughter of a street
/keeper of the name of
Goodwoith, WA* pa4siug along annein-stiert,l bale of
goods, which some men were raising by a crane into a
a atehotiw, fell, and killed her on 'he spot.