The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-11-05 00:00:00

DREADFUL MURDER AT KEIGHLEY

From the Halax .)
This retired town, whose name isGuar
little heard of in the
dark records of crime, seated as it is on the far verge of the
clothing district, and at the foot of the wild Appenine of
England, was on Wednesday night roused from its quietude
by the report of murder—of murder not such as prompts the
night-haunting bandit, nor such as excites even friend against
friend, but of the darkest and earliest character, brother
against brother, when the nearest and dearest family ties are
severed, and the once-happy home is desolated by a double
calamity. This report, at first doubted, proved unfortunately
to be too true, that a young woman had been murdered by
her brother, and in her father's house, her home. The cir-
cumstances of this unhappy affair, which we have endea-
voured to obtain as correctly as possible, we will endeavour
to lay before the reader.
James Burton, who is a shoemaker, has hitherto occupied
a dwelling in King-street. He has been a widower some
years, having residing with him a son about thirty years of
age, and a daughter about twenty-five. The son, whose
name is Charles, followed his father's occupation, and worked
in the house. He has not continuously resided at home, but
at times has been in the habit of seeking work in other places.
He has also at times been far from cheerful in his disposi-
tion, and has often been thought not perfectly composmentis
by neighbours and friends. The unfortunate sister, whose
name was Elizabeth, generally called Betty, is represented
to us as a remarkably fine girl in person, and distinguished
for neatness and cleanliness ; with an amiable and unassu-
ming disposition, whose chief pleasure seemed to be in the
innocent exercise of domestic occupation.
It has been the habit of the father to take his pipe in the
evening to a neighbour's house, and pass in quiet converse
the interval before bed-time. The old and now truly un-
happy father, having finished his day's work, went out as
usual about 8 P.m. He took his pipe with him and repaired
to a neighbour's house. He was not observed to be in any
way different in manner from his usual habit. He left his
son engaged at his work when he last saw his daughter Eli-
zabeth alive. One informant tells us that the son has been
labouring under depression of spirits for more than two
years, the cause of which is not accounted for, and that he
was a steady, sober man, and of a quiet disposition. Ano-
ther imagines that he was much hurt and incensed at the
neglect of the sister with respect to the binding of a pair of
shoes, which he wanted done at a particular time.
When the father left home there were no other inmates
besides his unhappy son and daughter. What occurred
before the murder was committed, and after the father's
departure, is totally unknown. The interval between his
departure and the murder was exceedingly short. We are
informed, however, that Elizabeth was busy in brewing, and
cleaning the house, and that five minutes before the catas-
trophe was discovered she entered a neighbour's house, to
tell them to fetch away the grains. One report states that
she was called up stairs by her brother, and that immediately
afterwards a violent scream was heard followed by a smo-
thered shriek and scuffling. This was about eight o'clock,
according to one informant.
Another statement goes to assert, that no noise, no scream,
no scuffling was heard ; that the dark deed was perpetrated
instantaneously, and that the murderer departed unseen and
silently from the house. According to the former report it
is stated that after the scream several parties entered the
house, among whom was a young girl, who first saw the
body. By one party it is reported that the brother was found
by her, hanging over the prostrate corpse, and wringing his
hands in silent agony. That he suddenly started from his
stupor, and rushed past the alarmed neighbours with much
violence.

The murder took place, it appears, above stairs, and the
body was found on the floor with the head nearly severed
from it. The unfortunate girl was lying on her side, and
from the fact of her hands being much cut and disfigured, it
is imagined that she struggled very much before the murderer
effected his ;purpose; that she had made as desperate a re-
sistance as was in her power; and that she had parted with
her life as from a thing that was dear to her.
Two knives, such as shoemakers use, were found near to
the body, according to account. They were both covered
with the blood of the unfortunate girl. It is said that life
was quite extinct when she was found ; that no sign of mo-
tion was detected by the most anxious eye. The father's
condition may be more easily imagined than described ; his
grief, his agony, was too deep for utterance, seeing that his
domestic happiness was blasted in an hour, and, coming
like a sudden and calamitous shock, when most unexpected.
In the meantime, while consternation was spreading through
the town, and everybody hurrying to the dismal scene of
sorrow, it was found that the murderer had disappeared.
While, however, immediate and active pursuit was suggested,
he returned to the house, and asked what was the matter!
One statement is, that he came up and called for Tom
Pickles, the constable. However, on its being said " Thou's
killed thy sister," he replied, " Nay, nay, it was the devil
killed her—it was the devil, he told me to do it—he tempted
me, I could'nt help it." Then afterwards he acknowledged
the murder, and added " That his sister was quite fit for
heaven—was ready for heaven, and that he was sure of the
other place, and that the devil was ready for him."
We are told that after he was placed in the lock-up, he
never spoke ; that when they inquired if he was hungry, he
made no answer ; that the same silence was observed the
next morning. When he was asked how he had slept, he
made no reply.
It is said that the family are in easy circumstances, that no
domestic deprivation invaded their little circle, and that they
have not bees engaged in any of those painful subjects of
agitation which have too much of late disturbed the minds
of the industrious classes, withdrawn industry from the
fire-side, and heaped ineffectual sorrow upon sorrow. The
catastrophe has, however, caused in Keighley the most pain-
ful excitement, and will, no doubt, continue for some time to
press heavily on the feelings of the kind-hearted and com-
passionate.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
The young woman was a member of the Wesleyan Me-
thodist Society, and was considered very pious and well-
conducted. The discovery was made by a boy calling to get
measured for a pair of shoes, and receiving no answer, he
went into the next house, and there found the father, who
returned with him, and thus discovered the murder. The
murderer at first hid himself behind a wall, and afterwards
gave himself up without resistance.—Bradford Observer.