Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-12-19
Awful Tragedy !!

Staunton, on Saturday night last, was
tn c scene of one of those awful tragedies
which so often shock the moral sense of the
community in which they are enacted, and
chill the blood with horror at their recital
At about half past 7 o'clock on that even
ing, the body of a man was found lying on
the pavement Immediately in front of the
residence of the Rev. Daniel Downey, Pas
.or of the Catholic Church in tais place
At first it WAS supposed that tie ,nan haS
fallen there in state Of intoxic@tien, but a
closer investigation soon revealed the bog
rible fact that the man had been shot, and
was dead Che alarsn was given the of
6cers of the law, and numbers Of citizens
immediately repaired to the spot and the
murdered man was recognized to be William
Mullin, a native of ireland, q stone cutter
by trade, and who had been resident of
Staunton for several years past. lie lay
weltering in blosd, and from the traces 1t
was evident that he had been dragged thith
err from the house of DR.. Downey, as blood
was traeeable to the front door of the build
ing This door was locked, but ingress
vas had from tie rear-this effected, the
facts became apparent, as blood was found
along the passage to the front door. On
entering the room but two persons were
found in the house, Mrs Orchard, widow
Al Ii o,J IAr
the DIR. lay on the floor in state on in
toxication, apparently inscnsible Before
proceeding further, it is proper to state,
that the house of DR.. Downey which stands
nearly opposite the Catholic Church, had
but recently been fitted up, and was occu-
pied by himself, Margaret Leigh, (the house
keeper and little boy (nephew to Mar
garrett about ten years of age. An intima-
cy had grown up between Miss Leigh and
Mullin. and Miss Leigh, who is encieats,
had instituted legal proceedings against
Mullin for breach of marriage contract. As
these facts have been furnished by a cores
pendent of the Richmond Dispatch, we give
them as published in that paper
Some years past an Irish orphan girl
named MARGARET LEIGH, came to this town,
and was employed as a servant by Mr..
George A. Armentroat, the jailor At
tentive, industrious and modest, Mr.. 4.
thought very highly of her. and spoke Of
her good qualities to his noighbors. Twelve
or eighteen menths since Miss Leigh be-
came acquainted with Mullcns, and doubt
less being pleased with his appearance, .ac-
cepted him as suitor, and was regularly
visited by him up to the time of his death
About the first of October past DIR,
Downey, who had purchased house on
Augusta street opposite the Catholic
Church, aud reftted it for his own use,
needed h0usekeeper, and knowing the
character shat Mss Leigh bore, engaged her
services, with the consent of Mr.. -Armen
trout Some short time after this, 4 friend
Of Dr. d. limited to kim that Miss Leigh
was on intimate terms with Mr.. Mullen,
whereupon the Doctor denounced the in
enuations in unmeasured terms, declaring
that the young lady was entirely yiptuous,
and had always borne an unexeeptionable
character. 4 few days after this ocour-
renee, the same intimatien was made to d.
relative to the gill, coupled with the assor-
ton that she was cncteHte. Fearing that
something was wrong, Downcy, on return
ing home, questioned Miss Leigh as to tic
foundation for the rumors he had heard,
when she frankly confessed to him that she
had been seduced by Mullcns under the
solemn promise of marriage, and that she
expected to be mother in the course of
three months. Hoping to be able to save
the young lady from shame, powney sought
Mullens, appraised him of her situation, and
urged him to marry her. This Mullens
promised to do, but continued to postpone
the event day after day, until Wednesday
last, when Miss Leigh receiving an intima-
ton that he was about to desert her, secu-
red the services of Lawyers IIarman and
Bell to bring a suit against him for breach
of marriage contract" the initiatory steps
to which were promptly taken.
Notwithstanding the fact that legal action
had been commenced, Dr. Downey again
sought Mullens, and urged him to comply
with his engagement to Miss Leigh, and
thus save her from shame and infamy. Null
lens again promised to do so.-On Saturday
morning last, Downey sent into the country
for Mrs Rose Criekaal, "a member Of
his congregation, and had her brought to
his house, in order that he might get Null
lens there and have the marriage rites per-
formed. That evening, a short time afssr
tea, the Doctor dispatched Michael McAloar
in search of Mullens, to invite him to his
house. McAlear found Mullens at Thomas
Honihan's, and on delivering the Doctors
message, Nike agreed to go, getting Honi-
han to accompany them. The trio reached
the Doctors house, and found Downcv,
Mrs. Orchard, Miss Leigh and Miss L. s