The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-11-11
TEE sfUCKWELL fKAGEDY.


The aglish scAoolmsster Of Lynn, who
commiLIed murder q century and Qu5rter
ago, and has BEEN on trial for 1t ever since, In
ballads and novels and the NeWgate Calendar,
must now give place TO the mcderI Eugene
A-Am, who las lately murdered his wife at
ST. ok we'll, near LondOu. The actor il this
recent tragedy, is Rev. John Selby Watson, q
clergyman, schoolmaster, az accomplished
scholar, and an author OF no mean repute.
Mr.. Watson was born in 1915, graduated at
the Irish university IN DloIn in 1888, with
high rank ss q classical scholar, ano
Was ordained as clersymao the
next yesr. 5nce 1850, he has pub
hsaed in Bohn's series, Transitions Of Lucre.
tyas, Xenophon, Sal ust Qui1tllIau, Florus,
etc ne pest known OF which IL bis traIsla-
tion Of the Latin poet Lucreius. be is sslil
better known, perhaps, for bis 4" Lie OF Ricns
ard Person. the famous Greek scholar OF q
hundred years ago; he also wrote Ives OF
Wsrburton, George Fox and Sir William
Wallace, and several other books, and pub
hsned editions Of the Lslin tex. OF Sallusi and
one OF the plays OF Terence, and OF Pope's
Homer Among nIs unUuhlshed papers are
Isnslatious OF Vslerius Fiaccul and Berangsr
in verse, and q large Wsrk IN four volumes,
devoted 10 4 history OF the Popes.
There Is no douoj Of the guilt OF WAteon,a ,as
there was, for some time, In the case Of Aram,
- for be himself has co fessed the murder
VI us WIG LUG nCt Na1 COmuAAtAGIt RfOD8uty
on the evening OF sunday, OsL :, IN hls own
house. wh~re rhn sGuYtd uV4d ~lth .ansis
servant, and without children. He told the
servant that nlxht that MRS. Watson vas away
on q visit, and kept up the fiction until three
days after the murder. Uhen ne look poison,
which failed 10 destroy bis life, ard ieft a note
for his physician, Dr.. Razg, in which he b-iei
related MS crime. These we're bis words =
II have killed my wife in d OF rage. Often
ard often ste has provoked me. and have en-
desvorrd 70 restrain myself. but rsg. over
csne me, au1 ! struck Der. Her body will be
found in the lhte ToJm on the hbrsrT. The
key ls 10 a letter on JIe table. l hope e
vii be buried as becomes q lazy Of 9lrth aud
position She ls an Irish lady, and Ter name
ls Anne"
Ia another note ne enclosed R5 !or his SER
want girl, and gave directions aoJut b s prop
erty, maouscrlp 5, etc, saving
'Idon'J know Ehtse business it will be 10
lock to property left, as my little possession
VII be uy books snd iuruiture. The books are
very u etu collection ror literary man. There
Is an annotated copy OF the Life Of Porson"
with a book OF ecdeDda aud copy OF the
= Life Of WaTourton," with few snnotations
anc book Of sdtenda. Tngre will be found
10 loose sheets 10 the press in the library q
complete traslAtiop OF beTanger's songs, with
th exception OF Mes DerDiers Chansons."
Some Of these have been printed. | have
made my way in the world 80 far as It has
been made By my own Efforts. Ny great fault
has been too much seli-dependence and too
little regard for Others. Whatever l have
done, nave endeaVored to do to the bis. OF
my ability, and have been fortunate. / may
say, generally, with one great exec option"
The murder seems to have been committed
with the butt of heavy pistol, which was
found IN one OF the library drawers. The
oody OF Ms Watson WAS fould IN a bedroom
aoj )in ng the library, cToucned or "huddisd'
corner, with SIX wounds on her head and
her clothes saturated with nlooi
EKceDt the confession Of the m drderer
there Is 10 evidepce thAJ be bad lived on il
terms with bis wife. TIE servant, who had
been Iesry three years in the Iamily nad never
seen or n-aTd tnem QuSrrelIug. Sne testified
ID regard 10 them: | thinh the deceased
might have been Little nasty, bat certainly
not vi alent. | Ltv1r heard ~ yry words pass
ing between Ii N. l have never noticed q
dlsl between them. | never noticed my
master he'd singular habits, but be was al ways
very QIiet and sept TO himstr. With the ex-
ceptOa OF meal times, he alSavs sat in mis-
h0rGIY. He WIS, when | bad occasion - 20
into tEe room, either reading or writing.
There might have been difference in his
spirits Iately, but have not noticed it Tney
aid not keep muca company, aud always ap-
peared 10 live happily together.
II seems, iurLher, tua5 ou Monday, October
.. Mr. Watson ordered q wa.er-tight box
made that day, but called the next dav and
said be cid not wish it sent to his house but
paid for II. Inc bux was large enough to
cen ain the body OF Mrs. Watson, ard was
10 DOUBT in ended for tnat, bu. tue murderer
gave up the purpose OF couceallng his guilt,
and decided on suicide iAs; cad He took the
poisol oa Wednesday morning after breakfast,
and, up 10 that time, there bad been nc sus-
picon OF his wie's Geatb. Tnsy bad been to
church together en- the cav preceding the
murder, ard when the servant girl was told
that event ny tha5 Mrs Watson was out OF
3 va, sue believed 1t implicitly. Nothing
could cave been more unlikely than that the
husband should kid the wife, as IL is certain
be did
The adlir makes much stir in London, and
the Journals are fGll vi suggestious ana ex-
piaEA' ons TO aceo1nt for the terrible deed.
insanity Is talked OF, anf no doubt that plea
VIII DC set mp in WatsOG's deisnse But nm.
less We believe with Eestus that much learn,
rug makes man mad, there is no reason TO
suspect Insanity. To all outward appearance,
ssnef mlu than M. Watson does not 1--we In
England. DE IS described at the INQUEST as
taii, massive man, vita grave and austete
eouatenanee, wearing the ordinary costume OF
clergyman. Probably his own txpiauation
OF the crime is the easiest one that be was
suoleet to u1controllable rage, and that sud
den provocation, slight enough in itself, gave
lin tne Impulse which ended in murder.
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