Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-11-01


PhrsHologiell J3sraal.
sIARgEToTS EVENT.
Mis- Janet Mowbrav and her four sons
lived in 1878. at Harwick Hall in the coun-
IT. oi pnham, England Mrs. Mowbnv
va, tall, powerful woman, of great energy
ana bravery. in her fifty-lourth wear Her
-c~ were aged respectively thirty-four.
twentv--eyen. twenty-four and twentv-one.
Her husband had been dead many wears.
Her two eldest sons were married, and their
wives and families lived with her The
Youngest. GeoIge. was wild and dissiuated,
and had given his mother much trouble lie
was deeply in debt, and had been repeated
rs threatened with arrest Mrs. Mowbray
was wealthy, and kept in her bedroom be
sides quantity Of valuable plate a large
sum of money.
ON Christmas eve AlrS Mowhray's son and
aauzhter-in-law paid . visit to the residence
of relative, Mr.. Chake- of Chattersburg
The domestic. relieved from duty, were in
their own portion Of the dwelling, enjoying
the festivities of the season. The watchman,
who was ordinarily on duty in the kitchen
garden took hasty survey of his beat. and
iainel the reyelers in the kitchen.
On Christmas night they were to have
small gathering Of friends and neighbors and
Nr- Mowbrav began to consider the arrange
ment- necessary. She would require the old
punch bowl. and the ladies and gobets which
She kept in the closet Of her bedroom. She
woull 20 and get them out at once. She
went accordingly, and entered the closet
,oo5 out the silver and laid it on the shelf,
ready for removal next morning At the
D. old
ed cauing-knife and fork of quaint pattern,
and deposited them also on the shelf. She
then returned to the parlor. After sitting
and mu>ing for some time, She took up the
bible and lumbled for her spectacleS. She
could not find them and at length remem-
h-red that She had left them on the shelf in
the closet. She AZ once returned for them.
Entering her bedroom, She placed the candle
on the dressing table, and lighted 4 small
lamp with which She entered the closet
\ She took the first step inside the closet
she heard the sound as if some one breathing
heavily. She looked up, and saw right be-
IRE her the face Of man. She was a brave
re~olute woman. She advanced step, and
Observed that a mans head. arms and body
were through the small window at the end.
%. though in the act Of wiggling himself
AAiANuEiA Al4t Ia tAi' man 49,
hand was a pistol. and his left had hold Of a
shelf which ran along the side of the closet.
The man raised the pistol and fired. Mrs.
Mowbray in an instant seized the huge cary
ing knife which lay on the shelf, and ad-
yanced towards the rufian. He was strug-
Cling TO Withdraw himself from the window.
His hands were on the sill and his head
somewhat raised. leaving his throat some
what exposed.
Being unable to work himself ont Of the
aperture, he raised the pistol as though to
hurl itat Mrs. Mowbray. The courageous
old lady made one step forward, and dashed
the keen blade across the mans throat, lay
inc it open from ear to ear. She then closed
the closet door, blew ont the lamp, and tax
ing up her candle returned to the parlor,
first having satisfied herself that not drop
ur blood had stained her dress or hands
Half an hour after midnight her children
returned home They found their mother
seated by the fire, serenely reading the Bible.
They greeted her affectionately, and prepared
to retire for the night Mrs. Mowbray said 4;
Bows. vou remain behind little. | wish
TO speak to YOU. You my daughter can
retire
When She was alone with her children,
She said with dignity and calmness: = My
children, have killed man. You will ind
his body fast in the small wIndcsv OF the
closet Of my bed room
Her sons stared at her in amazement. They
at first imagined that She must be laboring
under some mental disorder but when she
related to them plainly and nationally, and IN
her own straightforward. terse fashion the
story as iast told, they saw that she was
telling them a simple fact.
Go" she said, " and make what ar
rtngementS Won please. l will wait here, and
you can tell me what course it Is best to pur-
sue in this matter.
The sons took the light and went to their
mothers room. They opened the door, and
there sure enough was the body OF a man
hanging half through the window. The
floor was pool of blood With difficulty
the eldest sjn got near enough to the body
without stepping into the gore, to raise the
head which was dropping ON the chest. lie
gm<ped the hair. and lifted the head 50 that
the light might fall upon his face As he
did -. cry of horror escaped from
ALL"
Great God! it is our brother
George q"
What do you say - asked Mrs Now
bray, IN q voice horribly calm from the
doorway. whittier she had followed unper-
ceived. Sc George what do You mean?''
The oldest son dropped the head to pre-
vent if possible, his mother reconlzing IT.
and all Of them endeayored 10 explain then
exclamation and get their mother away from
the spot. 1t was in vain.
" Boy" She said. in her old well known
tone OF authority. - stand aside and let mt
see the face Of the murderer have slain.
With that she put her sons asideas though
they had been mere lads, and walked through
the slippery gore that lay upon the floor u
10 the body She took the candle from the
uureSiSting grasp of her frst-born, and viii
q hand that trembled not, lifted the head o
the dead man 80 that the light shone ful
upon it. She gazed at it steadily for half 4
minute. then She said, gently lowering !
until it rested upon the breast again: - 1t
my boy George"
Mrs.. Mowbrav was the only one in tha
household who remained calm and emotion
less. The family were in the widest stat
Of sorrow. The three brothers with diff
Guilty extricated the body from the window
The authorities were notified. and everything
was kept as quiet as possible. The lnques
was duly held. Mrs, Mowbray was full.
exonented, and the body was tenderly pre-
pared for the burial The real story wa
known to few outside the family and author
ties. 1t was believed by them that George
instead Of going to Deyonshire. had remain
ed lurking in the neighborhood. and planne'
the robbery, aud if need be the murder O
his mother. lie knew she had large sun
OF money and valuable jewelry in her room
The old nurse who had held George in he
arms when he first saw the light fook car
Of the body, and prepared it for the tomb
She dwelt tenderly on the familiar marx
upon the limbs and face which She knew !
well, each of which had a story of voutbf,
daring or folly connected with it. In du
time the funeral took place The eornS
was laid in the family vault Only the fam
ily and one or two relatives attended. Mr.
Mowbray spent the best part of each day b
the side of her dead son. She showed e,
ternally no signs of emotion. Before the Ii
was closed she kissed the forehead and cut O
lock Of his hair
The day after the burial she gave dire,
tions to her eldest son to pay all the dea
mans debts, which was done at once so f
as known. Gloom settled over the hal