Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-08-20
A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
Tie Fate of a Faithless Wife-The Fa.
tai End Of an Intrigue - Her
Husband Saws her Head on.

One of the most revolving and bloody
murders ever recorded in history, ac-
cOmpanied with circumstances unpar-
alleled, has Just been discovered in the
South of England. In 1851, James Dali
glish, a merchant of the city of London,
became acquainted with Miss Josephine
Helshem, the daughter of physician
in lucrative practice. A few months
after the introduction they were mar
ried. Mr.. Dalglish was a member of the
firm of Raleigh, Dalglish, White & Co.,
and was considered a wealthy man.
Miss Helsham's marriage was considered
an advantageous one for her, and she
received congratulations on all hands. A
constant visitor at her fathers house
was Charles Seton, a poor and struggling
artist, but young man possessed of fine,
intellectual features. Mr.. Dalglish pur-
chased a beautiful villa at Richmond,
and handsomely furnished it. He and
his wife continued to reside there about
two wears. Richmond is abOHt twelve
miles from London, and easy Of access
by railway. Mr.. Dalglish would take
the cars for the city in the morning, and
return home to dinner in the evening.
About seven months after the mar
rage Mrs. Dalglish gave birth to a very
fine child, which circumstanced re-
marks of a not too charitable nature;
but the matter died away, and Mr.. Dal-
glish, who loved his wife with undying
devotion, and had in her the utmost
confidence, never doubted for a moment.
But as the cnild grew, the likeness that
existed between the child and Charles
Seton was something remarkable. The
ewes and the features were evidently his;
but that gave no cause Of uneasiness to
Mr.. Dalglish. After four years of cOnju-
cal felicity to Mr.. Dalglish, and, so far
as we are aware, of equal happiness to
his wife, it became necessary for him, in
consequence of very large Outstandings
in Australia that his firm was unable
10 collect, that he should proceed to
Melbourne and Sydney, as the
firm were temporarily embarrassed
for the want Of remittan-
ces. Bidding the wife he so much loved
a fond adieu, he departed for Australia,
and after visiting Melbourne, Sydney
and Adelaide, he returned TO England
after the lapse Of two years. Prior to
his embarzing from Melbourne for Liv-
erpOol he addressed a letter to his wife,
informing her that he would be in Eng
land shortly after the receipt of his let
ter. But the steamship by which the
'etter was forwarded fOundered and the
m.Rils were all lost. On his arrival at
Liverpool he took the express train for
London, and arrived home at ten o'clock
at night. He was received with open
arms by his wife, and, kissing her and
the child again and again, he believed
that he had returned once more to enjoy
the society of the wife he so much
loved.
Returning home one day earlier than
usual. he saw a handsome cab driving
away from his door, and Charles Seton
was its occupant. His jealousy was rails
ed. for the child had become the perfect
image of Seton. A few weeks afterward
he went to the rural pOst-Ofiice, which |
was not far from his villa, to purchase |
stationery, when the young postmistress
told him she had two letters for the wife, |
marked "To be left till called for" He
took them from her and opened them. |
They were addressed in the language of
passionate love to his wife, inquiring as
10 the health Of the two children, and |
signed by Charles Seton. From the !
contents Of the letter il was evident that
Oalglish's wife was the mother of two
children by Charles Seton. Dalglish
staggered home and sought his wife. He
handed her the two letters and de
manded an explanation. she calmly
told him that he was a wretch for open
inc letters addressed to her, and that
the explanation that she had to give
him would lead to a separation forever.
In calm words she told him the child
that was born seven months after their
marriage was not his, but Charles Sc
toms, and that three months prior to his
arrival in England from Melbourne she
had become the mother of another child 1
by Seton. which was in the care Of a /
nurse. Stunned with the news, he left /
his home that night and went to Nor
ley's Hotel, Charing Cross, and in the /
morning drove to his cOunting-house in /
the city, drew a check for twenty-five /
thousand pounds, went TO his attorneys, /
Afess rs. Freshfield d Co., who were at 1
fornevs for the Bank of England, made 4
a settlement on his wife and her two /
children Of twenty thousand pounds, |
and appointed Mr.. Freshfield the
trustee.
Mr.. Dalglish Immediately proceeded
TO Liverpool, unknown 10 his partners,
where he embarked for the United |
States. He remained in New York for
some few months, but was unable to-
find auy suitable investment for his five
thousand pounds. He went to Chicago,
where he entered into partnership with
Nathan Gatchell in the grain business.
But in six months, owing to disastrous
sDeculations and the recklessness Of
Gatchell, Dalglish was left without a
dollar. He obtained railroad pass to
cincinnati, and on striving there an
.Swered advertisement after advertise
meuf, but he could obtain no situation.
a + Ieasth he became a bOOk-canvasser;
lint as h.a was not suited for the business,
although he struggled hard, he was oft
times living for weeks on bread and wa
fer on one occasion he was arrested
bv a Dutehman named Jack Shiede, at
Freeport, Pennsylvania, for obtaining
ksoard under false pretenses, ana ne
,yeaId most assuredly have been impris-
.onee by a country justice had it not
iiDeen fof the interference Of member OF
the Masonse fraternity. In Pittsburg he
accidentally met with an old London
acquaintance, who advised him 10 go