The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-04-09
THE MYSTERIOUS MURDER.
A SINGULAR STORY.

-A-V N
Hall, in tho county of Durham England.
Mrs. Mowbray was a tall, powerful woman,
of great energy and bravery, in her fifty
fourth year. Her sons were aged respect
lively thirty-four, twenty-seven, twenty-four
and twenty-one. Her husband had been
dead many years. Her two eldest sons
were married, and their wives and families
lived with her. The youngest, George, was
wild and disipated, and had given his mother
much trouble. He was deeply in debt, and
had been repeatedly threatened with arrest.
Mrs. Mowbray was wealthy, and kept in
her bedroom, beside a quantity Of valua-
BILE plate, large sum of money.
On Christmas eve Mrs. Mowbray's son
and daughter-in-law paid visit to the res
idence of relative, Mr.. Chaker, of
Chatersbaugh. The domestics, 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 joined the rev.
ellers in the kitchen.
On Christmas night they were to have a
small gathering of friends and neighbors,
and Mrs. Mowbray began to consider the
arrangements necessary. She would re-
quire the old punch-bowl and the ladies and
goblets, which she kept in the closet of her
bedroom. She would go and get them out
at once. She went accordingly, and enter
ing the closet took out the silver and laid it
on the shelf, ready for removal next morn
ing. At the same time she took out a
large, old-fashioned carving-knife and fork
of quaint pattern, and deposited them also
on the shelf. She then returned to the
parlor. After sitting and musing for some
time, she took up the bible and fumbled for
her spectacles. She could not find them,
and at length remembered that she had
left them on the shelf in the closet She at
once returned for them. Entering her bed
room, she placed the candle on the dressing
table, and lighted small lamp with which
she entered the closet.
AS she took the first step inside the clos
ct, she heard the sound as of some one
breathing heavily. She looked up, and saw
before her the face of man. She was a
brave, resolute woman. She advanced a
step, and observed that the mans head,
arms and body were through the small
window at the end, as though in the act of
wriggling himself through the opening. In
the mans right hand was pistol, and his
left hand hold of shelf which ran along
the side of the closet The man raised the
pistol and fired. Mrs. Mowbray in an in
slant seized the huge carving-knife which
lay on the shelf, and advanced toward the
ruflian. He was struggling to withdraw
himself from the window. His hands were
on the sill and his head somewhat raised,
leaving his throat somewhat exposed.
Being unable to work himself out of the
aperture, he raised the pistol as though to
hurl it at Mrs. Mowbray, The courageous
old lady made one step forward, and dashed
the keen blade across the mans throat,
laying it open from ear to ear. She then
calmly retired, closed the closet door, blew
ant the lamp, and taking up her candle re-
turned to the parlor, first having satisfied
herself that not drop of blood had stained
her dress or hands. iIa./
Half an hour after midnight her children
returned home. They found their mother
seated by the fire, serenely reading her
bible. They greeted her aifectionately,
and prepared to retire for the night Mrs.
Mowbray said.
"Boys, remain behind little. | wish
to speak with you. You, my dear daugh-
ters, can retire." DfsAG
When she was alone with her children,
she said, with dignity and calmness:
My children, have killed man. You
will find his body fast in the small window
of the closet off my bedroom"
Her sons Stared at her in amazement-
They at first imagined that she must be la
boring under some mental disorder. But
when she related to them plainly and ra-
tionally, and in her own straightforward,
terse fashion, the story as just told, they
saw that she was telling them simple fact.
"Go," said she, "and make what ar
rangements you please. will wait here,
and you can tell me what course it is best
to pursue in this matter"
The sons took the lights and went to
their mothers room. They opened the
door, and there, sure enough, was the body
of man hanging half through the win
dow. The floor was a pool of blood
With difficulty the eldest son got near
enough the body, without stepping into the
nore TO raise the head which was drnoninor