The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-02-28
4 M1REELOES ETENT

n M1RVELOJS Event
Mrs. Jane Mowbray and her four sons
lived in 1928 at Harwich Hall, in the
county of Durham, England. Mrs.
Mowbray was tall, powerful woman, of
great energy and bravery, in her fifty
fourth year. Her sons were aged, re-
spectively, thirty-four, twenty-seven.
twenty-four and twenty-one. Her hus-
band 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 dis
sipated, 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, besides quantity
of valuable plate, large snm of money.
On Christmas eve, Mrs. Mowbrav's
sons and daughters-in-law paid visit to
the residence of a relative, Mr.. Chaker,
of Chakersburg. 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 TASTY survey of his beat, and
joined the revelers in the kitchen.
On Christmas night they were to have
small gathering of friends and neigh
bors, and Mrs. Mowbray began to con-
slider the necessary arrangements. She
would require the old punch bowl, and
the ladies' and goblets which she kept in
the closet of her bedroom. She went
accordingly and entered the closet and
j took out the silver, and laid it on the
shelf, ready for removal the next morn
ing. At the same time she took out
large old-fashioned carving-knife and
fork of a quaint pattern, and deposited
them 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 bedroom, 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
closet, she heard the sound as of some
one breathing heavily. She looked up
and saw right before her the face of
man. She was brave, resolnte woman.
She advanced a step, and observed that
a 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 a pistol, and his left
hand had hold of shelf which ran along
the side of the closet. The man raised
the pistol and fired. Mrs. Mowbray in
an instant seized the huge carving-knife
which lay on the shelf, and advanced to-
ward the ruffian. He was struggling to
withdraw himself from the window. His
hands we're on the sill, and his head
somewhat raised, leaving his neck ex-
posed.
being unable to work himself out of
the aperture, he raised the pistol as
though to hurl it at Mrs. Mowbray.
Ihe courageous old lady made one step
forward, and dashed the keen blade
across the mans throat, laying it open
nomeartoear. She then calmly retired,
closed the closet door, blew out the lamp,
and taking up the candle, returned to
The parlor, first having satisfied herself
that not drop of blood had stained her
dress or hands.
half an hour after midnight, her chill
afen returned home. They found their
mother seated by the fire, serenely read
ing the Bible. They greeted her affec-
aonately, and prepared to retire for the
night. Mrs. Mowbray said, "Boys, re-
man behind little. wish to speak to
.ou. You, my daughters, can retire
When she was alone with her children
S sne said, with dignity and calmness,
MY children, I have kill a man. You
WIZ find his body fast in the small win
"'W OF the closet of my bedroom"
her sons stared at her in amazement.
iiiey at first imagined that she must be
,,Apofing under some mental disorder
~, when she related to them, plainly
. 4a nationally, and in her own straieht-
.O,safd, terse fasion, the story as just
a' tney saw she was telling them
simple fact.