Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-05-08

4 MARvnLOUn EVENT.

.3 :
4 MAnvnL0Us EVENT.
Nrs. Jane lowbray and her foul
SONS lived in 1928 at Harwich Hall, In
the county Of Durham, England. Mrs
Mowbsay was . tall, powerful woman
Of great energy and bravery, In her
ffty-fourth year. Her SONS were aged
respectfully, thirty -four, twenty -scven
twenty-four and twenty-one. Hel
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 dissipated, and had given his moth
er much trouble. He was deeply In
debt and had been repeatedly threat.
ened with arrest. Mrs. MOwbrAy was
wealthy, and kept in her bed room,
besides quantity Of valuable plate
large sum Of money.
On Christmas eve, Mrs. M0wbray's
sons and daughters -fn-law paid visit
to the residence Of . relative, Mr.,
Chaker, Of ChskOrsburg. The domes-
tics, relieved from daty, were in their
own portion Of the dwellfne, ENJOYING
the festivitics Of the season. The
Waterman, who was orylinaFily ON du-
ty In the kitchen gardcn, took q hasty
survey or his beat, and Joined the rev
elers fl the kitchen.
On Christmas night they were ia
have small gathering Of friends and
neighbors, and Mrs.. MOwbray began
to consider the necessary arrange
ments. She weuh require the old
punch bowl, and The ladies' and gobleta
which she kept In the closet of her
bedroom. She went accOrlingly, and
entered the closet, and took out the
silver and laid it on the shelf, ready
for removal the next morning. At the
same time she took out large old
fashioned carving knife and fork of q
quaintpattern, and deposited them on
the shelf. She then returned to the
parior. After sitting and musing for
some time, she took mp her Bible and
commenced fumbling for her specta-
cles. She could not find them, and ri
length remembered having left them
on the shelf In the closet She at
once returned for them. Entering The
bedroom she placed the candle on the
dressing table, and lighted small
lamp, with which che entered the
closet. ia 81
As she took the first step inside the
closet, she heard the sound ~ Of some
one breathing heavily. She looked up
and saw righf before her the face of Q
man. She was s brave resolute wo-
man. She advanced D step, and OBJ
served that mans head, arms and
body were through the small window
at the end, % though in the act Of get
ting through the opening. In the mans
right hand wasa 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. Now
bray in an instant seized the huge
carving knife, which laid on the shelf,
and advanced toward the rufiian. He
was struggling to withdraw himself
from the window. His hands were on
the sill, and his head raised somew hat,
leaving his neck exposed.
Being unable to work himself ont
of the aperture, he raieed the pistol as
though to hurl IL at Mrs. MOwbray.
The courageous old lady made one
step forward, and dashed the keen
blade across the mans throat, laying il
open from ear to ear. She then calm.
ly retired, closed the closet door, blew
out the lamp. and taking up the cam
die returned to tho parlOr, fret having
satisiicd herself that mot q drop Of blood
had stained her dress.
children returned home. Thev found
their mother seated by the fire serene.
ly reading the Bible. They greeted
her affectionately and prepared to re.
tire for the night. Mrs. Mowbray
said: "Boys, remain behind little.
wish to speak to you. You, my dangh-
tiers, may retire.
When she was alone with her chill.
dren, she said with dignity and calm.
ness, "My children, ] have killed q
man. You will find his body fast in
the small window of the closet of my
bedroom
Her sons stared at her In amazement
They at first imagined that she must
be laboring under some mental disor.
der; but when she related to them
plain and nationally, and in her own
straightforward, terse fashion, the
story just told, they saw she was tell.
ing them simple fact.
AGO." she said, "make what arrange.
nlents you please. l will wait here,
and you can tell me Whist course II il
best to take in this natter"
The sons took the light and went to
their mothers room, They opened the
door, and there, sure enough, was the
body of man hanging half through
the window. The floor was q pool Of
blood. With difficulty the eldest son
got near enough to the body without
stepping in the gore, to raise the head
which was dropped on the breast. He
grasped the hair and raised the head
so that the light might fall upon the
face. As he did so, . cry Of horror es.
capped them all.
1Great God! it II our brother
George"
"What did you say r. said Mrs. Now.
bray, in y voice horribly calm, from
the doorway, whence she had follow.
ed unperceived. "Gsorge!" What do
You mean ~
Tbs eldest son dropped the head to
prevent II possible, his mother seeing
Il, ana nii OF them onueav0red to ex.
plain their exclamation and get their
mother away from the spot. It was in
vain.
aBoys," she said, in her old, we'll.
known tone of authority, "stand aside
and let me zee the face Of the villain ]
have slain.n
With that che put her sons aside q
though they were mere lads, and
walked through the slippery gore thai
lay upon the floor up 70 the body
She took the candle from the unresist.
ing grasp Of her first-born, and, with
: hand that tremblcd not, lifted the
head OF the dead man 30 that the Hight
shone full upon it. She gazed at II
steadily for halt q minute, then said
gently lowering 1t until 1t rested upon
the breast again, sit 10 my boy George
Mrs. Mowbay was the only one III