The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-11-18
THE BLACK TARN.
Disappearance of an Innkeep-
er's Daughter-A Discarded Low
er's Vengeance.

Five or six miles to the north OF the
small town of Brompton, in Cumberland,
England, there is a mountain lake known
as Black Tarn. In the neigh borhood are
sheep farms, and few Insignificant ham,
lets lie here and there around In one of
these known as Hay yton, a murder was
recently perpetrated, accompanied by
cruel outrage At the east end OF the
village there resided one John Coulter,
who kept beer shop, and cultivated a
small farm. He was a rough, uncouth
man. addicted to drink, and when he was
incapable of attending to his customers
who came of a night for beer, his daugh-
ter, comely girl of seventeen, waited
upon them. He had son, also, but he
was in Carlisle, learning trade, and sell
dom visited his native village.
Coulter was reported to be worth few
hundred pounds, and subsequently, pass
ed in the neighborhood Tor a man of
means A young man named Armstrong G
had been courting his daughter, but he
had been driven off by Coulter, for as
saulting a farmer who was the latter s
friend. Armstrong had quilted the
neighborhood, having, as was supposed,
enlisted. At that time now referred to,
Kate, Coulter's daughter, was receiving
attentions from one George Routledge,
the son of grocer in Bronpton.
On the morning of the 10th of last
February, Coulter arose late, having been
drunk as usual the night before. Hear
ing no sounds below that would indicate
his daughters being around, he went to
the top of the stairs and called her by
name No answer came, and he hastily
donned his clothes and descended. The
stairs led down into the back kitchen,
and when he reached the bottom he saw
the door leading into the yard open.
Thinking that his daughter might be in
the Dyer, he again called her name, but
to no purpose. Then he passed into the
bar, which was small room with a win
dow opening in the main room. The
glasses stood around unwashed, there
was no fire in the CRATE, and the disorder
showed plainly that Kate had not been
at work that morning.
Coulter searched around, but could see
nothing of his daughter The bed in her
chamber had not been slept in, and her
cloak and bonnet were missing. He sum
moned one of the neighbors, and when
the news got around that Kate Coulter
had-suddenly disappeared from home, a
crowd of sympathizers gathered round
the father and offered assistance and
counsel.
David Redd, blacksmith testified
that he was the last to quit the inn the
night before, and that Kate bade him
good night, and drew the bolt in the
door. 1t was then ten o'clock. Peter
Steele, the village constable confirmed
Redd's statement, as they were in com
pany, Steele leaving the house only few
minutes before Redd, who remained tc
get light for his pipe. Beyond this
| there was absolutely no testimony
Coulter, accompanied by his friends
| searched the neighborhood for the miss
ing girl, but with no success, George
| Routledge, her lover, VINO had been mott
| fed, reached the village in the afternoon
and joined in the search. Mounted po
/ lice from Brompton, and then officers
! from Carlisle, were speedily on the spot
/ and the whole countryside was secured
No traces, however of the lost one were
met with.
Days and weeks went by, and the mys
tery remained unsolved. One day, about
week after the girls disappearance
Armstrong; old mother put her head in
! at Coulters door, and said, in a bite
| tone:
"Ah, Mr. Coulter, so you've lost YOU
pretty miss. Now we're even. Yor
drove away my boy, and now the devi
Ids OLOhC away yONl
Then she gave malignant laugh, ant
departed.
Toward the middle of March tw,
country lads, amusing themselves arounC
Black Tarn, saw something white amonj
the rushes On closely examining tn,
object they discovered it to be a human
t.arm. With branch of tree they push
ed aside the rushes and water plants, ant
the body of a female was disclosed. The
were first disposed to run away, but f
nally resolved to haul out the body. Thi
they did with some difficulty, and laid i
on the grass. 1t was in an excellent stat
OF preservation, owing to the ice, whic
/ had just broken up, and the feature
were perfect. Both the lads identified
the corpse as that of the missing gir
Kate Coulter. Covering it with rushe
and leaves, they started for the villag
+ and informed the grief-stricken father {
their discovery. The body was CAREFUL
, removed to Coulter's house, and core
ner' s inquest was held. surgical e1
animation showed that the girl had bee
, outraged and mar MS ofstrangulation wer
distinctly visible on her throat The bod,
when found, was entirely naked, an
{ search was made for the unfortunat
l girls clothing. They were found unde
pile of stones about two hundred yarC
from where the corpse was discovered