Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-04
TRAGEDY OF MARsTON HALL.

The mysterious murder OF Sir James
Marston, of MarSton Hall, Yorkshire,
England, IN 1910, is among the most
noteworthy events in the chronicles of
crime. Sir james was the last of long
line, and was bachelor Of fifty. He had
lived gay and disSipated life, and had
Squandered his large revenues ON pleas
ures of the most sensual HInd. The bar
onetcy woul4 be exainct with him, but
the estates'wouid pass to second cous-
in, a young lady OF twenty-five, bearing
the name of Augusta Marstop. =
Marston Hall was an irregular build
ing, in many styles of, architecture, with
a terraced garden in front, in the Old
style. Sir James spent the greatest part
OF his TIME IN london and Paris; but ev-
cry summer { visited the Hall and
brought few intimate friends with HIM.
In August, 1S4O,she followed is usual
custom, and was accompanl"d by Mr..
John Carew, Mr. George Settle, Mr.. Chris
topher Ainslie and Mr.. James Herbert.
They reached the Hall on the 18th OF the
month, and passed their time in fishing,
riding, racDets and boating. Every even
ingt ey sat down to dinner together, and
generally drank very freely, going to bed
late and rising late the next mOlnIng.
a DREADFUL DISCOVERY.
On the morning of August 18th, all
we're up and assembled in tile breakfa fast
room, awaiting Sir james. It was ten
O'Clock and still he failed to.appear One
lDfs them, Mr.. Ainslie, sauntered out into
the garden and passed around the left
wing of the building where the study was
situated. He returned shortly and SAID
that Sir James was seated in the library,
near the window.
This is too bad said Mr.. Agnew,
who was on very intimate terms with Sir
James; 'let US go and rouse him up. He
must be ignorant Of the time of day
Mr.. Agnew and the Others crossed the
hall and went toward the study. On
opening the door, they saw that a screen
interviewed between them and Sir James.
sTheys entered in body. and saw the
Baronet seated IN his chair near the win
dow. His head lay back, his hands
dropped, and his jaw had fallen.
My COD exclaimed Mr.. ,Agnew; "he
is dead!'
On approaching they found that, such
was the case; but they found more: They
found that the blood still ooZed from a
wound in the region of the heart. The
vest, shirt and pantalOons We're saturated,
and the hOol was
SOAKED WITH BLOOD.
As matter of course, the proper
authorities were informed the dreadtuI
crime which had clearly been perpetrated
ADMINISTRATION followed, VIII. CHI resulted
in what is given below. The guests of
&ho Il hi,
being with HIN. on the previous evening
until past midnight.
q Mr. Agnew swore that at Fifteen min
utes. past twelve he left Sir James in The
middle of the dining room with other
gentlemen. Mr.. Settle swore that he
parted with Sir James in the hall, where
he took his night candle. and that then
Mr.. Ainslie and Mr. Herbert Were with
him. Mr.. Herbert testified that he babe
Sir James goodnight. at the foot OF tile
stairs, and left Mr.. Ainsiie with him.
Mr.. Ainslie swOre that he quilted Sir
James at the same place fe moments
:, afterward; just as the porter extinguished
Z the light IN the halfway. Sir James
turned toward his study.
Thomas Cooley, the porter, sHore that
he. saw Sir James and Mr.. Alnslie stand
ing together at tile foot of the stairs, and
that Sir james said: Thomas, see that
you pat out all the lights and close the
windows Securely;
Cooley further swore that he went into
the dlnina-rpom to closet window, and
left Sir j ames and Mr.. Ainsie speaking
Together, ana that ter he had closed
the charlottesville returned tu,the hall AND
found that both gpntiemen had gone
There was d. II bit, h0WeVef, In Sir James
study, and Odiey went and hooked in al
8 the halfaepen door. z He. saw SIR James,
aARiNe or HtsTfN scAsaslsox ss1
From an oaken chest which stood reai
the window, and wondering what lit
could be going TO do, had the curiosity
tOwatch. ~SiraJamts Counted Data mum,
Der of bank notes and said to Mr.. Aims.
. lieyasShe handed them to him: !:
"There Is a thousand pounds, and you
can give me your %. L. for it. IA
Then Sir James put back a quantity d
bank notes into. the box and returned il
to the oaken chest. Cooley quilted [
spot and went about his business. In thl
= hO6sektepef room he remarked to Mrs
Bruno, the houses eper, that Mr.. Ainslit
had borrowed money from Sir James, i
WAIiam Carr ST james, yaet, testif 4
that he went into his masters bedroom
and prepared it for him as usual. Ill,
= had diTeetions DOT 70 staT around til,
apartment after midnight if his m1aste
did not 20 to bed by that time. On tina
, Cezeuing, Rhoweysr, 6 he rrelnainea late
reading newspaper which FAY on TIL,
dressing table. Hearing step, he look
= sa,at the,tiEne piece, and SAW itwas near
galy halfpast twelveJ iHe tl0nght the steI
was Sir James but as it passed he wen
to the corridor and saw Mr.. Ainsh
going down stars ~
WITH AN UMBRELLA IN HIS HAND.ss
Strange things happened in the hall a
all hours, and Carr thought there Wa
= nothing remqrkablD in guest going dow
the stairs with an umbrella at midnigh
. Mr.. Ainslie denied without ;htsitane
,-r1that7he went to isir. James. study ,or bol
= rowe,l money from him. but admitte
that he went down stairs with the uin are
la. He explained this 10y saying that II
day before he had carried 1t from ii
stand in the entrance hallway, thinkih
1T was his, and that. on going to bed an
finding. itcwas ant, he. Immediately refu
e1 it lest Il should he needed by the ow
or in the early morning. Mr.. Ainsiie sa,
that, SO iar rs from requiring to- borro
money from sir James or any one b Sc.
lad with him III arge sum, more than al
lly sufficient to meet all necessities.