Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-06-25
The Stury Teller.
A BEAUTIFUL FIEND.
An Earlier Kate Bender-Her Terrible Butch
cries, and Vanity.


cries, and Vanity.
It is seldom that woman resorts to the
knife when she makes up her mind to re-
move from this scene of strife some being
whose existence is obnoxious to her well
fare, but Miss Sarah Malcolm added to the
strange crime Qor one of her sex) of bur-
glary that of murder by wholesale.
Sarah Malcolm was born in the County of
Durham, England, in 1911, her parents be-
ing people in the middle ranks of life.
Her mother was an Irish woman, and pos
sessing some property in Dublin, removed
there when Sarah was child. She was
sent to school, and was most tenderly
brought up. She was not allowed to do
any work, and her beauty, as she grew to
womanhood, filled them with hopes OF her
making match far superior to her own
station.
Both her parents died when she was about
seventeen, and this threw her upon her own
resources, for they had lost almost all they
possessed in small inn. Being her own
mistress, she was fired with desire to 60
to the great city of London, to try if her
face would make her fortune.
A friend of hers, one Mary Tracy. had
gone to London some time before, and had
not failed to give glowing account OF its
wonders and possibilities to Sarah.
Mary had obtained place at the "Black
Horse Ale-house," and by her endeavors,
Sarah was also given place, and there she
made the acquaintance of two brothers
named Alexander.
The two ladies and gentlemen made one
party of all their pleasurings, and later on
in crime.
Tiring of the ale-house, Sarah tried do
mestic service, and went out as parlor maid
in several private families, who afterward
testified to her honesty and good conduct
while with them. Sarah had an ambition
which after a time she was able to crafty.
She wished to become one of the laundress-
es in the Temple. The rooms in the Tenn
pie were occupied by law students and
young lawyers, generally wealthy men who
devoted much of their time to sowing wild
oats.
The Temple laundresses were noted for
their beauty and youth, and Sarah finally
became one of these, taking especial charge
of the linen of Mr.. John Kerrel, young
limb of the law, and very we'll off:
Before becominga Temple laundress, with
its emoluments and renown, Miss Malcolm
had been waiting-maid to Mrs. Lydia
Duncomb.
She was old, infirn, and rich. There lived
with her as a friend and companion, an old,
decrepit woman named Elizabeth Harrison,
and Sarah was succeeded by a young, strong
and pretty girl, Ann Price. Sarah used
often to drop in and see Mrs. Duncomb after
she left her place, and was sometimes per-
mitted to sleep there, consequently she knew
the house we'll, and had the confidence of its
inmates.
The 4th of February, 1873, fell on Sun
day. Mrs. Ann Love had been invited to
dine with,her friend, Mrs. Lydia Duncomb,
on that day, and went to her apartment and
knocked exactly at o'clock. Receiving no
answer, she became alarmed, and going
down to the lady who lived on the floor un-
derneath, asked if she had seen any of the
family above. Mrs. Oliphant replied that
she had not. Going up stairs again, she met
Sarah Malcolm coming down, and said to
her:
''sarah, prithee go and fetch the smith to
open the door,"
Sarah replied she would 60 with all speed,
and went, but returned without the smith.
On this, Mrs. Oliphant said she could get out
of her window and walk along the roof to
Mrs. Duncombs window, break pane of
glass and get in, which she did, opening
Mrs. Duncomb's window, and admitting
Mrs. Love and Sarah Malcolm.
The first room they entered was that of
Ann Price. She was lying in bed, her hair
hanging loose and falling over her eyes, her
and walloWing in her own blood.
Her chin was fixed down, as if with de-
sign to hide the cut in the throat She had
evidently struggled hard for her life.
In the next room, Elizabeth Harrison lay
dead in her bed, strangled, and her throat
scratched and bruised.
The last body was that of Mrs. Duncomb,
in another room.
There was little crease around her neck,
as if made by string being tied tightly
around.
Sarah Malcolm seemed as Mortified as sur
prised at the discovery of these mangled
bodies, and when doctor came in, and lift
ing up the chin of Ann Price let it fall, she
uttered a suppressed shrek; with this ex-
ceptiOn her behavior was not different from
that of the women who were with her.
Mrs. Duncomb kept her money in a chest
in her room. This was found broken open,
and rihed of everything except few papers.
1t had held a large amount Of money, some
articles of silverWare, and underclothing not
in use, and a very peculiar silver tankard.
Mr.. John Kerrel had been out of town for
a few days, but returned on the 4th of Feb
ruary. AS he was going to his rooms in the
Temple, ne saw people standing about and
talking excitedly. On inquiring what had
happened, he was told that three women
Mrs. Duncomb, Miss Harrison, and their
servant, Ann Prlce-had been murdered
during the night. Much surprised, he went
into his bed chamber, and found there Sarah
Malcolm. He relates in his deposition that
he said to her:
care you here at this time in the morn
ing? You knew Mrs. Duncomb. Have
you heard of anybody that is taken up for
murder?"
mo" said she, "but a gentleman who
had chambers under her has been absent
two or three days, and he is suspected"
''Said l, Nobody that was acquainted
with Mrs. Duncomb shall stay here until the
murderer is found out, and, therefore, take
up your things and get away
"Meanwhile, Mr.. Gehagan, whose rooms
are on the same floor, opposite mine, and
who had come in with me, had gone down
to call the watch but he could not find the
door readily, and came up again. went
down to call two watchmen, and brought
them up, and l found her turning over
some linen in my drawers, and l asked her
who it belonged to. She said it was her
own. The next thing took notice of was
a bundle lying on the ground. 1 asked
what it was. She said it was her gown.
And what's in it q said 1. Why, soiled
linen,' said she. So did not offer to open
things of my own, and found other things
that did not belong to me, and then l charg-
ed the watch with her and bade them take
her away and take care of her.
"When she was gone, found another
bundle, wherupon we resolved to make a
thorough search. We found some more
linen, (afterward proved to be Mrs. Dun
comb's) and pint silver tankard, with a
hlnn6y bond1o -