The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-26
ARDLAMONT MYSTERY
Murder Case That Is Attracting
Attention i'm Scotland.
Alfred Monson Charged with Shooting
Lieutenant HambrOugh for In
surance Money.

copyrighted, 1895, by the Associated Press.)
EDINBURGH, Nov. 25.-In the Sheriff's
Court, this city. to-day, Alfred Monsoon was
charged with trying to drown Lieut.. Wind
sor Hambrough in Ardlamont bay on Aug.
9, and with numbering him in a wood on
the following day by shooting. The muir
der of Lieutenant Hambrough, or the ARD
lamont mystery" as it is called. remains
shrouded in almost as much mystery now
as it was in August last when it first at
tracted the attention of the English and
Scotch press. The scene of the tragedy
is almost as familiar TO Americans as to
British tourists. 1t is situated in one of
the lovliest parts Of the Clyde, at the en-
trance of the famous Kyles Of Butte. and
only about twenty minutes steam from
Rothesay, the ~loveliest seaside resort in
Scotland. The persons chiefly concerned
in the tragedy are Lieutenant Hambrough,
the victim; Alfred Monson, now. under ar
rest under suspicion, and a mysterious per-
son named Scott" who perhaps has more
to tell than anyone else, but who disap-
peared shortly after the death of Ham,
brough, and has not been seen or heard of
since.
Windsor Dudley Cecil Hambrough was
the eldest son of Mr.. Dudley Hambrough,
Of the Isle of Wight. He would nave at
tanned mis- majority early next year. He
was a lieutenant in the Yorkshire Regi-
ment, and his father is a justice OF the
peace for Hampshire. Mr.. Hambrough re-
sides principally at ~Stockbridge. In the
course of an interview Hambrough's faith
er said he was introduced to Monson, his
sons guardian and tutor, in June, 1890, and,
being satisfied with Monson's capability, he
placed his son under his charge. After a
time, as the result of various matters which
came TO his attention, Mr.. Hambrough
grew suspicious of Monson. He thought
Monson was in league with money lenders.
Wherever young Hambrough went Monson
followed, and he exercised so great an in
nuence over his pupil that the latter SIM
entirely by Monson. The father expressed
the opinion that the tutor had some hyp-
motto influence over his son. AT all events,
the two were inseparable, and all Mr..
Hambrough's entreaties were useless to pre-
vail upon his son to return home.
Alfred John Monson. the prisoner, is the
third son of the late Rev. Thomas Monson.
a yorkshire rector his mother being a
Monson is in his thirty-fourth year. His
father was a son of the second Baron Mon
son and grand uncle of the present Lord
Oxenbridge. He is married and has three
children. Tn prisoner seems TO have been
continually in financial difficulties, and
wherever he went he left behind him the
reputation of a man who did not pay his
debts promptly. Monson had, moreover,
/ passed the bankruptcy court some time
ago. The third person, Scott" who was
with Hambrough and Monson when the
former was killed, is still at large, and
his identity remains a mystery.
Ardlamont House, the scene of the trag-
edy, is owned by a Major Lamont, who
let's it during the shooting season. Shortly
before the date of Hambrough's death it
had been taken by Monson, who was re-
siding there with Hambrough and his
guests. Before proceeding to the details of
l the murder 1t will be as well to relate the
story of a boating accident which occurred
1 ~ APdla mont IN ArO q fhn 6QV hAfOFa
Hambrough's death. This so-called acct
dent was not taken much notice of at the
time of the tragedy. but, In the light of
great Importance and it is said that it will
form part of the most damaging evidence
at the trial. The afternoon in question.
went fishing in the bay, In a small boat
belonging to the estate, the boat suddenly
was rowing, seeing the boat filling, pulled
| with all speed towards the shore, but be-
fore reaching land the craft capsized,
hrowing the three men into the water.
| Hambrough, who could not swim. got upon
a rock, but Monson struck out for the
shore. He then got another boat and trans
ferred Hambrough 10 ii. Instead of re-
turning, the pair again rowed into the
bay and, curiously enough, the second
boat sank in shallow water and the two
men had to wade ashore.
On the following morning, Aug. 10, at
about 2 o'clock, Monson9, Hambrough and
w vSG0ft nr sTariee So on fatal to- the young eHpgui lieml
tenant. IT is coniectured that the three
men struck out in different directions and
with underground Whatever happened at
the time the fatal shot was fired can only
be known to Monson and scott" Mon
sons statement is that, hearing a shot,
he shouted out to Marlborough: What
have you got" and. receiving no answer,
went on a bit further and found the young
man lying dead. After lifting the body out
of the ditch in which 1T was lying, Mon
son and scott" returned TO the house.
- II fho ~ INC orc talyan 70
Ventnor, Isle of Wight, where Ham
brough's parents were living, and were
buried.
| son and ne was taken into custody. Mon
son was apparently much surprised and
gI eatly shocked. The news of his arrest
| soon spread and caused the greatest COM
| motion. The prisoner was incarcerated at
Invernary, and, after a preliminary ex-
wood where Hambrough was shot was
carefully examined and the gravest sus-
PIGEONS Of foul play We're entertained S 1t
effected on Hambrough's life and that un-
successful attempts had been made by
MonsOn to. obtain further assurances. The
| Montreal Life Insurance Company, of New
York, had issued two policies of $4,000
each on Hambrough's life. 1t was ex-
| f20, 600 for the purchase OF Ardlamont, and
in order to secure her the policies were to
AS a result of the highly suspicious cir
cumstances of the case a postmortem ex-
animation was held, and it was ascertained
that the fatal bullets after passing through
the back of the head tore away a portion
of the ear. DIR. Eittlejohn, who made the
examination, said that in his estimation
Hambrough did not meet death by his own
carelessness. in the opinion of medical ex-
perts the fatal shot was fired from a
distance of not less than fourteen PAGES
and the theory that the deceased shot him
self was entirely disposed of. Then again
the bullets were discovered in trees in the
wood where Hambrough died, about on a
level with the deceased mans head. No
cartridges similar to those which killed
Hambrough were found in the latter's
pockets. Shortly after this Monsoon was
fully committed for trial on the charge of
murder.
Monson looked we'll and unconcerned, and
cfatted cheerfully with his counsel. The
prisoner pleaded mot guilty. and his trial
was set down for Dec. Il. The proceedings
only lasted two minutes.
HOW TO Dol BIRDS.