The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-25

man. led by a dog, happened to be
passing. and, hearing the groans, asked
what was the trouble. The villainous
servant replied: only sick traveller
suffering from fatigue and resting him
self" Thus assured, the blind man
passed on. and the murderer completed
his crime undisturbed. He seized his
masters money and bills of exchange
and set up a shop in Rouen. In the
meantime (the period having elapsed
when the merchant should have re-
turned TO Lueca) "a messenger was dis
patched to inquire into the cause or
his absence After considerable in
quiry. the messenger learned that a t an
inn. some six months before; a mer-
chant from Lucca had lodged, and was
going toward Paris The messenger,
not obtaining any further intelligence,
began to suspect he was murdered, ana
complained to the parliament of ROuen,
who made inquiry if anyone had opened
a shop about that time. Thereupon the
rascally servant was arrested and con-
fronted with the corpse. And the blind
man, hearing of the proceeding and
recOllecting the circumstance, stated
that he could remember the voice OF
the person who answered him when he
inquired about the groans- He was
brought forward, and Immediately
identified the cUlDrit, who, overcome
with terror and the accommodating cir
cumstances of his guilt, at once con-
fessed and was duly punished.
In that quaint old book, 'Dugsdale's
Antiquities of Warwickshire, this
curious recital is described: Sir Wal
ter Smyth of ShirfOrd, in Warwick
shire being an aged man at the death
Of his wife. bethOught him of a suitable
wife for Richard, his son and heir, then
at mans estate. With this object ne
addressed Mr.. Thomas Chetwin Of In
gesteT, in Staffordshire, who, entertain
ing the proposal in behalf of his daugh-
ter Dorothy, agreed to give dOWry OF
s.. 500 with her. But no sooner did the
old knight see the young lady thar he
conceived a liking for her himself, prof
/ fering on his part $500, besides as
/ good a jointure as she could have had
with his son if the first match had
/ gone forward. Chetwin agreed, sue
( ceeded in persuading his daughter to
/ consent to the change and the mar
! rage ensued in due course. But in a
| short time the young lady, being OF
/ inconstant temperament and in regu-
/ lated morals. encouraged the addresses
/ of Mr.. William Robinson Of DraytOn
! Bassett, d handsome young gentleman
! p years of age. Becoming impatient
| OF restraint in the full indulgence OF
/ her guilty passion, her thoughts re-
verted to the means of getting rid Of
( her husband She corrupted her wait
| ing woman and a groom Of her stable
and resolved by their help and with
! the assistance of Robinson, TO strangle
him in his bed. Robinson, either from
fear or repentance, stayed away on the
appointed night yet the lady in no way
staggered in her resolution. Watching
her husband until he fell asleep, she
called in her accomplices, and cast
ing long towel around his
neck, caused the groom to JIG
upon him to prevent his struggles, ant
she and the maid straining tbs
towel stopped his breath. Having thu!
[ completed the work. they carried hin
into another room and placed him in al
arm chair. The maid and groom theI
silently retired. In about an hour aft
4 erward she raised q. violent outcry II
the house. pulling her hair, wringini
lher hands and weeping excessively
She pretended that on waking ant
missing her husband from the bed
after some time she went to seek hin
and found him in the position de
scribed. BY these feigned shows o
sorrow and the apparent simplicity o
the statement she imposed on all, AM
removed suspicion Of any foul play. I
was generally believed that the oil
knight had died suddenly in a fit, o
in the course of nature, and after
short time nothing more was heard o
thought of the matter. Lady Smyt
removed to London, and found sucl
/ homage paid to her beauty that sh
y enlarged the scope Of her attachments
land Robinson was speedily superseded
Within two years this woful deed o
darkness was brought to light IN IN
following manned: The groom befor
mentioned entered the service Of M
Richard Smyth, son and heir TO tn