The Poole Telegram. — 1880-01-16 (Poole, Dorset, England)

SHOCKING MURDER AT MANCHESTER.  On Wednesday night a servant girl named Sarah Jane R Oxide, at the house of Mr. Richard Greenwood, of ‘Vestbourne-grove. Harpurhey. Manchester, was found murdered. Mr. Greenwood's house is semi-detached, and In a lonely thoroughfare. The other houae under the same roof is occupied by Mr. Cadman. a Unitarian minister. On Wednesday afternoon Ur. Greenwood received a letter in which be was requested to meet the writer at a certain hour in the evening, at a public-house, in order to arrange for the purchase of some land, of which he is the owner. Mr. Greenwood left his house to keep the appointment, but in the public-house he found no person whom he recognised, or who made himself known to him as the writer of the letter. Ater staying some time in the house Mr. Greenwood returned home. In the meantime Mrs. Greenwood. who was confined to her room by illness, was startled by a loud scream from the kitchen. Terror gave her strength, and she reit to the top of the stain-, and called "Jane." but get no answer. Mrs. Greenwood then ran downstairs to the front and shrieked " Murder I" e'he was under the impression that the servant was in a fit, or that her clothes were on fire. Mrs. Cadman heard Mrs. Greenwood's cries, and went int the house. Going into the kitchen, Mrs. Cadman was horrified to see the girl Roberto lying on the floor bleeding from two wounds on the head and dying. In two or three seconds she expired without being able to utter a word. A terrible wound over the right eye, and another on the back of the head, had caused her death. Mr. Finder, surgeon, was called in, hut life was then extinct.. The news of the dreadful crime spread rapidly, and the police officer in charge of the county station, Inspector Burke. went to the !roue. Mr. Supt. Bent was on the spot in a short time, and directed the efforts of his men to discover the assassin. One theory of the affair is that the p 'or girl was murdered by some person with whom she had formed an acquaintance, and who had reasons for putting her to eilence. Another is that the letter sent to Mr. Greenwood was merely intended to decoy him from home, and that the writer or his accomplices intended to rob the house in hie absence. In the next room to that in whish the murder was committed a considerable sum of money had been left by Mr. Greenwood. Nothing, however, had been removed from the premises, and there was no appearance of anything having been disturbed. The oceurrenee was officially reported to the magistrates at the County Police Court, Strangewaye, on Friday. The stipendiary tSir J. Mantel)) suggested the immediate calling of a meeting of magistrates, in order that a reward may be offered for the apprehension of the murderer. It is said that some minutes elapsed between the opening of the door to admit the supposed murderer and the actual commission of the crime, so that the girl had ample time te raise an alarm. Information obtained later makes it appear mere unlikely that a robbery was attempted. Mrs_ Greenwood says that no scream was heard till between five and ten minutes after the admittance ot someone at the front door, whose footsteps she heard following those of the servant's. The girl must, therefore, have had the opportunity of raising an alarm earlier. Her age is said te be 19. She was rather et mt, well built, arid attractive in appearance. The police have so far failed to find any weapon in or near the house. The kitchen, in which the murder took place, was found orderly and undisturbed by any sign of a struggle. The girl bore an excellent character. She was of a retiring disposition, and had lately seemed unwilling te go out. She is described as having been very fond of her employers. She had ls en with them ten months. She has two brothers, workmen in Manchester. Her parents live in Wales. It appears that the letter which induced Mr. Greenwood to leave the house on Wednesday evening did not arrive by post, but was foend on the lobby by a visitor, as though pushed under the door. The inn at which Mr. Greenwood had been requested to cell ma the Three Tuns, and the letter was subscribed, "S. Williams, Queen's. road." The signature does not mem to have afforded as yet any clue to the mystery.