The Sun. — 1827-09-18 (London, England)

THE SEW4EANT'S WIFE.  The Drama of this name, though taken from one of the O'Hara Tale's, is founded, as well as the tale itself, on an occurrence which took place in 1813, in Ireland, rAnil which is thus described in the confession Of the assassins, who were convicted and at etited in that year:—  The discovery of this murder, as decreed by the Almighty, was made by Margaret Armstrong, the wife of Sergeant Armstrong, of the 27th Itegiment of Foot, on the recruiting service in Athlone. She was going to her husband, when she was overtaken by this dealing man. He asked her how far she was going—she answered to Athlone, to her husband, and said as it was getting late, and being scarce OF money, she would make good her way than He then replied, " my poor woman let 'not that hurry you, I am going to Athlone mysuJ' and there is a lodging at the next cross at wh;.ch I mean to stop, be advised, and go no farthPje to-„ight, and I will pay your expenses." I'v.ifien they came to the house, be asked fer a bed for himself and another for the woman, and for supper; When that was over, he paid tt'ie bill, and taking out his pocketbook, he coruited 150/. which he gave in cha'rge to George Smit},, and retired to bed; the vrOman wise ‘Ver:d; to her's, the family "ftt up till twelve ; after. when the matt Was fast asleep and all lv.e.S silent, we (the three Smiths) went into the loom where the man lay ; we dragged him out of bed, and cut his throat from ear to ear; we saved Lis blood in a pewter dish, and put the body into a laxseed barrel, among feathers, in which we covered it sip. Take care and do the same with the woman, said our. mother. We accordingly went to her bedside, and saw her hands extended out of the bed : We held a candle to her eyes.but she did not stir during the whole time, as God was on her side ; for bad we supposed that she had seen the murder committed by us she would have shared the same fate with the deceased man. Next morning when she erase, she asked was the man up ? We made answer, that he was gone two hours before, left sixpence for her, and took her bundle with him. " No matter," said she, " for I will see him in Athlone." When she went away, I (George Smith) dressed myself in my sister's clothes, and having crossed the fields, met her. I asked her how far she was going ? She said to Athlone : I then asked her where she lodged ? She told me at one Smith's, a very decent house, where she met very good entertainment. "That house bears a bad name," said I. " I have not diet to say of them," said she, " for they gave me good usage." It was not long until we saw a sergeant and two recruits coming ti,i) the road ; upon which she cried out, " Here my husband coming to meet me; he knew I vas coming to him." I immediately turned off the road, and made back to the house. When site met her husband she fainted, and on recovering site told him cf the murder, arid how she escaiied with her life. The husband went immediat,;iy and got guards, and had us taken prisowrs; the house was searched, and the mangled bo",iy found in the barrel. The three monsters were, it is mentioned, ordered for execution from the dock. —Mirror.