The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1854-05-16 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

HORRIBLE MURDER NEAR ABERDEEN.-011 Saturday evening, the 6th instant, shortly after six o'clock, a young woman, named Ann Harvey, left her residence at Peterculter, where there are paper-mills at which she was employed, with the intention of proceeding to Aberdeen, about eight miles distant, to purchase provisions for the ensuing week. On leaving, she observed to the woman with whom she lived, " Not to be surprised though it were midnight, or even after it, ere she returned, as she was to see Francie" (Francis), a young man understood to be her suitor. Nothing subsequently was heard of her until between five and six o'clock on the Sunday morning, when the dead body of the unfortunate woman was discovered at a place called Cults, about four miles from Aberdeen, by two lads, resident in the neighbourhood. The body was lying inside a stone wall which skirts a plantation, the throat cut in a frightful manner. Beside the body was a small tin pail, a small basket containing packages of tea and sugar, and other articles, and a loaf tied up in a napkin by itself; so that evidently she had executed her errand in purchasing the weeks provisions. The wall behind which the body was found is about five feet in height, and is situated close to the turnpike, there being a ditch at the road side. In this ditch, and at the spot immediately opposite where the body was found, must the brutal deed have been perpetrated ; for here, both in the ditch and on the side of the road—though to judge by the appearance of the ground there had not been violent struggling—was found a very great quantity of blood. In the ditch also was found the unfortunate deceased's shawl, bundled up. After the bloody act had been committed, the murderer had lifted the body from the ditch and over the dyke. This had evidently been a task of difficulty. The stones of the dyke were clotted with blood, as if the head had struck frequently upon them. The contents of the basket—tea, sugar, &c.—also bore marks of blood, and presented the appearance of having fallen out and been replaced by bloody hands. The pockets of the deceased were examined, and a package of letters found including an embossed love epistle with some verses, addressed her by " Francis Forbes, East Middleton, Banchory, Devenick." On obtaining this ,clue, the sheriff and an officer proceeded to his house and found him. Forbes admitted at once that Ann Harvey was a sweetheart of his ; but he denied any knowledge of the murder, and said he had been in bed all night. His clothes, however, exhibited various marks of blood. This he attempted to explain, by saying that his nose had been bleeding on the previous day. Forbes was placed in safe custody till evening, when he was lodged i n Aberdeen gaol. • Besides the marks of blood on Forbess smock and trousers, one of the sleeves of the shirt he had on was wet up to the elbow ; and the soiled shirt which he had worn during the past week was nowhere to be found. The prisoner's declaration was taken on Monday afternoon, in which he stated that he had not seen the girl Harvey since the war fast-day, on Wednesday week. His brother and his sister4n-law, with whom he lodged, also say that he was in the house during the whale of the night between Solnkrday and Sunday. It is reported true three parties.who live in the neighbouxhood of Forbes!, residence state, that they saw hin l. with, the murdevt girl, late on. slturafts night.