The Sun. — 1846-08-10 (London, England)

AUG. 5.---The excitement which existed in this neighbourhood consequent upon the discovery of the murderers of Mr. George Mobbs, and their conviction at the late Oxfordshire Assizes, had scarcely subsided, when the feelings of the people of this neighbourhood have again been pained by the perpetration of a murder by a man of the name of Cave, a farmer, residing at Hornton, a village about five miles from Banbury. Cave, who is a married man, had formed an improper connexion with a widow of abandoned habits, named Hannah Treadwill, the mother of nine living children, having :buried three. Two of the three were considered to be Cave's, as well as one that is living. Cave becoming somewhat reduced in his circumstances it is supposed was the cause of his ceasing to supply her with money, in consequence of which she and her children were often in a state of great destitution. Some time since she applied to the board of guardians for relief, but this they refused to give out of the workhouse, and thither she would not go. The whole neighbourhood has for a long time past been disturbed by their quarrels, and sometimes fights, in the streets. She followed him to Banbury, and a variety of other places, so that he was scarcely ever free from her. She was a violent person, and often assaulted him with stones, a wound from one of which lie now has on his face. On the morning when the fatal occurrence took place Cave went to his land, taking with him his gun. The spot is elevated, and not more than a furlong from the village. The woman followed him, -end they were heard in the village at high words as usual. A person going in that directicn between seven and eight o'clock met them returning towards the village. They were then quarrelling; and shortly afterwards he heard the report of a gun, but thought nothing of it. Cave went home with the gun under his arm, and told his wife and his mother he had shot Hannah. Before they could recover from the shock the intelligence gave them two other persons going towards Cave's land found the deceased on the footpath, quite dead. The spot where the act was committed is a peculiar one. A cartway is cut through the side of the hill to ease the descent, and the footway is 12 or 15 feet above it. The footpath is not more than three feet wide, and the bank is perpendicular. It is supposed he stood in the cartway. and that she was on the footpath when he fired the fatal shot. When found she was lying extended along the narrow footpath, and a stream.of blood had flowed rive yards from her body. Cave was taken into custody and lodged in Banbury gaol. He gave two different accounts of the affair; one that they were quarrelling and had a scuffle; that she bad hold of the muzzle of the gun, and that it went off by accident; another, that in the heat of the quarrel he tried to get up the bank to strike her, but being unable to do so he shot her. He then loaded the gun with the intention of shooting himself, but had not courage to do so. An inquest was held on the body on Wednesday, before John Churchill, Esq., one of the county coroners. The body presented an awful appearance, the shots having entered in a mass on the left side of the neck, making a wound three inches long, nearly two inches wide, and of great depth. The carotid artery aad the jugular vein were both divided. A part of the deceased's dress, with which were coagulated blood and shots, were removed from the wound. The inquest was adjourned until Saturday, in consequence of the principal witnesses being absent before the county magistrates at Banbury, who were holding an inquiry into the case.  The greatest commiseration is expressed for the prisoner's mother, who is a very respectable woman. She had two children only, the pris ,ner and a daughter; the latter, who was a very fine young woman, poisoned herself a few years since. Cave's age is about 46, that of his victim 40.