Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1891-05-23 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

ALLEGED OUTRAGE IN NORTH WALES. A mysterious affair is causing the greatest excite ment in the neighbourhood of Bettws-y-Coed. During the past three weeks Mr. Richards C. Duncan, engineer, Baltimore, U.S.A., and his wife have been staying at the Benar View Hotel, Dolwydclelan, a well-known North Wales fishing resort. They were married in Abo, the ancient capital of Finland, in February,and have since been travelling about. Whilst at Dolwyddelan, Mr. Duncan, who is an accomplished linguist, has spent a good deal of his time in acquiring a knowledge ot the Welsh language. From al accounts the husband and wife, aged respectively 26 and 24, lived together in the utmost happiness. On Tuesday Mr. and Mrs. Duncan left Dolwyddelan, and took two first-class tickets for Llandudno Junction, it being understood that they were leaving for Liverpool, but Mr. Duncan re-engaged his rooms at the hotel for next Saturday. On arriving at Llandudno Junction they suddenly altered their plans, and returned to Pontypant, the station next to D:dwyddelan. After partaking of rc freshments at the local hotel they walked up a steep path leading through a beautiful wood to Cwm Alyn Farm, and were seen by some people living near. Their movements from this point are uncertain, but between 6 and 7 o'clock a quarryman named Evan Evans, who was returning from his employment at Festiniog, came suddenly upon Mr. Duncan stooping over the prostrate form of his wife and holding a huge stone with his hand. Mrs. Duncan was lying in a crevice between two rocks, her head, which was shockingly battered, resting in the extreme angle. As soon as Mr. Duncan saw Evans he shouted in broken Welsh, "My wife is ill, fetch a doctor. My wife has fallen down the rocks." Evans, assisted by Mr. Duncan, carried the lady to his home, which was situated close by, though hidden by a steep bank, and afterwards sent messengers for Dr. Jones, of Dolwyddelan. The doctor speedily arrived, and found that Mrs. Duncan had five or six terrible wounds in the head, causing compound fracture, with depression of the Lone. Mr. Duncan told the doctor that the injury was caused by Mrs. Duncan falling from the rock, and that money must not be spared to procure medical assistance. Dr. Jones accordingly sent to Festiniog for his prAcipal, Dr. Roberts, J.P., who arrived at midnight, and ordered that the lady should be removed to the Benar View Hotel. On Wednesday the two doctors named and Dr. Jones, Llanrwst, performed the operation of trepanning. Mr. Duncan's condition is so serious that the doctors entertain very little hope of her recovery. On Wednesday Sergeant Owen, stationed at Dettws-y-Coed, arrested Mr. Duncan on suspicion of causing the injuries. He was brought before Colonel Johnstone, J.P., and formally remanded.  A later account states that Mr. Duncan has confessed that he took a stone from the coping of a wall near the spot where he was found,and battered his wife's head in. The stone was lying close by and was marked with blood and hair. The motive for the crime is a mystery. Duncan is a native of Washington, where, it is said, his family occupy a good position. lie is short and slight, with fair hair, and wears spectacles. He is well educated, and speaks English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Mr. Duncan was on Friday brought up before the Bettws-y-coed magistrates and further remanded on the charge of attempting to murder his wife, who remains in a precarious condition.  The Inman steamer City of New York is bringing over a party of about 60 leading American millers. They intend to spend about a fortnight in this country, visiting our best flour mills, and making arrangements for more successful competition with the British miller in his own market. American flour has peculiar qualities of "strength" which commend it to the British baker, but it is a mistake to assume that the American miller is any more advanced in his profession than are his English, Scotch, and Irish competitors. The total am Junt of flour consumed in the United Kingdom per annum is 33,250,000 sacis of 2801 b. each, and the proportion of American flour is about 5,000,000 sacks.