The Sun. — 1861-09-09 (London, England)

MYSTERIOUS .MURDER NEAR  GLASGOW.  On Thursday evening last Mr. William Simpson, coalmaster, Larkhall, Lanarkshire, a young man of high respectability, and possessed of the most promising abilities, is supposed to have been murdered near the village of Motherwell. Mr. Simpson, it appears, had proceeded to Airdrie on Thursday, for the purpose of drawing some money from the bank, in order to pay his men at the colliery (which be does once a month), pay-day being Saturday. When he left Airdrie he had in his possession £l3B in notes of the following banks : one £lOO-note of the National Bank, six Li-notes of ditto, one £2O-note of the Clydesdale Bank, two L. and two .E 1 notes of ditto, some silver, and a gold, watch. When Mr. Simpson had walked as fp:e as Motherwell, he went to Mr. Clark's Motherwell Inn, where he partook of a simple rtheshment. Rain having by this time begun to fall, he ordered a conveyance to take him home; but as the weather soon became fair he countermanded this order, and resolved to prosecute the remainder of his journey on foot. He accordingly left the inn wi, h that intention about half-past eight o'clock, and since then nothing has been seen of him. The road which he took was a narrow footpath on the bank of the Lesmahagow Branch Railway (a mineral line), and which is commonly used on the way to Larkhall. About half-past nine o'clock an engine man named Andrew Rankine, in passing up this footpath towards Motherwell, discovered about 200 yards from the village, the hat worn by Mr. Simpson. He also found a number of letters 'and a pocketbook lying about; and there have likewise been discovered several coins, amounting in value to is., and some copper coins. Rankine immediately communicated with. the constable at Motherwell, who instantly despatched intelligence of the circumstance to headquarters at Hamilton. Mr. Dykes, Procurator Fiscal, Captain Mackay, chief constable, and Superintendent Dewar at once proceeded to the spot, where Superintendent Christison, of Wishaw, speedily arrived. The strictest investigation was immediately made, the line of railway was searched for some distance, as were also all the ditches in the neighbourhood, the old pits being also penetrated, but no trace whatever has been found of the body. A number of the county police and a good many colliers have aided in the search, bat their efforts have been unsuccessful. There remains, however, no doubt that a most foul murder has been committed. In the hat which was found there were two long irregular gashes, the one from seven to eight inches long, and the other from four to five inches ; still there was no appearance of blood about the hat. At the spot the ground was trampled apparently with many footsteps, and the silver and copper coins seemed as if they had been pressed to the ground by several feet. The ground altogether presented the appearance of a place where a struggle had taken place, but there is no evidence of any one having heard such a struggle. It is surmised that the body may have been thrown into the Clyde, and as a flood has since passed down the river, in consequence of the heavy rains, there is no saying where the body may be found, if it be found at all. Meantime the river is to be dragged, and the minutest search will continue to be made. The case, however, as yet seems likely to remain shrouded in the mystery in which it is at present enveloped. A. reward of £2OO has been offered for the apprehension of the murderer or murderers. Deceased was a young man of 23 or 24 years of age, and leaves a widow and child to mourn his untimely death.