The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1868-02-08 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

MURDER AND OUTRAGE IN DUMFRIESSHIRE.  A murder, hearing a horrible resemblance to that lately committed at Alton, has startled the county of Dumfries. The following is the outline of the case :  -- It appears that on last Saturday afternoon, between three and four o'clock, a young nian named Smith, who earns a living by jobbing and labouring about the country, was observed by a woman, named Creighton, to take into a wood near to Cummertrees' a village between Annan and Dumfries, a young girl, about 14 years of age. The woman, as it turned out, had been observed by the ruffian, for some time afterwards he entered her house at Longford cottages and felled her to the ground. While down he attacked her with his knife and inflicted five stabs about her neck. He then dragged the wounded woman into a back room, she struggling • but while he was intent upon completing the horrible murder he had commenced, two little I boys, who were passing on the road with a donkey cart, on their way to the farm where Creighton worked, called at Longford-cottage with a message for Creighton's wife. They knocked loudly at the door, but could obtain no answer. The noise, however, had the effect of alarming Smith, who seems to have desisted from his murderous work, for the woman anon came staggering to the door with her face covered with blood and with blood streaming down from her neck. The boys, alarmed at the horrible sight, called a Owl,herd from the neighbouring fields, and in the meantime the prisoner rushed out of the house-door and was seen by the boys, who recognised him, he having been working on the same farm during the harvest. He ran across the railway, and was there afterwards seen washing his hands by some railway labourers, among whom was a brother of the little girl who had been murdered. He then disappeared. Assistance was rendered to the half-murdered woman; the police authorities at Annan were communicated with, and the county constabulary at once commenced a search forthe prisoner on the charge of the murderous assault upon Jane Creighton. The fate of the little girl Scott had not then been ascertained; but the news of the assault upon the woman having been spread, the parents of the little girl became alarmed for her safety. They heard that she had been on the road with the prisoner; and, as the child did not return home when she was expected, a search was commenced by lantern-light. Inquiry at I Annan showed that she had not been there; and the roadside and neighbouring plantations were then carefully examined. At a place about half a mile smith of Longford.cottage, traces were first discovered. There, by the side of a plantation, marks were found of a violent struggle; and crossing the palings, and entering the wood, the searchers found the little girl lying murdered. There was a mark around her neck, showing that she had been strangled by a thin ligature— rrobably a leathern boot-lace---and the condition of her clothes and person showed but tooplainly that a horrible violation of her person had been committed before she had been mar lerad. The police were now informed of this second outrage, and they continued their search with redoubled eagerness- 'Under the direction yf Mr. Jones, the chief constable of the county constabulary, the whole country round was scoured by police officers ; and intelligence was sent to Carlisle and other places with descriptions of the suspected murderer. After he had washed his hands in a pool near the railway Ire had been seen skulking beneath some hedges, and he was afterwards heard of upon the highway, but there traces were lost. On Sunday morning, however, the police again got upon the track of the murderer, and he was apprehended about noon on Sunday, at 35, Queensberry-street, Dumfries, where he had been lodging previously. His clothes were found staked with blood, and his underclothing was similarly marked; and a leathern shoe-lace tied in a noose was found in his pocket. The little girl had been rsbbed of about 10s., the purse being found rifled near her body; and some money was found upon the prisoner. The prisoner, Robert Smith, alias Colvin, is between 19 and 20 years of age. He is a native of Eagleafield, near Kirtlebridge, in Dumfriesshire.