Bridlington and Quay Gazette. — 1884-12-27 (Bridlington, Humberside, England)

MURDER OF A SWEETHEART.  SHOCKING CRIME AT WOOLWICH.  On Monday morning the town of Woolwich was startled by • terrible mime, a girl of 17, named Laura Wilson, daughter of • tradesman living near the gates of the Royal Arsenal, having been assassinated in her bedroom by a man, who climbed in at the front window, and made his escape by the same means. The girl's father is a carver and gilder, and having a large family, he five weeks ago allowed his daughter Lama to live with Mrs.' Hewett, who keeps a tobacconist's shop next &or, ' and Mrs. Hewett, being • widow with an infant, has treated her as a companion as much as • servant. She was known to have a lover, by name Frederick Marshall, aged 21, who resided with his father, • timekeeper in tlip Moral Laboratory Rocket Factories. Plumstenll. The young fellow has been • sailor, and is credited with a wild and romantic disportition. He is reported to have been jealous of some other man, and lstters are in existence showing that be h.s gone so far as to threaten hisi-weetheart's life, lc/ors:had given him to on ierctand that his attentions had become disagreeable to her, and she declined his invitation to take a walk. At 10 o'clock at night the girl, assisted by her father, closed the tobacconist's shop and went to bed. Mrs. Hewett and her baby, who completed the while household, retired at the same time. Laura slept in the front room over the shop, and her window was about Lifx from the ground, and apparently inaocessible other than to an expert climber. The house was quiet until half-past two on Monday morning, when Mrs. Hewett, who slept in the hack bedroom, wan giving her infant come food, heard • slight 'bantam noise in the front-room. She called out to 1.4 if anything was wrong, an I immediately afterwards Laura rushed into her room. saying, am stabbed,- and fell upon the floor. Mrs. Hewett, almost distracted, took a life preserver, which was at hand, and hammered at the wall on the staircase next Mr. Wilson's house, and in ten minutes or as several members of the family came to her assistance. A policeman was called, and • docter sent for, but before his arrival the unhappy girl had breathed her last. She was found to have been st.obed in the left breast and bled very little. A bri, f examination of the room and front of the house showed undoubtedly the mode of the murders Ca in.fress and escape. A pies* of the plaster is kneeled off at • corner of tee shop front next to the house, from the iron railings which be must have sprung to a narrow ledge above at great personal risk. Insole the room the disordered state of the toilet-table under the window proves both the hurry and recklessness of di s assassin. The police seareted the neighbourhood, and shortly before 8 o'clock young Marshall was apprehended at his father's houses to which he quietly wslked home to tereakf taL All be said when told of the charge was, " I suppose you suspect ice haalaS3 Icsziya dagger. .1 don't know what las become of it." He is a young num of Foment (reins an Imild countenance. No blood was found on the pcitoner exceptthe marks of ammo graze on his right wrist. The deceased is described as having been of a prepossessing appearWPM.